iStock/Thinkstock(NEW YORK) -- Customs officials searched more travelers electronic devices in 2017 than any previous year. In fiscal year 2017, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers conducted 30,200 searches, up nearly 60 percent from 19,051 in 2016. The number of searches of cellphones, laptops, tablets and other electronic data spiked from 2015 to 2016 and the upward trend continued last year. The record month was in August, with 3,133 searches of electronic devices. CBP is authorized to search any device of any international traveler -- both U.S. citizen and non-citizen -- as they leave or enter the United States, similar to a bag search. About 80 percent of searches are of non-U.S. citizens. Only diplomats are exempt. Just a fraction of travelers have their electronics searched. Approximately 0.007 percent of arriving international travelers processed by CBP officers in 2017 had their devices searched. The number of searches has gone up over the past few years because travel has increased, more people carry devices and CBP has trained more officers in the search process, according to a senior CBP official. CBP also released an updated policy directive this week, which provided clarified guidance and standard operating procedures for searching, reviewing and retaining information found on these devices. The bureau issued the new directive to clarify public questions over the issue, as well as give crystal clear guidance to officers conducting the searches in the field, according to the senior CBP official. The directive clarifies that only data found on the physical device at the time of travel can be reviewed by customs officials. Information stored on the cloud thats not already downloaded cannot be viewed. In addition, officials are instructed to ask travelers to turn off their data transmission capability, such as putting a phone in airplane mode, before an officer looks at the phone, so that cloud data wont inadvertently be viewed. Officers are instructed to document passwords only for the purposes of opening a phone or other device, according to the directive. CBP officers must destroy the password once the device is opened. The directive also distinguishes basic and advanced searches. A basic search is a review of the content on the phone. An advanced search is when CBP is required to conduct further forensic testing to retrieve the data. In order to do an advanced search, it must be based on reasonable suspicion of a violation of the law or a national security concern and requires approval by a higher-level officer. The majority of searches are basic searches, said CBP. If someone refuses to unlock a device, the device can be detained by CBP. U.S. citizens will always be allowed to enter the U.S., but their phones could be held back -- generally for no more than five days. For non-citizens, refusal to open a device could lead to denied entry. If incriminating information is found, CBP officers could refer the case to an investigative agency, like the FBI, or for non-citizens, deny them entry into the U.S. People are selected for an electronic search based on a number of factors, including travel pattern, prior intelligence and answers to interview questions. CBP has policies against racial profiling but said that country of origin can play a part in whether someone is searched, according to the CBP official. These searches help detect evidence relating to terrorism and other national security matters, human and bulk cash smuggling, contraband, and child pornography, as well as financial and commercial crimes, according to CBP. A good number of the searches that lead to inadmissibility involve national security-related content, said a senior CBP official. Images of terror groups, like ISIS and images of torture have been found during these searches, according to CBP. In this digital age, border searches of electronic devices are essential to enforcing the law at the U.S. border and to protecting the American people, said deputy executive assistant commissioner, Office of Field Operations, John Wagner in a statement. Electronic searches have been under scrutiny from groups like the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), which said that despite improvement, the updated policy still "falls far short of what the Constitution requires -- a search warrant based on probable cause." The policy would still enable officers at the border to manually sift through a travelers photos, emails, documents, and other information stored on a device without individualized suspicion of any kind. Additionally, it fails to make clear that travelers should not be under any obligation to provide passcodes or other assistance to officers seeking to access their private information. Congress should continue to press CBP to improve its policy," said Neema Singh Guliani, legislative counsel at the American Civil Liberties Union, in a statement. In September, the ACLU, along with Electronic Frontier Foundation sued the administration, challenging searches of smartphones, laptops, and other electronic devices at the border as unconstitutional. The lawsuit represents 10 U.S. citizens and one green card holder, which the ACLU says had their rights violated when border officials searched their smartphones or other electronic devices when they were returning from travel abroad. Officials confiscated and held several of their devices for weeks or months, according to the lawsuit. In December, the government filed a motion, asking the court to dismiss the case. Copyright 2018, ABC Radio. All rights reserved. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . The body of a Roswell woman missing since early December has been found near Hagerman. Leotta Talbert, 80, was reported missing Dec. 3, 2017, after leaving Eastern New Mexico Medical Center in Roswell prior to being discharged. Surveillance video showed Talbert departing ENMMC in a white 2011 Ford Fiesta. On Thursday, a New Mexico Department of Game and Fish pilot conducting a bird survey southeast of Hagerman spotted a car parked near the Pecos River. Game and Fish ground units in the area responded to the location and were able to confirm the vehicle belonged to Talbert. The New Mexico State Police and Chaves County Sheriffs Office were contacted and initiated a ground search for Talbert. The search resumed this morning, with assistance from the Hagerman Police Department, Atoka Fire and Rescue, and U.S. Border Patrol, and at approximately 12:30 p.m., Talberts body was located near the area in which her vehicle was found. The body has been turned over to the Office of the Medical Investigator for autopsy. A Silver Alert had been issued for Talbert the day she departed ENMMC, and the RPD and NMSP had been engaged in air and ground searches in the Roswell area since Dec. 6. The area between Bitter Lake Wildlife Refuge and Bottomless Lakes State Park had been searched with no success, as well as the area between Bottomless Lakes and Dexter. Move comes close on the heels of a mega deal announcement late last month that Reliance Jio. The deal will bring an immediate relief to RCom, which is reeling under Rs 45,000 crore debt. (Photo: File) New Delhi: Debt-laden Reliance Communications on Friday said it would not be paying interest on Non-Convertible Debentures (NCDs) till completion of its restructuring exercise. The move comes close on the heels of a mega deal announcement late last month that Reliance Jio, owned by billionaire Mukesh Ambani, will acquire the spectrum, tower, optical fiber network and other wireless assets of Reliance Communications. While the two companies have not disclosed the deal size, banking sources peg the transaction value at Rs 24,000-25,000 crore. In a regulatory filing today, RCom said: "The asset sale proceeds shall be utilised to repay company's debt including NCDs in such manner as may be decided by JLF (joint lenders forum)...company shall not pay or fix any record date for payment of interest on NCDs till completion of restructuring process." At present, the company is working "expeditiously" to complete the process and expects to close the deal in a phased manner between January and March 2018, subject to statutory approvals, it added. The RCom-Jio deal announced on December 28 (coinciding with the 85th birth anniversary of Reliance founder Dhirubhai Ambani) packs in 122.4 MHz of 4G Spectrum in the 800/900/1800/2100 MHz bands, over 43,000 towers, 1,78,000 kilometres of fiber and 248 media convergence nodes. The deal will bring an immediate relief to RCom, which is reeling under Rs 45,000 crore debt, and the company hopes to use the entire proceeds to pare its debt. Just two days before the blockbuster deal, Reliance Communications - promoted by Anil Ambani - had announced its exit from the strategic debt restructuring (SDR) and outlined an ambitious revival plan that involved zero write-offs to lenders. Under scheme, a subscriber would receive a minimum guaranteed pension of Rs 1000 to Rs 5000 per month. APY became operational from June 1, 2015 and is available to all citizens of India in the age group of 18-40 years. New Delhi: PFRDA-run Atal Pension Yojana (APY) has reached a subscriber base of 80 lakh, an official statement said on Friday. "Now, the subscribers' base under the Atal Pension Yojana (APY) has reached more than 80 lakhs and growing at a good pace," the Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority of India (PFRDA) said in a statement. Uttar Pradesh is the highest contributing state at 11.41 lakh APY subscribers, followed by Bihar and Tamil Nadu at 8.87 lakh and 6.60 lakh respectively. PFRDA said it has taken various initiatives for expansion of outreach and easing operations under APY such as account statement view and e-PRAN (permanent retirement account number) so that customers can easily access their accounts. The authority said it is promoting digital initiatives for the convenience of subscribers and they can register for the scheme online as well to eliminate the need for furnishing physical documents. APY became operational from June 1, 2015 and is available to all citizens of India in the age group of 18-40 years. Under the scheme, a subscriber would receive a minimum guaranteed pension of Rs 1000 to Rs 5000 per month, depending on his contribution, from the age of 60 years. APY follows the same investment pattern as applicable to the NPS contribution of central government employees. "During the year 2016-17, it has earned a return of 13.91 per cent," PFRDA said. PFRDA-managed NPS and APY schemes have a subscriber base of 1.91 crore (at the end of December 2017). The overall assets under management (AUM) stands over Rs 2,17,000 crore. "PFRDA's endeavour is to significantly scale up these segments during the ongoing months," it added. Outfit's chief said that it was high time the Centre and the state government set an example by not allowing the film to release. Jaipur: Shri Rajput Karni Sena chief Lokendra Singh Kalvi on Friday called upon the community members to gather in Chittorgarh on January 27, and push for a complete ban on the controversial Sanjay Leela Bhansali film 'Padmavati'. "Members of the Rajput community will gather in Chittorgarh on January 27 to give a clear message that the sacrifice of Rani Padmavati has not gone in vain. Anyone who supports our call of banning the film can join us in Chittorgarh," Kalvi said at a press conference here. He said that they will not let the film be released at any cost. A panel that reviewed the film in a special screening has expressed the view that some of the facts presented in the film can upset the Rajputs and the Muslims, but the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) chief has ignored that, he added. Kalvi said that it was high time the Centre and the state government set an example by not allowing the film to release. He said that Bhansali had earlier maintained that the film was based on history, later he said it was a period drama and now he has said that it was fiction. "Till now, he has not been able to clarify his point," he added. On December 30, the CBFC, headed by Prasoon Joshi, had announced that the Ranveer Singh-Deepika Padukone-starrer 'Padmavati' would be given a U/A certificate, and suggested that the director change the film's title to 'Padmavat'. It had also suggested certain modifications in the disclaimer of the film, making it clear that it did not glorify the practice of 'Sati', and relevant changes in the song, 'Ghoomar', to befit the character portrayed in it. The CBFC had clarified that the U/A certificate would be issued to the film once the modifications were carried out, and the final material was submitted. The film got stuck in a controversy after various Rajput groups alleged that it distorted history, a claim repeatedly denied by Bhansali. As the anti-Padmavati protests spread across various states, the film's December 1 release was deferred as it did not have a clearance from the censor board. There are countries which give it for free and it's an essential thing to make the women strong, says the superstar. Mumbai: He may have now become one of the most bankable actors in Hindi film industry, but during the initial days of his career in Bollywood, Akshay Kumar said he was treated like an outsider. The 50-year-old actor, who has given some major blockbusters such as 'Special 26', 'Baby', 'Airlift', and 'Rustom' in the past one decade, said an actor's luxury on a film's set depends on the number of hits and flops. "Yes, I was made to feel (outcast). I remember while doing a two-hero film, my three-four films didn't work, but his (the other hero) did. We were having an equal role, but he gets a suite room and I get a single room. He gets an amazing car, but I get that 'you come in the bus,' yes it really happens," Akshay said in a media interaction. The actor said the moment his films started working, his equations with a lot of people in the industry changed. "If my films work, I would get a bigger room. Sometimes from business class, I was shifted to the first class when my films were running. When my films were doing exceptionally well, I would get a private jet as well," he added. Akshay said in his "27 and a half years" long career he has had low phases "three to four times", but failures did not bother him. "Never take lull or success seriously. They will come and go. It (the ups and down) is bound to happen." The actor is now geared up for the release of his first film of the year, 'Padman', scheduled to hit the screens on January 25. The film, directed by R Balki, chronicles the inspiring story of Arunachalam Muruganantham, who created affordable sanitary pads. On government's decision to levy GST on sanitary pads, Akshay said they should be made free. "People ask me what do you feel about GST (on sanitary pads). I say, why should there be a GST? It should be free! There are countries which give it for free, there's no GST on it. It's an essential thing to make the women strong. I feel it should be free for women." Seven fire engines are at the studio - located in Kanjurmarg - trying to bring the blaze under control. According to reports, the fire department received a call at around 8 pm and the fire engines reached the spot at 8:25 pm. (Photo: Twitter | ANI) Mumbai: A massive fire has broken out at Cinevista studio in east central Mumbai on Saturday evening. According to PTI, eight fire engines and six water tankers have been pressed into service to put out the flames. According to reports, the fire department received a call at around 8 pm and the fire engines reached the spot at 8:25 pm. #WATCH: Fire broke out in #Mumbai's Cinevista studio in Kanjurmarg. 7 fire tenders at the spot. pic.twitter.com/MV6OZz2YSH ANI (@ANI) January 6, 2018 Cinevista Stidio is run by Prem Kishen, son of actor Premnath. At the time of the incident, two television (TV) serials were being shot at the studio. All the people including the cast and crew were evacuated from the studio and are reported to be safe. The blaze, according to preliminary reports, started from a generator in the studio. Located in a five acre property, the Cinevista studio has over 30 shooting locations. The incident comes in less than ten days after a deadly fire killed 14 people including 11 women, most of them in their 20s and early 30s in the city's Kamala Mills Compound. ASP Garg says last week, too, three powerful IEDs were recovered from two places in the same area. Maoists regularly plant IEDs to target security forces during their anti-Naxal operations in the state.(Photo: Representational | PTI) Raipur: Three powerful improvised explosive devices (IEDs), suspected to have been planted by Naxals, were recovered by security forces from Chhattisgarh's Bijapur district, police said on Saturday. The home-made bombs, weighing 15 kg, 9 kg and 5 kg, were unearthed on Friday by a joint team of the CRPF and the local police from the forests under Basaguda police station limits where a road construction work is underway, Bijapur Additional Superintendent of Police Mohit Garg told PTI. A road is being built from Basaguda (Bijapur) to Jagargunda in Sukma district, another insurgency-hit district. The 49 km road is not only strategically important but also crucial for the people living in this inaccessible region, he said. A bomb disposal squad immediately defused the explosives, which were spotted when security forces were carrying out patrolling near an under-construction bridge, the police officer said. Garg said last week, too, three powerful IEDs were recovered from two places in the same area, he said. Maoists regularly plant IEDs to target security forces during their anti-Naxal operations in the state. The ministry said the cadre restructuring of AFHQ CS as approved by the Union Cabinet shall be duly implemented. In the October 18, 2016, letter, the defence ministry, had made the rank equivalence between civilian officers and serving military officers on the basis of their functional responsibilities. (Photo: PTI) New Delhi: In a major decision, the defence ministry on Friday announced withdrawal of a controversial note it had issued over two years back on status equivalence between military officers and their civilian counterparts, which had triggered widespread anguish in the armed forces. "The Ministry of Defence letter dated October 18, 2016 on the issue of equivalence between Armed Forces officers and Armed Forces Headquarters Civil Services (AFHQ CS) Officers is withdrawn," the defence ministry said. It said the letter has been withdrawn following direction by Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman. The ministry further said the cadre restructuring of AFHQ CS as approved by the Union Cabinet shall be duly implemented. "Designations to be created in consequence of the additional posts sanctioned by the Cabinet will be done in consultation with Service HQs," it said. There has been growing resentment among the military officers who have been insisting that the current status equivalence was flawed and that the government must address their concerns. For example, according to current norms, director-level officers have been put on the same level with the directors of the Armed Forces Headquarters-cadre. The military officials have been insisting that Lt Colonel is equivalent to directors of AFHQ cadre. In the October 18, 2016, letter, the defence ministry, had made the rank equivalence between civilian officers and serving military officers on the basis of their functional responsibilities. Following the order, for example, a Principal Director in AFHQ was made equivalent to a Major General, a Director was made equivalent to a Brigadier and a Joint Director was made on par with a Colonel. A Colonel earlier was equivalent to a Director. The ministry said "local designations" assigned to both service and civilian Officers in Service Headquarters/ Inter Service Organisations (ISOs) is also withdrawn. It also said that both Service and Civilian Officers will use their respective cadre designations only. "So far as the Channel of reporting/rendition of Annual Performance Appraisal Report (APAR) is concerned, status quo ante is hereby restored, i.e., the position which existed prior to the issue of MoD letter dated 18 October 2016 shall prevail," the ministry said. The probe agency had earlier attached a Delhi farmhouse in connection with its probe against Bharti and her husband. The ED has filed a second chargesheet against RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav's daughter Misa Bharti and her husband. (Photo: PTI) New Delhi: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has filed a second chargesheet against RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav's daughter Misa Bharti and her husband in a money laundering case before a Delhi court, which on Saturday kept both charge sheets for consideration on February 5. Irked over the repeated filing of chargesheets by the ED in connection with its money laundering probe against Bharti and her husband Shailesh Kumar, Special Judge N K Malhotra berated the agency for not letting the trial begin. "Will you let the trial begin or keep filing complaints? How many supplementary chargesheets will you file? You are a premier investigating agency. You cannot behave like this. It is an ill-drafted complaint," the judge said. The court, which could not take cognisance of the chargesheet filed on December 23, 2017 against Bharti and Kumar, posted the matter for February 5 for considering both the charge sheets after ED special counsel Atul Tripathi sought time to make further submissions in the matter. Advocate Vijay Aggarwal, representing chartered accountant Rajesh Agrawal, who was also arrested by the ED in connection with the case, sought adjournment citing pendency of bail plea of brothers Surendra Kumar Jain and Virendra Jain, who have been accused of laundering crores of rupees using shell companies. Rajesh Agrawal was arrested by the ED following allegations that he mediated and provided Rs 90 lakh in cash to the Jain brothers in advance to invest in Bharti's firm Ms Mishail Packers and Printers Pvt Ltd "as share premium". The probe agency had earlier attached a Delhi farmhouse in connection with its probe against Bharti and her husband. The farmhouse, located at 26, Palam Farms in south Delhi's Bijwasan area was attached provisionally under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). It belongs to Bharti and Kumar and is "held in the name of Ms Mishail Packers and Printers Private Limited", the central probe agency had said. "It was purchased using Rs 1.2 crore involved in money laundering in the year 2008-09," it had alleged. The agency had in July 2017 raided several locations, including the farmhouse, as part of its probe against the Jain brothers and others. The Jain brothers were arrested by the ED under the PMLA. One of the firms that the arrested duo was linked with was Ms Mishail Printers and Packers Private Limited. The ED had alleged that Bharti and her husband had served as directors of this firm in the past. "The company, Ms Mishail Packers and Printers, was registered at the address 25, Tuglak Road, New Delhi till the shares were bought by Bharti. It was only during the year 2009-10 that the address was changed to farm no 26 Palam Farms, VPO Bijwasan, New Delhi. Bharti and Kumar were the directors of the company during the relevant period," the probe agency had said. The couple were also interrogated and their statements were recorded by the agency in this probe case. The agency said the Jain brothers, CA Agrawal and the daughter and the son-in-law of the former Bihar chief minister were the "key persons behind the money laundering of Rs 1.2 crore". Additional Sessions Judge Jasbir Singh Kundu reserved the order after hearing arguments of counsel for the accused, CBI and the complainant. Pradyuman was found with his throat slit in the school's washroom on September 8, in 2017. (Photo: File) New Delhi: A Gurgaon court will pronounce on Monday its order on the bail application of a 16-year-old student, accused of killing 7-year-old Pradyuman Thakur at Ryan International School. Additional Sessions Judge Jasbir Singh Kundu reserved the order after hearing arguments of the counsel for the accused, the CBI and the complainant. The defence counsel claimed the chargesheet in the matter was not filed within one month, as prescribed in the Juvenile Justice Act, and he was not given required documents. Opposing the contention, the CBI said the mandatory period for filing a chargesheet is 90 days under CrPC provisions. The counsel for the CBI said that "circumstances have changed" as the accused had been declared an adult by the Juvenile Justice Board (JJB). Read: Pradyuman murder: Juvenile Board rules 16-yr-old to be tried as adult Therefore, the chargesheet needed to be filed within three months. Seeking dismissal of the bail plea, the CBI said the JJB order asking to try the accused as an adult, spoke about his mental status and the fact that he committed a heinous crime. Advocate Sushil Tekriwal, appearing for Pradyuman's father Barun Thakur, questioned the maintainability of the application and said the accused should file a fresh bail plea before the court due to the changed circumstances. On the contention of the accused that necessary documents were not provided to him, the CBI said the records had already been produced before the court and the accused never demanded any paper, nor any direction was passed by the court in this regard. Pradyuman was found with his throat slit in the school's washroom on September 8, in 2017. The Gurgaon Police had claimed the crime was committed by a school bus conductor, which was later refuted by the CBI. The probe agency claimed, the teenager had killed Pradyuman in a bid to get the school closed so that a parent-teacher meeting and an examination could be deferred. The court was hearing an appeal filed by the accused against an order of the JJB denying him bail. Tekriwal had said the appeal for bail was at a "premature stage" as the investigation was yet to be concluded. The JJB had on December 20 held that the teenager would be tried as an adult and directed that he be produced before the Gurgaon Sessions Court. The JJB had noted that the accused was mature enough to recognise the consequences of his actions. If convicted, the accused will stay in a correctional home till he is 21 years old after which the court can shift him to a jail or grant him bail, it had said. The board had earlier rejected the bail plea of the Class 11 Ryan International School student. It had set up a committee which included a psychologist from the PGI, Rohtak, for an expert opinion on the accused, who was taken into custody by the CBI in November 2017. Read also: Class XI student sent to 3-day CBI remand after being accused of killing Pradyuman The Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015 lowers the age of juveniles from 18 years to 16 years for heinous crimes such as rape, murder and dacoity-cum-murder, which warrant at least seven years of imprisonment. However, the JJB first decides whether the crime was "child-like" or was it committed in an "adult frame of mind, following which it orders the accused to be tried as juvenile or adult. Prakash Ambedkar says that the new order, in the name of religion, that is coming into existence is like Hitler-shahi (Hitler's rule). Ambedkar urges the backward class communities to recognise their electoral strength and vote only for backward class, Dalit and tribal candidates, so that they could control the reins of power. (Photo:PTI) Bhopal: The politics of religion, if not checked, could give rise to "many Hafiz Saeeds" among Hindus, Dalit leader Prakash Ambedkar said on Friday. "The politics of religion can become uncontrollable if it is not checked and it can give rise to many Hafiz Saeeds among the Hindus," he said, referring to the Pakistan-based co-founder of terror outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba. "This new order, in the name of religion, that is coming into existence is like Hitler-shahi (Hitler's rule)," Ambedkar said, addressing the gathering at a programme, organised to mark the birth anniversary of former Satna MP, late Sukhlal Kushwaha. Referring to the recent violence in Maharashtra over the 200th anniversary celebrations of the battle of Bhima- Koregaon, Ambedkar, who had subsequently called for a bandh which brought life in Mumbai and elsewhere in the state to a halt, said, "People belonging to Hindutva organisations attacked those from the backward classes. We are demanding that the (Maharashtra) government arrest those who were involved, but the government appears to be helpless. It is the government's responsibility to act and if not checked immediately, it (violence against Dalits) may spread to the other states." He urged the backward class communities to recognise their electoral strength and vote only for backward class, Dalit and tribal candidates, so that they could control the reins of power. Referring to the BJP-led government at the Centre, Ambedkar said, "If it comes to power again, even the right to speak, which we are enjoying now, will be taken away. Therefore, we have to fight to save this right and the Constitution." The former MP, who is the grandson of Dalit icon B R Ambedkar, urged the Congress to declare backward class leader and the president of the party's Madhya Pradesh unit, Arun Yadav, its chief ministerial candidate for the upcoming state Assembly election. "If the Congress fails to do so, we will have to choose our own way," he said. Arun Yadav and former JD(U) chief Sharad Yadav were also present at the meeting. According to police, Dinesh was allegedly having an affair with the 23-yr-old woman and had eloped four days ago. According to police, the woman's brother Shankar and her maternal uncle Rinku learnt about their location and took them near a canal in Mayur Vihar Phase-I where they repeatedly stabbed them. (Photo: Representational image) New Delhi: A 30-year-old man was killed and his distant cousin who he was allegedly in an extramarital relationship with was injured after they were attacked with knives by the woman's relatives for eloping, the police said on Friday. The incident was reported from east Delhi's New Ashok Nagar on Friday. Dinesh, a father of three, was allegedly having an affair with the 23-year-old woman, who was his distant relative. They had eloped from their homes four days ago, the police said. The woman's brother Shankar and her maternal uncle Rinku learnt about their location and took them near a canal in Mayur Vihar Phase-I where they repeatedly stabbed them, the police said. A police constable saw the incident and raised an alarm, following which people gathered and the duo were caught, they said. Dinesh died on the spot and the woman was admitted to a hospital. The accused were upset as they felt that the woman had spoiled the family's reputation by eloping with her married cousin. "Her marriage had been fixed somewhere else and was scheduled next month. The woman was accused of running away with ornaments and cash meant for the marriage," Ravindra Yadav, a senior police officer, said. The accused suspected that Dinesh had influenced her to do so, he said. The DDA had handed over rehabilitation of the Kathputli Colony, in west Delhi, to a private company, Raheja Developers, in 2007. NEW DELHI: The Delhi government is mulling requesting lieutenant governor (LG) Anil Baijal to hand over Kathputli Colony to the Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board (DUSIB) for rehabilitation of its displaced residents, sources said. The Delhi Development Authority (DDA), of which Mr Baijal is the chairperson, had demolished the colony in October 2017 for redevelopment and the incident triggered violence. The DDA had handed over rehabilitation of the Kathputli Colony, in west Delhi, to a private company, Raheja Developers, in 2007. An official close to Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal said that no work has been done in the colony in the past nine years and the government proposes to ask Mr Baijal to hand over the colonys rehabilitation work to DUSIB. The 13 acres of land (Kathputli Colony) worth Rs 1,000 crore was handed over to Raheja Developers for Rs 6 crore and they have not done anything in the past nine years. This is a scam, the official said. On Thursday, Mr Kejriwal had written to Mr Baijal asking him to hand over 333 slum clusters on DDA land in the city to the Delhi government for rehabilitation. Of the 13 acres of Kathputli Colony, a huge portion of land will be used by the private builder (Raheja Developers) for construction and sale of a large number of flats and commercial space in open market to private people in this prime location of Delhi, Mr Kejriwal had written in his letter to Mr Baijal. The official said the developer would earn a profit of Rs 700 crore through this and said that if handed over to the government, they would make more flats available to the public and save crores of rupees of public money. The injured OC has been hospitalised, cops said adding that a police contingent later went to the spot to bring things under control. OC of Shyampur police station Suman Das, with a police team had gone to Bargarchomukh village on Friday night after hearing reports of a clash between two groups over property dispute, other police officials said. (Photo: File | Representational) Howrah/Kolkata: Two policemen including the Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Shyampur police station were injured when a mob attacked them in Howrah district, police said on Saturday. OC of Shyampur police station Suman Das, with a police team had gone to Bargarchomukh village on Friday night after hearing reports of a clash between two groups over property dispute, they said. When police were trying to disperse the two groups, the OC and another policeman were attacked by a mob, the police said. The injured OC has been admitted to hospital, they said adding that a large police contingent later went to the spot and brought the situation under control. Seven people have been arrested in connection with the attack on the OC, they added. Shiv Sena bemoaned large-scale damage to property by protesters during the January 3 bandh called by Dalit outfits. None of the Dalit leaders tried to calm tempers of the community members, who, anyway, were in no mood to listen to them, Shiv Sena lamented. (Photo: PTI) Mumbai: Maharashtra is moving towards "chaos and destruction" due to caste conflict, the Shiv Sena said on Saturday as it continued its attack on the Devendra Fadnavis government over the violence at Bhima-Koregaon village. The Uddhav Thackeray-led party, a junior ally in the BJP-led government, bemoaned large-scale damage to property by protesters during the January 3 bandh in Maharashtra called by Dalit outfits to denounce the violence at Bhima-Koregaon in Pune district. "Dalits are calling for bandh and Hindutvawadi groups are taking out morchas. It looks like Maharashtra is moving towards chaos and destruction due to caste conflict instead of prosperity," read an editorial in the Sena mouthpiece 'Saamana'. The Sena organ said if the bandh called by the Prakash Ambedkar-led Bharipa Bahujan Mahasangh (BBM) was peaceful, his stature as a leader would have risen. "His followers have become directionless. In Kolhapur, a statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj was desecrated," the Marathi daily said. The editorial said the Shiv Sena was showing solidarity with Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis at the time of caste conflict as it wanted to protect Maharashtra's "asmita" (pride) and ensure law and order. The newspaper said efforts are being made to incite caste violence in the state by exploiting the clashes which took place at Bhima-Koregaon on January 1. None of the Dalit leaders tried to calm tempers of the community members, who, anyway, were in no mood to listen to them, the BJP's bickering ally lamented. Violence during the state-wide bandh resulted in loss of property to the tune of crores of rupees, the publication claimed, adding the financially bleeding transport body MSRTC alone took a Rs 25-crore hit. "This is not the time to analyse if the caste violence will benefit the BJP or any other party," the editorial read. It said the recent events reflected poorly on the state's home department, headed by Fadnavis. On January 4, too, the Shiv Sena had attacked the Fadnavis government over its inept handling of the violence in Bhima-Koregaon and the subsequent incidents, alleging it had no work except to fight elections using the state machinery. The violence erupted when Dalit groups were celebrating the bicentenary of the Bhima-Koregaon battle in which the British defeated the Peshwas of Maharashtra. Dalit leaders commemorate the British victory as it is believed soldiers from the Mahar community were part of the East India Company's forces. The Peshwas were Brahmins and the victory is seen as a symbol of Dalit assertiveness. The Opposition, on the other hand, has demanded his resignation for allowing communal tension to escalate in the state in the last three years. Mumbai: Despite reports of unrest being witnessed in various pockets of Maharashtra in the last few days, chief minister Devendra Fadnavis on Saturday asserted that the law and order situation in the state was absolutely good. The Opposition, on the other hand, has demanded his resignation for allowing communal tension to escalate in the state in the last three years. Even today, the law and order situation in Maharashtra is absolutely good, there is no problem with it, Mr Fadnavis told reporters while addressing a curtain-raiser event for an upcoming investment summit. However, Congress state president Ashok Chavan has held Mr Fadnavis responsible for the unrest in the state on communal lines in last three years. Communal tension has risen in the state in the last three years and the Bharatiya Janata Party-led government is responsible for it. Why havent they arrested those responsible for Bhima Koregaon attacks? Are they protecting the culprits? The chief minister should take responsibility and resign, said Mr Chavan. The Bharip Bahujan Mahasangh leader, Mr Prakash Ambedkar had alleged that right-wing leaders Sambhaji Bhide and Milind Ekbote were behind the attack and an FIR has been lodged against them in Pune. The worst casualty has been our relationship with China. There is an unprecedented Chinese build up taking place in Doklam. India has effectively entered into a General election year, a year where decibel levels, rhetoric, hyperbole would reach a crescendo and invective would fall to a new nadir and governance would be an obvious collateral casualty. A critical aspect that would get further neglected amid this din is the continued isolation of India in its neighbourhood. A remoteness that has been steadily creeping on us since 2014 threatens to overwhelm us now. How did we come to this pass? Can certain correctives be applied before the situation reaches a point of no return? The jury is out on this. The worst casualty has been our relationship with China. There is an unprecedented Chinese build up taking place in Doklam. Far from the standoff being resolved, it is getting perpetuated. Permanent facilities, new supply routes, heavy weaponry and state-of-the-art communications infrastructure has been put in place just hundreds of metres short of the flashpoint. Nothing has come out of the latest round of border talks between the two NSAs held in December 2017. On the Belt and Road initiative, the distance between both the countries has widened since India boycotted the Bejing conference earlier this year. It was only three years back that the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi-Jingping were swinging together in Ahmedabad. The only silver lining to this otherwise grim scenario is that the bilateral trade between the two countries has been growing. Today, China is Indias largest trading partner, with a bilateral trade upwards of $71.5 billion. The total imports from China during the last fiscal stood at $61.3 billion against Indias export to China worth $10.2 billion. But the trade deficit which stood at $37.2 billion a few years ago stands at a whopping $51.1 billion today. India must put this relationship back on the track. Closer home, the relationship with Nepal has not recovered from the economic blockade of 2015. The NDA government at the Centre may argue that this was not the first time that the government of India had resorted to this tactic. An earlier government had done the same thing in 1989. However, the difference between the two is the times we live in. South Asia in the late 1980s and the region now are vastly different. The physiological blow, thanks to mobile telephony, Internet and the social media, to the people of Nepal because of the blockade has been far greater this time than ever before. Bhutan has been a trusted friend over the decades. It is the only country in the neighbourhood that stood with India when we boycotted the Belt and Road Forum held in Bejing in May 2017. The relationship with Sri Lanka isnt good either. The Chinese presence in that country is underpinned by huge infrastructure development projects in the form of ports and waterfronts. China is constructing the Port in Hamabantota and an entire new port city on the waterfront in Colombo. It is expected to attract investment worth $13 billion over the next 30 years. The Hamabantota Port was formally handed over on a 99 year lease to China in the December of 2017. The implications of having the Chinese sitting on the head of the Indian Ocean, a short distance away from the Indian shores will have portentous consequences. A little to the South East lie the coral islands of Maldives. India, over the decades, has nurtured a very special relationship with this breathtaking archipelago. Back in November 1988, India had sent its special forces to ward of a coup attempt against the then President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom. Operation Cactus was a smashing success. From there we have reached a pass where three local Maldivian Councillors were suspended for as much as meeting the Indian Ambassador. Far more galling for India is the fact that Maldives has signed a Free Trade Agreement with China completely ignoring Indias sensitivities on the issue. It is the second country in South Asia in addition to Pakistan that has signed such an agreement. Moreover, Maldives has reportedly signed 12 more agreements with China, including a pact to jointly promote the One Belt One Road (OBOR) initiative. The agreements with the Maldives are part of Beijings persistent exertions to persuade South Asian countries to embrace the OBOR initiative, and confer infrastructure construction projects on Chinese companies. Earlier, Maldives had allowed three Chinese warships to dock in Male, a first for the island nation. Finally, moving to Pakistan. There has been a lot of exultation and self-congratulatory backslapping in India over a 4.42 am tweet by the US President Donald Trump on the first day of 2018 that skewered Pakistan. It would be appropriate to reproduce the tweet in full The United States has foolishly given Pakistan more than $33 billion in aid over the last 15 years, and they have given us nothing but lies and deceit, thinking of our leaders as fools. They give safe haven to the terrorists we hunt in Afghanistan, with little help. No more! The irony is that there is no mention of India in this tweet. This is notwithstanding the fact that Pakistan-sponsored terrorism roughly coincides with Pakistan becoming a frontline ally of the US in the Afghan Jihad in the early 1980s to free Afghanistan from the Soviet Invasion of December 1979. In fact, it was the wash of weapons into the region to overpower the Soviet that were used by Pakistan to arm semi-state terrorists that have been wrecking mayhem in India since 1980. Mr Trumps diatribe would push Pakistan into the welcoming embrace of China while Russia would be all too happy that a nation that bled them during the Afghan occupation bled the US equally through its chicanery and double dealing. This takedown of Pakistan should be off no strategic consequence to India, as it does not better Indias influence in the neighbourhood. For serious students of Indias strategic interests, the question is how did we skid down this un-slippery slope so rapidly? Lenovo has reveals new ThinkPad laptop series with 8th-Gen Intel core processors, facial recognition support and Type-C power adapters. Lenovo has revealed its new "ThinkPad" laptop series ahead of the CES 2018. The company has introduced the updated versions of ThinkPad X, ThinkPad T and ThinkPad L laptop series. The refreshed versions integrate new features such as the 8th-generation Intel Core processors and the USB Type-C power adapters. Talking about ThinkPad X series, it comes with fast charging feature that is said to juice up to 80 per cent battery life in 60 minutes. The ThinkPad the X380 Yoga will come packed with an Active Pen and an IR camera with Windows Hello support, starting at $1,459 (approximately Rs 92,500). The Lenovo ThinkPad X series will be available for purchase sometime in January. Moving ahead, the ThinkPad T series has new security features such as fingerprint reader, the IR camera and ThinkShutter Camera. The company claims that the ThinkPad T480s is one of the lightest business laptops in its category and the ThinkPad T devices can get up to 27 hours of battery life. While the ThinkPad T480 is priced at $989 (approximately Rs 62,700), the ThinkPad T480s starting price is $1,269 (approximately Rs 80,500). The Lenovo ThinkPad T580 will be available at a price of $1,079 (approximately Rs 68,400). As for the ThinkPad L laptop lineup, it offers the 8th Gen Intel Core processor, optional multi-touch displays and docking solutions. The ThinkPad L380 Yoga is priced at $549 (approximately Rs 34,800), the ThinkPad L380 will be available at a price of $449 (approximately Rs 28,500), the ThinkPad L480 will come with a price tag of $779 (approximately Rs 49,400). The Lenovo ThinkPad L series will be available for purchase sometime in February this year. The company has unveiled the ThinkPad Ultra Docking Station that will be available in three different variants Basic 90W at $199 (approximately Rs 12,600), Pro 135W will be available at a price of $249 (approximately Rs 15,800) and Ultra 135W at $299 (approximately Rs 19,000). Lenovo also introduced a new 2-in-1 PC dubbed Lenovo Tablet 10. The new 2-in-1 PC features a fingerprint reader and discrete Trusted Platform Module. It is powered by an Intel Celeron N Series processor. The new Lenovo Tablet 10 will be available from January 2018. Lenovo has also introduced the ThinkVision X24, priced at $249 (approximately Rs 15,800). The ThinkVision P32u monitor, on the other hand, offers a UHD 4K display with multi-colour space capability, priced at $1,349 (approximately Rs 85,500). According to CBP, agents conducted 60 per cent more searches of travellers cellphones in 2017. Travellers selected by the agents will be required to unlock their devices or provide passwords, allowing access only to the physically stored information on them. (Photo: File/Representational) As US tightens its immigration and residency laws, a statistical report released by the US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) reveals an increase in the number of cellphones searched by US customs agents in the 2017 fiscal year. According to CBP, agents conducted 60 per cent more searches of travellers cellphones in 2017. The agency said it searched 30,200 devices, but the inspections affected 0.007 percent of the 397 million travellers - American citizens as well as foreign visitors - who arrived from abroad during the 12-month period that ended September 30, the Washington Post reported. CBP said that the searches were not a policy directive but conducted in lieu of the fact that electronic devices are important sources of information on looming security threats. CBP official John Wagner said in a statement, "In this digital age, border searches of electronic devices are essential to enforcing the law at the US border and to protecting the American people." The agency has issued new guidelines formalizing the procedure for conducting such searches. Under it, travellers selected by the agents will be required to unlock their devices or provide passwords, allowing access only to the physically stored information on them. CBP agents would not be allowed to seek information stored externally or on a "cloud" linked to the device, the agency said, adding that only photographs, numbers, search, etc would be subject to security. Americans and travellers asked to hand over their cellphones at airports and border crossings have not taken wholly well to the request in spite of CBPs continued support for the move, which has justified it as not an unreasonable violation of privacy right. CBP will be using the information they derive from these searches to determine the admissibility of foreign visitors as well as intel on terrorism, child pornography and other criminal activities. Privacy rights groups in US have appreciated the new guidelines notwithstanding their view of the move as intrusive and in breach of constitutional rights. Civil rights groups seeking to curb device searches filed a suit with the federal government in 2017. 20 per cent of the travellers inspected are US citizens, according to a CBP official adding that the rest are either permanent residents or visitors. While Americans will have the right to deny turning in their devices, non-citizens who refuse to hand over their cellphones could be sent back. US President Donald Trump has come out in support of the protestors. Nikki Haley called on all of her other colleagues in the Security Council to join her in amplifying the message of the Iranian people. (Photo: File) United Nation: "The world will be watching what you do," US Ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley has warned Iran during an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council to discuss the situation in the Islamic nation which has faced a series of nationwide anti-government protests. During the meeting, three members France, Russia and China of the permanent five, joined Iran in asserting that this 15-membered body was not an appropriate forum to discuss the current situation in Iran as it does not pose any threat to international peace and security. Heated debate took place on the floor of the Security Council at the UN headquarters in New York after its 15 members were gathered at the request of the US to discuss the current situation in Iran. "The people of Iran are rising up. They are asking for something that no government can legitimately deny them: their human rights and fundamental freedoms. They are calling out, Think of us. If the founding principles of this institution mean anything, we will not only hear their cry, we will finally answer it. The Iranian regime is now on notice. The world will be watching what you do," Haley told a meeting of the UN Security Council. The meeting of the UN Security Council was convened at the request of the US to discuss the current situation in Iran, where some 21 people have lost their lives in more than week-long anti-government protests across the country. US President Donald Trump has come out in support of the protestors. Every UN member state is sovereign, but member states cannot use sovereignty as a shield when they categorically deny their people human rights and fundamental freedoms, Haley said. She called on all of her other colleagues in the Security Council to join her in amplifying the message of the Iranian people. "And I call on the Government of Iran to stop censoring the voice of the people and to restore the access to the internet. Because in the end, the Iranian people will determine their own destiny," she said. "And let there be no doubt whatsoever: The US stands unapologetically with those in Iran who seek freedom for themselves, prosperity for their families, and dignity for their nation. We will not be quiet. No dishonest attempt to call the protestors, puppets of foreign powers, will change that. The Iranian people know the truth. And we know the truth," Haley said. Briefing the Security Council, Taye-Brook Zerihoun, Assistant UN Secretary-General for Political Affairs, said the demonstrations taking place in Iran were a fundamental expression of human rights, and a powerful exhibition of brave people who were so fed up with their oppressive regime that they were willing to risk their lives in protest. The Iranian regime's contempt of the rights of its people had been widely documented, she said. Addressing the Security Council, the Iranian Ambassador to the UN, Gholamali Khoshoroo slammed the 15-membered body to have allowed itself to be abused by the Trump Administration in holding a meeting that falls outside the scope of its mandate. This is a mistake by the Security Council, he said. "This is nothing but another desperate attempt by the US administration to escape, as it has lost every shred of moral, political and legal authority and credibility in the eyes of the whole world," he said. There is a long history of US bullying at the UN, and the case of the Iranian protest was a preposterous example of interference in the purely internal affairs of a nation. Khoshoroo alleged that the US has a long history of intervening in the internal affairs of Iran, including a continuous pattern of disruption in the democratisation process in Iran. British Ambassador to the UN, Matthew Rycroft, refuted the Iranian allegations and said that no one is forcing Iran onto their agenda. "The Security Council is perfectly empowered through Article 34 of the UN Charter, and I quote, to investigate any dispute or any situation which might lead to international friction or give rise to a dispute in order to determine whether the continuance of the dispute or situation is likely to endanger the maintenance of international peace and security," he said. However, the Russian representative Vassily A Nebenzia agreed with Iran and said US is abusing the platform of the Security Council. Iran should be allowed to deal with its own problems, he said asserting that the Council should not be involved in destabilising Iran. "Following the current logic, it should have held a meeting after the events in Ferguson, Missouri. History is full of attempts to replace undesirable regimes, but people preferred not to remember that. The real reason to convene the meeting is a veiled attempt to use the current moment to undermine the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action," he said. Observing that the Council's primary responsibility is maintaining international peace and security, Wu Haito of China said that it should not be the venue for discussing the human rights situation of any country. "The Iranian situation did not pose a threat to international peace and security, and discussing its domestic situation is not part of the Council's responsibilities as outlined in the Charter," he said. Among the non-permanent members, representatives from Bolivia, Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia sided with the Iranian argument that the Council was not the forum to discuss the current situation in Iran. The meeting was chaired by Kairat Umarov, the Ambassador of Kazakhstan to the UN. Speaking in his national capacity, he said his country considered the developments in Iran to be a domestic issue that did not fall under the mandate of the of the Security Council. The report quoted that China is in talks with Pak to build its 2nd overseas military base for greater maritime capabilities. The facility could be built at Jiwani, a port near Iran's Chabahar close to the border in the Gulf of Oman, and is located a short distance from Gwadar in Balochistan province which is currently being developed. (Photo: AP/File) Beijing: US President Donald Trump's recent outburst on Pakistan will further boost economic and defence ties between Beijing and Islamabad, including China acquiring a Pakistani military base close to Iran's Chabahar port, an official media report said on Friday. Trump's January 1 Twitter attack against Pakistan where he accused it of providing safe havens to terrorists appears to be helping boost already close ties between Pakistan and China, a media report said. It attributed Islamabad's decision to allow Chinese currency in bilateral trade and financing transactions as China has stepped up its investments in the $50 billion China-Pakistan Economic Corridor. The report quoted a 'Washington Times' report that China is in talks with Pakistan to build its second overseas military base as part of a push for greater maritime capabilities along strategic sea routes. The facility could be built at Jiwani, a port near Iran's Chabahar close to the border in the Gulf of Oman, and is located a short distance from Gwadar in Balochistan province which is currently being developed at Chabahar port being jointly developed by Iran, India and Afghanistan to ensure a trade corridor for Indian exports to Afghanistan. On China establishing a military base at Jiwani, a South Asian studies expert said "both Beijing and Islamabad have the ability to build a joint naval and air facility in Pakistan, but it is unnecessary at this time". China has established its "first overseas military base in Djibouti" , in the Horn of Africa in Indian Ocean. However, China officially states that it is only a logistics base to service its naval personnel deployed for anti-piracy operations. Besides Djibouti, China has also acquired the Hambantota port in Sri Lanka on a 99-year lease. At the Angelus, Pope Francis wishes that the Christmas celebration "will be a source of new spiritual vigor and communion among all of us Christians". The Youth Mission Sunday. "Follow the example of the Magi: be ready to meet Jesus in our lives". Vatican City (AsiaNews) - At the Angelus prayer with pilgrims in St Peter's Square, Pope Francis sent greetings to those Eastern Churches which - following the Julian calendar and not the Gregorian calendar - celebrate Christmas these days. "To them - the Pope said - I address my most cordial wish: That this joyful celebration be a source of new spiritual vigor and communion among all of us Christians, who recognize Him as Lord and Savior". For the Catholics, January 6 the solemnity of the Epiphany celebrates and recalls the adoration of the Child Jesus by the Magi, who came from the East, symbol of the peoples who are called to the Christian faith. This is why, on this day, the Holy Childhood MIssion Day is celebrated. The pontiff cited it after the Marian prayer, recalling that it "invites the missionary children to take on Jesus' own gaze, so that it may become the precious guide of their commitment to prayer, fraternity and sharing with the neediest of their peers" . This morning the Pope had celebrated Mass in the basilica. Before the Angelus, still referring to today's Gospel (Matthew 2: 1-12), Francis highlighted "the three attitudes" with which "the coming of Jesus and his manifestation to the world was welcomed: Careful research, indifference, fear ". The "care" is that of the Magi, who "try to identify where the newborn King can be found"; "Indifference" is that of "the high priests and scribes. They know the Scriptures and are able to give the right answer on the place of birth ... but do not bother to go and visit the Messiah"; "Fear" is experienced by Herod: "he is afraid that the Child will take away his power". "We too - he added - we have to choose which of the three to take on. Selfishness can lead one to consider the coming of Jesus into our life as a threat. Then we try to suppress or silence the message of Jesus. When we follow human ambitions, the most comfortable perspectives, the inclinations of evil, Jesus is perceived as an obstacle.On the other hand, the temptation of indifference is always present. Even if we know that Jesus is the Savior, we prefer to live as if it were not: instead of behaving in coherence with our own Christian faith, we follow the principles of the world, which lead us to satisfy the inclinations of arrogance, the thirst for power and wealth. Instead, we are called to follow the example of the Magi: to carefully search, be ready to to meet Jesus in our lives. Search for Him to worship Him, to recognize that He is our Lord, the One who indicates the true way to follow. If we have this attitude, Jesus really saves us, and we can live a beautiful life, we can grow in faith, in hope, in charity towards God and towards our brothers". The County of Kern will go into negotiations with its fire union in the next few weeks, if not the next few days, and the stakes will be high. Together we rise. Women stand strong. Those were just a couple messages on more than 20 signs that were made on Wednesday for this weekends W COMMUNITY VOICES: Tastries owner has stood by her beliefs more than once, and it was the right thing to do Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism. Latest Articles is Indias #1 and most trusted website for Banking Jobs. The portal has complete information about all Banking and Insurance Jobs, its latest notifications, from all state and national level jobs, and updates. These exams and jobs are regularly updated as per the official information available. Check thehere. Pasco County Sheriff's officials say they've seen an increase in the reporting of potential human trafficking cases in the three years since the county's commission on human trafficking was created. Commission formed in September 2014 Members work in diverse fields Commission's work has heightened public awareness "Not just a law enforcement effort, not just a legislative effort, but we need to be able to combine all of those things," said Cpl. Alan Wilkett with the sheriff's office. The commission was formed in September 2014. Its members work in fields like behavioral health, business, and the hospitality industry, to name a few. Cpl. Wilkett points to a former business on State Road 52 in Hudson, Risque Lingerie, as a sign of the commission's success. "They never used the front doors, they always used the back," said Amanda Hart. She owns the business next door, Black Jack Media Group. "They would have people come in, and they weren't there very long. Then they would leave," she said. Hart reported the strange behavior to the sheriff's office. Wilkett said sexually oriented businesses in Pasco County are required to have two signs posted. One sign is required by Florida law and promotes human trafficking awareness. The other is required because of an ordinance the commission helped pass. That sign has to say in easy-to-understand language how human trafficking victims can get help. "They had a little bit of lingerie in the front area, but they also had a room that was locked, and they refused, initially, to allow us to see that," said Wilkett." "We had to be able to identify that that room fell within the purview of that ordinance." "When they eventually opened it, we saw that it was a bed, sheer curtains and things of that nature, which had the appearance of activity other than just lingerie sales," Wilkett concluded. The business voluntarily shut down, and no charges were filed. Sheriff Chris Nocco said the commission has also helped to raise awareness about trafficking through its education programs. "It is absolutely amazing when you talk to people and they say, 'I never knew how big of an issue human trafficking is,'" Sheriff Nocco said. "They're talking about it. So, to us, I think that is probably the number one thing that we've done is raise awareness." That increased awareness, Nocco added, is not just among the general public. "One of the statements that was made to me by a trafficker was, 'You guys are everywhere.' That's exactly what we want them to know," he said. When is a penny worth $300,000? -- When its one of the first copper coins struck at the U.S. Mint in Philadelphia, in 1793. Rare US coins sell for pretty penny at auction in Florida One of first copper pennies sold for $300K $4 gold piece call 'Flowing Hair Stella' sold for $750K Rare half-dollar minted in New Orleans in 1838 also sold The George Washington-era penny is one of about 500 in existence, according to Mark Borckardt, a senior numismatist with Heritage Auctions in Dallas, and it went up for auction this week at the annual Florida United Numismatists convention in Tampa. The convention is one of the five largest coin and currency collectors shows in the nation, experts say. Three historic coins, including the pricey penny, went up for auction Thursday evening. The auction drew $24.9 million in sales. Other high-value U.S. coins sold at auction included a half-dollar minted in New Orleans in 1838. It was one of the first 20 produced there. A $4 gold piece called a Flowing Hair Stella, sold for $750,000. It was an experimental piece that the government produced, hoping to create an international coinage, Borckardt told the Associated Press. Its literally the forerunner of todays Euro. The government finally decided no, thats not going to work. There are only about 15 to 20 of those quarter-sized gold coins in existence. The three coins sold at a high value due to their rarity and excellent condition. Collectors interested in these have a very strong sense of history, both American history and financial history, said Borckardt. Information from the Associated Press was used in this report. A Texas man convicted of helping notorious serial killer and sadist Dean Corll lure at least 28 boys to their death is up for possible release following a Thursday hearing. David Owen Brooks has gone before the parole board roughly 20 times in the more than four decades since he was sent to prison for his role in the mass murders between 1970 and 1973. But now, thanks to a new law passed in 2015, if he isn't released this time it could be another ten years before he's up for parole again. "The bottom line is serial killer and parole are oxymoronic terms to begin with. And in this case there's no compelling reason to release him," said city of Houston victim advocate Andy Kahan, who headed up to Angleton this week along with the parents of Stanton Dreymala, believed to be Corll's last victim. Corll, referred to as 'Candy Man' because he worked for his family's candy store, buried bodies in Jefferson County, Lake Sam Rayburn, and Bolivar Peninsula. Brooks reportedly lived in Beaumont as a teen before moving to Montgomery County. BACKGROUND:For murder victim's parents, an agonizing ritual "We're 99.9 percent confident he'll be denied, so we were really just pursuing getting the maximum set-off," Kahan said. James Dreymala was more cautious. "This is not first time we've gone through this so we know that, again, it's not over till it's over," he said. He and his wife Elaine are believed to be the last surviving parents of Corll's victims. The killings came to light in 1973 after 17-year-old Elmer Wayne Henley called police to say that he'd shot Corll, the 33-year-old electric company worker who'd masterminded the gruesome slayings. Henley said he had killed Corll after the older man threatened to rape and kill him and two other teens during a party at a bungalow. But after the initial confession, another story emerged; Henley told police he could lead them to bodies. Lots of bodies. Inside a stall at Southwest Boat Storage, authorities discovered the remains of 17 slain and tortured boys buried under the dirt floor, covered in plastic and a layer of lime. Eventually Henley admitted that he'd helped lure the unsuspecting victims, along with the help of then-18-year-old David Owen Brooks. LAST TIME:"Houston Mass Murders" killer denied parole In exchange, the serial killer had paid the pair $10 to $200 per child. In some cases, Brooks and Henley had helped with the torture and killing. Eventually, police probed other sites and found at least 28 victims. "This was one of the most notorious serial killings in this country's history," Kahan said. "The term 'serial killer' wasn't even invented yet, it wasn't even known to criminologists. Hence it was always called the Houston Mass Murders." Brooks was first eligible for parole in 1979 and Henley the following year. They've since been up for release every 18 months to 3 years, though Henley was given a 10-year set-off in his last parole review in 2015. Though the Dreymalas expressed concern about the possibility of Brooks' release, Kahan was more confident and said it only boiled down to a question of whether the set-off would be ten years or something less than that. "I have a better chance of growing my hair back than he does of getting parole," Kahan said. Before he goes to trial to dispute a murder accusation, a Corpus Christi man is requesting to have his face tattoos removed, according to KIII report. Joseph Tejeda, who is facing the death penalty for the death of Breanna Wood, made his request through his attorneys in a hearing on Thursday. Tejeda, 27, has several tattoos on his face, including on his hairline, above each eyebrow, on his left cheek, and on his chin. RELATED: Feds: Man accused of kidnapping slain roommate's kids cites 'crazy Mexicans' in case His attorneys asked District Judge Jack Pulcher if he would allow them to hire a cosmetologist to remove the tattoos, according to the TV station. Pulcher denied the request, according to the report, and told the attorneys he'll consider the issue after they become certified to defend a capital murder suspect. The judge also rejected attorney requests to lower his $1,000,000 bond or allow him out of jail. Tejeda was initially indicted on murder, but was re-indicted in December on capital murder. He's also charged with engaging in organized criminal activity, tampering with physical evidence and abuse of a corpse. Wood, 21, went missing in October of 2016 after she was last seen with Tejeda in a convenience store, authorities said. RELATED: Man re-indicted for Corpus Christi woman's slaying After getting tips from Nueces County Jail inmates, Corpus Christi police found Wood's body stuffed in a box near an abandoned trailer in Robstown, officials said. One inmate reportedly told police Tejeda told him he shot Wood in the back of the head, broke her arms and had sex with her corpse. The trial is expected to happen later this year. Fares Sabawi covers crime in San Antonio and Bexar County for mySA.com. Read more of his stories here. | fsabawi@mysa.com | Twitter: @FaresInSA A Donegal Sinn Fein TD has said it 'beggars belief' that an adviser for a Junior Minister has started on 13,000 more than the first point on the Principal Officer pay scale. Mary Mitchell O'Connor's two press advisers earn almost 200,000 a year between them. It was reported yesterday that the Minister lobbied the Department of Public Expenditure in order to secure a pay rise for one of her advisers, despite them already earning 82,000 a year. Deputy Pearse Doherty told Ocean FM News that Minister Mitchell O'Connor and the Government have questions to answer. He said: "It just shows you how out of touch this Government Minister is and how out of touch this Government is - when they think that somebody who is earning 82,000 as an adviser to a Minister for State isn't being paid enough." However, a Department of Education and Skills spokesperson said the adviser was offered the fifth point on the Principal Officer pay scale "having regard to both her expertise in the field of media and communications and her previous earnings". "The Department of Education acts in accordance with guidelines for the appointment of Special Advisers as published by the Department of Public Expenditure & Reform," the spokesperson said. "As a general principle, the Human Resources Unit of the Department offers the first point on the Principal Officer incremental pay scale. "The Department offered Ms. McQuaid the fifth point on the Principal Officer incremental pay scale, having regard to both her expertise in the field of media and communications and her previous earnings." New hospitals and up to 9,000 beds are needed to reduce overcrowding and waiting lists, according to the Government's bed capacity review. A series of recommendations have been published in the Government's bed capacity review to help resolve pressure on our health system. The review says that between 7,000 and 9,000 more beds will be needed in the next 10 years if the current system does not change. However, if reform proposals by Slaintecare are implemented, it says the number of additional beds required could be around 2,500. The reforms would include heavily investing in healthcare services in the community. The review also says overcrowding and waiting lists could be reduced if a number of hospitals are established to deal exclusively with elective and non-urgent cases. It comes as the National Association of General Practitioners (NAGP) claims comments made by Dr James Reilly, the former Minister for Health, calling for greater investment in the primary care sector are "political grandstanding". The doctor's union said Dr Reilly must be held accountable for "his huge failures in office", which they say have directly contributed to the crisis. On RTE Radio's Drivetime yesterday, Dr Reilly called for a seismic shift to primary care in his contribution to the debate about the trolley crisis. The NAGP said he "singularly failed to deliver any such reform" when he held the minsterial post. Dr Andy Jordan, Chairman of the National Association of GPs, said: "During Dr Reilly's time, GPs were forced to endure savage cuts, which continue to affect the delivery of care to patients. "Primary care has been set back by at least a decade. "Funding for primary care and general practice was cut by 38%, putting an already under-resourced sector under further strain. The NAGP is still dealing with the fallout of Dr Reillys actions, so his latest remarks are hard to take." Dr Jordan said many young GPs had left Ireland, seeing no future here and there is a recruitment crisis ahead. He said that the increase in the number of people with medical cards, or GP visit cards and free GP care for those under sixes and the over 70s, has been introduced with no corresponding funding. He said agreement on a new GP contract with the Government is long overdue. Dr Jordan said: "A lot of fine words are being spoken about implementing the SlainteCare Report and a shift to primary care. "The NAGP has yet to see the required money and reform commitment from Government to back that up. "So, the last thing the health service currently needs is a lecture and platitudes from a failed Health Minister." The Government is to hold a symposium next week to discuss closing the gender pay gap. It will hear from a range of experts about how best to bring about pay equality. There are clear commitments in the programme for government to tackle the gender pay gap, and part of that is creating a dialogue with employers. Policymakers, business representatives, trades unions and academics will meet on Wednesday to discuss it. The Justice Minister Charlie Flanagan will announce some of the recommendations made by the public during a consultation over the last few months. The gender pay gap in Ireland is almost 14% lower than the EU average, but the Government says it is still too high. This week Iceland, which has one of the lowest gender pay gaps, introduced new laws meaning companies have to prove they pay men and women with the same qualifications doing the same job the same amount Legislation is being considered here in Ireland that would make companies with over 50 employees publish what they pay men and women Other ideas will be discussed next week. The Government has launched a new national initiative to promote health and wellbeing across the country. The Healthy Ireland campaign is encouraging people to get active, eat well and mind their mental wellbeing. A man's body has been found by police near Omagh. Police closed the A5 Beltany Road last night in Newtownstewart as rescue teams were sent to the scene. It comes days after a 42-year-old man from Gortin was reported missing. Local Councillor Derek Hussey said the community is in shock. He said: "The circumstances are unknown at the moment, details are very flimsy, but I'm sure like myself thoughts of all will be with the family." The Catholic Primate of All Irelands addressed the issue of a possible referendum on the 8th amendment to the constitution. Archbishop Eamonn Martins says repealing the Article "will leave unborn children defenceless, and completely at the mercy of whatever abortion laws are introduced in Ireland - both immediately, and in the future". An ambulance service in England has apologised to the family of a pensioner who died after waiting nearly four hours for paramedics to arrive. It took three hours 45 minutes for a crew to reach the home of an 81-year-old woman who rang 999 complaining of chest pains. The emergency call was made at around 8pm on Tuesday and the woman was still alive when she spoke to the control room again at 9.47pm. It took another two hours for an ambulance to arrive at her property in Clacton, Essex. Paramedics then had to break into the home and by the time they reached the woman she had stopped breathing and could not be saved. East of England Ambulance Service said it has launched an internal investigation into the incident. Sandy Brown, deputy chief executive, said: "Our sincere condolences and apologies go out to the patient's family and friends and we are truly sorry for the ambulance wait that occurred at this incident. "We have very publicly expressed how stretched the ambulance service is and the pressures our staff and the NHS as a whole have been under the past few days. "As a trust, we have experienced our busiest days ever and we know our partners in the hospitals are in the same situation." The service received more than 4,200 calls on January 2 and was also facing hospital handover delays "which can prevent us from responding as quickly as we need to", she added. "Due to extremely high demand on the service and delays at accident and emergency units, we were not able to immediately dispatch an ambulance." She added: "A clinician in one of our control rooms made a welfare call and spoke to the patient at 9.47pm and an ambulance crew arrived at the address at 11.46pm. "The patient was found unconscious and not breathing and sadly died at the scene." A union officer said the paramedics who responded to the call were "devastated" and "emotional". Dave Powell, regional officer for GMB, added: "They're devastated because they're not in the job to find people dead, they're in the job to help people and keep them alive. "It puts enormous strain and stress on people who are working really hard as it is. "Three hours and 45 minutes is totally unacceptable for an elderly woman on her own with chest pains. "Something has got to be done and the Government has got to wake up to this crisis." He added: "I'm sure this case is much more widespread than the public is aware of." The service previously said it has had to rely on taxis to take patients to hospital after struggling to cope with "incredibly high demand" and "extreme pressure" over the holiday period. In another incident in Portsmouth, an 88-year-old woman died following a seven-hour wait for a bed. Josephine Smalley spent five hours in an ambulance and another two hours on a trolley in a corridor at Queen Alexandra Hospital. She died on New Year's Day, after having a heart attack and previously a stroke. Dear Reader, Business Standard has always strived hard to provide up-to-date information and commentary on developments that are of interest to you and have wider political and economic implications for the country and the world. Your encouragement and constant feedback on how to improve our offering have only made our resolve and commitment to these ideals stronger. Even during these difficult times arising out of Covid-19, we continue to remain committed to keeping you informed and updated with credible news, authoritative views and incisive commentary on topical issues of relevance. We, however, have a request. As we battle the economic impact of the pandemic, we need your support even more, so that we can continue to offer you more quality content. Our subscription model has seen an encouraging response from many of you, who have subscribed to our online content. More subscription to our online content can only help us achieve the goals of offering you even better and more relevant content. We believe in free, fair and credible journalism. Your support through more subscriptions can help us practise the journalism to which we are committed. Support quality journalism and subscribe to Business Standard. Digital Editor Google sold more than one Home smart speaker every second since it started shipping in mid-October, taking the sales numbers to over six million, the company has announced. "We sold more than one device every second since Mini started shipping in October," Rishi Chandra, VP, Product Management, Google Home, said in a blog post on Friday. " usage increased 9X this holiday season over last year's, as you controlled more smart devices, asked more questions, listened to more music, and tried out all the new things you can do with your Assistant on Google Home," added Scott Huffman, Vice President, Engineering, Google Assistant. The tech giant currently offers three Home devices -- the original Home, the Home Max, and the Home Mini. However, it did not reveal the sales figures for the individual devices. Meanwhile, Amazon, Google's main rival in the smart speaker space has not revealed exactly how many Echo smart speakers it has sold but it pegged the number of its competing Echo Dot sales in the millions, according to Businessinsider.com. Google in November rolled out an update that will allow you to use Home speakers as intercom systems in your house. People can now broadcast their voice from Google Assistant on smartphones or voice-activated speakers like Google Home. "When you need to round up the family in the morning, just say 'Ok Google, broadcast it's time for school!' and your message will broadcast to all Google Assistant-enabled speakers in your home," Alex Duong, Product Manager, Google Home, said in a blog post. To get the feature work, sign in with the same Google Account for all devices. The feature is currently available in the US, Australia, Canada and the UK. While the Pune police have registered a case against Jignesh Mevani for a "provocative speech", Union minister Ramdas Athawale on Saturday said the Gujarat MLA was not responsible for the violence at Bhima-Koregaon in Pune district on January 1. Speaking to reporters here after meeting Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Athawale, a prominent Dalit leader, said there was tension in the area even prior to the 200th anniversary of the Bhima-Koregaon battle on January 1. Dalits visiting the war memorial at Bhima-Koregaon had reportedly come under attack on January 1. Dalit leaders had blamed certain pro-Hindutva leaders, who were opposed to the anniversary celebrations, for the attacks, while the latter sought to blame Mevani's "provocative speech", which was delivered a day earlier. "Jignesh is not responsible for the violence at Bhima- Koregaon. There was tension in the area prior to January 1. I had visited the place and the tension had eased. So, I had returned to Delhi on December 31. On the same day, Jignesh had delivered his speech at the Shaniwar Wada in Pune. He had not gone to Bhima-Koregaon. Some groups had held a meeting at night and the violence took place on January 1," the Union minister of state for social justice said. "I have congratulated Jignesh on his Assembly election victory. It is good that a young, fresh Dalit face is emerging. My advice to him is that he should focus on uniting the society and not dividing it," said Athawale, who heads a faction of the Republican Party of India (RPI). On Mevani's demand that Prime Minister Narendra Modi speaks on the January 1 anti-Dalit violence, Athawale said, "It is not necessary that the prime minister should comment on every development. After the Una incident (where Dalits were assaulted by cow vigilantes), Modi had criticised it." Fadnavis had assured him that those responsible for the Bhima-Koregaon violence would be punished and accepted his demand for compensation for those whose properties were damaged, the Union minister said. Athawale also said he was going to organise a "social harmony conference" in Pune on January 13. Referring to a demand put forward by some leaders of the Maratha community, he said he was open to a debate on the "misuse" of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. If Dalits and tribals were treated with respect, there would not be any need for such a law, Athawale said, while ruling out the possibility of its abolition at present. The January 3 Maharashtra shutdown against the Bhima- Koregaon violence had put the Dalit community's strength in focus, the Union minister said. "If Dalits can come together to voice their anger, the RPI factions can also do so to lend political strength to the community," he added. He was ready to work under the leadership of Prakash Ambedkar (who had called for the Maharashtra Bandh on January 3), Athawale said, adding, "United, we can decide if we should contest elections independently or align with the BJP or the Congress." The Pune police has lodged an FIR against Mevani and Jawaharlal Nehru University student leader Umar Khalid for their alleged provocative speeches during the "Elgar Parishad", organised in the city on December 31 to mark the 200th anniversary of the Bhima-Koregaon battle. The FIR was registered under IPC section 153(a) (promoting enmity between two groups). Dalit leaders commemorate the British victory over the Peshwa's army at Bhima-Koregaon in 1818 as it is believed that soldiers from the Mahar community were part of the East India Company's forces. The Peshwas were Brahmins and the victory is seen as a symbol of Dalit assertiveness. Maharashtra is moving towards "chaos and destruction" due to caste conflict, the Shiv Sena said on Saturday as it continued its attack on the Devendra Fadnavis government over the violence at Bhima Koregaon village. The Uddhav Thackeray-led party, a junior ally in the BJP-led government, bemoaned large-scale damage to property by protesters during the January 3 bandh in Maharashtra called by Dalit outfits to denounce the violence at Bhima Koregaon in Pune district. "Dalits are calling for bandh and Hindutvawadi groups are taking out morchas. It looks like Maharashtra is moving towards chaos and destruction due to caste conflict instead of prosperity," read an editorial in the Sena mouthpiece 'Saamana'. The Sena organ said if the bandh called by the Prakash Ambedkar-led Bharipa Bahujan Mahasangh (BBM) was peaceful, his stature as a leader would have risen. "His followers have become directionless. In Kolhapur, a statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj was desecrated," the Marathi daily said. The editorial said the Shiv Sena was showing solidarity with Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis at the time of caste conflict as it wanted to protect Maharashtra's "asmita" (pride) and ensure law and order. The newspaper said efforts are being made to incite caste violence in the state by exploiting the clashes which took place at Bhima Koregaon on January 1. None of the Dalit leaders tried to calm tempers of the community members, who, anyway, were in no mood to listen to them, the BJP's bickering ally lamented. Violence during the state-wide bandh resulted in loss of property to the tune of crores of rupees, the publication claimed, adding the financially bleeding transport body MSRTC alone took a Rs 250 million hit. "This is not the time to analyse if the caste violence will benefit the BJP or any other party," the editorial read. It said the recent events reflected poorly on the state's home department, headed by Fadnavis. On January 4, too, the Shiv Sena had attacked the Fadnavis government over its inept handling of the violence in Bhima-Koregaon and the subsequent incidents, alleging it had no work except to fight elections using the state machinery. The violence erupted when Dalit groups were celebrating the bicentenary of the Bhima-Koregaon battle in which the British defeated the Peshwas of Maharashtra. Dalit leaders commemorate the British victory as it is believed soldiers from the Mahar community were part of the East India Company's forces. The Peshwas were Brahmins and the victory is seen as a symbol of Dalit assertiveness. People who sleep less than the recommended eight hours a night may suffer from anxiety or depression, a study warns. Researchers from the Binghamton University in the US assessed the timing and duration of sleep in individuals with moderate to high levels of repetitive negative thoughts (eg, worry and rumination). Participants were exposed to different pictures intended to trigger an emotional response, and researchers tracked their attention through their eye movements. According to the study published in the Journal of Behavior Therapy and Experimental Psychiatry, the researchers discovered that regular sleep disruptions are associated with difficulty in shifting one's attention away from negative information. This may mean that inadequate sleep is part of what makes negative intrusive thoughts stick around and interfere with people's lives. "We found that people in this study have some tendencies to have thoughts get stuck in their heads, and their elevated negative thinking makes it difficult for them to disengage with the negative stimuli that we exposed them to," said Meredith Coles, from the Binghamton University. "While other people may be able to receive negative information and move on, the participants had trouble ignoring it," Coles said. These negative thoughts are believed to leave people vulnerable to different types of psychological disorders, such as anxiety or depression, Coles said. "We realised over time that this might be important - this repetitive negative thinking is relevant to several different disorders like anxiety, and many other things," said Coles. "This is novel in that we are exploring the overlap between sleep disruptions and the way they affect these basic processes that help in ignoring those obsessive negative thoughts," Coles added. Despite a series of modifications being made in the controversial film "Padmavati" including its renaming as "Padmavat", the Karni Sena on Friday again raised a demand for a complete ban on the film. Speaking to media here, Karni Sena observer Lokendra Singh Kalvi said that filmmaker Sanjay Leela Bhansali should forget dreaming about the film's release. "All efforts of Bhansali and CBFC (Central Board of Film Certification) shall go down the drain as we will never allow the screening of Padmavati anywhere in India or abroad. "We are still adamant on our demand. Let there be a complete ban on the release of Padmavati," he added. Kalvi also demanded a complete ban on the "Ghoomar" song. "We don't want any changes in the said song, however, we demand a complete ban on the same," he said. He also questioned the 'authenticity' of the panel formed by the CBFC to review the film. Not all of them were historians, hence, their suggestions hardly make a difference, he said, adding that the CBFC proposed to bring in nine historians in the panel but ended calling only three historians "which speaks volumes on their seriousness to justify our demands". Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said on Saturday that structural changes brought in by measures such as the introduction of the goods and services tax (GST) had created a hiatus in the economy. But the economy was already showing signs of revival, he added. The FM also sent out a strong message to the banks asking them to perform after the Union government pumps in money to recapitalise them. Resilience of the banking system is under test, he said. Banks had to take responsibility to spur economic growth after recapitalisation, the FM said. ... Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on Saturday said that Indian taxpayers were making a sacrifice to keep the banking system in good health and hence the performance of banks would be under the lens over the next few years. He said the government's Rs 2.12 trillion recapitalisation plan was to keep banks in good health, which was "extremely" important for the economy. "The tax payers in India are making a sacrifice to keep the banking system in good health. This money which is being infused could be used in other social purposes. But that is the money being infused into the banking system to make sure that you are kept in good health so that you (banks) are able to improve the credit growth and growth processes in the country," Jaitley said at the 75th anniversary celebration of the UCO Bank. "The society through tax payers is reviving you. So it is your responsibility to come out with a much faster pace and in much better health so you are able to give a much more robust economy." "And therefore the next few years, your performance is really on test," he said. Jaitley said it was the responsibility of the banks to support and spur growth in India. He added a turnaround in the economy was now visible after various structural changes undertaken by the government which led to a "transient hiatus". "The lending that the banks do is an indication of how growth will move. The latest data has shown that credit growth has moved up. And once this infusion of capital takes place into the banking system, credit growth will further go up. "And when that goes up, coupled with the revival of the global commodity prices, one should really visualize a better future from the current challenges," he said. Trump administration has announced that it is freezing security aid to Pakistan. This means a suspension of aid worth US$ 1.1 billion. US says that Islamabad continues to shelter terrorists despite several warnings from President Donald Trump. Will this suspension have any effect on Pakistan? The author takes a look at this question in this Business Standard Special. The Trump Administration on the 4th of January announced the suspension of all security aid to Pakistan; approximately up to US$ 1.1 billion a year according to various estimates. What's new, you may ask? ... Disclaimer: Views expressed are personal. They do not reflect the view/s of Business Standard. Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi will attend the Annual Conference of DGPs and IGPs on 7th and 8th January at the BSF Academy at Tekanpur, Madhya Pradesh. . . DGPs Conference is an annual event in which top police officers from all over the country share and discuss security related issues. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has addressed the conference earlier in Guwahati, Assam in 2014, Dhordo, Rann of Kutch, Gujarat in 2015 and National Police Academy, Hyderabad in 2016. . . During the last meeting, issues such as cross-border terrorism and radicalization were discussed in detail. The Prime Minister emphasized the importance of leadership, soft skills and collective training. He specifically mentioned the importance of technology and human interface for the police force. . . Holding the Annual DGP Conference outside the national capital, is in line with Prime Minister's vision that such conferences should be held across the country, and not just confined to Delhi. . . A state-linked Saudi news website says 11 princes have been arrested and will be tried for staging a protest at one of the king's palaces and refusing orders to leave. The Sabq website, quoting unnamed officials, reported Saturday that a division of the National Guard, which is tasked with protecting the royal family, was ordered to arrest the princes. The news website reports the royals were sent to Ha'ir prison, a large maximum security facility south of the capital, Riyadh, run by Saudi intelligence services, where criminals, militants and al-Qaida terrorists are held. Sabq reports the princes were demanding financial compensation from a judgment involving one of their cousins and demanding the king reverse a decision to suspend payments for royals' water and electricity bills. After Djibouti, China is planning to build its second foreign naval base in Pakistan, according to a South China Morning Post (SCMP) report. The base is most likely to come up near Gwadar, according to Beijing-based military analyst Zhou Chenming. "China needs to set up another base in Gwadar for its warships because Gwadar is now a civilian port," SCMP quoted Chenming as saying. "It's a common practice to have separate facilities for warships and merchant's vessels because of their different operations. Merchant ships need a bigger port with a lot of space for warehouses and containers, but warships need a full range of maintenance and logistical support services," Chenming added. Another source, which is close to the People's Liberation Army, has also confirmed the development. "Gwadar port can't provide specific services for warships ... Public order there is in a mess. It is not a good place to carry out military logistical support," the source told the SCMP. The SCMP story came after a report, which appeared on the Washington-based website The Daily Caller, a few days ago indicated the same. US Army Reserve colonel Lawrence Sellin (retired) had stated that a consensus was reached in one of the meetings between Chinese and Pakistani military officers that a military base would come up on the Jiwani peninsula near Gwadar and close to the Iranian border. JuD chief Hafiz Saeed has served a Rs 100 million legal notice to Pakistan's defence minister for "defamation", days after the government banned the Jamaat-ud- Dawah from collecting donations following US President Donald Trump's outburst against Islamabad's sheltering of terrorists. "I call upon you (minister Khurram Dastgir) to send a written apology to my client (Saeed) within 14 days and seek his forgiveness and promise to be careful in future, failing which criminal proceedings under section 500 of Pakistan Penal Code punishable for two years will be initiated against you," said the notice by lawyer A K Dogar who served it on behalf of Mumbai attack mastermind Saeed. Pakistan banned JuD and FIF and other organisations from collecting donations on Monday, after Trump accused Islamabad of giving nothing to the US but "lies and deceit" and providing "safe haven" to terrorists. Dastgir had said that action against JuD, Falah-i- Insaniat Foundation (FIF) and other organisations had been taken so that "terrorists cannot open fire on schoolchildren anymore". Dogar claimed the JuD has no nexus with Lashkar-e-Taiba and the UN resolution against it is "illegal". He alleged the minister had caused "immense damage" to the "reputation" of Saeed and JuD by issuing an "irresponsible" statement. Dastgir had also said that Pakistan did not act against JuD and FIF under "pressure" from the US but after "serious deliberations". The government has banned companies and individuals from making donations to the JuD, the FIF and other organisations on the UN Security Council's sanctions list. The Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP) also issued a notification prohibiting the collection of donations by the JuD, the front organisation of terror outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba, as well as several other such groups named in a list of outfits banned by the UN Security Council. Unfazed by fierce criticism and fears over his "mental" health, US President on described himself as being a "genius". "Now that Russian collusion, after one year of intense study, has proven to be a total hoax on the American public, the Democrats and their lapdogs, the Fake News Mainstream Media, are taking out the old Ronald Reagan playbook and screaming mental stability and intelligence," Trump tweeted. Identifying "mental stability" and being "really smart" as his two greatest assets, Trump in a series of tweets said that winning the presidential election on his first attempt qualifies him as a "genius". "Actually, throughout my life, my two greatest assets have been mental stability and being, like, really smart. Crooked Hillary Clinton also played these cards very hard and, as everyone knows, went down in flames," he said. "I went from VERY successful businessman, to top TV Star to President of the United States (on my first try)," he said. "I think that would qualify as not smart, but genius and a very stable genius at that!" he tweeted. Trump's tweets came in the wake of a new book titled 'Fire and Fury: Inside the Trump White House', and his "nuclear button" comment on North Korea this week, following which political opponents raised questions over his mental stability and fitness. "I've never questioned his mental fitness. I have no reason to question his mental fitness," Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said yesterday when asked about Trump's mental fitness. According to multiple media reports, about a dozen lawmakers from the House and Senate received a briefing from Yale psychiatrist Bandy X Lee on Capitol Hill about Trump's fitness to be president. During the meeting in December, lawmakers said they were worried about his mental state. Yale University has disassociated itself from Lee's comments. Lee had told CNN that Trump is showing signs of impairment that the average person could not see. "He is becoming very unstable very quickly. There is a need for neuropsychiatric evaluation that would demonstrate his capacity to serve," she claimed. The White House has ridiculed such claims saying Trump is a strong leader. "What's the president's reaction to the growing number of suggestions, both in this book and in the media, that he's mentally unfit to serve as president?" White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders was asked this week. "The same way we have when it's been asked before: that it's disgraceful and laughable," Sanders responded. Iran and Pakistan held talks on defence cooperation following United States President Donald Trump's recent Twitter spree against both nations, on Friday. Recently, Iranian Defence Minister Brigadier General Ali Hatami, in a telephonic conversation with his Pakistani counterpart Khurram Dastgir-Khan, hailed the growing defence cooperation between Tehran and Islamabad. The Express Tribune quoted Hatami, as saying, "The Americans always blame the others for their own failures in different parts of the world and they pursue the strategy of the Zionist regime (of Israel) to destabilise the region." Hatami further blamed the "evil and stupid policies of the United States", adding they were the root cause of the deteriorating security situation in Afghanistan and the deaths of innocent civilians in Afghanistan, Yemen, Iraq and Syria. Hatami also pointed to the potential for military cooperation between Iran and Pakistan. Khurram Dastgir-Khan welcomed the promotion of military cooperation with Iran with regard to the regional issues. He also criticised Trump's repeated tweets against Pakistan. More than a year after Republican leaders promised to investigate Russian interference in the presidential election, two influential Republicans on Friday made the first known congressional criminal referral in connection with the meddling against one of the people who sought to expose it. Senator Charles E Grassley of Iowa, the chairman of the Judiciary Committee, and Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, a senior committee member, told the Justice Department that they had reason to believe that a former British spy, Christopher Steele, lied to federal authorities about ... warned Iranian authorities today that the world is watching as Tehran responds to anti-government protests. "The Iranian regime is now on notice: the world will be watching what you do," Haley told an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council on the situation in the Islamic republic. The United States called the meeting despite fierce criticism from Russia, which accused Washington of interfering in Iran's internal affairs. "The Iranian people are rising up in over 79 locations throughout the country," Haley told the council. "It is a powerful exhibition of brave people who have become so fed up with their oppressive government that they are willing to risk their lives in protest." Haley accused the government of funding a pro-regime military campaign in Syria, backing Shiite militias in Iraq and supporting a crony elite while ordinary Iranians struggle. The Iranian people are telling their government to "stop the support for terrorism, stop giving billions of our money to killers and dictators, stop taking our wealth and spending it on foreign fighters and proxy wars," said Haley. A total of 21 people have died and hundreds have been arrested since December 28 as protests over economic woes turned against the Iranian regime, with attacks on government buildings and police stations. Pro-regime rallies were held in Tehran after Friday prayers, the third straight day of marches in support of the government, which has declared the unrest over. Diplomats had expected Russia to call a procedural vote to try to block the meeting, but in the end, Moscow's envoy did not make that request. Heading into the council chamber, Haley gave reporters a thumbs-up and answered "yes" when asked if she had the nine votes needed for the meeting to go ahead. Over the past days, the United States has lobbied hard to win support for the Security Council meeting, especially from the six new non-permanent council members, diplomats said. For a new agenda item to be discussed at the Security Council, at least nine of the 15 council members must support holding the meeting. No vetoes apply. The United States is examining ways to mitigate any Pakistani retaliation as it piles pressure on Islamabad to crack down on militants, a senior US official said on Friday, cautioning that US action could extend beyond a new freeze in aid. Pakistan is a crucial gateway for US military supplies destined for US and other troops fighting a 16-year-old war in neighbouring, landlocked Afghanistan. So far, the Pentagon says Pakistan has not given any indication that it would close its airspace or roads to military supplies and US Defence Secretary Jim Mattis played down concerns ... Exchange-operator CME Group Inc will allow a type of privately negotiated transaction in all its agricultural markets for the first time on Monday, splitting traders who predict the move will either improve or hurt transparency. The company, which owns the Chicago Board of Trade (CBOT) and Chicago Mercantile Exchange, will expand the use of transactions called block trades in its grain and livestock futures and options, such as corn. It already permits the trades in other markets ranging from Black Sea wheat to Eurodollars. Block trades are large, privately negotiated deals struck ... At least 14 terrorists belonging to the Islamic State (IS) terrorist group were killed in an airstrike in the Laghman province of Afghanistan. According to Tolo News, the Laghman Police on Saturday said the airstrike was conducted in the Kondgul area of Alingar district in the province on Friday night. Two IS commanders were also killed. IS has not commented on the incident so far. Earlier on Thursday, the IS terrorist group claimed responsibility for a suicide bombing in Kabul's PD9 on late Thursday, which left more than 20 people dead and 30 others injured. The Amaq news agency of the IS said a suicide bomber targetted the police and intelligence officers busy in an operation in the Banaee area of the city. The Kabul Police had conducted an operation against suspected drug traffickers in the same neighbourhood. The Afghan Interior Minister, confirming the death toll, said that the victims were mostly police personnel. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Centre on Saturday released fund worth Rs 500 crore to commence the 'Smart City' project in Amritsar. Punjab Tourism and Cultural Affairs Minister Navjot Singh Sidhu told ANI, "We thank the Government of India who has facilitated us. I can joyfully say that the Government of India, after the Punjab Government released Rs 50 crore, has given us Rs 500 crore to start off with the project. This is like a mutual symbiosis where both benefit from each other. I think the prerogative is more from the side of Government of India, as we went there with little hope, but we have got everything." He added it was a constancy of purpose to evolve, become better and to make Amritsar and Punjab, as a whole, self-reliant and fulfilled with infrastructure. "The Government of India sent a team and we held comprehensive meetings to deal with the development of the Smart Cities. We will prepare a comprehensive plan of about one billion dollars and we are going to request Finance Minister Arun Jaitley to put this forward in the meeting for this year's Financial Plan," Sidhu asserted. He further said the future of Amritsar would set an example for others that this is the way development should be done. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A man from Uttar Pradesh's Nandauli, working in Saudi Arabia, allegedly gave to his wife through an SMS. The victim was allegedly being harassed by her in-laws as they were demanding a vehicle from her as dowry. "My in-laws used to harass me. They were demanding for a vehicle. My husband ill-treated me as well. I received a message from him on phone, where he gave me divorce. I have a son and I want to survive," the victim told ANI. However, the victim's father said he would file a complaint in this regard and want justice to be served to his daughter. "Things were fine for two years. Then they started harassing her. Her in-laws threw her out of the house. Then one day, her husband gave her divorce through an SMS. We haven't informed the police, but soon will," victim's father said. While the Supreme Court and the Centre have called for the scrapping of the triple talaq, terming it "illegal and unconstitutional", some Muslim women are still facing the brunt of this age-old practice. Meanwhile, the Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Bill 2017 has been passed by the Lok Sabha and was tabled recently in the Rajya Sabha. The bill was passed in the Lok Sabha with most of the leading parties in the Opposition, including the Congress, voting in favour, but with caveats as the apex court had directed the Centre to bring an anti legislation. The bill, if enacted, will make a criminal offence. It proposes a three-year jail term for a Muslim man who divorces his wife in any form of spoken, written or by electronic means such as email, SMS, and WhatsApp. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Union Minister of state for Justice and Empowerment Ramdas Athawale on Saturday met Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and demanded action against those responsible for the Bhima Koregaon violence. "We had a discussion with the chief minister for half an hour regarding the incident that happened in Koregaon in which a lot of public property was damaged. We are ready to tackle things peacefully in Maharashtra. Investigation on who was involved and who wasn't involved is on," Athawale told ANI. Fadnavis assured Athawale that people responsible will not be spared. "We have asked the concerned authorities to differentiate between such people (who were responsible for the violence and who were not) and take appropriate action. People who put fuel to fire, we are trying to find them and strict actions will be taken against them and they will be arrested," he added. Athawale defended Dalit leader and Gujarat MLA Jignesh Mevani and JNU student leader Umar Khalid, saying they had nothing to with the violence. He said that the Yalgar Parishad event where Jignesh and Khalid were speaking was a different event. "Mevani and Khalid had nothing to do with whatever happened. They are two different issues," he added. Athawale said Fadnavis had said that the police will work peacefully. He also added that compensation will be given to those whose property had been damaged. Earlier on January 1, a youth was killed in a clash between two groups during an event to mark 200 years of Bhima-Koregaon battle that took place near Pune. The incident prompted the Dalit community to protest on the streets in Maharashtra and other states. A total of 16 FIRs have been registered by the Mumbai Police relating to the shutdown called on January 3 by Dalit groups. The Battle of Koregaon was fought on January 1, 1818 between the British East India Company and the Peshwa faction of the Maratha Confederacy at Koregaon Bhima. The Marathas ultimately withdrew, fearing the arrival of a larger British force. The Company troops of Indian origin included predominantly Mahar Dalit soldiers belonging to the Bombay Native Infantry, and therefore, Dalit activists regard the battle as a heroic episode in their history. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A case was registered against the Peace International School in Kerala's Kochi on Saturday for teaching objectionable content and for following syllabus containing material violating existing India laws. The complaint was filed by Ernakulam's District Educational Officer. Preliminary enquiries revealed that the text books in the school were aimed towards propagating ideas contradictory to the secular policies of the country in order to spread propaganda, against the policies of India. An FIR was registered against the school administration under Section 153 A(1)(B) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). The Distrct Collector of Ernakulam reported that the allegation against the school was true, therefore, in order to prevent Muslims from joining ISIS (Islamic State of Iraq and Syria), it was highly necessary to stop the operation of such institutions. The school has no Central Board of Secondary (CBSE) affiliation. An immediate action has been requested under RTE Act to close the school and transfer the students to neighbourhood schools. It has been directed to scrutinise the syllabus of all existing schools and furnish the action. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) China's indigenous third aircraft carrier is close to completion and may soon to be deployed in the in the South China Sea and the Indian Ocean. According to a South China Morning Post report, the Jiangnan Shipyard Group has been given the responsibility to go ahead with the installing the equipment. State- run news agency Xinhua mentions that the destroyer will be equipped with new air defense, anti-missile, anti-ship and anti-submarine weapons. The Global Times quoted Song Xiaojun, a Beijing-based military affairs commentator as saying, "Uncertainties still exist after the hardware is finalized on the destroyer, as the new facilities and weapons still need more tests. The maintenance and use of the new facilities also need coordinated efforts from the shipbuilder and user, meaning the PLA Navy." Xiaojun however said that it will still be some time before the destroyer is capable of being used in combat. The PLA Navy has three home built carriers, excluding the Liaoning, a decades-old Soviet ship Beijing bought from Ukraine and refurbished to practice carrier operations. The Type 001A (CV-17), first domestically designed aircraft carrier Shandong, was launched in April 2017 at the Dalian shipyard in Liaoning Province by China Shipbuilding Industry Corporation. It is expected to enter service by the end of 2018. China is on record as saying that it will be building more of the destroyers to meet its navy's increasing demand for modern warships as reported by SCMP. The vessel will have to undergo testing, including its equipment, berthing and sailing, before it is commissioned for use. According to Chinese naval experts, it is too early to say when the third vessel would be launched, but China plans to have four aircraft carrier battle groups in service by 2030. "The news is a sign that the destroyer will soon be delivered and put into service as all the major works are in their final stages," Li Jie, a Beijing-based naval expert, told the Global Times. China is trying to build up a blue-water navy as it looks to expand its maritime influence globally. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Washington Post citing local media said the bloodshed "sparked fears of renewed unrest in the south, where separatists have sought independence for more than 30 years in the West African nation." The Senegalese military confirmed the deaths in the Saturday's attack. The Separatist group, however, is yet to claim responsibility for the attack, said local media. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan is believed to have got married once again on New Year's Day in Lahore. According to The News' report, Imran Khan has tied the knot with a woman he used to visit for spiritual guidance. "The PTI chairman inaugurated 2018 by tying the knot with the woman on the night of January 1 in Lahore and came straight from there the next day to appear before the anti-terrorism court in Islamabad that granted him bail", the report said. "The nikah was performed by Mufti Saeed, a member of PTI core committee, who was also the 'nikah khawan' when Imran publicly entered into marriage with Reham Khan on January 8, 2015, amid reports of secret nikah in November 2014", it added. When Mufti was asked about Imran Khan's new marriage, he didn't give a clear answer. Imran Khan's political secretary Awn Chaudry and PTI spokesman Naeem Ul Haq, who reportedly attended the wedding, categorically denied the reports. "This is irresponsible yellow journalism. I had categorically denied the veracity of this planted gossip to Cheema. Totally concocted story", he tweeted. "Considering my 35-year-long association and keeping in view the fact that I have been privy to his personal life, he noted, I can say with absolute confidence that nothing like this occurred. Even if he marries, he will do after the general elections of 2018", Naeem said. The report further said that the wedding ceremony took place at the residence of a close confidante of the bride who also happens to be a friend of a PTI leader. While his first marriage with Jemima Khan ended in divorce after nine years on June 22, 2004, the second marriage with Reham Khan continued barely for 10 months. The second marriage was publicly announced on January 8, 2015. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) India and Indonesia on Friday condemned all forms of terrorism at the 5th Joint Commission meeting between the two countries. Addressing a joint press conference with Foreign Minister of Indonesia Retno Marsudi; External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj said, "We unequivocally condemned terrorism in all its forms. We expressed our strong opposition to any selective approach to deal with this group of menace and called upon all the countries to stop providing state sponsorship to terrorism and prevent their territories to stop being used for establishing terrorist safe havens." Earlier the two leaders reviewed trade, energy ties, defence cooperation and people to people links in the meeting. Swaraj termed India and Indonesia as natural partners in peace and prosperity. "We are the two major countries in the Indo-Pacific region, which is the most dynamic regions in the We agree to develop synergic relationship to harness the potential of Indo-Pacific region and to meet the challenges that the region faces," Swaraj said. She added Indonesia has a critical role to play in evolution of the security architecture in the Indo-Pacific region. Swaraj also expressed importance of addressing the higher trade deficit India has with Indonesia. "The best way to address this issue is not to restrict trade but to increase it. We agreed to work together for a balanced and sustainable trade by providing greater market access both in goods and services," Swaraj said. India also promised to continue skill development assistance to Indonesia in the form of short term training programme and scholarship. Swaraj also appreciated that Indonesian President Joko Widodo has accepted Prime Minister Narendra Modi's invitation to join the ASEAN Special Commemorative Summit as Guest of Honour at India's Republic Day celebrations along with other ASEAN heads of states. Swaraj along with Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi will jointly inaugurate ASEAN-India Think Tanks' Forum meeting tomorrow. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) An inquiry report has been submitted to the Municipal commissioner by the Inquiry Committee, in connection to the Kamala Mills fire. The committee has concluded that the fire started from the pub Mojo's bistro and not from the restraunt 1Above as believed earlier. The report also stated that there were several violations of fire safety norms by both Mojo's bistro and 1Above. The inquiry committee has recorded statement of around 10 people, gone through video on social media and several news portals too, to conclude the reason of the fire and lapses from both the restaurant and pub. On January 4, the Maharashtra State Human Rights Commission (MSHRC) had directed BMC to submit a report on Kamala Mills fire, in which 14 people were killed last month. The MSHRC chairperson Justice S.R. Bannurmath issued the notice to the BMC Commissioner Ajoy Mehta to submit the report on the tragedy on or before January 29. Fourteen people lost their lives and over 30 others were injured, when a major fire broke late night on December 28 at a building in Kamala Mills Compound in Lower Parel. The massive fire reportedly had allegedly broken out from the '1Above' rooftop restaurant and later spread to the entire area. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Karnataka Home Minister Ramalinga Reddy has accused political organisations radical Islamist outfit Popular Front of India (PFI), Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and other right wing organisations for disturbing harmony in the state. "Political organisations or those like PFI, RSS, Sri Ram Sena should work to maintain harmony in society but these all are involved in disturbing harmony here," Reddy told media here on Friday, a day after a Hindu activist, Deepak Rao, was allegedly murdered in Mangaluru. According to reports, taking exception to Reddy's statement about the nexus between PFI and BJP, the saffron party's state president B S Yeddyurappa yesterday challenged the minister to prove his charges in 24 hours. Yeddyurappa also dismissed the allegations that three leaders of BJP Minorities Morcha were involved in Rao's murder, saying the charges were false, concocted and politically motivated. The state government has announced Rs. 10 lakh compensation to the family of the activist. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) It took ink of four pens to sign the 2,400-page judgement copy, which nailed former Bihar chief minister Lalu Prasad Yadav and sent him to prison. This verdict was a 3.5-year jail term for the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief in connection with the case. The special CBI court judge, Shivpal Singh, earlier in the day, also slapped Lalu with a fine of Rs 5 lakh. Lalu has been sentenced in the case relating to embezzling of more than Rs 89 lakh from the Deoghar Treasury between 1991 and 1994. The court also said his jail term would extend by six months, if he failed to furnish the amount. On December 3, the court had pronounced Lalu and 14 others guilty in the case. Seven other accused were acquitted including former Bihar chief minister Jagannath Mishra. Lalu Prasad had, on Friday, sought a minimum punishment citing health issues. In his plea, Lalu mentioned, "I have no role in this scam directly; consider minimum punishment keeping in view my age and on health grounds." The court was scheduled to pronounce quantum of sentence on January 3, but it continued to be deferred till today. The court had also found Lalu's son Tejashwi Yadav and other party leaders Raghuvansh Prasad Singh and Manoj Jha guilty of contempt of court. Special CBI judge Shivpal Singh had, on Tuesday, observed he got phone calls from Lalu Prasad Yadav's men, in connection with his conviction in the fodder scam case. The judge also accused Lalu's family members - his sons, Tej Pratap and Tejashwi - of mouthing casteist statements. The judge added, "Laluji, we are getting a lot of references and calls for you, but I told your men that I will take the decision the way I want to, following the law." Meanwhile, the CBI court has recommended the state government to send Lalu Yadav and other convicts to an open jail in Jharkhand's Hazaribag keeping in view their age. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Saturday asserted that the state of law and order here has been fine in the last three years and would continue to be so. "Law and order in Maharashtra has been absolutely fine in last three years, and will continue to be so", Fadnavis said in an event to promote investment in Maharashtra named Magnetic Maharashtra convergence summit 2018. While replying to a question related to the Bhima Koregaon violence as to whether social factors are affecting the business and development in the state, Fadnavis dubbed the law and order situation in the state as "good". Earlier in the day, Union Minister of State for Justice and Empowerment Ramdas Athawale met the Chief Minister and demanded action against those responsible for the Bhima Koregaon violence. On January 1, a youth was killed in a clash between two groups during an event to mark 200 years of Bhima-Koregaon battle that took place near Pune. The incident prompted the Dalit community to protest on the streets in Maharashtra and other states. A total of 16 FIRs have been registered by the Mumbai Police relating to the shutdown called on January 3 by the Dalit groups. The Battle of Koregaon was fought on January 1, 1818 between the British East India Company and the Peshwa faction of the Maratha Confederacy at Koregaon Bhima. The Marathas ultimately withdrew, fearing the arrival of a larger British force. The Company troops of Indian origin included predominantly Mahar Dalit soldiers belonging to the Bombay Native Infantry, and therefore, Dalit activists regard the battle as a heroic episode in their history. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) spokesperson Rafi Ahmad Mir on Saturday said there was nothing wrong in offering condolences to the local militants. Speaking to ANI, the PDP leader said, "Every death, be it a militant or a policeman, we condemn it. Militants are our brothers; we would visit their homes on death as it is a religious obligation. Following the PDP policy, I would visit the family of a slain militant for condolences. Whether it is a CRPF man or our local militant, there is no bar on offering condolences. However, it depends on the security situation; sometime we can go and sometimes not." Mir added the PDP had to shelve its own party agenda due to alliance with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). "On Article 370, they had a different perspective, while our perspective was different. On running the government in the state and of both the regions, they had a different perspective and we also had altogether different. But we had to join, since we had to form the government. We won around 28 seats. In Jammu, the BJP got the highest share of probably 26 seats. We needed the assistance of the Delhi Government here, therefore, we took a decision, a very harsh decision. There was resentment in our voters also and there is no doubt about it," the PDP leader further stated. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Oscar-winning screenwriter and director Paul Haggis has been accused of sexual misconduct by four different women, including two rape allegations. The 64-year-old Canadian screenwriter was sued in December by film publicist Haleigh Breest for allegedly raping her in 2013 at his apartment after a movie premiere. However, Haggis denied the claims and now, three more women have come forward with sexual misconduct allegation with one accusing that Haggis forced her to perform oral sex then raping her, reports the Deadline. Another woman claimed that in 2015, the 'The Third Person' director tried to forcibly kiss her. In his defence, Haggis previously said he's used to defending himself against "false allegations" because he is a notable critic of Scientology. Haggis is writer and director of 2004's 'Crash', which won Academy Awards for best picture and best original screenplay. He also earned an Oscars nod for best-adapted screenplay for 'Million Dollar Baby'. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) World number five Dominic Thiem's late withdrawal from the semifinals of the Qatar Open has set the stage for finals between Frenchman Gael Monfils and Russian star Andrey Rublev. The tournament's number one seed, just hours before his match against Monfils, announced that he had to pull out from the event because of illness. "I have some bad news, due to some health conditions I have to cancel my start today. I am in bed with fever and there is almost no chance of a recovery until tonight", Thiem said on his official website. He added, "Now I am focusing on Melbourne and being fit and prepared for the first Grand Slam of the year". Earlier, Rublev defeated Argentine Guido Pella in the semi-finals. Saturday's final will be Monfils' fourth Doha title match, having lost all the previous three. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) In the wake of Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation releasing Gross Domestic Product (GDP) numbers during 2017-18, Congress President on Saturday took to Twitter to make a witty remark about Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley. Attributing the growth of the economy to Jaitley's "genuis" and Modi's "Gross Divisive Politics", Gandhi mocked the Modi-led Democratic Alliance (NDA) government over a reduced GDP, this quarter. The growth in GDP during 2017-18 is estimated at 6.5 per cent, as compared to the growth rate of 7.1 per cent in 2016-17, the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation had noted on Friday. As per data released by the Central Statistics Office (CSO), Real GDP at constant (2011-12) prices in the year 2017-18 is likely to attain a level of Rs 129.85 lakh crore, as against the Provisional Estimate of GDP for the year 2016-17 of Rs 121.90 trillion, released on May 31, 2017. The sectors which registered a growth rate of over 7.0 per cent include public administration, defence and other services, trade, hotels, transport, communication and services related to broadcasting, electricity, gas, water supply and other utility services and financial, real estate and professional services. According to information furnished by the Department of Agriculture and Cooperation (DAC), the production of food grains during the Kharif season of agriculture year 2017-18 was 134.67 million tonnes as compared to 138.52 million tonnes during the same period in 2016-17. Further, Department of Economic Affairs Secretary Subhash Chandra Garg on Friday had said that the estimated GDP growth of 6.5 per cent for 2017-18 confirmed a 'strong turnaround of the economy'. "GDP growth of 6.5 percent for 2017-18 implies growth of 7 per cent for the second half. This confirms strong turnaround of the economy. Investment growth of almost twice that of last year's indicates investment is reviving," Garg had posted on Twitter. Moreover, chief statistician TCA Anant on Friday had predicted that there would be an improvement in numbers on a quarterly basis, even though the year-on-year estimates suggested a dip in GDP growth. "The reason for the lower GDP estimates is mainly the poor performance of agriculture and manufacturing sectors. The first two quarters showed numbers of 5.7 and 6.3 percent respectively. Looking at this, we are expecting the GDP growth in the next two quarters at 7 percent each," he said on Friday. The Congress President's remarks come at a time when the Budget Session of the Parliament has been announced. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ananth Kumar on Friday said that the first Budget Session is scheduled from January 29 to February 9, while the second session will be held from March 5 to April 6. Meanwhile, the budget will be presented on February 1. This will be the last full-fledged budget for NDA government. Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on Saturday stated that amid the rising challenges emerging before banks in the present day, the resilience of the banking system is undergoing a test. "The financial system of the country is what spurs the growth of the economy, ultimately. However, in the recent past, challenges have appeared before the banking system, and it is the resilience of the system that is undergoing a test today. It is the responsibility of the banking system to restore its credibility and help spur growth of the economy. Taxpayers are making a sacrifice to keep you in good health," Jaitley said, while speaking at the Platinum Jubilee Celebrations of UCO Bank, here. Jaitley, however, noted that amidst the global slowdown, India's economy continued to grow at a significant pace. "During the global slowdown, commodity prices dropped, infrastructure saw a decline, and all this affected the balance sheets of companies, which in turn, affected the balance sheets of the bank. However, India continued to be one of the fastest growing economies, despite the temporary challenge posed by structural changes that were implemented," he said. Talking about the bank recapitalisation plan announced for reviving public sector banks (PSBs), Jaitley said it was crucial to introduce this in order to keep the credit growth sustained, adding the infusion of the designated Rs. 2.11 lakh crore would further keep the credit growth positive. "Banks must be conscious that to keep them in good health is important. They should be well aware of their responsibility for driving economy's growth. The Parliament, on its end, should also extend support," he said. For the unversed, Jaitley had announced an unprecedented PSB recapitalisation program of Rs 2.11 lakh crore in October 2017, in a bid to improve the lending capacity of banks. Following this, the ministry last week presented a demand in the Lok Sabha for an additional expenditure towards the bank recapitalisation plan to the tune of Rs 80,000 crore. The supplementary grant was being sought to meet expenditure towards recapitalisation of PSBs, through the issue of government securities. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Rohingya insurgents on Saturday launched an assault on the Myanmar Army, attacking its truck in the restive state of Rakhine, and injured five soldiers in the process. According to Al-Jazeera, a spokesperson for the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA) claimed responsibility for the truck attack. A Myanmar's government source said: "A vehicle was attacked by 20 insurgents from the mountain, by using homemade mines and small arms." An article in the Frontier Myanmar magazine reported that six soldiers were injured and hospitalised. At least, one soldier was reported to be in a very critical condition. Rohingyas are a Muslim minority ethnic group in Myanmar. They have been regarded by many majority Buddhists as illegal migrants from Bangladesh. Also, the Rohingyas have been persecuted by the Buddhists and the security forces. As of December 2017, an estimated 6,55,000 Rohingya people fled to Bangladesh to avoid the persecution from the security forces that started in Myanmar's Rakhine state in August last year. There are more than 3,00,000 Rohingyas living in Bangladesh, who fled in earlier waves of violence from the Myanmarese Government since the last three decades. The United Nations has called the violence against civilians 'ethnic cleansing', but the Myanmarese Government rejected the claims. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Globally-designated terrorist and the 26/11 Mumbai attack mastermind Hafiz Saeed has slapped a Rs 100 million defamation notice on Pakistan's Defence Minister Khurram Dastgir. "The minister has been asked to tender an apology in writing within 14 days, or face litigation," read the notice served by Advocate A K Dogar, on behalf of JuD chief Saeed, under Section 8 of the Defamation Ordinance of 2002, local media reported. This comes days after Pakistan prohibited Saeed's Jamaatud Dawa (JuD) and Falah-i-Insaniat Foundation (FIF) from collecting donations. The Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP) on Monday ordered to prohibit all companies from donating cash to JuD and FIF, as well as several other such organisations named in a list of banned outfits by the United Nations Security Council (UNSC). Following the ban, Dastgir had stated that the action against JuD, FIF and other organisations were "linked to ongoing Operation Raddul Fasaad" and were taken so that "terrorists cannot open fire on schoolchildren anymore." Dogar accused that the minister had caused "immense damage" to the "reputation" of Saeed and JuD by issuing an "irresponsible" statement, the report said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Hours after former Bihar chief minister Lalu Prasad was sentenced to 3.5 years of jail in a fodder scam case, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Sambit Patra took a poetic jibe at the Opposition by terming it a "coalition of corrupts". Taking to Twitter, Patra targetted Lalu, along with Congress President Rahul Gandhi, former party president Sonia Gandhi, who are out on a bail in the Herald case, former Jharkhand chief minister Madhu Koda, who was sentenced to three years in jail for corruption in a coal scam case. "??? ??? ???,??? ??? ???? ??? ????? ???? ??? ???, ?????? ????? ??? ???, ??? ?? ?? ??? ?? ??, ???????? ?? ??????, ?? ??????? 2019 ?? ?????? ??? ?????? (Few are in jail and few out on bail. Madhu Kodad, Lalu are in jail, Sonia Lalu are out on bail. yet this alliance of corrupts are saying say that they will fight in the upcoming general elections in 2019)," he tweeted. The BJP leader further said the alliance of corrupt was over after Lalu's sentencing. "Gathbandhan [alliance] of corruption is now over in Bihar. Now, one more wicket of a corrupt system and Rahul Gandhi's alliance is down. The politics of Rahul Gandhi and his alliance parties are exposed in front of India. Lalu Prasad is inside the jail just because he indulged in corruption," he told ANI. A special Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) court, earlier in the day, sentenced Lalu Yadav to 3.5 years of jail in a fodder scam case. He has also been slapped with a fine of Rs 5 lakh. Lalu has been sentenced in the case relating to embezzling of more than Rs 89 lakh from the Deoghar Treasury between 1991 and 1994. The Special CBI judge Shivpal Singh pronounced the quantum of sentence via video conferencing. The court also said his jail term would extend by six months, if he failed to furnish the amount. On December 3, the court had convicted Lalu and 14 others in the case, acquitting seven, including former Bihar chief minister Jagannath Mishra. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Kolkata Police on Friday raided the residence of a person in Burrabazar after locals complained of a sex racket being operated out of it. The locals complained about an illegal sex racket being run by the landlord, Pramod Kumar Singhania, who calls himself to be a follower of Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh. "We went to the house on December 25 and discovered that prostitution was being practised there. We also found minor boys and girls there. The landlord escaped through a secret tunnel after we got hold of him. Although it functioned as a guest house, it also floated flesh trade," a local told ANI. One hidden tunnel was found through which the landlord had managed to escape. An enquiry revealed that Singhania had made some make-shift compartments in the premises and used to let these out to traders who came to Burrabazar for some business-related matters. The police said an investigation was underway to nab the landlord and others involved. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Hollywood veteran Stephen Fry has finally decided to end his long run as host of the British Academy Film Awards (BAFTA). According to the Independent, the 60-year-old actor has hosted the ceremony 12 times, but said it was "only right to stand down and let others take the BAFTAs on to new heights and greater glories." He further added, "What fun it will be to watch BAFTA 2018 without my heart hammering, mouth drying and knees trembling." Whereas the Academy Awards changes its host almost every time, in the U.K., Fry has been a near constant presence in recent years, fronting the BAFTAs from 2011-2017 and having first hosted it in 2001. During Fry's break from hosting duties, Jonathan Ross stepped in to take up the mantle. BAFTA head Amanda Berry thanked Fry, saying that he made the awards "such memorable and joyous occasions." She also shared that a new host will be announced on January 9 at the same time the BAFTA award nominations are revealed. This year's ceremony, taking place on February 18, will be held for a second year at the Royal Albert Hall in London and will feature a performance by Cirque du Soleil. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Several passengers were stranded for hours at New York's JFK Airport reportedly as an effect of the 'bomb cyclone' leading to halting of airplanes at the runways, on Saturday. Massive delays, walls of people in terminals, complaints of hours-long waits to get to a gate after landing, then hours more to get checked baggage were some of the cries of the stranded passengers, who took to the social media, to vent out their anger. "I have never seen that before! Landed at 10:25pm JFK airport, still in the plane at 3:50am after an 8h flight from Paris. We cannot get out, insane! #AirFrance #jfkairport," one of the passengers aboard Air France tweeted. Another frustrated passenger, said, in a, Twitter post, "This is what the airport traffic looks like right now . Kuwait waited more than 3 hours before they got a gate. Lufthansa, Air France and Singapore waited about 2 hours for a gate. To say the least the Kongo line was pretty long tonight." "Still waiting at terminal 1 for flight AF008 luggage, no food no water no wifi for 9 hours. Shame of a service. @NYGovCuomo" said another passenger. "2hours delayed at cdg, 8h flight, 4h waiting for parking spot, 1h for staircase, 1h to remove snow at the terminal door, 1h for boarder controls and still waiting for luggage since 5am without food or water or any airport staff #thisisnyc #jfk @airfrance" came another tweet. "Air China flight #CA989 landed at JFK airport 4h 30min ago and is still waiting for a gate. Very frustrated passengers @MattStein7 @Brunosmind @jennimonet are tweeting from that flight," a Swedish internet-based air travel tracking service, Flightradar24, said, in a Twitter post. "We need help still on plane have been traveling since Thursday New Zealand Time @AirChinaNA @JFKairport @united almost 6 hours. Not enough stairs to deplane. We will expect FULL refund. #ca989 it's 5:30 in the morning!!!!!!!!! @ColeHaber," a passenger tweeted. Another passenger tweeted, "Due to excessive flight delays, my new permanent address is JFK Airport. Please forward all my mail to Terminal 4, c/o @Delta." According to air travel tracking service Flightradar 24, dozens of planes had similar issues after landing. It posted a screen shot of ground traffic at the airport displaying what apparently were several planes sitting, seemingly in the wait for gates. "After landing 3.5 hours ago, #DY7019 awaits a gate. Unfortunately for passengers at JFK tonight, they have plenty of company," Flightradar 24 tweeted. "4 hours after landing, and 1 tour of JFK airport later, #DY7019 made it to the gate," the service later tweeted. "Been stuck on tarmac for over 3 hours at JFK Alitalia flight 8604. Multiple passengers seeking medical attention. Staff not communicating. Babies literally crying from hunger and people calling police from the plane. Please RT to get this to the press," tweeted one passenger. JFK had closed on Thursday at 11am when the storm hit and reopened on Friday at 7am. Another passenger tweeted, "@JFKairport. we landed 5 hours ago & are still waiting on luggage at baggage claim! Not a single staff member to be seen, no announcements made about what to expect. All after being stuck on the tarmac for 3+ hours waiting for a place to park. Unacceptable customer service!" Several were reported to be waiting for hours at the baggage claim after getting off the plain. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj on Saturday met with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Sectary General Dato Paduka Lim Jock Hoi in Jakarta. Ministry of External Affairs Spokesperson Raveesh Kumar took to Twitter to inform about the meeting. "Taking ASEAN-India relationship in the commemorative year! EAM @SushmaSwaraj met with Mr. Dato Paduka Lim Jock Hoi, Secretary-General, ASEAN and Ms. Retno Marsudi, Foreign Minister of Indonesia. #ActEastPolicy," Kumar tweeted. Later in the day, she will address the Indian community in the capital city. Earlier on Friday, India and Indonesia condemned all forms of terrorism at the 5th Joint Commission meeting between the foreign ministers of the two countries. "We unequivocally condemned terrorism in all its forms. We expressed our strong opposition to any selective approach to deal with this group of menace and called upon all the countries to stop providing state sponsorship to terrorism and prevent their territories to stop being used for establishing terrorist safe havens," Swaraj said. The two leaders also reviewed trade, energy ties, defence cooperation and people to people links in the meeting. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A key Taliban leader, who was leading the financial affairs and providing logistics for the militants, has been killed in an airstrike in Afghanistan's southern Helmand province. The Taliban leader was in contact with the group's leadership in Quetta and was arranging weapons and other military kits for the insurgents, reported Khaama Press, citing Helmand governor's office, as saying, in a statement. No comments have been received from the anti-government armed militant groups, including the Taliban insurgents by far. Earlier, in late December, at least 17 militants, belonging to the Taliban insurgent group, were killed, in a joint operation by the Afghan air forces and ground forces in southern Helmand province. "The forces had also seized weapons during the operation," Provincial governor spokesperson Omar Zwak had said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Macron's remark came during a joint news conference with Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Paris on Friday. To this charge, Erdogan, according to The Telegraph, responded by claiming that some journalists had been nourishing terrorists with their writings. At the conference, Erdogan said that his country was worn out after waiting for 54 years to get an entry into the EU. "This is seriously exhausting us and seriously exhausting our nation. Maybe this will force us to take a decision," The Telegraph quoted the leader as saying. However, Macron, in replying, was straightforward and said recent developments in Turkey were failing its EU accession bid. "We must get out of a hypocrisy that consists in thinking that a natural progression towards opening new chapters is possible. It's not true," the French president said. The European Union countries and various human rights organisations have expressed their displeasure with Turkey over the way affairs were handled post 2016 failed coup. An order was given to arrest about 55,000 security force personnel, judges, journalists, academics and activists after the failed coup. Over 1,40,000 people, accused of having links with US-based Muslim cleric Fethullah Gulen, who Ankara sees as a prime orchestrator of the attempted coup, have been sacked or suspended. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Uttar Pradesh Government has doubled the compensation given to the kin of jawans who were killed on-duty. "To ensure the security of the 22 crore people of Uttar Pradesh, we have doubled the compensation given to the kin of the jawans who lose their lives on-duty," Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said, while addressing a public gathering in Meerut. "Earlier, the compensation amount ranged from Rs 5 lakh to Rs 20 lakh, but now it has been increased upto Rs 50 lakh," he added. The chief minister said the compensation was increased to take care of the family of the killed jawans and to pay homage and respect to their families. The chief minister also paid his tribute to the police constable, Ankit Tomar, who succumbed to bullet injuries a day after he was shot during the encounter in Shamli. A wanted criminal, Satyaveer alias Satthe Ahediya, was reportedly killed in the encounter with the police in Bulandshahr's Kotwalinagar on Thursday. Adityanath also lauded the UP policemen in protecting the people of the state. He also attacked the previous government for failing to take care of the famers in the state . "When we came to power, we ensured electricity reached every part and region of the state," he said. The chief minister said politics should focus on rural development, farmers, youth and women empowerment and asserted that his government was bringing policies for the betterment of the people. He also vowed to double the income of farmers in this year and urged people to keep supporting the Bharatiya Janata Party. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The boundary walls of the Haj House, which was painted saffron yesterday, has been repainted to its original colour. Haj Samiti Secretary RP Singh has blamed the contractor for the incident while saying that an action would be taken against him. "Whitewash and maintenance work were being done at the Haj House located at the Vidhan Sabha road in Lucknow by a contractor, as per the direction of the Haj Samiti. After several reports of its being painted in saffron colour, I reached there to review the work and found out that work was done completely opposite of what was directed. We immediately took the matter into consideration and directed to repaint the office. An action is also being taken against the contractor," he said, in a statement. Saffron colour is majorly related with the Hinduism and also associated with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). The move did not go down well with the opposition who claimed that the ruling-Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) had resorted to alleged 'saffronisation' of the state. However, Uttar Pradesh Minister Mohsin Raza said the move did not invite any controversy and the building was painted saffron just to beautify it. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) on Saturday said, "We're saddened by the loss of astronaut John Young." Young was the first person to travel to space six times and the ninth of 12 scientists to set foot on the lunar surface. "NASA and the world have lost a pioneer. Young was at the forefront of human space exploration with his poise, talent, and tenacity. He was in every way the 'astronaut's astronaut'," said NASA acting administrator Robert Lightfoot, local media reported. Local media stated that the octogenarian died of pneumonia. Young was one of the three astronauts to travel twice to the moon. The former US Navy test pilot flew into space twice during the Gemini programme of NASA in 1960's and twice on space shuttles. Young was the longest serving astronaut, who worked with NASA for 42 years. In an interview, after his retirement in 2004, he said that he considered himself "very lucky". (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) United States Ambassador to India Kenneth Juster met the Foreign Secretary S. Jaishankar on Friday to discuss the bilateral issues between two countries. The meeting came amid the United States move to cut off the military aid to Pakistan, as it has not taken "necessary steps" to curb terrorism. State Department Spokesperson Heather Nauert on Thursday said the embargo would remain in place until Pakistan takes action against the Afghan Taliban and the Haqqani network. Nauert, in her media briefing in Washington, also noted, "No country has suffered more from terrorism than Pakistan. They understand that, but they still haven't taken the necessary steps." The announcement comes three days after President Donald Trump made a scathing remark against its ally in the war on terrorism and accused Pakistan of lying and deceiving while receiving billions in aid. "The United States has foolishly given Pakistan more than 33 billion dollars in aid over the last 15 years, and they have given us nothing but lies & deceit, thinking of our leaders as fools. They give safe haven to the terrorists we hunt in Afghanistan, with little help. No more!" Trump tweeted on Monday. However, the U.S. is only stopping the security aid, the humanitarian assistance to Pakistan will continue. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The police from China and Myanmar have jointly solved several drug cases, nabbing three suspects with 160 kg of drugs, officials said. The three suspects included two from China and one from Myanmar, said the drug control bureau, the public security department of Yunnan Province, on Friday. On December 19, the Yunnan police received tip-offs that a batch of drugs would be transferred from Kokang in Myanmar into China. The local police immediately contacted their Myanmar counterparts, Xinhua news agency reported. The same day, the Kokang police found six bags of methamphetamine weighing 160 kg in a sugarcane field. One Myanmar suspect was caught. The drugs were handed over to the Chinese police. The Myanmar police also helped police officials in China's Chongqing Municipality and Jiling province catch two drug dealers who fled to Myanmar at the end of last year. All cases were still under investigation. --IANS soni/vm (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) President Amit Shah on Saturday arrived in Assam, enroute to Meghalaya, and visited the ancient Kamakhya temple here, situated on the Nilachal Hill. Shah is on a two-day long visit to northeast and is scheduled to address a public rally at Tikrikilla in Garo Hills region in Meghalaya on Saturday. He is all set to woo the voters in the Garo Hills belt in the Congress-ruled state. Shah will spend the night in Shillong and leave for Tripura on Sunday morning. His visit assumes significance considering the fact that that Meghalaya and Tripura are going to polls in February this year. Senior BJP leaders like Ram Madhav, Mahendra Singh have also accompanied Shah while Assam Finance Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma is also likely to accompany Shah during his visit. Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Meghalaya in December last year and addressed a public rally in Shillong to kick start the poll campaign. --IANS ah/pgh/vm (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) China on Saturday implemented a ban on exports of steel and other metals to North Korea and placed limits on the supply of crude oil and petroleum products to the country in line with UN Security Council resolutions. In a statement on Friday, the Ministry of Commerce announced a complete ban on the sale of iron, steel and other metals, industrial machinery and transport vehicles to North Korea, reports Efe news. It also said that crude oil exports to the country should not exceed four million barrels or 525,000 tonnes during any given 12-month period, while the sale of refined petroleum products would be stopped after reaching the imposed limit of 500,000 barrels for 2018. China also banned imports of some products from North Korea, including cereal, soy, and other agricultural products, some minerals, wood and electrical equipment. These measures were announced by China in order to implement Resolution 2397 of the Security Council, adopted in December in response to the latest ballistic missile testd by the Kim Jong-un regime. This was the 10th resolution passed by the Security Council, where China is a permanent member, to harden sanctions against Pyongyang since 2006 when North Korea carried out its first nuclear test. --IANS ksk/vm (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) BJP President Amit Shah on Saturday said that he was confident that the party will overthrow the ruling Congress-led Meghalaya United Alliance government and form the new government in the state after the assembly polls slated for later this year Addressing party workers after kicking off his election campaign at in West Garo Hills district, Shah said: "While on my way to Tikrikilla (to address a public rally), I did not have hope but after seeing the response of the people in Tikrikilla, and the anger of the public against (the Mukul) Sangma government, I am convinced that the next government will be of the BJP." Speaking after inaugurating the newly-constructed party office here, he charged the ruling Congress with running a most corrupt government. "In our country, there should not be a competition, which one is the most corrupt government. This is a competition which is not good for the country. But if there is one such, Sangma government certainly is vying for the top spot," he said. He told that party workers that the party's mission is not to form the government "because we are already in power in 19 states". "But our mission is to ensure that people get their due and Meghalaya should become a model state instead of vying as the most corrupt state. Meghalaya should become one of the most developed model state," he said. The BJP chief also questioned the Congress government for its failure to develope Meghalaya despite the central government sanctioning Rs 5,817 crore to Meghalaya under the 13th Finance Commission while under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the 14th Finance Commission increased this to Rs 25,413 crore. "Therefore, the question is where has this money gone. Are you seeing any development, where are development in villages, where are roads, hospitals, doctors? You take all these figures and educate the people and every voter in Meghalaya," he said. Earlier, launching his election campaign at Tikrikilla, Shah sought the people's support to strengthen Modi and BJP's dream for a developed India. Union Tourism minister K.J Alphons and Assam Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma also asked the people not to fall prey to the Congress "misinformation" campaign that BJP is anti-Christian and anti-minority. --IANS rrk/vd (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) One can feel the morning raga only when it is played in the morning, iconic sarod maestro Ustad Amjad Ali Khan, who along with his two sons Amaan Ali Bangash and Ayaan Ali Bangash is set to perform in Mumbai on Sunday, said on Saturday. "I am playing a morning concert here in Mumbai after seven years and this is the first concert of the year, of course, I am excited," he told IANS here. "I think one can listen to any raga, at any time on the recording, but if you want to feel the raga, you have to listen to them in the morning. We have several early morning ragas in classical music and these concerts give us an opportunity to play them," he added. His elder son Amaan said that waking up early morning is a big task for him because "it is almost like going back to school." "One might just feel a little groggy because these days we do not wake up at 5 in the morning. Since our concert starts at 6:30, we have to wake up much early. But the advantage of playing such concert is to play some of the beautiful morning ragas that otherwise we do not get a chance to play in the evening concerts," he added. Meanwhile, Ayaan said that morning concerts have become rare phenomena in the recent years. "For us, the concert is also very special because of its backdrop -- Gateway of India. You know this is one of those iconic monuments of our country that symbolises the spirit of humanity and oneness though it has experienced some of the atrocities. Gateway of India is the spirit of Mumbai," he said. Asked if he can recall his special moment of early morning concert, Ustad Amjad Ali Khan said that his best experience was when he saw the rising sun when he performed in overnight concert in Kolkata. Sharing his early memories of childhood, the recipient of Padma Vibhshan said, "I used to wake up around four in the morning for my namaz followed by riyaaz. I learnt it from my father and guru Ustad Hafiz Ali Khan." "The practice went on until I started my world tour for performance. Then I had to change my schedule according to my show. But, I would still say, waking up early in the morning and the sound of sarod refreshes your mind," he added. Presented by Pancham Nishad, in association with Culture Department of Maharashtra and Mumbai Port Trust, the two-hour long concert titled "Spiritual Morning" starts at 6:30. --IANS aru/sku/ (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Islamic Hamas movement and Islamic Jihad in Gaza on Friday called on the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) to withdraw its recognition of Israel. Hazem Qassem, a Hamas spokesmen in Gaza, said that the PLO "should immediately withdraw its recognition of the Israeli entity", reports Xinhua. He also called on the Palestinian National Authority to stop security coordination with Israel. "The arms of resistance are a red line that can never be overcome, dropped or to be discussed," Qassem was quoted as saying. The PLO recognised Israel and signed Oslo peace agreements in 1993 throughout an exchange of letters between Palestinian and Israeli leaders, where Israel recognised the PLO as the representative of the Palestinians. Meanwhile, Khader Habib, the senior Islamic Jihad leader in Gaza, said it is important to carry on with the Palestinian Intifada, or uprising against Israel in the Palestinian territories. He said the Intifada broke out in response to US President Donald Trump's decision to recognise Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. Habib told demonstrators in southern Gaza that the Palestinian Authority "must have severe security coordination with the Zionist entity and the PLO has to withdraw its recognition of this entity." Earlier, the two groups said they received invitations to attend the meeting of the Palestinian Central Council (PCC), or the PLO parliament, which is scheduled in the West Bank on January 14. The PLO Central Council is holding an emergency meeting to discuss the consequences of Trump's Jerusalem declaration, his intentions to move US embassy to the city and the current Israeli government's policy. --IANS sku/ (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Haryana has achieved the distinction of becoming the first state in the country to launch high-risk pregnancy portal, a minister said on Saturday. This portal not only helps in early identification of high-risk pregnant cases up to the grassroots but also ensures their timely referral to the civil hospitals for further management and delivery by specialists. Health Minister Anil Vij said that this initiative has been lauded by the NITI Aayog and the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. The High Risk Pregnancy Policy has been implemented across the state since November 2017 for identifying 100 per cent name-based high-risk pregnancy cases and ensuring their delivery by specialists at civil hospitals. "This initiative will definitely increase the pace of decline in maternal mortality rate, infant mortality rate and still birth incidence as morbidity and mortality is quite high in high-risk pregnant cases, if not managed timely," Vij added. Principal Secretary Health Amit Jha said: "This innovative web application has been designed to track every high-risk pregnant woman till 42 days after delivery so that she receives adequate treatment during the ante-natal period for healthy outcome of pregnancy." National Health Mission Director Amneet P. Kumar said instructions had been issued to all civil surgeons for 100 per cent entry of high-risk pregnant cases in the high-risk pregnancy portal and their management at civil hospitals by specialists. She said the state had also implemented birth companion strategy under which one female attendant would be allowed during delivery in the labour room. --IANS vg/vd (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif criticised the UN Security Council's emergency meeting on Iran's recent unrests and termed it a "foreign policy blunder" for Washington, Tasnim news agency reported on Saturday. "The UNSC rebuffed the US naked attempt to hijack its mandate. Majority emphasized the need to fully implement the JCPOA (Iran's nuclear deal) and to refrain from interfering in internal affairs of others. Another foreign policy blunder for the (US President Donald) Trump administration," Zarif tweeted. On Friday, the UNSC held an emergency meeting at the request of the US to discuss the recent protests on the economic condition in Iran. According to some reports, at least 20 people, including civilians and security forces, were killed in the riots and hundreds were arrested. Iran has blamed the US, Britain and Saudi Arabia for inciting the violence in recent protests. Iran's Ambassador to the UN Gholam Ali Khoshroo on Friday condemned the UNSC's debate on the recent protests in Iran. "This is nothing but another desperate attempt by the US administration to escape forward, as it has lost every shred of moral, political and legal authority and credibility in the eyes of the whole world," Khoshroo said addressing the session on Friday. --IANS ahm/vd (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) In a huge setback to the RJD, its supremo Lalu Prasad was on Saturday sentenced to three-and-a-half-years jail in a fodder scam case. After three days of arguments on the quantum of punishment, special CBI judge Shivpal Singh pronounced the order through video conferencing. As the CBI judge was delivering the sentence, Lalu Prasad, who is at present lodged in the Central Jail here, was standing with folded hands. The court also slapped two fines of Rs 5 lakh each on the former Bihar Chief Minister. If the fine is not deposited, he will have to stay in jail for another six months. The court convicted Lalu Prasad and 15 others on December 23 in the case relating to the multi-million-rupee scam. Lalu Prasad was sentenced to three-and-a-half years imprisonment on offences of cheating, along with criminal conspiracy under the the Indian Penal Code (IPC). He was also sentenced to the same period under the Prevention of Corruption Act (PCA). Both punishment will go simultaneously. The sentences range from three-and-a-half-years to seven years imprisonment. The maximum fine imposed was Rs 10 lakh, slapped on three convicts including Jagdish Sharma, former Public Accounts Committee chairman, while they and three others got the seven years in jail too. Thre remaining nine were also sentenced to three and half years in jail. The arguments on quantum of sentence had been going on since Thursday when those of five convicts were heard and another five, including Lalu Prasad, was heard on Friday. While hearing arguments of quantum of sentence, the judge observed that the convicts "should be kept in open jail as they have experience in looking after cows". The CBI court had acquitted another former Bihar Chief Minister Jagannath Mishra and five others in the case, relating to fraudulent withdrawal of Rs 84.5 lakh from the Deoghar district treasury between 1990 and 1994 in then undivided Bihar. Lalu Prasad was the Chief Minister of the undivided state from 1990 to 1997. Convicted in another fodder scam case in 2013, he was sentenced to five years imprisonment and is on bail. He was facing a total five cases in the fodder scam and the judgment in two more cases are likely to be pronounced within one month. The multi-million-fodder scam surfaced in 1996 and at directive of Patna High Court, the investigation was handed over to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). When Lalu Prasad moved the Supreme Court against high court order, the SC ordered the Patna High Court to monitor the investigation. Lalu Prasad had to step down as Chief Minister post in 1997 following his arrest in the scam. A total of 62 cases were filed by the CBI and majority of them were transferred Ranchi after Jharkhand was carved out from Bihar in 2000. The special CBI court has delivered judgment in 48 cases and several politicians, bureaucrats and others have been convicted. --IANS ns/vd (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) With New Delhi enhancing its engagements with southeast Asia under its Act East Policy, India on Saturday called for the waters of the Indo-Pacific region to be better connected and free of traditional and non-traditional threats. "The Indo Pacific region, is increasingly seen as a connectivity pathway - much of the world's trade passes through these oceans," External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj said while addressing the Fifth Round Table of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean)-India Network of Think Tanks here. "These waters must not only get better connected, but remain free from traditional and non-traditional threats, that impede free movement of people, goods and ideas," she stated. "Respect for international law, notably Unclos (United Nations Convention for the Law of the Sea), in ensuring this is, therefore imperative." The remarks assume significance given China's belligerence in the South China Sea and growing influence in the Indian Ocean region. Stating that both India and the Asean countries are maritime nations, Sushma Swaraj said: "As a mature and responsible nation, one of India's foreign policy interests, is to evolve a regional architecture based on the twin principles of shared security, and shared prosperity." The Asean comprises Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. Stating that both India and Asean shared a common vision for global commerce and maritime domain, Sushma Swaraj said that New Delhi looked forward to working closely with the regional bloc in a range of activities like developing a Blue Economy, coastal surveillance, building off- shore patrolling capabilities, hydrographic services, and information sharing for increased maritime domain awareness. She also said that deeper economic integration with the Asean region was an important aspect of India's Act East Policy. "Asean is India's fourth largest trading partner, accounting for 10.2 per cent of India's total trade," she stated. "India is Asean's seventh largest trading partner. Trade is back on track and registered an 8 per cent increase in 2016-17, as compared to the previous year." Pointing out that investment flows have remained robust, Sushma Swaraj said that there have been continuous efforts to promote dialogue among Asean and Indian business and trade associations, to further enhance bilateral trade and investment. "The establishment of a Project Development Fund will encourage Indian companies to develop manufacturing hubs in CLMV (Cambodia, Laos, Malaysia, Vietnam) countries," she stated. "Our offer of a $1 billion line of credit is another important initiative to enhance physical and digital connectivity." The Indian minister called upon participants of Saturday's round table to offer new ideas for a greater integration of Asean Economic Community with India and identify collaborative opportunities in investment, trade and services sector. She also called for greater collaboration among educational institutions of India and the Asean nations, saying this would "contribute towards investing in the future of our relationship, especially where it involves the youth of our countries". "I invite you all to discuss modalities for setting up a network of universities among Asean countries and India, to intensify our cooperation in the education sector," she said. Sushma Swaraj arrived here from Thailand on Friday on the second leg of her three-nation tour of southeast Asia and co-chaired the fifth meeting of the India-Indonesia Joint Commission with Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi. After addressing the think tanks' round table on Saturday, she interacted with members of the Indian community here before leaving for Singapore, where she will inaugurate this year's Regional Pravasi Bharatiya Divas on Sunday. Sushma Swaraj's visit to the region comes ahead of the Special Commemorative Summit to be hosted by New Delhi later this month to mark the 25th anniversary of the Dialogue Partnership between India and Asean. Leaders of all 10 nations of the regional bloc are expected to attend the summit. --IANS ab/vm (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Malaysian government has agreed to an offer by a US exploration firm to resume the search for the missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 on a "no cure, no fee" basis, Transportation Minister Liow Tiong Lai said on Saturday. The US company, Ocean Infinity, said earlier this week that it was "hopeful of receiving the final contract award for the resumption of the search for MH370 over the coming days", reports Xinhua news agency,. "Now we have approached Australia and China, and we are working together to resume the search for MH370," he said. Liow added the contract would be finalized by next week. Ocean Infinity said it was moving Seabed Constructor, the vessel that the company uses for the search, towards the vicinity of the possible search zone given that the weather window would be relatively narrow. MH370, carrying 239 on board, went missing en route from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing on March 8, 2014. Malaysia, Australia and China suspended the search operation in January 2017 after almost three years' efforts in a 120,000-square-km area in the Southern Indian Ocean failed to find any sign of the wreckage of the plane. But a report from the Australian Transport Safety Board released later in the year pointed to a new area where the plane could be found. --IANS ksk/vm (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A special court in Manipur has sentenced a 42-year-old man to rigorous life imprisonment for raping his minor daughter. The complaint against the man was lodged on September 19, 2016 when the mother of the victim alleged that her husband raped the minor at least three times. Police arrested the father a day after the complaint was registered. After his conviction under the The Protection Of Children from Sexual Offences Act, Special Judge G. Golmei on Friday ordered the punishment with rigorous imprisonment for life and a fine of Rs 1 lakh. The defence had lesser punishment on the grounds that there was no previous crime committed by the convict. The judge also directed the social welfare department and the Manipur State Legal Services Authority to give maximum permissible amounts of compensation to the victim. --IANS il/sar/vm (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Prime Minister Narendra Modi will on Sunday attend the three-day annual conference of top police officers that began in Madhya Pradesh on Saturday, an official said. Modi is expected to meet the police officers of the rank of Director General of Police (DGP) and Inspector General of Police (IGP) from all states and central police organisations and speak on new-age crime like cyber terrorism and radicalisation of youths, an official said. The Prime Minister addressed similar conferences in Guwahati in 2014, Dhordo in Rann of Kutch of Gujarat in 2015 and National Police Academy in Hyderabad in 2016. He has been emphasising on the importance of leadership, soft skills and collective training, specifically mentioning the importance of technology and human interface for the police force. Holding the Annual DGP Conference outside the national capital, is in line with Prime Minister's vision that such conferences should be held across the country, and not just confined to Delhi. On Saturday, top police officers from all over the country shared and discussed security related issues, cyber terrorism, the impact of social media on the society, cross border terrorism, radicalisation of youths besides a host of other issues during the conference held at the BSF academy in Tekanpur of Madhya Pradesh. Home Minister Rajnath Singh left Delhi on Saturday to join the conference and was likely to give an assessment on the internal security situation. Union Ministers of State for Home Hansraj Gangaram Ahir and Kiren Rijiju also joined the event. National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and Union Home Secretary Rajiv Gauba also joined the conference on Saturday. About 250 senior police officers attended the conclave in which issues such as the security situation in the major combat theatres of Jammu and Kashmir, Left Wing Extremism (LWE) and the Northeast are discussed. The implementation and activation of decisions taken during the last few conferences will also be reviewed during the three-day meeting. The subject of issuance and cancellation of Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA) registration of the non- governmental organisations and others could also be put on the agenda. --IANS rak/sar/vm (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Rajya Sabha Chairman M. Venkaiah Naidu has referred the privilege notice by BJP MP Bhupendra Yadav against Congress President Rahul Gandhi to Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan. Yadav had raised the issue of a tweet by Gandhi and said that the Congress leader had "twisted" the name of Finance Minister Arun Jaitley which was derogatory and it also amounted to misinterpretation of the proceedings of the Rajya Sabha. Jaitley is the Leader of the House in the Rajya Sabha. According to Rajya Sabha TV, Naidu concluded on examining Yadav's notice that there was prima facie a question of privilege and referred the matter to the Speaker for further consideration. Gandhi represents Amethi constituency in the Lok Sabha. Yadav had moved the notice on December 28 under Rule 187, against Gandhi and urged the Chair to take notice of the alleged breach of the privilege of the the Leader of the House. "The members of this House have dignity. The name of the Leader of the House Arun Jaitley has been intentionally published by the Congress President with malafide intentions to defame this House," Yadav had told the Chair. "The way his (Jaitley's) name has been twisted by the Congress President on his Twitter handle, it comes in the category of (breach of) privilege. I request you to...issue notice to Rahul Gandhi," he added. Referring to a statement given by Jaitley in the House on Wednesday, Rahul Gandhi had tweeted: "Dear Mr Jaitlie (sic)- thank you for reminding India that our PM never means what he says or says what he means." Yadav again raised the issue of the privilege notice on Friday and the Chairman had told him that it was under his consideration. Rahul Gandhi's tweet came after Jaitley made a statement in the House clarifying Prime Minister Narendra Modi's position vis-a-vis his "conspiring with Pakistan" comments against his predecessor Manmohan Singh in order to end an impasse. "The statement (by Modi) did not question nor did he mean to question the commitment to the nation of Manmohan Singh or Hamid Ansari, the former Vice President. Any such perception is completely erroneous. We hold these leaders in high esteem as also their commitment to the nation," Jaitley said. The Finance Minister had made the statement as part of an understanding with the Congress over the issue that had led to stalling of the Rajya Sabha and disruptions in the Lok Sabha for several days with the party demanding an apology or explanation from Modi. The Congress had also reciprocated by disapproving Mani Shankar Aiyar's criticism of the Prime Minister after which the House resumed normal business. --IANS akk/ps/sar/vm (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Pakistani Foreign Ministry said here on Friday that the country fights the war against terrorism on its own resources. Washington announced on Thursday that it is suspending the transfer of military equipment and security-related funds to Pakistan, Xinhua cited the State Department spokesperson Heather Nauert as saying. Pakistan is engaged with the US Administration on the issue of security cooperation and await further details, the ministry was quoted as saying. Impacts of the US decision on pursuit of common objectives is also likely to emerge more clearly in due course of time. It, however, needs to be appreciated that Pakistan has fought the war against terrorism largely from its own resources which has cost over $120 billion in 15 years. It added that Pakistan is "determined to continue to do all it takes to secure the lives of our citizens and broader stability in the region." US Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley said on Tuesday that Washington would withhold $255 million in assistance to Pakistan from the Foreign Military Financing fund, which is used to provide military equipment and training to a friendly country. --IANS sku/ (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) All-rounder Hardik Pandya led India with a counter attacking half-century as the visitors saw themselves at 185/7 at tea on the second day of the first Test against South Africa at the Newlands here on Saturday. Pandya (81 batting) who notched up his second Test half-century along with right-handed Bhuvneshwar Kumar (24 batting) were at crease when umpires called it an end to the second session. The duo who forged a 93-run unbeaten stand for the eighth wicket to help the visitors cut down the first innings deficit imposed by South Africa to 101 runs. For the hosts, pacers Veron Philander (3/33) and Dale Steyn (2/51) picked up three wickets in unison in the second session. Resuming the second session on 76/4, batsmen Cheteshwar Pujara (26) and Ravichandran Ashwin (12) failed to get going from the onset. The Saurashtra batsman was sent back without scoring a run by delivery outside off from Philander which was taken easily at second slip by skipper Faf du Plessis. Later, Ashwin (12) and Wriddhiman Saha (0) were also sent back to the pavillion in quick succession. However, the struggling Indian innings came to a recovery with a blistering 68-ball innings from Pandya -- who was tactically send down the order. The Baroda batsman hit 13 boundaries and one hit over the fence in his unbeaten innings. Complimenting Pandya, incoming batsman Bhuvneshwar played a perfect second fiddle getting off the mark in the 32nd delivery he faced. The pacer played on the defence allowing his fellow batsman who looked in form to take charge of the innings. The Proteas were seen to introduce their lone spinner Keshav Maharaj (0/15) for the first time in the second session. The only trouble for the hosts came in form of their premier pacer Steyn -- who was seen limping off the ground during the 61st over. Brief scores: India 185/7 (Hardik Pandya 81 batting, Bhuvneshwar Kumar24 batting; Veron Philander 3/33) against South Africa 286 at tea. --IANS sam/vm (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A skywalk project across the arterial Mahatma Gandhi Road in the city centre was halted after citizens and green activists protested against it on social media, Bengaluru Mayor R.Sampath Raj said on Saturday. "We have been asked by the Bengaluru Development Minister K.J. George to keep the project on hold until it was reviewed," Sampath Raj told IANS. The skywalk, a foot-over bridge, was being constructed at the junction of Mahatma Gandhi Circle in the central part of the city, across the busy M.G. Road. The project had received vehement protests on social media for blocking the views of the heritage structures of Mahatma Gandhi Park and serving as "frames for political banners". "The skywalk is a disaster in the making. Is it not a fact that many skywalks across the city are serving as nothing more than ugly frames for illegal political banners?" asked volunteer coordinator for people's forum Citizens For Bengaluru Srinivas Alavilli in a Facebook post. Netizens also pointed that there was no need for the skywalk at a junction with traffic lights where people could cross during a red signal. "If it was a highway or a ring road it is understandable to have a skywalk but why at a place where people can cross?" noted Alavilli. The aesthetic views of the century-old Queen Victoria statue, which was installed in 1906 during the British rule, in the Mahatma Gandhi Park were going to be ruined with the skywalk, stated another netizen Srinivasa Raju. The Karnataka High Court in October last year had issued a notice to the state government on a PIL filed protesting against the construction of a steel bridge at Shivananda Circle in the central part of the city. In March last year, the state had dropped its plans to construct a 6.9km long steel flyover from Chalukya Circle in the city centre to Hebbal junction in the northern suburb after opposition from the civic society as it would have resulted in the loss of over 800 trees. --IANS bha/vd (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Congress President Rahul Gandhi will visit Bahrain on January 8 as part of his outreach to the Indian diaspora and will also meet the country's Prime Minister, Prince Khalifa Bin Salman Al Khalifa. Congress sources said Gandhi's visit is part of his interactions with Persons of Indian Origin (PIOs). Gulf countries have the biggest Indian diaspora of more than 35 lakh. Gandhi will be chief guest at the three-day valedictory function organised by 'Global Organisation of People of India Origin' (GOPIO) on January 8. Delegates from 50 countries are participating in the event. The sources said the Crown Prince and First Deputy Premier Salman bin Hamad Al-Khalifa will host the lunch for Gandhi. Apart from meeting the Bahrain Prime Minister, Gandhi is also likely to meet King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa. Gandhi will also have an interactive session with business leaders of Indian Origin. It will be Gandhi's first foreign visit since his elevation as party chief in December. Gandhi had visited the US in September and addressed students. Gandhi's outreach is being seen as a move to popularise Congress among the large Indian diaspora. Prime Minister Narendra Modi engages with the diaspora during his visits abroad. --IANS ps/qd/vm (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) After RJD chief Lalu Prasad was sentenced to three-and-a-half- years in jail in a fodder scam case on Saturday, the party has decided to reach out to people in Bihar with his message against fascist forces. The Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) will reach out to people with Lalu's message "not to fear and bow before fascist forces and will fight against them". Lalu's wife and former Chief Minister Rabri Devi along with her son Tejashwi Yadav, Leader of Opposition in Bihar assembly, said "Laluji has asked us to reach out with his message to villages across the state. He has sent a message from the jail for people". "Now, RJD will reach out to people with Laluji's message. We will go to all villages across Bihar with his message," Tejashwi Yadav, the former Deputy Chief Minister, told the media here. He said RJD will decide its strategy in a meeting that is underway with senior party leaders and party legislators here to deal with the court verdict against Lalu. Meanwhile, all RJD leaders and workers have expressed full faith in the party in the absence of Lalu Prasad. They have made it clear in the party meeting that they are united behind the party. According to RJD leaders, the party will use Lalu Prasad's jail sentence as a tool to consolidate its grip on the ground in the name of social justice. --IANS ik/pgh/vm (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Domestic original equipment manufacturer (OEM) Smartron is set to refresh its budget smartphone line-up with a new device that will be priced at around Rs 10,000. Industry sources told IANS that the latest device will feature a mammoth 5,000mAh battery and will be exclusively available on Flipkart. The device will feature a metal body with 32GB internal memory (expandable up to 128GB). The company last year launched an Artificial Intelligence (AI)-powered IoT platform called "tronX" which, it said, helps connect a range of devices. Smartron earlier launched srt.phone (srt is intreprated as Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar) in India for Rs 13,999. It was launched by Tendulkar who is reportedly a strategic investor in the company. "Billion Capture+," the first smartphone from Flipkart, also houses AI capabilities, courtesy Smartron. In the next "tronX" update, users will have access to a range of intelligent and personalised experiences and services. Smartron also aims at partnering other brands across market segments to design and engineer devices. --IANS ksc/na/vm (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Hundreds of brave swimmers challenged freezing temperatures on Saturday to compete in China's Harbin Ice Swimming contest. With the morning temperature hovering around minus 20 degrees Celsius, locals and tourits were out to withstand the extreme cold, reports Efe news. Armed with nothing but their swimming trunks, caps, and goggles, up to 600 contestants took to the freezing waters of the Songhua River. The contest is part of the 34th annual Harbin International Ice and Snow Festival, which opened to the public on Friday. The festival is one of China's most popular tourist attractions during the winter months. Harbin, the capital of Heilongjiang province that borders Russia, each winter welcomes more than 1 million tourists for the festival. --IANS ksk/vm (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Once again sidestepping whether Donald Trump's tweets violates its terms of service, the micro-blogging platform has clarified that it will not block world leaders from tweeting. Although it didn't directly name Trump, in a blog post called "World Leaders on Twitter", the company said on Friday that there has been a lot of discussion about political figures and world leaders on the platform. "Blocking a world leader from Twitter or removing their controversial tweets would hide important information people should be able to see and debate," the company said. "It would also not silence that leader, but it would certainly hamper necessary discussion around their words and actions." Twitter did not block Trump for his "nuclear button" tweet that stormed the social media which, many thought, raised prospect of nuclear war with North Korea. Trump declared that his nuclear button was "much bigger" and "more powerful" than North Korean leader Kim Jong-un's after the latter threatened the US about Pyongyang's nuclear capabilities. A number of users reported to the tweet, TechCrunch reported, with the expectation that threatening a war one is capable of starting should violate Twitter's revised "Terms of Service", given the company's recent crackdown on violent threats. In December, Twitter began enforcing new rules around violent and hateful content posted to its platform to reduce the amount of online abuse, hate speech, violent threats and harassment associated with its service. "You may not make specific threats of violence or wish for the serious physical harm, death, or disease of an individual or group of people," as per Twitter's rule about violent threats. In response to Trump's threat on Twitter, the company earlier said that it had reviewed the case and "found that there was no violation of the Twitter rules against abusive behaviour". Moreover, the rules do not apply to whatever Trump posts because of who he is and the "newsworthiness" of his statements, Twitter added. In the latest blog post, the company said it reviews tweets by leaders within the political context that defines them, and enforce its rules accordingly. "No one person's account drives Twitter's growth, or influences these decisions. We work hard to remain unbiased with the public interest in mind." --IANS na/vm (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A senior police officer and an assistant sub-inspector were severely injured after being attacked by a mob in West Bengal's Howrah district, police said on Saturday. The incident took place on Friday afternoon, when a team from Howrah's Shaympur police station went to Bargram village to arrest a few miscreants. "Suman Das, the officer in-charge and ASI T.K. Purkait were chased down and beaten up by a gang of miscreants when they tried to stop a clash over land dispute. Das has sustained severe head injury in the attack," an officer from Shaympur police station said. Das has been admitted to Kolkata's Belle Vue Clinic while the ASI was taken to Uluberia hospital. "Seven persons have been arrested in the case so far on the charges of attempt to murder, causing grievous hurt and deterring public servant from duty. They would be presented in the court today," the officer added. --IANS mgr/pgh/vm (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) MOSS POINT, Miss. -- The trial in the brutal stabbing of a Moss Point educator was set to take place this week, but after an agreement between the prosecution and defendant, Lee Andrew Gipson's capital murder trial will not start until April 9, 2018, according to Assistant Jackson County District Attorney Cherie Wade. Gipson, 24, was indicted for the stabbing death of Willie C. Williams, 64, more than 50 times in a robbery attempt. Gipson reportedly has pleaded not guilty to the capital murder charge. Police found Williams dead in his home on Aug. 19, 2016 at the corner of Frederick and Charles Street after a friend placed multiple calls to Williams that went unanswered. According to Jackson County Deputy Coroner Jason Moody, Williams stabbing was "uncommon." "It is very rare," Moody said after the autopsy. "It's a very unusual crime and it's not something that we see often, but it was a gruesome act." A week after the stabbing, Gipson was arrested and has been jailed without bond in the Mississippi Department of Corrections since his arrest. Before his death, Williams was known as a friend, mentor, leader, and peacemaker to those he encountered. Known for being a staple in the community, Williams graduated from Magnolia High School in Moss Point and completed his higher education at the University of Southern Mississippi. Williams served as principal, assistant superintendent, and interim superintendent during his time in the Moss Point School District. He was known as a stern, loving educator able to help students and staff members reach their full potential. Former student Jhai Keeton said Williams aura demanded a certain level of respect. "I will never forget how Mr. Williams stood in front of the entire student body - seventh, eight, and ninth graders, and not one peep was heard," Keeton said. "He let us know what he was doing there and what he expected out of us. There was no giggling or anything. He commanded that kind of respect." Gipson, if convicted, is facing life in prison without the possibility of parole. Unesco has announced its full support to India-based Terre Policy Centre's Smart Campus Cloud Network (SCCN) in its 2018 Programme. Unesco's Knowledge Societies Programme will now work closely with SCCN to empower and enable the youth in the universities and colleges for 21st century leadership to realise the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Expressing his delight on the partnership, Dr. Boyan Radoykov, Acting Director of Communication and Information of Knowledge Societies Division stated: "The time has come for re-examining intrinsic linkages between the digital innovations, technology penetration and increasing societal inclination for a digitized world. Undoubtedly, Terre Policy Centre's efforts to link educational campuses using cloud networking would provide a meaningful way forward in this direction." The Knowledge Societies Division strives to enhance the quality of and access to by promoting open access to technological and scientific information and empower local communities, including youth in educational campuses. Sharing the same vision, Terre and Unesco have collaborated to drive youth engagement to contribute to SDGs by deploying SCCN and Knowledge Societies initiatives using latest Information and Communication Technologies including the Internet of Things, Cloud Networking, Artifical Intelligence and Data Analytics. "Unesco hopes that its collaboration with Terre would pave the way for sowing the seeds to transform campus communities through better access to information and understanding of the Sustainable Development Goals," Radoykov added. "Unesco's association with SCCN is not only a major milestone, it is a huge boost to the very foundation and objective of SCCN," said Rajendra Shende, Chairman of the Terre Policy Centre and former Director of UNEP. "Getting recognition from UNESCO for SCCN would add speed and scale for students' efforts towards sustainability," Shende added. SCCN has so far onboard 23 universities on its platform with the commencement of Cloud Network and digital sharing of information. The University Grants Commission (UGC) of the Ministry of Human Resource Development has also extended support to this initiative. The Terre Policy Centre is a not-for-profit organisation and think-tank engaged in energy and food security. It is known for out-of-the-box thinking and innovative projects like urban forestry and social entrepreneurship for sustainable development. --IANS vm (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Thirteen youths were killed by "armed elements" in the Casamance region of southern Senegal, an area ravaged by armed conflict for more than three decades, a security source said. "Armed elements attacked young people who were looking for wood in the Bayotte forest, in an area of the commune of Boutoupa. Thirteen were killed and two were able to escape," the source told AFP in regional capital Ziguinchor, confirming information from the Senegalese Press Agency (APS). "They would have passed the buffer zone separating the positions of the Senegalese army from those of the MFDC (Movement for Democratic Forces in Casamance), the armed independent rebellion," said APS, not citing a source. The MFDC, separatist rebels, began fighting for independence in December 1982, but have long ceased once frequent attacks on the Senegalese army, which retains a visible presence in the area. Nine other young people were badly injured during the attack and taken to the regional hospital in Ziguinchor, according to APS. The dead bodies were also transported to the morgue at the hospital. The attack comes a day after two MFDC fighters were released by the army following negotiations launched by Rome's Community of Sant'Egidio, a charity with ties to the Vatican specialising in peace mediation. On Sunday, Senegalese President Macky Sall appealed to rebels in Casamance to continue talks to create a "definite peace". At its height, the rebellion for the independence of Casamance left thousands of civilian and military personnel dead, damaged the economy and forced many residents to flee. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Eighteen people were killed and another 14 injured in the small west African state of Guinea- Bissau when a minibus collided with a truck, police and hospital sources said. One witness said the truck appeared to have been speeding when the driver lost control and collided head-on with the minibus near Bissauzinho, around 15 kilometres (15 miles) from the capital Bissau. Sources said the bus had been overloaded and that at least 10 of the injured were in a serious condition. Both drivers were killed and the minibus was totally crushed, an AFP correspondent at the scene said. Authorities issued an appeal for blood donors after the accident, which occurred around 8:00 pm (local time). Guinea-Bissau, which lies between Senegal and Guinea, is one of the poorest countries in the world. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Three persons have been arrested in connection with the alleged gang-rape of a 16-year-old girl and attack on her male friend in a park in northwest Delhi's Shalimar Bagh on December 16, police said today. The three accused were identified as Shivprasad alias Babua (33), Arun Yadav (36) and Kamlesh alias Baba (28), Deputy Commissioner of Police (Northwest) Aslam Khan said. Shivprasad is an auto driver, Arun Yadav is distributor of pesticides and Rajesh is a school dropout, he added. The girl, who worked as a domestic help, was sitting in a park near Haiderpur slums with a male friend when the three accused picked up a fight with him. She was raped after she tried to stop them from beating her friend. They also threatened her with dire consequences if she told anyone about the incident. The incident had occurred on the fifth anniversary of the "Nirbhaya" case in which a physiotherapy student was gangraped on a moving bus and dumped on the streets under the cover of darkness in south Delhi, sparking outrage at home and abroad. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Three youths were arrested today on charges of alleged gang-rape of a minor girl for two days in Kekrahi village under Chandwa police station of Latehar district, police today said. The accused had picked up the 14-year-old girl when she had gone to collect firewood in a nearby jungle on December 29 last year and allegedly gang-raped her for two days by taking turns, the officer-in-charge of the police station Kamlesh Pandey said. After the girl returned home on December 31, she narrated the incident to her family members, who apprised the matter to the villagers, he said adding that in view of the lackadaisical approach of the villagers, the parents of the victim had registered a complaint with the Superintendent of Police Prasant Anand and Chandwa Police station through speed post. The Chandwa police, led by Pandey, swung into action on receiving the complaint and arrested the accused trio from the village and forwarded them to jail after completing the legal formalities, Pandey added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Potatoes were hurled from a truck at various prominent places here today in what is seen as a protest by farmers against low purchase price of the produce, even as the state government dismissed the incident as the work of "miscreants". Lucknow District Magistrate Kaushal Raj Sharma told PTI, "There was a truck which had sacks of potato and it started throwing potatoes in various parts of the city early this morning. "Now, whether this has been done by the farmers or by someone else is yet to be ascertained. So far, no farmers' group has claimed any responsibility for this act." He added that the "potatoes were thrown on Vidhan Sabha Marg, near VVIP guest house and near the 1090 Crossing. The roads were then cleaned by the Lucknow Municipal Corporation, soil was also put on the smashed potatoes so that motorcyclists and other two-wheeler riders do not skid off the road. Fire brigade was also roped in to get some roads adjoining the Vidhan Bhawan building washed, so that the road does not become slippery." "This seems to be the work of anti-social elements. It is not very clear whether this is a work of farmers or any farmer organisation...We are probing all possible angles...," Sharma added. When contacted, a state government spokesman said, "This was not done by farmers, but by miscreants." Meanwhile, the Rashtriya Kisan Manch has slammed the state government over the incident. The group's President Shekhar Dixit said, "There is difference in the words and actions of the government. I am not pointing fingers at the Narendra Modi government or Yogi Adityanath government. But this has been the situation even during the regime of SP and BSP." "Today it is the potato farmers who have thrown potatoes on the streets of Lucknow, tomorrow it may be the sugarcane farmers, the wheat and paddy farmers...if the situation does not improve," he added. Speaking to reporters, Uttar Pradesh Agriculture Minister Surya Pratap Shahi said, "This was a pre-planned act, as the potato which was thrown on the streets of Lucknow was partly or completely rotten, and rejected in the mandi (market). It is a deliberate attempt to malign the image of the Yogi Adityanath government. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The US is keeping "all options" on the table apart from suspending about USD 2 billion in security aid to Pakistan to put pressure on it to take decisive action against the Taliban and the Haqqani network and eliminate their safe havens, the White House warned today. The US yesterday suspended about USD 2 billion in security aid to Pakistan over it failure to crack down on militants. The freezing of all security assistance to Pakistan comes after President Donald Trump in a New Year's Day tweet accused the country of giving nothing to the US but "lies and deceit" and providing "safe haven" to terrorists in return for USD 33 billion aid over the last 15 years. "The US does have a range of tools that we're looking at beyond just the security assistance issue to deal with Pakistan and to try to convince it to crack down on the Taliban and Haqqani network," a senior Trump administration official told reporters. "Certainly no one should doubt the US resolve to address this threat and all options I would say will be on the table," said the official on condition of anonymity. The suspended amount include USD 255 million in the Foreign Military Funding (FMF) for the fiscal year 2016 as mandated by Congress. It also includes USD 900 million in the Coalition Support Funds (CSF) money to Pakistan for the fiscal year 2017. In addition, the Department of Defence has suspended other unspent money from previous fiscal years. While some policy makers have been asking the White House to revoke the non-NATO ally status of Pakistan and put pressure on the country through multilateral institutions like the International Monetary Fund and the United Nations, Pentagon generals have indicated unilateral actions. However, the official refrained from divulging any of the options that the administration is considering against Pakistan. "I'm not able to comment on specific steps at this time. But nobody should doubt our resolve in trying to address these threats. We're looking at all options. We hope that we can cooperate with Pakistan. But we do have options that we're considering," the official said. The US wants action against the existing safe havens of the Taliban and the Haqqani network and demolish its ability to carry out strikes across the border in Afghanistan, the Official said and expressed hope that Pakistan would take actions that the US was seeking. "....that will allow the relationship to return to a more positive trajectory," the official said. In August, while unveiling his new South Asia strategy, Trump had accused Pakistan of giving "safe haven to agents of chaos, violence, and terror," and said the time had come "for Pakistan to demonstrate its commitment to civilisation, order, and to peace". Trump's new policy, the official said, is driven by the his desire to have a successful strategy in Afghanistan. "We firmly believes that for the future of the region, Pakistan needs to crack down on these terrorist elements. Unless they take a comprehensive approach to the terrorism problem it is going to threaten US interests and everybody's interests including Pakistans," the official said. He said the announcement of the suspension of the security assistance to Pakistan clearly reflected the US' frustration over Pakistan's failure to crack down on all terrorists who find shelter on its territory. "There has been ample time for Pakistan to show it is taking our request seriously. Unfortunately, we have not seen the kind of meaningful action that we were seeking," the White House official rued. Responding to a question, the official said US has "a number of tools in its toolkit" and can "take unilateral" steps. But at this time, the US prefers to cooperate with Pakistan and is hopeful about it, the official said. "And we want to indicate Pakistan our seriousness about the issue of dealing with safe havens," the official said. Meanwhile, Defence Secretary Jim Mattis said the US would restore the suspended security assistance to Pakistan if it takes action against terrorist groups. "We would restore the aid if we see decisive movements against the terrorists, who are as much of a threat against Pakistan as they are against us," Mattis told reporters. The US is still working with Pakistan, he said, but refrained from going into details. "The specific individual things we're doing are best handled in private, to ensure that we can be most productive. And that's what we're working now," he said. Mattis had travelled to Pakistan last month for talks with the top Pakistani leadership. "There's a campaign plan now that starts regionally. So we started thinking about India and Pakistan and Afghanistan. We reinforced some of our forces there, because we found some forces didn't have the American advisers they needed, and the ones with advisers seemed to always win. The ones without them did not fare so well," he said. The New York Times said Pakistan had played a double game by accepting American funding while backing militants who protect Pakistani interests in Afghanistan and Kashmir, but Trump administration cannot afford to walk away from the country. "Mr Trump is not the first to call a spade a spade...But President Trump cannot afford to walk away from Pakistan, which has often provided vital intelligence and has the worlds fastest-growing nuclear arsenal. Whether Pakistan will cooperate after the aid freeze remains to be seen," the paper said. "...President Trump's bombast and the precipitous way the decision seems to have been made have led to doubts that Mr Trump has a serious plan for managing the ramifications of this move," New York Times said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Actor Christian Bale has revealed he has not seen Christopher Nolan's "The Dark Knight Rises," the last installment in the Batman trilogy, since 2012's mass shooting that occurred during a screening of the film in Aurora, Colorado. During a recent appearance on the "Happy Sad Confused" podcast, Bale discussed why he has avoided watching his final film in the series. "Very sadly, I have not been able to watch that film since because of Aurora. I have not been able to sit down and see it without thinking of that," Bale said. In 2012, a gunman opened fire during a midnight screening of "The Dark Knight Rises" in Aurora, killing 12 people and injuring 70 others. The 43-year-old actor travelled to Colorado to meet with victims and hospital staff following the tragedy. Bale, however, said he would "love to be able to (see it) one day. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Security forces in Arunachal Pradesh have destroyed a temporary hideout of the banned United Liberation Front of Asom (Independent) in Changlang district. Based on specific intelligence inputs, the Jairampur Battalion of the Assam Rifles, under the aegis of DAO Division, conducted an operation near Namdapha reserve forest yesterday and busted the hideout, Defence spokesman Col Chiranjit Konwer said. The action is part of the security forces' ongoing crackdown on insurgent activities in the run up to Republic Day. There was information about the presence of cadres of the outfit trying to terrorise people through extortion bids at Miao town, the spokesman said. Security personnel recovered extortion notes, opium and other documents from the hideout, Konwer said, adding, the cadres had been using the hideout as place of transit. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) BJP MLA Ashish Deshmukh today said he would be touring all 62 Assembly constituencies of Vidarbha region as part of his "Vidarbha Aatmabal Yatra" from January 6 to February 13. Deshmukh said that the initiative was to find out the views of the people of Vidarbha on separate statehood for the region. The legislator from Katol said that farmers in Vidarbha were under acute distress and the rate of suicides among them had increased in the past three years. He added that unemployement among youth in the region was also a cause of worry and said he feared they too would follow in the footsteps of distressed farmers and begin committing suicide. Emphasising that statehood for Vidarbha could be an answer to these woes, Deshmukh said his tour would cover all 62 Assembly constituencies in two phases starting from Deekshabhoomi here on Sunday. When asked whether Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis had failed to live upto expectations, Deshmukh said the CM was making honest efforts. He added that he strongly felt the Union budget to be presented in February would be farmer-friendly and would include assurances made by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to farmers in 2014. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Most people didn't bother reading the NSIDC analysis, they just weighed in because they want to believe that climate science is a hoax. What else could it be? After all, it's been very cold in much of the USA recently, and that proves something or the other. (Deniers would never accept that warmer waters mean heavier snowfalls, and maybe aided the meteorological "bomb" , or that the changes in the Arctic could be causing the polar jet stream to meander a lot further south these days. (There are differing ideas among scientists about this - see this WaPo article by Chris Mooney. There's also a good article about recent US weather by Michael Mann .)I bet many a rabid denier thinks of himself (they're predominately male) as Donald Trump just portrayed himself - as a " stable genius " (I don't think he means the horse kind), and " being, like, really smart " - oh my. The rabble at WUWT show as much decorum as the US President. Here's a sample. Tom in Florida also suggests the change in methodology means scientists are lying. I don't know if he ever learnt arithmetic. January 5, 2018 at 2:25 pm As the saying goes: figures lie and liars figure. January 5, 2018 at 2:30 pm Caught red handed again. For another example, see my guest post here 2/17/17 concerning CONUS trends and NOAA s shift in early 2014 to NClimDiv. Typing NClimDiv into the search bar will take you there. January 5, 2018 at 9:56 pm Regardless of the merits of the change in method, the fact is that if it didnt result in lower levels of ice and an accelerated decline then the change wouldnt have been made. They know it, and we know it, just like with the one-way temperature adjustments. These scientists cant even pretend to be unbiased observers. seems to think that it was very clever of Tom Wiita to catch NSIDC red-handed secretly and nefariously discussing the change in version on the very public NSIDC website , together with a very detailed analysis . I think that falls under criteria 6 , Self-Sealing Reasoning, or maybe criteria 7 , Unreflexive Counterfactual Thinking. The other thing it shows is that Rudd Istvan doesn't like change (except, I guess, when it's UAH versions).knows for sure that 97% of the world is conspiring against him and his 3% in denial. It's humankind's biggest ever conspiracy in the whole wide world. He's as eloquent as his demi-god:just knows that everything climate scientists do is nefarious. He wouldn't have it any other way. Hinting that it was averse to the idea of capping airfares, the government today said if implemented it would result in increased cost of air travel for 99 per cent of the passengers. A report tabled in Parliament recently recommended fixing an upper limit on air tickets as well as levying not more than 50 per of the base fare as cancellation charges. "Pricing deregulation has allowed competition to bring down prices dramatically in India, making it one of the lowest-fare markets in the world," as per a late-evening statement from the Ministry of Civil Aviation. According to the government, instances of predatory pricing were far and few between. "Please note that only between one per cent and two per cent of tickets are transacted at the highest fare basket. A capping of fares could raise prices for the 98-99 per cent of the passengers," the statement added. The ministry said that airlines remain compliant to the regulations as long as the fare charged by them does not exceed the fare structure displayed on their website. It added that any instance of predatory tariffs can be brought to the attention of the Director General of Civil Aviation as well as Competition Commission of India. The ministry said that on its grievance redressal portal, AirSewa, it has received less than 10,000 complaints from nearly 12 crore passengers that have flown domestically in 2017. The ministry also is also working on the air passenger bill of rights which will be inform passengers about their rights and responsibilities. Urging the government to intervene, a report by the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Transport, Tourism and Culture noted that "airlines are charging more than ten times of the advance booking fare" and that "deregulatory environment does not mean unlimited freedom of exploitation. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The CBI has taken over probe into the case of alleged fake encounter of gangster Anand Pal Singh in Rajasthan by re-registering the FIRs of the state police. The CBI has registered three FIRs on the instructions of the Centre which had forwarded these cases to the agency, officials said. The three FIRs pertain to the alleged fake encounter, the violent protests that followed and the death of a person, believed to be witness to the encounter, in the police firing. Several groups in Rajasthan had demanded a CBI probe claiming it was a staged encounter. Singh, wanted in several cases including of murders, was killed on June 24 last year (when he was 47 years old) in a police encounter at Malasar in Churu district. His death triggered protests by the Rajput community to which he belonged. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Lokayukta police today carried out raids at two premises of an electricity department lineman and claimed it had unearthed properties owned by him which are disproportionate to his known sources of income. "The police raided two premises of lineman Chhaganlal Rathore (59) at Manawar in Dhar district and his son-in-laws residence at Indore and unearthed huge amount of properties in his possession," Lokayukta inspector Mahesh Sunaiya said. He said that the lineman owns a modern house, three plots, Rs 1.91 lakh in cash and 120 grams of jewellery. "Besides, he and his relatives also have 15 bank accounts which are being probed," the official added. "The properties unearthed in the raid are highly disproportionate to Rathore's known sources of income. The exact valuation of these properties is going on," he added. Sunaiya said Rathore, currently posted in Dhar's Gandhwani town, was in service for the last 35 years and was due to retire this year. He added that police were also investigating information received that Rathore was allegedly running a travel agency which owns eight buses in the name of his wife and son-in-law. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Eleven bodies have been recovered from a spot in north Kashmir's Kupwara district where a passenger vehicle was hit by a huge of snow, an official said today. A passenger vehicle was hit by a huge of snow at Khooni Nallah near Sadhan Top on the Kupwara-Tangdhar road yesterday. "Ten bodies were recovered today from the site," deputy commissioner Kupwara Khalid Jehangir told PTI. The body of a Beacon officer was recovered last night after rescue operations were launched, Jehangir said, adding that a total of eleven people were killed in the avalanche. Three people have been pulled out alive from the avalanche site, he said. Jammu and Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti today expressed grief and sorrow over the incident, an official spokesman said. The chief minister conveyed her sympathies to the bereaved families, he said. The spokesman said the chief minister directed the Kupwara district administration to ensure all possible medical assistance to the injured. Meanwhile, Minister for Disaster Management, Relief Rehabilitation and Reconstruction and Floriculture, Javaid Mustafa Mir, today announced a compensation under the State Disaster Relief Fund (SDRF) of Rs 4 lakh each to the next of kin of those killed in the snow avalanche, an official spokesperson said. The minister also announced a compensation of Rs 12,600 each to the injured, he said, adding that the minister expressed his deepest condolences to the bereaved families and assured them of every possible support from the state government. Mir also issued directions to provide better medical facilities to the injured, the spokesman said. The move to end extension of would be "bad policy" and is contrary to the goals of a merit-based immigration system, the US Chamber of Commerce said today over the Trump administration's reported plan that could result in self-deportation of around 700,000 Indians. The H-1B programme offers temporary US visas that allow to hire highly skilled foreign professionals working in areas with shortages of qualified American workers. But since taking office last January, President Donald Trump has been cracking down on the scheme. The proposal to curb H-1B visa extensions which was part of Trump's 'Buy American, Hire American' initiative that he vowed to launch during his election campaign trail, is being drafted by the Department of Homeland Security, reports said. "It would be tremendously bad policy to tell highly skilled individuals who are applying for permanent residency and have been working in the US for several years that they are no longer welcome," a US Chambers of Commerce spokesperson said. "This policy would harm American business, our economy, and the country. Further, it is inconsistent with the goals of a more merit-based immigration system," the spokesperson said. He was responding to reports that the administration is discussing a move to curb extensions to H-1B visa holders who have completed their two-three years of H-1B visa terms and have been receiving extensions because of their pending Green Card application status. Such a move would impact some 500,000 to 750,000 highly skilled Indian technology professionals, academicians and research scholars in the US and result in their moving back to India. Indian American Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi hoped the administration "immediately rejects" the proposal. "I fully support efforts to reform the H-1B system, and while our priority must continue to be improving advanced training for our domestic workforce, ending H-1B visa extensions would kneecap our economy and encourage to further offshore jobs, instead of making those investments here. It would also tear families apart and hurt businesses here. I hope the administration immediately rejects this proposal," he said. The US is currently facing a skills gap of over six million jobs, and are struggling to find talent to fill these open positions, Krishnamoorthi said. "Educators and employers need to be working together to ensure that we are developing the skills at home in America to fill the job openings domestically, both today and in the coming years. My bill to reauthorise career and technical education programmes would help to close this skills gap, and the Senate needs to take up this bill that passed the House unanimously last June," he said. The issue of poor air connectivity with Gir National Park in Gujarat has been taken up with the Ministry of Civil Aviation, the ministry has told a parliamentary panel. The ministry stated this in its action taken report to a parliamentary standing committee on science and technology, and forest. The ministry has also said that the Gujarat government has also been asked to take action regarding the recommendation of the committee to remove encroachments from around the Park. "Encroachments and construction around the national parks and sanctuaries are in purview of the states. In so far as Gir National Park is concerned, state government of Gujarat has been communicated to take action according the recommendation of the committee. "The ministry has also taken up the matter with Ministry of Civil Aviation regarding poor air connectivity of Gir National Park and requested for improving air connectivity," the Ministry told the panel chaired by Congress leader Anand Sharma. The panel in its 308th report has said that although encroachments and construction around national parks and sanctuaries is in the purview of the states, the Ministry can always impress upon the concerned state governments to comply with the law in this regard. The action taken report came after the committee in one of its earlier reports had observed that Gir national park is very poorly connected with air and had recommended that the environment ministry should take up the matter with the central and state government agencies so that it can be improved. The committee in one of its earlier reports had noted that granting of licences to dhabhas and hotels being run near the national park needs to be reviewed keeping in view the fact that a lot of garbage is generated and thrown by them in the area. The committee had then recommended that illegal construction or encroachment in and around national park should be viewed "seriously" and stringent steps must be taken in this direction. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) US President asserted on Saturday that everything he has done is 100 per cent "proper" and there has been no collusion between between him and Russia in the 2016 presidential elections. Trump told reporters that a new report in The New York Times that he directed the White House Counsel to lobby Attorney General Jess Sessions not to rescue himself from the Russian investigation was way off. "Everything I have done is 100 per cent proper. That is what I do, is I do things proper," Trump told reporters at a press conference in the Camp David, a picturesque presidential retreat of Maryland, where he is holding meetings with his Republican leaders in the Congress. "Everything that I've done was 100 percent proper. The story, by the way, in The Times was way off, or at least off," Trump said in response to a question. Trump reiterated that there has been no collusion between him, his campaign and the alleged Russian interference in the 2016 presidential elections. "I guess the collusion now is dead. There's been no collusion between us and the Russians. Now, there has been collusion between Hillary Clinton, the (Democratic National Committee) and the Russians. Unfortunately, you people don't cover that very much. But the only collusion is between Hillary and the Russians and the DNC," he said. "You will find out," he said when asked how The New York Times story was way off. Trump said that he stands with his Attorney General Jeff Sessions. Trump also said he is not under investigation, "maybe" his presidential opponent Hillary Clinton is. "Just so you understand, there's been no collusion. There's been no crime. And in theory, everybody tells me I'm not under investigation. Maybe Hillary is, I don't know, but I'm not," he said. The Congress party in the state today demanded the resignation of Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on moral grounds for failing to prevent the violence that occurred at Bhima-Koregaon near Pune on January 1. "The state government failed to prevent this incident. We discussed the chain of events leading to the violence and how the government had failed to take precautionary steps," Congress' state chief Ashok Chavan said today. Demanding Fadnavis' resignation, Chavan added that all leaders of the Congress in the state were unanimous that the violence was a failure of the state machinery. Chavan alleged that attempts to stoke caste tensions in the state have been going on for the past three years in connivance with the government. He claimed that the government was not taking action against those involved. Informing about the party's plan to have district-wise shibirs (camps), Chavan said that the party wanted newly-elected chief Rahul Gandhi to address meetings in the state. He added that Gandhi might visit Western Maharashtra soon. Chavan also accused the government of "going soft" on investigations in the Kamala mill compound fire which claimed 14 lives. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Police today arrested a man and his son in connection with a fire incident during a demolition drive carried out by the local civic body in a slum colony here in October last year, an official said. Salim Sayyad alias Salim Lightwala and his son Salman were arrested by the Nirmal Nagar Police, said DCP Sachin Patil, a spokesperson of the Mumbai Police. With this, three persons have been arrested in the case till now. Salman Lightwala is suspected to have set a gas cylinder on fire that started a massive blaze in the Garib Nagar slums in Bandra (East). Salim Lightwala is the main accused in the case, police have said. Hundreds of families were affected in the blaze which broke out on October 26. The incident had occurred when the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) was carrying out demolition of illegal hutments on directions of the Bombay High Court. Salman Lightwala, with the help of other accused, allegedly set a gas cylinder on fire, resulting in the blaze which gutted hutments and obstructed the demolition drive, an official said. The inferno also damaged ticketing equipment at Bandra station located adjacent to the slums. The Nirmal Nagar police had earlier arrested another accused in connection with the fire. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The FBI is investigating whether the Clinton Foundation engaged in any pay-to-play when was the secretary of state in the first term of the Obama administration, media reports have said. US President Donald Trump has repeatedly called for an investigation into Clinton, her aides and the foundation. During the presidential campaign, Trump branded his rival "Crooked Hillary" and promised to send her to jail if he won. He briefly struck a more magnanimous tone after the election and said he had no interest in pushing for a prosecution. The FBI agents are now "trying to determine if any donations made to the foundation were linked to official acts when was secretary of state from 2009 to 2013," The Washington Post reported citing unnamed sources. "The people did not identify what specific donations or interactions agents are scrutinising," the daily said. According to The Hill, which first reported about it, the FBI agents from Little Rock, Arkansas, where the foundation was started, have taken the lead in the investigation and have interviewed at least one witness in the last month. Established in 1997 by the former US president Bill Clinton, the Clinton Foundation has so far raised an estimated $2 billion from American and foreign corporations, foreign governments and individuals. Funds are used for humanitarian programmes across the globe. Several of the donors are companies and individuals from India. During the election campaign, Trump had accused the Clinton Foundation of pay-to-play The FBI is also looking into whether the Clinton Foundation violated tax laws. The Foundation has denied the allegations. "Time after time, the Clinton Foundation has been subjected to politically motivated allegations, and time after time these allegations have been proven false. None of this has made us waver in our mission to help people," said Clinton Foundation spokesman Craig Minassian. Nick Merrill, a spokesperson of Hillary, alleged that the goal of such an FBI investigation is to distract from the indictments, guilty pleas, and accusations of treason from Trump's own people at the expense of our justice system's integrity. "It's disgraceful, and should be concerning to all Americans," he alleged. Daily Beast said the FBI is also reviewing Clinton's use of private email server when she was Secretary of State. The U.S. Department of Education is almost done critiquing states Every Student Succeeds Act plans. In fact, Idaho, which received a letter from the department on Dec. 27 , is the second to last state to get a response. (The lone state still waiting: South Carolina, which turned in its plan late for weather related reasons). Like the other thirty-two states that have gotten feedback so far this winter, Idaho has a long list of things to work on. For instance: Idaho is planning to create a minority children subgroup that combines six different groups of students. Civil rights groups say that combining subgroups that way masks achievement gaps. And the department says they are an ESSA no-no if states try to use those super subgroups on their own for accountability. Idaho doesnt have a clear method of measuring English proficiency and incorporating it into its accountability system. Thats not Kosher under ESSA, the department says. (Florida has a similar issue.) Idaho needs to be more specific about how it will identify schools where subgroups of students are consistently low-performing. Quick refresher: Sixteen states and the District of Columbia turned in ESSA plans in the spring. So far, all of them have been approved, except Colorado. The other 34 states submitted plans this fall. And all of them have gotten feedback, except of course, the Palmetto State. You can read all of the feedback letters here . Nearly every state had a lot to improve. How seriously are states supposed to take these letters? Thats not clear. U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos greenlighted some state plans submitted this fall, even if states didnt make changes the department asked for. Follow us on Twitter at @PoliticsK12 . Flying embers from illegal hookah being served at Mojo's Bistro was the probable cause of the massive fire in the Kamala Mills compound that claimed 14 lives on December 29, as per the preliminary investigation report by the Mumbai fire brigade. The fire probably started at Mojo's and spread to the adjacent rooftop pub "1 Above", the report indicates. Most of the victims were trapped in the toilet of the pub and died of suffocation, the police had said earlier. "It was revealed from most of the eyewitnesses that hookah was served at Mojo's restaurant at the time of fire... There is every possibility that during removal of lighted charcoal from the segree (stove) and or transferring it into Hookah or during the fanning of the charcoal the flying burning embers came in contact with the combustible curtains/ decorative material nearby and started the fire," the report stated. The report has clarified that none of the two restaurants -- Mojo's and 1 Above -- had permissions to serve liquor and hookah but still they served them. Although there was an emergency exit, the pub staff seemed to be unaware of it, it said. Beer kegs near the exit path also blocked the escape and the kegs eventually exploded and escalated the fire, the report said. Use of bamboo and cloth to make the roof led to the quick spreading of the fire, while wind velocity and direction were the major contributors too, it added. Mumbai municipal commissioner Ajoy Mehta said the action against illegal alterations and constructions at commercial establishments will continue. "We will start taking action across the city against all commercial restaurants and pubs and those who have illegal alterations. They have respite for 15 days so that they have time to remove the illegal constructions on their own without damaging their reputation," he said. Puducherry Lt Governor Kiran Bedi today had a team of students and faculty of the US based IOWA University besides officials during her visit to neighbouring Kadirkamam village to see the predicament of the Kanagan Eri lake. Bedi visited the site on her bicycleand the nearly 15 foreign delegates also used bicycles to visit the village. The team from the university was here since yesterday as visitors to Raj Nivas, the office of the Lt Governor, and held informal discussions with the Lt Governor, an official source said. Bedi said later in a whatsapp message to media persons that today was her 131st morning week-end visit. She said her intention was to ensure that Kanagan lake should be cleared of the hyacinth and be given a facelift. "I would visit the lake consecutively in the next three Saturdays and dedicate it to the people on February three after a prayer at a local temple situated close to the lake" she said in her message. The Department of Tourism would introduce a boating facility on the lake for the tourists. She called upon the officials of different departments and also volunteers of NSS and students to join hands and ensure that the lake emerged as a place of destination for the visitors. Bedi had already launched a clean up programme in Velrampet lake in Mudaliarpet in the vicinity of Kanagan lake. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) There are great opportunities for collaboration between India and ASEAN nations, including in the areas of infrastructure, innovation and start-ups and the digital economy, Singapore's Trade and Industry Minister S Iswaran said today. He cited the Amaravati project, the proposed capital city of Andhra Pradesh, where planners from Singapore helped devise the master plan, as "an example of what we can do together", the Straits Times reported. He was speaking at the two-day ASEAN-India Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (PBD) conference, which began today. External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj also arrived here today for the summit. The opportunity for collaboration partnership between India and the ASEAN is self-recognised, Iswaran told some 3,000 delegates at the two-day gathering. "Both regions have strong growths, coming out of relatively modest pace but anchored by fundamentals whether in terms of demographic or the evolution of the economies and the needs of the population. "What we see is the opportunity for continue investment in growth in both regions," he said. Iswaran said that India and ASEAN nations have identified innovation as a priority, and they should study how to "build connectivity" so start-ups have access to markets in both regions. He also highlighted the importance of the digital economy and e-commerce as another area of "common priority" as it serves as an enabling tool for small and medium enterprises to access markets that were once "out of their reach", the paper said. The economic growth driving efforts in India are showing results, he said. "We are seeing the results of the efforts that are underway under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi," Iswaran said. "It means those who invest their time and efforts in developing deeper understanding of the (Indian) market and its nuances and variations are the ones for whom the awards will be greatest," said Israwan. The ASEAN comprises of Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Tamil Nadu government would take up with the Centre grievances of the fishermen including frequent arrests of fisherfolk by Sri Lankan Navy and release of their seized boats, Deputy Chief Minister O Panneerselvam today said. "The government will take up with the Centre the issues faced by the state's fishermen including arrests by Sri Lankan Navy and seizure of their boats," he told reporters after meeting a team of fishermen here. Panneerselvam said efforts would be made through the Centre to retrieve Katchatheevu islet, ceded to Sri Lanka by through the Indo-Sri Lankan Maritime agreement in 1974. A team of fishermen led by General Secretary of Tamil Nadu and Puducherry Fishermen Association M J Bose and Rameswaram Fishermen's Association leader P Sesuraja met the Panneerselvam and put forth their demands including stopping frequent attacks on fisherfolk, arrests and retrieval of boats boats seized by Lankan Navy personnel. The Lankan Navy had arrested 13 Tamil Nadu fishermen on January 4 for allegedly fishing in their territorial waters off Katchatheevu islet. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Indian-American politician Nikki Haley is harbouring presidential ambitions and many in President Donald Trump's inner circle fear that she could be the heir to the presidency, Michael Wolff's new book about the White House has revealed. In the book 'Fire and Fury: Inside the Trump White House' which hit the book stores yesterday, author Michael Wolff, claims that Haley has an eye on the presidency and Trump is seen to be grooming her for a national political future. The move, however, was not liked by fired Steve Bannon, who once held the powerful position of White House Chief Strategist. There was no immediate reaction from UN ambassador to the US Haley, who according to the book by October concluded that Trump at the most was a one-time president. Haley, 45, is the first ever Indian American appointed to a Cabinet level position by any president. She is currently US Ambassador to the United Nations, which is a cabinet level position. In the last one year, the two-term governor from South Carolina has emerged as a close confident of Trump and has been strongly pushing for Trumps foreign policy agenda at the United Nations, attracting frequent praise from Trump himself. However, the book, which has been dismissed by Trump and the White House, but has dogged the media limelight for the past few days portrays Haley in a negative light says that the Indian American has a presidential ambition and does not has a good view of the president. "By October, however, many on the president's staff took particular notice of one of the few remaining Trump opportunists: Nikki Haley, the UN ambassador," the book said. Haley"as ambitious as Lucifer", in the characterisation of one member of the senior staffhad concluded that Trumps tenure would last, at best, a single term, and that she, with requisite submission, could be his heir apparent, Wolff writes. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Madras High Court has dismissed a contempt petition against authorities for their alleged "wilful" disobedience of its order banning pictures of living persons in banners and hoardings. Justice Vaidyanathan dismissed the contempt petition filed by social activist "Traffic" Ramaswamy yesterday. The petitioner submitted that the authorities had failed to implement the October 23 high court order imposing a blanket ban on banners or hoardings carrying images of people who are alive. The judge noted that the First Bench of the court on December 20, 2017 set aside the earlier order on the matter to a limited extent as regards depiction of photos in banners of persons who are alive. The judge said the grievance of the petitioner was that photographs of living persons were depicted in the banners till the earlier order was partially modified by the First Bench. "I am of the view that since the order dated October 23, 2017 passed by me got merged with the order dated December 20, 2017 passed by the First Bench of this court on the principle of Doctrine of Merger, the present contempt petition cannot be entertained." However, if the petitioner was aggrieved, it was open to him to put forth his grievance before the division bench concerned, the judge said and dismissed the contempt petition. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Institute of Cost Accountants of India (ICAI) is launching four new courses for professionals next month, both members and non-members, a senior official said today. The courses are Executive Diploma in Business Valuation, certificate course in Arbitration, certificate course in GST and an exclusive executive diploma in Cost and Management Accounting for Engineers, ICAI Vice President H Padmanabhan told reporters here. While valuation, particularly financial valuation, is emerging as an important profession, arbitration is a form of alternative dispute resolution and a technique for the resolution of disputes outside the court, Padmanabhan said. GST being the major tax reform and a game changer, as a professional it was imperative to understand and assimilate the new taxation structure, associated compliances and the changes in business processes emanating there from, he said. The Institute has in recent times been proactively involved in nation-building activities like providing impetus by supporting Make in India, Swachch Bharat Abhiyan, and GST One Nation One tax, Padmanabhan said. The institute, which has done an accounting system for the Railways, will take up similar work for Defence and Aviation ministries on cost and pricing, he said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Indian Navy and Cochin Port Trust (CPT) have entered into an Memorandum of Understanding for utilising the Port's berthing facility at Mattancherry wharf for Naval ships. As per the MoU, Cochin Ports Q2 and Q3 berths at Mattacherry wharf, totaling 228 metre quay length, would be be handed over to the Indian Navy for five years for berthing their ships. The Indian Navy had requestedfor an exclusive berthing facility in Cochin Port for berthing their ships during reconstruction period of their berths. "In view of the national interest involved, Cochin Port examined the request and decided that Cochin Port's oldest wharf, Mattacherry Wharf can be spared, since those are not suitable any longer for berthing of big cargo ships due to limitation of draft and displacement", a CPT release said. This is a landmark decision in the history of Cochin Port and would go a long way in the combined efforts of the Port and Navy for ensuring the safety of the nation, it added. PTI TGB APR The MoU was signed yesterday onbehalf of Cochin Port Trust by Goutam Gupta, Traffic Manager and Commodore Deepak Kumar, Chief Staff Officer (Ops), Southern Naval Command for Indian Navy, a Port Trust release said here today. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif ridiculed US President Donald Trump today over what he called the foreign policy "blunder" of trying to raise its recent protests at the UN Security Council. The Security Council "rebuffed the US' naked attempt to hijack its mandate", wrote Zarif on Twitter. "Majority emphasised the need to fully implement the JCPOA (nuclear deal) and to refrain from interfering in internal affairs of others. Another FP (foreign policy) blunder for the Trump administration." The United States had pushed for the UN meeting on Friday to discuss the five days of protests that hit Iran last week, leading to the deaths of 21 people and hundreds of arrests. US Ambassador Nikki Haley argued the unrest could escalate into full-blown conflict and drew a comparison with Syria. "The Iranian regime is now on notice: the world will be watching what you do," Haley warned. But Russia's envoy shot back that if the US view holds, the council should have also discussed the 2014 unrest in the US suburb of Ferguson, Missouri over the police shooting of a black teenager or the US crackdown on the Occupy Wall Street movement. Britain and France reiterated that Iran must respect the rights of protesters, but French Ambassador Francois Delattre said the "events of the past days do not constitute a threat to peace and international security". China also described the meeting as meddling in Iran's affairs, while Ethiopia, Kuwait and Sweden expressed reservations about the discussion. Iran's Ambassador Gholamali Khoshroo slammed the meeting as a "farce" and a "waste of time" and said the council should instead focus on addressing the Israeli-Palestinian conflict or the war in Yemen. Iranian authorities have declared the unrest over, and held three days of large pro-government rallies across the country between Wednesday and Friday. Iran signed a nuclear deal with the United States, Britain, France, Germany, Russia and China in 2015, easing sanctions in exchange for curbs to the country's nuclear programme. US President Donald Trump has fiercely opposed the deal, but the other signatories remain firmly behind it. Trump must decide every few months whether to continue waiving nuclear sanctions, with the next deadline due yesterday. Analysts say there is a chance he may use the latest unrest as a pretext to reimpose sanctions. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A special CBI court here is likely to pronounce its order on January 23 on a plea by two Intelligence Bureau officials challenging the summons issued to them by a magistrate in the Ishrat Jahan alleged fake encounter case. Rajeev Wankhede and T S Mittal, assistant central intelligence officers at the time of the alleged fake encounter, have challenged the summons issued by a metropolitan magistrate's court here. CBI judge J K Pandya reserved his order on their pleas till January 23. The lower court issued the summons to them and two others -- Central IB's special director Rajinder Kumar and officer M S Sinha -- on the basis of a supplementary charge sheet filed against them by the CBI in the Ishrat case. The CBI has charged them with murder, criminal conspiracy, illegal detention and kidnapping. The lawyers of Wankhede and Mittal argued today that the summons was not maintainable, as the court has not taken cognisance of the CBI charge sheet. No summons can be issued as the Union government has not given sanction for their prosecution as required under the Code of Criminal Procedure, the lawyers said. The CBI, however, contended that a court can use its discretion to issue a summons even when the competent authority hasn't given sanction. The magistrate last month issued summons to the four IB officials after the CBI informed the court about denial of sanction by the Union government. Ishrat Jahan, a 19-year-old college girl from Mumbra near Mumbai, her friend Javed Sheikh alias Pranesh, Amzad Ali Rana and Zeeshan Johar were killed in an alleged fake encounter by the Ahmedabad police on the outskirts of the city in June 2004. The police had then claimed that they were terrorists affiliated to the Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba. The first charge sheet filed by the CBI named seven Gujarat policemen, including IPS officers P P Pandey, D G Vanzara and G L Singhal, for carrying out a fake encounter. All of them are out on bail. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A group of small-town Arkansas middle school students made national headlines after they used a 3D printer to make a prosthetic foot for a duck, giving it newfound mobility after it had spent months hobbling around on a stump. The story, and accompanying videos of Peg the duck are obviously adorable. But the project also speaks volumes about how grounding classroom projects in a sense of purpose and relevance can help motivate students to stay engaged and learn new things. Its something researchers are increasingly exploring as they search for ways to more thoroughly incorporate students emotions and development into education. Peg, an Indian runner duck who is about 8 months old, was found by a woman who suspected a turtle had chewed off his foot. Three 8th grade students in the small, unincorporated community of Armorel, Ark., worked all semester to fashion a prosthesis for him. It took 36 prototypes and a lot of failure to get to the exciting moment of seeing Peg walk on the little plastic footing, said Alicia Bell, who teaches the students in a project-based-learning class. But the studentswho hadnt been exposed to 3D printing technology until last yearwere willing to persist because they had met a real, living thing that was dependent on their work, Bell said in an interview with Education Week. Peg, a bit of a ham because he was he was rescued by humans so young, strutted around for the students when they were first introduced. And they noticed that, although hed been making do without a foot, his stub was scabbed from being scraped on the ground as he walked. Hes a living thing, and we got to see his challenges, Bell said, explaining why the students were so drawn to the project. He had adapted, but he wasnt living a full life. The students had taught themselves how to use a 3D printer the previous year in the class, called Environmental and Spatial Technology, or EAST lab. The EAST Initiative , founded in Arkansas, provides support and training for schools to offer real-world, technological learning experiences for students. Bell works with community members to find real-world, self-guided projects, like producing videos or designing logos for businesses, that students can complete to help boost their problem-solving skills. And a sense of purpose and relevance is very motivating to the rural students, many of whom have had little exposure to technology, Bell said. The projects give students opportunities to try and fail, to find new ways to approach challenges, and to learn new concepts, like measuring proportions or using the metric system, she said. To make Pegs foot, for example, students had to learn about the specific way that Indian runner ducks stand, rather than squatting with their knees bent at all times like other duck breeds. That meant their original prototype, an actual peg, wouldnt work because he needed the ability to bend his knee when necessary and the strength to stand with his leg fully extended when walking. Other challenges? Accommodating his back toe and determining the appropriate shape and size needed to help him maintain his balance without encumbering his gait. I just ask the questions, Bell said. They know they have to fix it. You cant turn in a paper and, OK, you have a C, and thats it. Its either it works or it doesnt. After refining three final prototypes, the students found one that worked. A notch in the front allowed Pegs knee to bend. And a round surface helped him stay upright. They come across a problem, and sometimes it takes a day, or sometimes it takes a month, Bell said, but we dont stop until we figure it out. Research backs up Bells ideas about the value of purpose in learning. Researchers in the Mindset Scholars Network, a group that explores ideas like the popular concept of growth mindset, say a mindset of purpose and relevance is key to students perseverence. Boredom or frustration are by definition unpleasant, the organization says in a research brief. When feeling those emotions, students may ask themselves, Why am I doing this? If students have a hard time answering this question, they are less likely to spend the time necessary to try to learn deeply from the material at hand. On the other hand, if a student sees how her school work can help her understand something personally meaningful, she may be more motivated to persist and remain focused despite distractions. When students learn the material more deeply, they can do better in school. The joy the students project brought to Pegs owners is evident in this segment produced by Arkansas news station KAIT. As the story quickly spread, the Washington Post, the Associated Press, and USA Today all published news of Peg, and Armorel public schools became his informal press agent Friday afternoon. KAIT Jonesboro, AR - Region 8 News, weather, sports Photos by Armorel High School EAST and Patsy Smith. From top to bottom: Peg models his new prosthetic foot; 3D-printed prototypes for the prosthetic; 8th grade students Matthew Cook, Abby Simmons, and Darshan Patel pose with Peg and his owner, Patty Smith. Related posts about student engagement: Follow @evieblad on Twitter or subscribe to Rules for Engagement to get blog posts delivered directly to your inbox. Police have booked the owners of Mojo's Bistro for culpable homicide not amounting to murder in connection with last month's massive fire in Kamala Mills compound, a day after a probe revealed that the blaze started from the high-end pub. Yesterday, a report by the Mumbai fire department stated that flying embers from illegal hookah being served at Mojo's Bistro was the probable cause of the deadly blaze, which claimed 14 lives on December 29. "On basis of the report by the fire bridge, we have booked owners of Mojo's Bistro pub for culpable homicide," Deputy Commissioner of Police and spokesperson of Mumbai Police Sachin Patil told PTI. A senior police official gave the names of Mojo's Bistro pub owners as Yug K Pathak and Nagpur-based businessman Yug Tulli. Yug Pathak's statement was recorded last week, he said. Additional Commissioner of Police (Central Region) S Jaykumar said the owners were booked under IPC sections 304 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder), 337 (causing hurt by act endangering life or personal safety of others), 338 (causing grievous hurt by act endangering life or personal safety of others) and 34 (acts done by several persons in furtherance of common intention) in the same case registered on December 29. Earlier, the police had booked owners of '1 Above' pub, Hitesh Sanghvi and Jigar Sanghvi, co-owner Abhijeet Manka and others on various charges, including culpable homicide not amounting to murder. Yesterday, the police had announced a reward of Rs 1 lakh for providing information about Jignesh Sanghvi, Kripesh Sanghvi and Abhijeet Mankar, who are absconding. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The police today arrested Yug Pathak, the son of a retired IPS officer and one of the owners of the Mojo's Bistro pub, in connection with the deadly fire at the Kamala Mills compound here on December 29, which had claimed 14 lives. Officials from the N M Joshi Marg police station arrested Pathak, the son of retired director general of police and former Pune police commissioner K K Pathak, the police said. Yesterday, the Mumbai Fire Brigade, in its preliminary probe report on the fire, which had engulfed Mojo's Bistro and the adjacent "1 Above" pub at the Kamala Mills compound in Lower Parel on December 29, had said the fire possibly started at Mojo's Bistro due to the flying embers from a hookah. The police today booked Pathak and his partner, Nagpur- based businessman Yug Tulli, under IPC sections 304 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder), 338 (causing grievous hurt by act endangering life and personal safety of others) and other relevant provisions. The police had recorded Pathak's statement in the case earlier. The names of Pathak and Tulli were added to the FIR, which was lodged on December 29 against the owners of "1 Above" -- Kripesh Sanghavi, Jigar Sanghavi and Abhijeet Mankar -- said a police official. "As of now, we have arrested Pathak, while his partner Tulli has been summoned as he is also wanted in the case," senior police inspector, attached to the N M Joshi Marg police station, Ahmed Pathan said. "We will produce Pathak before a court soon," he added. Earlier, the police had arrested two managers of "1 Above" in connection with the fire. The police have also announced a reward of Rs one lakh for any information about the three pub owners, who are on the run. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Police have denied permission for a public gathering to be addressed by Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal at Sindhkhed Raja on January 12, citing "difficulty in crowd management", a senior police official said today. Kejriwal was slated to address a public gathering during the 'Jijau Janmotsav Sohla' to be held at Sindhkhed Raja in this district of Vidarbha. "Earlier, Kejriwal was to have a 'darshan' of Jijamata on January 12. However, a public gathering to be addressed by him was scheduled at a particular place in Sindhkhed Raja and the permission to hold it was rejected by the police," Superintendent of Police Sushil Kumar Meena told PTI. "The police declined permission for the public gathering citing difficulty in crowd management," he said. Jijabai or Jijau is the mother of 17th century Maratha warrior king Chhatrapati Shivaji and a function to mark her birth anniversary is held every year at Sidhkhed Raja. The event is organised every year on January 11 and 12 and lakhs of people throng to Sidhkhed Raja for a 'darshan' of Jijau. Four to five lakh people are expected at Sidhkhed Raja this year, the police official said. Meena, however, said Kejriwal is permitted to take 'darshan' of Jijabai. The public address of Kejriwal was organised by 'Samvidhan Morcha'. "We had requested the organisers of Kejiwal's event to hold the programme away from the main venue in Sindhkhed Raja tehsil as the spot decided by them would have created problems for crowd management at the main venue (of 'Jijau Janmotsav Sohla')," the police official noted. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Children suffering from chronic illness such as asthma, food allergy, epilepsy or diabetes are at an increased risk of developing mental health problems, a study warns. Researchers from the University of Waterloo in Canada surveyed children between the ages of six and 16, and all within a month of their diagnosis with asthma, food allergy, epilepsy, diabetes or juvenile arthritis. According to parents' responses to a standardised interview, 58 per cent of children screened positive for at least one mental disorder. "These findings show that risk for mental disorder is relatively the same among children with different physical conditions," said Mark Ferro, from the University of Waterloo. "Regardless of their condition, children with a physical and mental health problems experience a significant decline in their quality life within the first six months after receiving their diagnosis, indicating a need for mental health services early on," Ferro said. Six months after diagnosis, the number of kids showing signs of a mental disorder dipped slightly to 42 per cent. According to the study published in the journal BMJ Open, anxiety disorders were most common, including separation anxiety, generalised anxiety and phobias. "It is possible that the number is higher very early because there is some uncertainty surrounding the prognosis, or unanswered questions about management and treatment," said Alexandra Butler, from the University of Waterloo. "It is important to not only identify at-risk children early but to also have resources to support them," said Butler. The researchers found that age and gender had no impact on the results. A subset of kids self-reported on their own mental health. Where 58 per cent of parents reported that their children presented signs of a mental health problem, only 18 per cent of kids reported it. This result speaks to the need for health professionals to get multiple perspectives when assessing children's mental health. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A special CBI court today sentenced RJD chief Lalu Prasad to three-and-a-half years in jail and imposed a fine of Rs 10 lakh on him in a fodder scam case relating to fraudulent withdrawal of Rs 89.27 lakh from the Deoghar Treasury 21 years ago. The punishment was handed down to 69-year-old Prasad by CBI court judge Shiv Pal Singh. This is the second time that he has been jailed in the fodder scam. The judge also imposed a fine totalling Rs 10 lakhs on him. He was sentenced to three-and-a-half years in jail in a fodder scam case for offences of cheating, along with criminal conspiracy, and other sections under the Indian Penal Code (IPC). Prasad was also given a jail term of three years and six months in the case under the Prevention of Corruption Act (PCA). He was fined Rs 5 lakh each under the IPC and the PCA, CBI counsel Rakesh Prasad said, adding that failure to pay the fine would entail another six months in jail. The sentences will run concurrently, he said. Prasad, who was convicted in the second case on December 23, is at present lodged in the Birsa Munda Central Jail. The judge conveyed the punishment to Prasad through videoconferencing. The court had yesterday concluded arguments on the quantum of sentence against Prasad in connection with the withdrawal of Rs 89.27 lakh from the Deoghar Treasury between 1990 and 1994 when he was the chief minister of Bihar. It had also heard arguments on the issue of punishment for 10 others convicted in the case. Earlier today, the court concluded arguments on the quantum of sentence against five other convicts. Prasad was given a prison term of five years on September 30, 2013, in another fodder scam case. He was released on bail by the Supreme Court after having remained in jail for over two-and-a-half months. The CBI special judge had on December 23 acquitted former Bihar chief minister Jagannath Mishra and five others in the case. In 1996, the Patna High Court had ordered an inquiry into the fodder scam cases and a charge sheet in the Deogarh Treasury case was filed against 38 people on October 27, 1997. Eleven of them died and three turned approvers, while two other accused confessed and were convicted in 2006-07, a CBI official said. On September 30, 2013, Yadav, Jagannath Mishra and several others were convicted in another case pertaining to illegal withdrawal of Rs 37.7 crore from the Chaibasa Treasury in the early 1990s. Prasad faces another three fodder scam cases for illegal withdrawal of Rs 3.97 crore from the Dumka Treasury, Rs 36 crore from the Chaibasa Treasury and Rs 184 crore from the Doranda Treasury. Meanwhile, Prasad's son Tejashwi Yadav said in Patna that they will move high court against his father's conviction. "We will move high court against Lalu Prasad's conviction and appeal for bail after studying the court verdict," he said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) RJD chief Lalu Prasad was sentenced to three-and-a-half years in jail and fined Rs 1 million by a special CBI court in a fodder scam case relating to fraudulent withdrawal of Rs 89.27 lakh from the Deoghar Treasury 21 years ago. The punishment was handed down to 69-year-old Prasad by CBI court judge Shiv Pal Singh through video conferencing since the RJD leader is lodged in Birsa Munda Central Jail after being convicted in the case on December 23, CBI counsel Rakesh Prasad said. This is the second time that he has been jailed in the fodder scam. Prasad faces another three scam cases for illegal withdrawal of Rs 39.7 million from the Dumka Treasury, Rs 36 crore from the Chaibasa Treasury and Rs 1840 million from the Doranda Treasury. The special judge also sent 15 other convicts in the case to prison for terms varying between three and six months and seven years under sections of Indian Penal Code (IPC) and the Prevention of Corruption Act (PCA). The CBI lawyer said a fine totalling Rs 1 million was imposed the RJD supremo. Prasad was sentenced to three-and-a-half years in prison for offences of cheating, read with criminal conspiracy, using as genuine a forged document and other sections under the IPC He was also given a jail term of three years and six months in the case under the PCA. The counsel said failure to pay a fine of Rs 500,000 each under the IPC and the PCA would entail another six months in jail for the RJD leader. The sentences will run concurrently, he said. Prasad's counsel Chittaranjan Sinha said his client would filed an appeal next week against the verdict in the Jharkhand high court. Reacting to the verdict, the BJP and its ally JD(U) said no one was above the law while the RJD claimed its leader fell prey to a "conspiracy" by Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and the saffron party. BJP leader Shahnawaz Hussain asserted the verdict shows the law was equal for all. JD(U) Secretary General K C Tyagi said a new political chapter has begun with the court's decision and it means politicians will be afraid of committing any such wrongdoing. Prasad's son and RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav said in Patna a bail plea will also be moved in the high court. The court had yesterday concluded arguments on the quantum of sentence against Prasad in connection with the withdrawal of Rs 8.92 million from the Deoghar Treasury between 1990 and 1994 when he was the chief minister of Bihar. Prasad was given a prison term of five years on September 30, 2013, in another fodder scam case. He was released on bail by the Supreme Court after having remained in jail for over two-and-a-half months. The CBI special judge had on December 23 acquitted former Bihar chief minister Jagannath Mishra and five others in the case. In scam case order, former chairman of the Public Accounts Committee Jagdish Sharma was sentenced to a prison term of seven years and fined Rs 2 million while RJD leader R K Rana was jailed for three and six months and fined Rs 1 million. Three former IAS officers Beck Julius, Phoolchand Singh and Mahesh Prasad were given a prison term of three and-a-half years each. A fine of Rs five lakh was also imposed on each of them. Ex-government official Krishna Kumar was handed down a seven-year prison term and a fine of Rs 2 million while another former government official Subir Bhattacharya was jailed for three years and six months besides a penalty of Rs 1 million. Transporters/suppliers Tripurari Mohan Prasad got seven years imprisonment and Rs 1 million fine while Sushil Kumar Sinha was given three-and-a half years in jail and a fine of Rs 500,000. The other transporters/suppliers punished were Sunil Kumar Sinha (three-and-a-half years in prison and Rs five lakh fine), Raja Ram Joshi (three-and-a-half years jail and Rs five lakh penalty), Gopinath Das (seven years jail and Rs ten lakh fine), Sanjay Agarwal (seven years jail and Rs ten lakh fine), Jyoti Kumar Jha (seven years jail and Rs ten lakh fine) and Sunil Gandhi (seven years jail and Rs ten lakh fine). The court had also heard arguments on the issue of punishment for 10 others convicted in the case. Earlier today, the court concluded arguments on the quantum of sentence against five other convicts. The CBI special judge had on December 23 acquitted former Bihar chief minister Jagannath Mishra and five others in the case. In 1996, the Patna High Court had ordered an inquiry into the fodder scam cases and a charge sheet in the Deogarh Treasury case was filed against 38 people on October 27, 1997. Eleven of them died and three turned approvers, while two other accused confessed and were convicted in 2006-07, a CBI official said. On September 30, 2013, Yadav, Jagannath Mishra and several others were convicted in another case pertaining to illegal withdrawal of Rs 377 million from the Chaibasa Treasury in the early 1990s. No one is above the law, the BJP and its ally JD (U) said today after a special CBI court sentenced Lalu Prasad to jail in a fodder scam case, while the RJD said its leader has fallen prey to a "conspiracy" by Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and the saffron party. The special CBI court in Ranchi sentenced Lalu to three- and-a-half years in jail and imposed a fine of Rs 10 lakh on him in the fodder scam case relating to fraudulent withdrawal of Rs 89.27 lakh from the Deoghar Treasury 21 years ago. BJP leader Shahnawaz Hussain said the verdict shows the law is equal for all. "The court has done its job, and this is a message that if anyone robs the country of its wealth, however important, then the law is equal for all. This is justice for the people of Bihar because it was their money that was looted," Hussain told reporters. Janata Dal (United) Secretary General K C Tyagi said a new political chapter has begun with the court's decision and it means politicians will be afraid of committing any such wrongdoing. "It will now be difficult to keep the RJD together and people in politics will be fearful," he said, when asked about the significance of the court's verdict. "This is the end of a chapter that started with Laluji's leadership, where there was politics of corruption, nepotism and non-governance," Tyagi told reporters. Meanwhile, addressing a press conference in Patna, Lalu's son Tejashwi Yadav said the party would go to the people after makarsankranti to make them aware of the "conspiracy" hatched by Nitish Kumar and the BJP against the RJD chief. "Lalu is paying the price for his uncompromising stance against the BJP. Had he compromised, his detractors would have been comparing him to Raja Harishchandra," the former Deputy CM of Bihar said. He dismissed suggestions the party may disintegrate with its top leader being behind the bars. "The more we are harassed, the stronger will be the public support in our favour. Lalu resides in the people's hearts". "He is in jail, yet everybody is being talking about him. The only reason is that the people of Bihar are with us and this scares our opponents." He also took potshots at the Bihar's ruling JD(U)-BJP combine, saying, "Let the double engine do something for the betterment of Bihar. They should set their own house in order instead of wasting their energy on the future of RJD. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A lawsuit has been filed against Harvey Weinstein which claims that the disgraced Hollywood producer hired an attorney to spy on actor Paz de la Huerta. In November last year, Huerta had alleged that Weinstein raped her twice in 2010. The complaint claims that Weinstein hired attorney Michael F Rubin to gain information from Huerta, reported Variety. Rubin apparently also discouraged Huerta to not press charges against Weinstein. Huerta is represented by attorney Aaron Filler and his firm Tensor Law has filed the lawsuit. In the lawsuit, Filler claimed that Rubin interfered with his contractual relationship with Huerta, depriving him his legal fees of USD 20 million. Rubin, however, has the dismissed the claims made in the lawsuit and said he has never met Weinstein. "Every allegation in that lawsuit is false... I don't know Harvey Weinstein. I never met Harvey Weinstein. I had nothing but Paz de la Huerta's interests in mind. This guy is upset he lost a potential client," said Rubin. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) French President Emmanuel Macron suggested today that Turkey should renounce its ambition of joining the EU and settle instead for a looser "partnership" after talks with visiting Turkish leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Turkey was hoping to warm frosty relations with Europe during Erdogan's trip to Paris, but the talks were overshadowed by concerns over Turkey's huge crackdown after a 2016 failed coup. Macron said there was no chance of Turkey's membership bid, which has been languishing for years, moving forward. "I'd be lying if I said we could open new chapters," he said in reference to the accession process. "As regards recent relations with the European Union, it is clear that recent developments and choices allow no chance for progress in the process," Macron said after what he described as "very frank" talks with Turkey's strongman. "We must list the subjects that are blocking things from the EU's perspective... and see if we cannot rethink this relationship, not in terms of an integration process but a cooperation, a partnership," he added at a joint press conference. He emphasised however that he wanted to see Turkey "remain anchored to Europe". Erdogan said that Turkey's 54-year wait to join the EU was "seriously exhausting" the Turkish people and that he might be forced "to take a decision." He did not specify what that might be but admitted: "We don't really have an attitude of 'let us in' (to the EU) anymore." The visit was Erdogan's first to France since the botched putsch against him, which triggered a sweeping purge of the public service and an intensified crackdown on the media, civil society and opposition. It came after a year in which Turkish-European relations hit a low point, with Erdogan notably accusing Chancellor Angela Merkel of "Nazi practices" for refusing to let his ministers campaign in Germany. Macron's invitation to Erdogan drew sharp criticism from the French left, trade unions and rights groups, and a group of Kurdish demonstrators who attempted to demonstrate outside the Elysee Palace on Friday were arrested. The Reporters Without Borders group protested outside the Turkish embassy in Paris, holding aloft stencilled portraits of imprisoned journalists. The French presidency insisted on the need to "maintain dialogue" without "covering up differences". Tensions spilled over during Erdogan's meeting with the French press when a journalist pressed him on a report that Turkish intelligence services shipped arms to radical groups in Syria. "Do not speak with the mouth of FETO," Erdogan retorted, referring to the Fethullah Terror Organisation -- the term Ankara uses for the movement of US-based cleric Fethullah Gulen, whom Turkey accuses of being behind the failed coup as well as the Syria arms report. Macron chided Erdogan over his rights record. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Uttarakhand Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat today criticised the madarsas in the state for their refusal to put up a portrait of Prime Minister Narendra Modi inside their premises, asking them to give up their "conservatism" on the issue. "Installing the prime minister's portrait in all government institutions and those being run on government grants has been an established practice. The madarsas should give up their conservatism on the issue," he told reporters here. "Madarsas are also educational institutions. They should not have any objection to installing a portrait of the prime minister. They should view the issue from the Indian point of view," Rawat added. The madarsas in the BJP-ruled state have refused to comply with a state government order, asking the state-run educational institutions to install a portrait of Prime Minister Narendra Modi on their premises, on religious grounds. "The madarsas in the state have not installed pictures of the prime minister because of religious beliefs as Islam prohibits installation of pictures of living beings inside mosques and madarsas," Deputy Registrar of Uttarakhand Madarsa Board Akhlaq Ahmad had told PTI yesterday. However, he had also said that the refusal to install the picture of the prime minister inside the madarsas should not be interpreted as their opposition to an individual. "They are not opposed to any individual in particular. It is purely due to religious beliefs. Islam does not permit us to install pictures of living things or individuals, including those of religious leaders, inside the mosques or madarsas," Ahmad had said. The order was issued to all the government-run educational institutions soon after the Independence Day last year, asking them to install a portrait of Modi inside their premises and take a pledge to implement his vision of building a new India by 2022. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) To address Virginias growing teacher shortage, a state lawmaker has proposed easing the path to the front of the classroom for qualified military spouses. Delegate Richard Bell, a Republican, introduced House Bill 2 , which would allow military spouses who hold out-of-state licenses whats known as a reciprocal license without having to meet any additional requirements. If at the end of the first year on the job in Virginia the teacher scores a satisfactory rating, he or she becomes eligible for a renewable license. The state already provides reciprocity to teachers with out-of-state licenses, but only under particular circumstances. Teachers with fewer than three years in the classroom would normally have to pass a number of tests (of academic skills, subject matter knowledge, and reading) before their three-year provisional license expires. Military spouses with a satisfactory rating would not have to take these tests. As Liana Loewus reports in this Education Week article , more states are trying to simplify the license-transfer process. Since 2016, according to a recent analysis by the Education Commission of the States, 11 states have passed regulations easing licensure requirements for out-of-state teachers. If House Bill 2 becomes law, Virginia will join 27 other states with special licensure provisions for military spouses . Still, even with these efforts, the teacher-shortage problem persists. Virginia Education Association president Jim Livingston told the Virginia-Pilot that hes not sure special licensure for military spouses will help matters much. Hes concerned about a Band-Aid approach to the teacher shortage that doesnt get at what he considers the root of the problem: low teacher pay. Portsmouth Public Schools director of human resources and operations, Scott Ziegler, agrees. He told the newspaper that debt-strapped college students pass on teaching for more lucrative professions. Ziegler doubted that easing requirements for military spouses would put a dent in the teacher shortage. More helpful, according to Ziegler, would be if lawmakers considered offering free tuition at a public university for college-goers who agree to commit to teaching for a set number of years. Next up, the General Assembly, which meets on January 10, will review the bill. See also: Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti today said she was pained by the about the killing of four policemen in an IED explosion in Sopore township of Baramulla district. "Pained to hear that four policeman have been killed in an IED explosion in Sopore. My deepest condolences to their families," Mehbooba wrote on Twitter. Former chief minister Omar Abdullah tweeted: "Very sad from #Sopore. May the four brave J&K police personnel killed in the line of duty today rest in peace." Four policemen on patrol duty were killed when an improvised explosive device (IED) planted by militants went off in Sopore town in north Kashmir today. Militants had planted the IED near a shop in a lane between the 'Chotta Bazaar' and 'Bada Bazaar' in Sopore in Baramulla district and detonated it when policemen reached the scene, an official said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) An alleged member of a mining mafia fired in the air during a late night raid by the Loni sub-divisional magistrate, but the officer and his team managed to seize five trucks and soil worth Rs 10 lakh, an official said today. District Magistrate Ritu Maheshwari said SDM Indu Prakash had received information about illegal mining going on in the area on the intervening night of January 4 and January 5. Prakash, accompanied by deputy superintendent of police (circle officer) Loni, Durgesh kumar, and other police officials, conducted raid around 1.30 am, the District Magistrate said. When the team reached near Banthla village, they saw three stationary trucks. Upon seeing them, the drivers tried to flee but were caught by the officials, Maheshwari said. When the officials asked about the registration papers of the trucks they could not show valid documents. Suddenly, three people came in a car and fired in the air. The gunner of the SDM also returned fire. The three have been identified as Sageer, Mintoo and Harendra of Siroli village, the officer said, adding they managed to escape. Two more trucks were seized upon information from the drivers. The officer said soil worth Rs 10 lakh have been sized. The police post incharge and the lekhpal of the area have suspended for their alleged negligence in duty, the DM added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The sarpanch of a village in Chhattisgarhs Bastar district was killed by Naxals at his home, police said today. The sarpanch of Chhindgur village, identified as Pandru (45), was killed after a group of armed rebels stormed his house and slit his throat last night, Deputy Inspector-General of Police (south Bastar range) P Sundararaj told PTI. The village where the incident happened is located inside dense forests about 25 kilometres away from Darbha which itself is about 350 kms away from Raipur, Sundararaj added. On getting information about the incident, a police team rushed to the village and the sarpanch's body was brought for postmortem, he informed. The official said that people from Chhindgur and nearby villages including Koleng have been opposing Naxal activities for the past couple of months now and it has left the Maoists frustrated. He said that the Naxals tended to kill villagers or village heads branding them as police informers just to remind people of their power. The official said that the Kanger Ghati area committee of the Maoists which operates in the Darbha area has suffered a crippling blow in the past couple of years with most of its cadre either killed, arrested or surrendered. Sundararaj said that the cadre strength of the Maoists in this area may now be in single digits. "On the demand of villagers, a police camp was set up in Koleng last month which was recently taken over by the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF)," he said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Nearly 1,000 flights to and from Indira Gandhi International (IGI) will be cancelled or rescheduled in the run-up to Republic Day parade as airspace over Delhi will remain closed for about two hours every day for over a week. An estimated 500 domestic flights could be cancelled and as many international flights will be rescheduled due to the restrictions, an airport official said, adding it was being done due to increased traffic and capacity constraints this year. The airspace over Delhi remains shut for commercial flights due to rehearsals in the days leading to the Republic Day on January 26. The Airport Authority of India (AAI) has issued a NOTAM or Notice to Airmen informing the airlines that no take-offs or landings would be allowed from or to Delhi airport from 10.35 am to 12.15 pm for nine days between January 18-26, according to airport sources. IGI witnesses 67 air traffic movement (both take offs and landings) per hour between 8 am to 11 pm everyday. With airspace shut for 100 minutes for nine days, an estimated 1,000 flights will either be cancelled or rescheduled. "On an average 100 flights will be affected every day. We will accommodate 40 international flights before or after the closure hours. "Out of the remaining 60, we will try to reschedule some of the flights. So, we could see roughly 50 flights being cancelled each day," said an airport official. The Delhi International Airport Limited, which operates IGI, says no international flights will be cancelled. "Keeping in consideration the capacity constraints and to minimise inconvenience to the passengers, Airports Authority of India-Air Navigation Services, several major airlines and DIAL have consulted on various options and jointly agreed that the best and safest course of action is to cancel domestic flights scheduled during the NOTAM period. "International carriers have been requested to re- schedule and not cancel their flights," said a DIAL spokesperson. Airport officials say that while on earlier occasions they were able to reschedule most of the affected flights, severe capacity constraints at IGI mean that it can't be done anymore. "Since we had spare capacity we were able to accommodate flights either before or after the closure hours. But because we don't have any spare capacity now, these flights have to be cancelled," said a source. Also, the airspace closure has been extended by two days, as a result the restrictions are in place for nine days instead of seven days. The airlines were asked to curtail operations for R-day on December 29, when the NOTAM was issued. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu today congratulated the newly elected BJP MLAs Biyuram Wahge from Pakke-Kesang constituency and Kardo Nyigyor (Likabali) who called on him at his office. The chief minister congratulated them for the partys resounding victory in the state and welcomed them with traditional scarf, an official release said. The people of the two constituencies have shown that they are with good governance and development. They have witnessed the changes brought in by the BJP government and have, therefore, bestowed their confidence on the party under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Khandu said. The chief minister advised the newly elected legislators to live up to the expectations of their respective electorates and become assets for the party. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A senior leader of the ruling PDP today stoked a controversy by saying there was "no bar" in condoling the killing of local militants in Kashmir. "Whether it is a CRPF man... or a local militant, there is no bar on offering condolences. However, it depends on the security situation, sometimes we can go and sometimes not," PDP chief spokesperson, Rafi Ahmad Mir, told reporters here. Even before coming to power, the party had a policy of visiting the families of local militants who were killed in counter-insurgency operations by security forces, he said. "The PDP had a policy. Whenever a militant was killed, I used to visit (the family) to offer condolences, and at that time the PDP president would also visit," Mir said, adding that "whoever becomes a martyr is before God and I think we should not talk about that". Referring to today's IED blast in Sopore in which four police personnel were killed, the PDP chief spokesman said that whether a policeman gets killed or a local militant, "it is very unfortunate and we condemn it". "It was a heart-wrenching incident. We were hopeful and thinking that the situation was getting better, but got this shock. It is very unfortunate. They were our own sons," he said. "Whoever gets killed, be it (from) the police force or militants, it is very unfortunate and we condemn it. We hope this does not recur," Mir said. The PDP had to shelve its election agenda to form government with the BJP, "otherwise, the state would have incurred losses as it needed Delhi's assistance in running the government in the state", he said. "Unfortunately, what happened is that we had to shelve our election agenda. We won around 28 seats. In Jammu, the BJP got the highest share of probably 26 seats. "We needed the assistance of Delhi here. We took a decision, a very harsh decision, a bitter decision (of forming government in an alliance with BJP)," Mir said. There was resentment in our voters also. There is no doubt about it, the chief spokesperson said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) As the ban on entry of "outsiders" into government offices in Uttarakhand sparked a controversy, Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat today said the government did not intend to hide any information from the media. "It is our commitment to provide all information to media on time," he told reporters at his official residence here. However, he sought to justify the recent directive issued to different departments asking them not to permit direct entry of "outsiders" into government offices at the secretariat saying the "problem is that there is sometimes a lot of smoke without fire". Reports based on half-baked or premature information erode the credibility of both the government and the media, Rawat said. "A system is being put in place where the media gets all the information on a single counter," he added. The Uttarakhand government recently issued an order banning the entry of "outsiders" directly into government offices at the secretariat fearing premature leakage of information. The order was issued in view of the fact that the agenda of cabinet meetings on several occasions in the recent past was leaked to the media even before they took place, officials said on the condition of anonymity. With the local media interpreting the order as a move to reduce systemic transparency, Uttarakhand Chief Secretary Utpal Kumar Singh convened a press conference to clarify that the directive was issued to ensure that only authentic information reached the media. However, members of the media felt the order was meant to deny them direct access to information by a government which claims total transparency in governance and zero tolerance to corruption. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Tenders were floated for corporate firms to become partners in sanitation work by taking up maintenance of public toilets but "no response" was received, a senior NDMC official said. The North Delhi Municipal Corporation (NDMC) official said, "We wanted to use the public-private-partnership model for the maintenance, so we had invited the sector." "The tenders were floated a few months ago, but sadly not a single corporate entity has shown interest in maintaining the public toilets," he said. The official lamented that many of these firms want to "build toilets" but not maintain them. "We thought, it would be a win-win situation if they could help in upkeep of public conveniences through their CAR (corporate social responsibility) activities," he said. Many tourist sites, including the famous Chandni Chowk in the historic Shahjehanabad area in Old Delhi falls under the jurisdiction of the NDMC. Incidentally, the BJP-led civic body declared that from December 31, all its 104 wards have become open defecation- free (ODF). Mayor Preety Agarwal has also said that the NDMC will carry out a feasibility survey to assess if the public toilets in its area can be opened during night time. "From December 31, 2017, now all 104 wards under the jurisdiction of the NDMC are open defecation-free. North corporation has adequate number of community and public toilets as per the yardsticks of the Swachh Bharat Mission," she said. There are 314 community toilet complexes (CTCs), with 3,508 seats for men and 3,232 seats for women. Besides, there are a total of 2,063 seats of men and 3,256 seats for women available in the public toilets, including the ones at petrol pumps, restaurants, metro stations and DDA markets falling in the areas under the jurisdiction of the corporation, she said. When asked if there was any proposal to keep civic toilets open during night time also, Agarwal said, "Security is one main reason to keep our toilets closed at night." "But, we will do a feasibility survey to see if we can have security measures and keep the toilet open at night too, so that people can benefit from it," the mayor said. The NDMC officials informed that of the total number, 10 new toilet blocks are those which have been newly-built while other facilities have been upgraded. Municipal Commissioner Madhup Vyas, said, this open defecation free (ODF) achievement will "go a long way in improving the ranking" of the NDMC in the Swachh Survekshan ranking. In the Swachh Bharat reckoning of 434 cities for 2016-17, areas falling under the three municipal corporations were at a low -- the EDMC (196), SDMC (202) and NDMC (279). When asked if any penalty measures were being contemplated for offenders, who urinate or defecate in the open, the mayor said, "We have the 'Roko Toko Seeti Bajao' campaign, which will also educate people". The NDMC has also decided to paint in pink in future all the toilets that would be built for women only. At present there are 22 women toilets painted in pink. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The seven-member expertcommittee constituted to look into the issue of separatereligion status to Veerashivas/Lingayats has sought sixmonths time to submit its report. The committee, which met for the fist time today,had been given four weeks time by the government to submit its report. "We cannot complete our work in the four weeks timethat the government has given us," Committee Chairman, Justice H N Nagamohan Das told reportershere after the meeting. "This is an important issueand the committee has an important responsibility to fulfill,"he said. Das said that in order to complete the work as per law and in a scientific manner, the committee has decided to seek six months time from the government to submit the report. Recently, the Karnataka State Minorities Commission (KSMC), to which the state government had referred the issue, had formed a seven-member committee, headed by retired high court Judge H N Nagamohan Das, to look into the issue of separate religion status to Veerashivas/Lingayats. With the committee seeking six months time, the issue of seperate religion status is unlikely to reach conclusion before the Karnataka assembly elections, due early this year. The Opposition BJP has been accusing the ruling Congress ofusing the issue for political reasons, keeping the assemblyelections in mind. The demand for a separate religion tag to Veerashaiva/ Lingayat faiths has surfaced from the numericallystrong and politically-influential community, amidst resentment from within over projecting the two communities asthe same. While one section led by Akhila Bharata Veerashaiva Mahasabha has demanded separate religion status,assertingthat Veerashaiva and Lingayats are the same, the other group wants it only for Lingayats as they believe that Veerashaivais one among the seven sects of Shaivas, which is part of Hinduism. The Veerashaiva-Lingayat community that owes allegiance to the 12th century "social reform movement" initiated by Basaveshwara has a substantial population in Karnataka, especially in the northern parts of the state. Pointing out that no representation has been provided for women during its constitution, the committee has also decided to give an opportunity to any interested party to submit their petitions along with documents before it. It also said that opportunity would be provided to the petitioners for oral hearing, for which dates would be fixed during the next meeting. Initial petitions that went to the committee included one arguing that Lingayats/Veerashaivas are Hindus, and the other by Akhila Bharata Veerashaiva Mahasabha demanding minority religion tag for them. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A woman advocate has moved the Madras High Court seeking a direction to the state government to provide due compensation to passengers who were reportedly forced to alight from buses midway in view of the strike announced by workers of state owned transport corporations. The petitioner V Preetha also wanted the court to direct the government to deduct the compensation from the salaries of the striking workers. The petition also wanted disciplinary action to be taken against the agitating workers under service Rules, and penal action for making passengers with valid ticket alight. Though the demands of the protesting workers are reasonable, they cannot resort to such flash strike causing great inconvenience to public, the petitioner said. Compelling passengers who hold valid tickets to get down midway, amounts to deficiency in service, for which the public are entitled for fair compensation, the petitioner added. The petition as a public interest litigation is likely to come up for hearing on Monday before the first bench headed by the Chief Justice Indira Banerjee. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Seashore Group CMD Prashant Das was today arrested by police from his residence here in connection with three chit fund cases against him, a day after his release from jail. Das was yesterday released from jail here after got bail in the other chit fund cases. Das was arrested by Dhenkanal Police based on the warrant against his name, said Dhenkanal Superintendent of Police, Basant Panigrahi. The SP said a team of Dhenkanal Police was sent to Bhubaneswar to arrest Das in connection with three cases lodged against him at the Town Police Station. The cases were lodged against Das in 2013. Das has been accused of duping investors of about Rs 7 crore in Dhenkanal district, police sources said. "Das has been arrested from his residence at Jharpara in Bhubaneswar. After interrogation, we will forward him to court," the SP said. Das said "I will move court for bail". He also said that "I will ensure all the investors of Seashore get their money back." Das was first arrested by Crime Branch of Odisha Police from Mumbai on June 20, 2013 after the Rs 500 crore Seashore Group chit fund scam surfaced. Later the case was handed over to CBI which filed a charge sheet against Das, after probe. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Delhi High Court has paved the way for holding proceedings in a trial court in a defamation case filed by a journalist against a media house for publishing controversial tapped conversations of former lobbyist Niira Radia with politicians, corporates and scribes in connection with the alleged 2G spectrum allocation scam. The proceedings in the trial court were adjourned sine die as the special CBI court was holding the trial of the cases arising out of the alleged 2G scam which was decided on December 21, 2017, acquitting all the accused. The high court directed that the defamation case be listed before the magistrate concerned on February 3 and added that as the proceedings have remained stayed for over three years, the trial court is directed to expedite the matter and preferably conclude it within one year. The tapes of the controversial conversations were in the custody of the Supreme Court during the pendency of the trial and the media house had said that without producing the original tapes, it would not be in a position to defend itself in the defamation case. Accordingly, a magistrate's court in June 2014 had adjourned the proceedings sine die. The journalist, whose alleged conversation with Radia was also published by the magazine, had challenged the order of the magistrate's court adjourning sine die the hearing in the defamation case filed by him. Taking note of the December 21 judgement of the trial court in the 2G cases, Justice Sanjeev Sachdeva said since there has been a change in the circumstances which earlier prevented the media house from accessing the tapes, the magistrate's court order adjourning sine die the defamation case filed by journalist Vir Sanghvi needed to be recalled. "In view of the above facts and the changed circumstance that the 2G scam case has culminated in a judgement, in my view, the order adjourning the complaint case filed by Sanghvi sine die needs to be recalled. Accordingly, the impugned order of June 30, 2014 is set aside," Justice Sachdeva said. In terms of the orders of the Supreme Court, the original recordings were kept under lock and key of its Secretary General during pendency of the 2G case. The media house had published the story on November 29, 2010 purportedly extracting certain tapped conversation allegedly between him and other individuals. The high court was informed by Sanghvi's counsel that as per the apex court's February 10, 2011 order, copies of the recordings, kept sealed under lock and key, were made available to the CBI and the Income Tax Department and could be summoned by the media house in their defence. The high court said that if the media house, in its defence, wishes to summon, produce or to prove the recorded conversation contained in the tapes, it would be open to them to summon it from the CBI or the Income Tax authorities, which have been made available copies of the recording by the apex court's order. "For which purpose, the media house would be at liberty to make an application to the trial court at the appropriate stage. "In case there is any impediment in the media house seeking production of the recordings from the CBI or the Income Tax authorities, it would be open to the media house to approach the Supreme Court for appropriate directions," it said. The journalist had filed the complaint case against the media house claiming that the extracted conversation was not correct and the alleged tape recordings, relied on by it and also made available on its website, were doctored and tampered. He had contended that the imputations made in the story were false and defamatory. The counsel for the media house had contended before the high court that as per law, truth is a defence to an allegation of defamation. To establish that the published conversation was the correct transcript of what is contained in the tapes, it would be necessary for the media house to summon and prove before the trial court the original of the tape recordings, the counsel said. The issue of Radia tapes had reached the apex court when two petitions were filed before it. The conversations were recorded as part of surveillance of Radia's phone on a complaint to the then finance minister on November 16, 2007 alleging that within a span of nine years, she had built up a business empire worth Rs 300 crore. One was filed by former Tata Sons Ltd chairman Ratan Tata claiming that some of these conversations, being private in nature, should not be allowed to be made public. The other petition, filed by NGO Centre for Public Interest Litigation (CPIL), had sought that these transcripts be made public in larger public interest. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The family of Deepak Rao, theHindu activist who was hacked to death near here on January 3, has refused to accept Rs 5 lakh personal aid offered by Congress MLA Mohiuddin Bava, family sources said. Bava, who visited Rao's family yesterday alongwith Legislative Council Chief Whip Ivan D'Souza, had to face criticism from the family for the alleged "secret operation" by the police in which the body was brought to the residence from the hospital. Bava represents Mangaluru North. The MLA, who offered his condolences to Rao's mother and members of his family, told them that he did not attend thefuneral on the suggestion of the police in order to maintain law and order on the day of the funeral. He also assured the family that he would do his best to get all the benefits from the government. He alleged thatthe Opposition BJP was trying to spread communal hatred ahead of the coming assembly polss. Ivan D'Souza also wanted the opposition to refrain from giving speeches instigating communal feelings for political gains. Rao was hacked to death by four persons, all of whom were arrested within hours after the attack. The BJP has blamed "jehadi forces" for the latest killing and accused the Siddaramaiah government of being "soft" towards them and claimed that, as a result, 22 Hindu activists have been murdered so far, a charge dismissed by the ruling Congress. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A Gurgaon court will pronounce on Monday its order on the bail application of a 16-year-old student, accused of killing 7-year-old Pradhuman Thakur at Ryan International School. Additional Sessions Judge Jasbir Singh Kundu reserved the order after hearing arguments of the counsel for the accused, the CBI and the complainant. The defence counsel claimed the charge sheet in the matter was not filed within one month, as prescribed in the Juvenile Justice Act, and he was not given required documents. Opposing the contention, the CBI said the mandatory period for filing a charge sheet is 90 days under CrPC provisions. The counsel for the CBI said that "circumstances have changed" as the accused had been declared an adult by the Juvenile Justice Board (JJB). Therefore, the charge sheet needed to be filed within three months. Seeking dismissal of the bail plea, the CBI said the JJB order to try the accused as an adult spoke about his mental status and the fact that he committed a heinous crime. Advocate Sushil Tekriwal, appearing for Pradhuman's father Barun Thakur, questioned the maintainability of the application and said the accused should file a fresh bail plea before the court due to the changed circumstances. On the contention of the accused that necessary documents were not provided to him, the CBI said the records had already been produced before the court and the accused never demanded any paper, nor any direction was passed by the court in this regard. Pradhuman was found with his throat slit in the school's washroom on September 8 last year. The Gurgaon Police had claimed the crime was committed by a school bus conductor, which was later refuted by the CBI. The probe agency had claimed the teenager had killed Pradhuman in a bid to get the school closed so that a parent- teacher meeting and an examination could be deferred. The court was hearing an appeal filed by the accused against an order of the JJB denying him bail. Tekriwal had said the appeal for bail was at a "premature stage" as the investigation was yet to be concluded. The JJB had on December 20 held that the teenager would be tried as an adult and directed that he be produced before the Gurgaon sessions court. The JJB had noted that the accused was mature enough to recognise the consequences of his actions. If convicted, the accused will stay in a correctional home till he is 21 years old after which the court can shift him to a jail or grant him bail, it had said. The board had earlier rejected the bail plea of the Class 11 Ryan International School student. It had set up a committee which included a psychologist from the PGI, Rohtak, for an expert opinion on the accused, who was taken into custody by the CBI in November 2017. The Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015 lowers the age of juveniles from 18 years to 16 years for heinous crimes such as rape, murder and dacoity-cum- murder, which warrant at least seven years of imprisonment. However, the JJB first decides whether the crime was "child-like" or was it committed in an "adult frame of mind", following which it orders the accused to be tried as juvenile or adult. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah today said the "fight" in the upcoming Assembly polls in the state would be between between two ideologies -- communalism and secularism. "It's not between Siddaramaiah versus BJP, it is not between me versus Narendra Modi... it is not between Siddaramaiah and Yeddyurappa; it is between two ideologies- Congress versus BJP," he told reporters in Chikkamagalur. He termed the Congress a secular party and said, "We believe in secularism and are committed to it, while the BJP is a communal party." "This is the ideological difference between the BJP and the Congress. The fight would be between communalism and secularism," Siddaramaiah said. Assembly polls in Karnataka are scheduled this year. The chief minister reiterated that the government would take stringent action against organisations instigating "communal sentiments" in the state. "Any organisation that instigates communal sentiments, the government will be merciless against them, in accordance with the law," he said. Siddaramaiah's comments come at a time when the coastal region of the state remained on the edge over a spate of killings of "Hindu activists". In the latest incident, 28-year-old Deepak Rao, who was associated with the Bajrang Dal and the VHP, was hacked to death by a four-member gang on Wednesday, following which simmering tension prevailed in Dakshina Kannada district. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Congress president Rahul Gandhi has decided that all state unit chiefs of the party will continue in their posts until orders to replace them are issued. Gandhi took the decision amid speculation that Pradesh Congress units would see new presidents and teams after the organisational elections. "Congress president Rahul Gandhi has taken a decision that the presidents of all Pradesh Congress Committees (PCC), Regional Congress Committees and Territorial Congress Committees, will continue in their posts after the organisational elections, unless some decision is taken to replace them," a statement by AICC, general secretary, Janardan Dwivedi said. Gandhi was elected as the Congress president unopposed in organisational elections of the party last month. In another order, Gandhi asked Chhattisgarh Congress chief Bhupesh Baghel to continue in his post and appointed Ram Dayal Uike and Shiv Kumar Dhahariya as the working presidents of the PCC. Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leader T S Singdeo will continue in his post and Kawasi Lakma will be the deputy CLP leader of the party in the Chhattisgarh Assembly. Gandhi also formed seven committees for the Chhattisgarh Congress ahead of the assembly elections later this year in the state. Baghel would head the Pradesh Election Committee, Singdeo the Election Manifesto Committee and Charandas Mahant would be the chairman of the Election Campaign Committee of the state's unit. Bodhram Kanwar would be the chairman of the Disciplinary Committee, Shailesh Nitin Trivedi would head the Communications Department and Ravinder Chaubey the Planning and Strategy Committee of the Chhattisgarh PCC. Ramgopal Agrawal would chair the Election Publicity committee. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Actor-comedian Stephen Fry has stepped down from hosting the BAFTA Awards after 12 years and is looking forward to watching the show in the comfort of his home. The 60-year-old star took over hosting responsibilities back in 2001 - the year Ridley Scott's "Gladiator" won - and became a much-loved fixture of the UK awards ceremony. He had a break from hosting duties between 2007-11. "Every one of the twelve BAFTA film award ceremonies that I had the privilege of hosting has a place in my memory. The mixture of glamour, glory, drama and - occasionally - embarrassment and hiccup holds a unique place in the British film calendar. Over the last two decades I have especially loved watching the emergence of new young film talent behind and in front of the camera. "But after so long a time I felt it only right to stand down and let others take the BAFTAs on to new heights and greater glories. What fun it will be to watch BAFTA 2018 without my heart hammering, mouth drying and knees trembling," Fry said in a statement to BBC. BAFTA thanked him for making the awards "such memorable and joyous occasions". A replacement will be announced on Tuesday, when this year's nominees are revealed. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Eminent agriculture scientist M S Swaminathan has appreciated the Telangana government for supplying power 24 hours a day to farmers in the state. "I am very happy to see your announcement that Telangana will provide farmers with 24/7 power supply. This will be a great boon to the farmers particularly since Telangana is by and large a dry farming state," Swaminathan wrote in a letter addressed to state Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao. The letter added that "crop life saving irrigation is vital for the success of agriculture." The letter was released to the media here today. The Telangana government began supplying 24/7 free power to farmers since January 1 this year. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) copyright All original content appearing on any page or part of this blog/website, including (but not limited to) written text, photography, art, and the banner at the pagehead, is strictly copyright, borrowedflesh.blogspot.com remains the sole property of the author. All rights reserved. Send queries via luis.blasini@yahoo.com. India and Indonesia, as close maritime neighbours, are "natural partners" in peace and prosperity, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj said today as she held talks with her Indonesian counterpart here. "We are two major countries in the Indo-Pacific region. This region is among the most dynamic regions in the world. We agreed to develop synergetic relationship to harness the potential of Indo-Pacific region and to meet the challenges that the region faces," Swaraj said after co-chairing the fifth meeting of the Joint Commission with Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi. She said the meeting was held in a warm and friendly atmosphere and the two sides reviewed the whole gamut of bilateral relations. "During our discussions, there was clear recognition that India and Indonesia, as two close maritime neighbours, are natural partners in peace and prosperity. We unequivocally condemned terrorism in all its forms, irrespective of its motivation and origin. "We expressed our strong opposition to any selective approaches to deal with this global menace, and called upon all countries to stop providing state sponsorship of terrorism and prevent their territories being used for establishing terrorist safe havens. "Overall, the meeting today was substantive, productive and future oriented. I believe that the fifth meeting of the Joint Commission would lead to further deepening of the strategic partnership between our two countries," Swaraj said. She said Indonesia, as one of the largest countries, the most diverse democracy, and the biggest economy in ASEAN, has a critical role to play in evolution of the new security architecture in the Indo-Pacific region. "Foreign Minister Retno conveyed Indonesia's determination to play its part and make due contributions to the ongoing efforts to strengthen rule and respect of law. I welcomed it and conveyed India's commitment for peace, security and development in the region," she said. "We agreed to enhance our consultations and cooperation on maritime issues including on UNCLOS with a view to strengthen rule of law and to ensure the freedom of navigation and safety of sea lanes of communication. "Foreign Minister Retno expressed appreciation for increase of Indian tourists to Indonesia. We agreed on expansion of civil aviation links to further enhance bilateral economic and tourism ties," Swaraj said. "I expressed the importance of addressing the high trade deficit that India has with Indonesia and conveyed that the best way to address this issue is not to restrict trade but to increase it. The two countries also agreed to work together for a balanced and sustainable trade by providing greater market access, both in goods and services, she said. They also discussed the increasing demand for skill development in both countries as both have a large proportion of young population. Swaraj conveyed that India will continue its skill development assistance in the form of short term training programmes and scholarships. "Currently India offers close to 150 training slots and scholarships. We agreed to further strengthen our cooperation in education sector. Foreign Minister Retno expressed desire to further deepen cooperation in ICT and healthcare especially pharmaceutical sector," she said. Earlier, Swaraj called on Indonesian Vice President Muhammad Jusuf Kalla and discussed ways to strengthen the strategic partnership between the two nations. Swaraj, who arrived here from Thailand on the second leg of her three-nation tour, was given a warm welcome. She will also call on Indonesian President Joko Widodo, and have other official engagements, including an interaction with the representatives of the Indian community. As the biggest country in the ASEAN region with the largest economy, Indonesia is an important partner for India including in trade and strategic matters, the Ministry of External Affairs had said. Swaraj will also visit Singapore and there she will inaugurate the Regional Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (PBD) of ASEAN countries on January 7. Her three-nation visit is part of New Delhi's efforts to hold bilateral interactions in various sectors with countries of the South East Asian region within the framework of India's 'Act East' policy. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Pakistan on Saturday said that those providing funds to banned groups, including the so-called charities run by Mumbai attack mastermind Hafiz Saeed, will face up to 10 years in prison along with a hefty fine. The warning was part of a countrywide advertisement in Urdu, which has been published in all major local newspapers of the country. The advertisement lists 72 groups, including Jamat-ud- Dawa, Falah-e-Insaniyat Foundation and Lashkar-e-Tabia of Saeed and Jaish-e-Mohammad of Masood Azhar. It said that according to the Anti-Terrorism Act of 1997 of Pakistan and under UN Security Council act of 1948 it was a crime to provide funding to those groups which have been banned or are on the watchlist. ALSO READ: US to rope in China in bid to make Pakistan shut down terror safe havens Those giving funds to such individuals or groups may face "five to 10 years in jail or up to Rs 10 million fine or both", it said. Their movable or immovable property can also be confiscated. Pakistan has banned Saeed-led JuD and FIF from collecting donations on Monday, after President Donald Trump accused Islamabad of giving nothing to the US but "lies and deceit" and providing "safe haven" to terrorists. Trump, in a scathing tweet, at the start of the new year said that Pakistan fooled American authorities and got $33 billion in the name of fighting terrorism. ALSO READ: US looks at options to mitigate retaliation from Pakistan The government has banned companies and individuals from making donations to the JuD, the FIF and other organisations on the UNSC sanctions list. The advertisement reminds the people that they should make sure that their money given as charity does not end up in wrong hands. The move comes after the US increased pressure on Pakistan to move decisively against all militants groups allegedly operating from its soil. Police have arrested three persons from Nashik and Indore for allegedly peddling drugs. Police said that one of the persons arrested has several cases against his name including an offence under the stringent Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA). Additional Commissioner of Police (Crime) Makarand Ranade said that Akram Aslam Khan (30) from Ganjmal in Nashik has over 18 different offences of house breaking, theft and chain-snatching against his name in Nashik and Mumbai apart from the MCOCA charge. Based on information, a trap was laid on January 3 near Nitin Chowk by officials of the Crime Branch's Unit V and Khan was nabbed, he said. The official added that 822 gms of the drug MDMA (methylenedioxymethamphetamine) in powder form, valued at Rs. 16.44 lakhs, was seized from Khan. Khan's arrest led the cops to two others from Indore, Raisuddin Sallauddin Shaikh (45) and Ajay Jadhavan (40), who were arrested from Indore yesterday, police said. A case under relevant sections of the Narcotics and Psychotropic Drugs (NDPS) Act was registered with the Wagle Estate police station, they added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The forest department of Telangana today held a meeting with volunteers who would take part in the state's leg of the All-India Tiger Estimation 2018, popularly referred to as the "tiger census". The census, to begin on January 22, will go on till January 29 and will be conducted simultaneously across the country, officials said. It is conducted nationwide once every four years. A state government release stated that in today's meeting, the volunteers were explained the task ahead of them as part of the census. The volunteers would assist the forest personnel in the survey, the release added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A trader was looted of Rs 5 lakh cash by motorcycle-borne men here, following which locals blocked the Naujhil Bajna road demanding immediate arrest of the perpetrators. Kishan Chandra Gupta, who owns a grocery shop in Bara Bazaar, was robbed in an area under the Bajna police outpost. The protesters blocked the road for over three hours and dispersed after SP (Rural) Aditya Kumar Shukla assured them speedy investigations into the case. "If found guilty, action would be taken against the staff posted at Bajna police outpost," he said. However, SSP Swapnil Mamgai said, "Action would be taken against the police personnel at the outpost as they did not chase the looters." Shops in the area were closed in protest, however opened after assurances from the police. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik today said the formation of a tribunal is the only way to resolve the Mahanadi river water dispute with Chhattisgarh. The two states have been at loggerheads for the past three years over the sharing of Mahanadi waters. "We have met before without any results. We ask them (Centre and Chhattisgarh) to stop work of barrages. The then Union Water Resources Minister Uma Bharati said that the Central government has no power to do so," Patnaik said. Patnaik was responding to a question during an interactive session at a round-table conclave here. The chief minister was asked whether he would meet Union Water Resources Minister Nitin Gadkari, who in a letter to him, proposed another round of talks to resolve the dispute. "I request you to communicate a date convenient to you for the discussion so that I am able to fix the meeting at the earliest in consultation with the CM, Chhattisgarh," Gadkari had written to Patnaik on January 2. While justifying his government's demand for a tribunal to resolve the river water dispute, Patnaik said: "We have asked clearly to form a tribunal where both the states - Odisha and Chhattisgarh -- can come up with their points for judicial outcome." Meanwhile, the ruling BJD vice-president Debi Prasad Mishra in a press meet alleged that the Chhattishgarh has violated several laws and constructed six major projects on upstream of river Mahanadi. "These projects are being constructed to feed water to industries and not to meet requirement of irrigation," Mishra alleged. Mishra also alleged that though the BJP was aware of the violation of laws, the party-led central government was not taking any action against the violatos for political reasons. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) President Donald Trump today supported a top American Senator's proposal for a bill to stop the US aid to Pakistan for failing to clamp down on terror groups and divert the money for building roads and bridges in the US. "Good idea Rand!" Trump tweeted, sharing a video of Republican Senator Rand Paul promoting his bill to stop US aid to Pakistan and use the money towards domestic infrastructure projects. "I'm introducing a bill to end aid to Pakistan in the coming days. My bill will take the money that would have gone to Pakistan and put it in an infrastructure fund to build roads and bridges here at home," Paul said. "The US should not give one penny to countries that burn our flag and chant Death to America. Countries like Pakistan that stonewall access to key information in fighting terrorism don't deserve our money," Paul said. The Trump administration yesterday suspended about USD 2 billion in security aid to Pakistan for failing to clamp down on the Afghan Taliban and the Haqqani Network terror groups and dismantle their safe havens. The freezing of all security assistance to Pakistan comes after President Trump in a New Year's Day tweet accused the country of giving nothing to the US but "lies and deceit" and providing "safe haven" to terrorists in return for USD 33 billion aid over the last 15 years. The suspended amount also include USD 255 million in Foreign Military Funding (FMF) for the fiscal year 2016 as mandated by the Congress. In addition, the Department of Defense has suspended the entire USD 900 million of the Coalition Support Funds (CSF) money to Pakistan for the fiscal year 2017 and other unspent money from previous fiscal years. According to a senior Trump administration official, Trump is "frustrated" at Pakistans inability to take decisive actions against terrorist groups. "He's talking with leaders of countries in the region. He is monitoring Pakistan and how Pakistan has reacted to our requests," said the official on condition of anonymity. "It is a matter of frustration (for him). And the kind of information that was coming to him was not satisfying in terms of what we're looking for from Pakistan to support the South Asia strategy," the official said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) President Donald Trump has asked Congress to set aside nearly USD 18 billion over the next 10 years to build or extend the long border wall separating the US from Mexico, providing an insight into how he will fulfil his signature 2016 presidential campaign pledge. Trump has promised to "a big, beautiful wall" with Mexico as a centerpiece of his presidency but offered few details of where it would be built, when and at what cost. The wall, he said, is important to stop the flow of illegal migrants and drugs into the country. The US Customs and Border Protection document calls for a total of USD 33 billion in new border spending, including USD 18 billion for the wall, USD 5.7 billion for technology gear, USD 1 billion for road construction and maintenance and USD 8.5 billion for 5,000 new Border Patrol agents, 2,500 border inspectors and other personnel, the US official said. The proposal, If carried out as described, by 2027, about 1,552 kilometres of the 3218 kilometres southwest border would have some sort of fencing or wall separating the US from Mexico. The opposition Democratic party immediately described as a waste of tax payer's money. "Spending USD 18 billion on a useless border wall is a non-starter for House Democrats," House Democratic Caucus Chairman Joe Crowley said. "This is alarming," said House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi in a dear colleague letter. In a statement Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin said it's outrageous that the White House would undercut months of bipartisan efforts by again trying to put its entire wish-list of hardline anti-immigrant billsplus an additional USD 18 billion in wall fundingon the backs of these people. In its letter to Durbin, the Homeland Security said that it is essential to note that this submission represents only one element of the President's overall immigration priorities. "Effective border security will not be successful unless we close dangerous legal loopholes that enable illegal immigration and visa overstays. If these loopholes are not closed, and enforcement capabilities are not enhanced, our immigration system and border cannot be secured," it said. According to Wall Street Journal, which first reported about it, the document envisions the wall project unfolding over 10 years. Congressman Ral Manuel Grijalva said the US-Mexico border region already boasts more than 1046 plus kilometres of physical barriers, thousands of Border Patrol agents, and billions in 'border security measures'. "The vast majority of the 12 million people who call the borderlands home are vehemently opposed to building even more barriers, especially when historically low numbers of individuals are attempting to cross them," he said. "Trump and the Republicans who still sympathise with his maniac obsessions would rather waste USD 18 billion on a border wall than fund critical programmes that invest in the American people. It is also alarming that Trump continues to toy with the lives of more than 800,000 DREAMers," the Congressman said. Since day one, his bait-and-switch approach to DREAMers has done nothing more than stop all progress we have made to ensure a permanent and fair fix to the DACA programme. To now pool the issue of border security with that of DREAMers who are American in all ways except under a document is an outstanding showcase of his callousness, he alleged. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Two policemen including the Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Shyampur police station were injured when a mob attacked them in Howrah district, police said today. The OC of Shyampur police station Suman Das with a police team had gone to Bargarchomukh village yesterday night after hearing reports of the clash between two groups over property dispute, they said. When the police were trying to disperse the two groups, the OC and another policeman were attacked by a mob, the police said. The injured OC has been admitted to hospital, they said adding a large police contingent later went to the spot and brought the situation under control. Seven persons have been arrested in connection with the attack on the OC, they added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Union Commerce and Industry Minister Suresh Prabhu today said a delegation of experts will soon visit the Konkan region to explore opportunities for "make in Konkan". Speaking at the inauguration of 6th Global Kokan Festival here, Prabhu said that the "Make in India" initiative of the Centre will be successful only if it happens at the state and district levels. "As Railway Minister I had undertaken a program of developing a joint tourism circuit including Konkan and Goa regions. Now as Minister for Commerce and Industry I want to take the Make in India concept to the Konkan," he said. "We want to explore how the startup programme of the Centre can be implemented here," he added. The 5-day event is expected to attract around 3-4 lakh visitors across the state. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The White House has reportedly been granted access to a print of Steven Spielberg's Oscar- tipped newspaper drama "The Post" for screenings. According to the Hollywood Reporter, Donald Trump's team made a request to show the film at both the White House and Camp David, where the president is set to hold a summit over the weekend. The film, which stars Meryl Streep and Tom Hanks, tells the story of the journalists who fought against the government in the 70s to publish classified information about the administration's failings in the Vietnam war. Both Streep and Hanks have publicly criticised Trump. Hanks recently said that if "The Post" did screen at the White House, he would not attend. "Individually we have to decide when we take to the ramparts. You don't take to the ramparts necessarily right away, but you do have to start weighing things. You may think: 'You know what? I think now is the time.' "This is the moment where, in some ways, our personal choices are going to have to reflect our opinions. We have to start voting, actually, before the election. So, I would probably vote not to go," he told The Hollywood Reporter last month. "The Post" is nominated for six awards at Golden Globes. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Three armed men allegedly raped a woman after taking her husband and brother-in-law hostage at gunpoint in a forest near Bhadawal village here, police said today. The incident took place when the family was crossing a river on Banda-Chitrakoot border. The woman, a resident of Chitrakoot district, had yesterday come to Gaurikhanpur village here along with her husband and brother-in-law to meet their relatives, Additional Superintendent of Police Lal Bharat Kumar Pal said. When they were returning to their home, they were taken hostage by the three men at gunpoint near Bhadawal village, he said. The three armed men then raped the woman in a hut in nearby jungle, Pal said, adding after the act, they fled from the spot. On the basis of a complaint, an FIR was registered against the three accused men late last night, police said. Police have launched a manhunt to nab the culprits, they said, adding the woman has been sent for medical examination. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Themed around 'Environment and Climate Change', the 26th New Delhi World Book Fair opened here today with a call for increased awareness and efforts to protect the environment. The 9-day annual event was inaugurated by environmentalist Sunita Narain, European Union ambassador to India Tomasz Kozlowski, National Book Trust chairman Baldev Bhai Sharma and Madhu Ranjan Kumar, Joint Secy- Minister of Human Resource Development. Addressing the visitors through a video conference, HRD minister Prakash Javadekar said that climate change awareness is important as humans have exploited earth beyond limits. "We have taken more from the earth than it could offer. It is about time we realised the importance of awareness, and it won't be possible without collective efforts by not wasting electricity, water; by taking bicycle to travel or by walking more instead of using petrol and diesel-run vehicles," the minister said. Author-environmentalist Sunita Narain also spoke strongly about the effects of climate change and the need for awareness calling it the "biggest threat faced by the poorest of the poor". "The western world is talking and negotiating about environment change, they are holding meetings while here in India we are witnessing climate change with extreme cold, extreme drought and extreme rains. "It is no more an upcoming event, climate change is here. And the worst affected are the poorest people, the farmers, the marginalised. We don't need to be told about climate change, we are living it," she said. The book fair has a dedicated theme pavillion in Hall 7 E with books in English, Hindi and other Indian languages on environment-related issues like climate change, global warming, water and air pollution. Kozlowski also emphasised the role of books in spreading awareness about climate change. "The most important aspect of a book fair is the participation for general public, and with the event's theme of environment and climate change we hope to spread the message to as many people as possible. "The fair has a very high reputation of creating awareness and bringing change in the society. It is a medium to develop cultural ties between India and the European countries," the ambassador said. Over 20 European Union countries will participate with a delegation of publishers, editors and authors. The EU pavilion will also showcase some of the latest publications in English and other European languages along with panel discussions, talks, photo exhibits and cultural performances. Apart from the EU nations, more than 40 countries including Canada, China, Egypt, Pakistan and United Kingdom will participate in the book fair. In authors corner, visitors can get to interact with some of the well-known writers like Ruskin Bond, Jerry Pinto, Michael Creighton, Paro Anand, Mridula Garg and Ranjit Lal among others. The author interactions will be held at five Authors Corners in Reflections (Hall 11), Conversations (Hangar over lake), International Events Corner (Hall 7A), Lekhak Manch (Hall 12-12A), and Sahitya Manch (Hall 8). (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Former Infosys Chief Financial Officer V Balakrishnan today praised the company's co-founder Nandan Nilekani for correcting the 'wrongdoings' committed by previous board, by fixing a reasonable salary for the incumbent CEO. "I think the board under Nandan has done the right thing to correct the previous wrongdoings... The salary structure for the current Chief Executive Officer Salil Parekh looks reasonable with a large part tied to variable salary with greater focus on long-term retention," he told PTI here. Balakrishnan said it is important for the board to clearly articulate the performance metrics for the vesting of variable salaries to senior management. "The metrics should have clear focus on increasing shareholders' value by achieving superior growth.. If the board wants to exercise any discretion it should be explained to the shareholders with proper reasoning," he said. Infosys has fixed Parekh's salary at Rs 6.5 crores with an eligibility for variable pay of Rs 9.75 crores at the end of the 2018-2019 fiscal year. Elaborating on the 'wrongdoings' by the previous board, Balakrishnan said, "unfortunately, it never clearly understood the culture or value systems followed by Infosys under its founders, which resulted in excessive senior management salaries and a huge disconnect with rest of the organisation." "The former CEO's (Vishal Sikka) salary was increased substantially without clear reason while the rest of the organisation had to contend with meager salary hikes and reduced variable compensation," he added. The USD 20 billion target by 2020 was loosely used to justify the pay increase to the CEO that lacked conviction, Balakrishnan alleged. Recalling N R Narayana Murthy's views, he said excess in capitalism will make the acceptance of capitalism difficult to a large section of the society. "The CEO compensation should be reasonable enough to attract top talent while at the same time be comparable with peer group companies," the company's former CFO said. "It should also reflect the realities within the organization otherwise selling it internally will be difficult," he added. Balakrishnan also said when the founders ran the company, the senior management salaries were reasonable enough to attract top talent and were never considered excessive. Also, in difficult times, the leadership took the pain before it being passed on to rest of the organisation, he added. "Leadership by example was practiced both in substance and form," Balakrishnan said. He also said, "As a shareholder, I want the board to be restructured quickly with some members who were part of the earlier dispensation like the erstwhile co-chairman (Ravi Venkatesan) and audit committee chairman (Roopa Kudva) be replaced." An effective board is the need of the hour to establish proper checks and balances that was lacking in the earlier dispensation, Balakrishnan said. news, latest-news When you see puppets on screen, you'd normally expect them to be teaching children about letters and numbers on a street with giant birds and grouches who live in garbage cans. For Canberran Caroline Simone O'Brien, her films involving puppets have them taking on more adult situations and problems from everyday life. "It takes something from being a kid, and it also takes into that child-like wonder and also being a bit naughty at the same time, and that makes it more joyful," she said. "I just wanted to bring joy to people and puppets bring out the kid in all of us." Her latest short film Felt Help, is set to be screened at the Hollywood International Moving Picture Film Festival later this month in Los Angeles. The 11-minute film focuses on two puppets looking for inspiration and love, who meet in the "felt-help" section of a spiritual book store. The film is the first one where the actress has been behind the camera, both writing and producing. She said the idea behind the movie was stuck in her head for several months and wouldn't go away. "I wanted to do something around kind humour, laughing but not at other people's expense. All of my humour is pun-based," she said. "While the puppets are attached to a human, the human is just an appendage. One of the puppets in the film is attached to a good-looking actor, and people have trouble focusing on the puppet." All of the films Ms O'Brien has produced feature her own puppet creation called Lady Puppet, which she put together after ordering it online. "I was able to select the eyes and the colour and I tried to make it as close to looking like me as possible," she said. Since Felt Help's release, the film has gone on to play at multiple film festivals, making the selection for the Love Film Screening in New York, and winning an award at the Los Angeles Short Film Festival. It hasn't been the only success for the Canberran as the previous film involving puppets which she starred in, Puppet Life, also won best film at the Santa Monica International Film Festival. "The [upcoming] film festival is the last one that Felt Help is going to be in, so it's not an Oscar qualifier, but it leads on to bigger things," Ms O'Brien said. "Once you start collecting awards for film, they're more likely to accept films into bigger festivals like Sundance." Post-production is under way on a sequel called Soapy Medium, which will be directed by New Zealander William Kircher, who played the dwarf Bifur in The Hobbit trilogy. While she lives in Los Angeles, Ms O'Brien still returns to Canberra regularly, and also teaches improvisation classes to budding actors in the capital. /images/transform/v1/crop/frm/silverstone-ct-migration/da520423-8c12-4269-a242-0f846c6c1d38/r0_110_2000_1240_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg news, latest-news Four Canberra childcare providers have been named and shamed on a public register released by the federal government on Saturday. The blacklist, part of the Turnbull government's crackdown on the notorious day care sector, showed the four operators had their funding cancelled or suspended between July 2016 and September 2017. One had its funding cancelled because of fraud, while the other three had their funding immediately suspended because of non-compliance with the law. It is the first time the federal government has used a public register to name and shame dodgy operators in the sector. All four Canberra providers named appear to be no longer operating in the territory. The Canberra Times made calls to the mobile numbers listed online for each of the providers, and found they were either disconnected, or no longer receiving incoming calls. A search on the Australian Children's Education and Care Quality Authority confirms none of the named providers are currently approved providers. Federal Education Minister Simon Birmingham said the register was published as a warning to non-compliant childcare centres that they would be "hung out to dry" by the Turnbull government. "Those who go down the wrong path should be held to account for their actions," he said. "This is about making sure the track record of child care providers is crystal clear to families." Along with the states, the federal government has ramped up monitoring of unscrupulous day care practices through a dedicated taskforce, saving an estimated $1.8 billion since 2014 through compliance checks. The loss of Commonwealth subsidies does not automatically shut down a childcare centre. It is the states and territories that have responsibility for regulation and checking compliance. However, it would be difficult for a provider to continue operating without access to federal government assistance. There were 179 dodgy operators named on the federal government's new list, many of which had their entitlements suspended or cancelled due to fraud. Typically, the scams work by childcare providers claiming subsidies for extra children, or claiming money for hours they didn't work. The family day care sector primarily consists of small, at-home operators looking after four to six children at a time. In October 2015, ACT education authorities shut down Long Life Family Day Care after they were unable, despite extensive checks, to confirm there were any children under the organisation's care. In 16 months of business, the operator had received more than $1.6 million in subsidies. In 2016, the ACT government confirmed the provider was out of business for good. The federal government's new register revealed that Flynn childcare provider, Creative Kids Family Day Care, had its funding cancelled in July 2016 because of fraud. The list says the provider made a false statement or document and fraudulently obtained fee reductions. The list also says the provider failed to meet its obligations under the law, and has also not complied with a condition to have a suitable person operate the service. In Pearce, Almighty God Blessing Family Day Care, had its funding immediately suspended from March last year because of non-compliance with the law. Australian Education and Training Services in Belconnen was also stripped of its entitlements for non-compliance, with an immediate suspension from October 2016. In Downer, Great Beginnings and Future Family Day Care had its funding immediately suspended from August 2016, also for non-compliance. Immediate suspensions apply if the centre is breaking the law, if there is an imminent threat to children's health and safety, or in "urgent circumstances". No centre that has lost its government subsidy has had it reinstated. The Compliance Action Register will be updated every three months and is published by the federal Department of Education. /images/transform/v1/crop/frm/silverstone-ct-migration/9552901f-4c27-4ef3-82cb-049bf0a1567d/r0_101_2000_1231_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg With nearly three decades of service invested in the U.S. Army, a former Caloosa Elementary School student was recently assigned to the Pentagon at the Department of Defense. Lt. Col. Byron Christopher Pateras, who was enrolled at the school until fifth grade when his family moved to Maryland, took over the new position in October. Pateras is a senior ranking officer in the Army G-3/5/7, Headquarters, Department of the Army, and is preparing to make colonel one day. Im responsible for the policy, planning and strategy for the Western Hemisphere, which is Latin America, he said. I have influence, and I have direct communication its a huge responsibility. The father of three teens, Pateras enlisted in the Army when he was only 17 himself. I told myself Id do 20 years and get out, he said. I always like giving back to the country, Pateras noted of why he has stayed. He first became involved with the military after joining the JROTC program at his high school. At the time, Pateras was the first in his family to follow a military career path and he is still the only one. Pateras served for four years and then entered The Citadel in Charleston, South Carolina. In 1997, he was named a battalion commander at the age of 24. It made him a top-ranking cadet and one of four battalion commanders to hold the second highest senior rank of lieutenant colonel in Corps of Cadets. At The Citadel, he became friends with another solider with Cape roots Daniel W. Eggers. We went to The Citadel together and we were neighbors at Fort Bragg, Pateras said. He was just a great guy. He was unbelievable, just a super guy, he added. We lost a truly great officer (with his passing), a huge loss. U.S. Army Capt. Daniel W. Eggers, 28, died May 29, 2004, near Kandahar, Afghanistan, when the vehicle he was riding in hit an IED. Three other personnel with him Spc. Joseph A. Jeffries, Sgt. 1st Class Robert J. Morgensen and Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Brian J. Ouellette were also killed. In 1998, Pateras graduated with a bachelors degree in political science. He re-entered the Army Special Forces, becoming a platoon leader and a Green Beret. Pateras was assigned to the 82nd Airborne Division, the 75th Ranger Regiment and the 7th Special Forces Group. Pateras focused on being a foreign area officer, with a concentration in Latin America. I have been in just about every country in Latin America, minus two or three of them, he said. Im fluent in Spanish, Portuguese, Pateras added. He also served a year in Afghanistan. Pateras later was assigned to the U.S. Army Southern Command in Miami under a four-star general. I worked on his staff in planning and operations, he said, adding that he was also a generals executive officer. It was really interesting. It gave me a chance to see how general officers operate and think, how they got to be where theyre at how the Army runs at the executive level. Pateras then became head of personnel at Fort Knox in Kentucky. He explained that he oversaw the assigning of officers in Latin America, Africa and part of Asia, before heading out to Colombia. I was working in Bogota, Colombia, for a little over two years, Pateras said of his most recent assignment prior to the Pentagon position. I worked with the ministry and the government of Colombia and basically assisted and advised them in security cooperation. In charge of the Army programs set up in Colombia, which consisted of approximately $160 million, Pateras oversaw about 40 U.S. personnel and worked directly with the head of the Colombia army. That was the first time Ive ever done something like that, he said. Hes the equivalent of a four-star general. Pateras also got to work with the Colombia forces, like taking part in high altitude low opening or HALO parachute jumps. I got to train with them, he said. Asked what kept him going beyond the 20-year mark, Pateras cited a couple reasons. Just the people, the environment. Everybody looks out for everybody, he said. I like working for the Department of Defense because its a very mission-focused team-orientated type of work. Its a very high-operational tempo kind of environment. Pateras added that there is flexibility, like becoming a pilot, doctor or such. The upside of the military is you can do anything you really want to do, he said. The downside one may not always end up in a location where they want. The Department of Defense may tell you where you have to go, but no matter where you end up, youll always be around good people, Pateras said. Pateras is the son of Byron and Alice Pateras, who relocated back to the Cape upon retiring. Florida is in the midst of an affordable housing crisis. Unfortunately, our governor and state lawmakers are only making matters worse. Our state leaders continue to engage in a rob-Peter-to-pay-Paul money grab that has contributed to a shortage of affordable housing across Florida. Dont be confused about the definition of affordable housing. Its not strictly housing for poor people. If you spend more than 30 percent of your income on rent or for a mortgage, your housing is unaffordable. What used to be a South Florida problem is now popping up in other communities throughout the state. The problem is creeping north to Orlando and Lakeland, where median home prices of $247,000 are rising far faster than the median salaries of $54,000. The bottom line unfortunately is that fewer Floridians can afford a home. Their salaries simply arent keeping pace with the rising costs of rents and mortgages. State government has a remedy, the William Sadowski Housing Trust Fund which is a state revenue designated for affordable housing. It uses doc stamp surcharges on real estate transactions to help develop more reasonably priced housing in Florida. Unfortunately, our governor and Legislature continue taking the Sadowski funds intended for affordable housing for other priorities, like pet legislative projects, staff salaries and tax cuts. In his proposed 2018-19 budget, Gov. Rick Scott recommended taking $154 million from the Sadowski fund to pay for other state expenses. Floridians need the Sadowski funds to ensure reasonably priced housing costs. Affordable housing provides stability by ensuring employees and businesses that local workers can live near their jobs. The good news is that Florida can reverse a long and devastating trend of budget hijinks. Communicate with State leaders Use the Sadowskis estimated $322 million for its intended purpose affordable housing. In this upcoming legislative session, state lawmakers should keep the Sadowski funds intact and spend the money on options to stem high-priced housing. Paulette Burdick is Palm Beach County Commissioner To the editor: Our alleged representative in Washington, Francis Rooney, should immediately resign from office. To begin with, he voted for the Trump Take from the Middle Class and suck up to the Rich Tax Not Reform Bill. As a government contractor feeding at the public trough Francis has enriched himself beyond comprehension; voting for the Fat Cat Tax Bill was at the very least a gross conflict of interest if viewed charitably; felonious may be the more applicable description. Secondly, Francis has come out, an appropriate term, as a Roy Moore Republican. Really, Francis, dont you think there are enough religious psychopaths and perverts in Washington already? And last; why did the person ever think that Stalinist verbiage was appropriate, purge indeed. I feel that Southwest Florida would be best served by a candidate more in touch with reality and less with Trump. I suggest the mayor of San Juan, Carmen Yulin Cruz, who has demonstrated possession of, politely speaking, backbone and integrity. I would use another descriptive term but I do not want to offend any but Rooney and his pals. Mrs. Cruz can use my house for her qualifying residence; we have a couple of empty bedrooms and wifi, and she is welcome to them. And Comcast. I know that the Hispanic community is not homogeneous, and Americans of Puerto Rican, Mexican, Cuban, Honduran, etc., descent, may not all be on the same page, but Mayor Cruz can, I believe, unify the Hispanic vote and grab enough votes from the rest of us to be a shoe in and a thorn in the side of the jerks in D.C. Dan Schutzman Cape Coral To the editor: It seems that every day theres a new revelation leading us down the same path as Nazi Germany. First and foremost, theres been the political assault on our Constitutionally-protected free press. President Trump continues his relentless assault on the free press calling the free press the enemy of the people. Any student of political history knows the importance of a free press in preserving a democratic society. The free press is actually the enemy of tyranny. Only tyrants attack the free press. Other indicators of our rapid slide down a slippery slope to totalitarianism are the White House and U.S. Congressional attacks on the Constitutional rights of average Americans, including consumer rights and employee rights, mostly in favor of corporate power and profits. The latest assault on our Democracy is a call by Francis Rooney, a U.S. Congressional Representative, to purge federal government agencies of employees who are not loyal to President Trump. Is Rooney suggesting that all federal employees be required to take a loyalty oath of support for Donald Trump? It appears so. Its understandable that Francis Rooney and his GOP colleagues are concerned about the outcome of the Russia investigations, investigations that Donald Trump insists are a witch hunt. But the GOP extreme efforts to discredit these investigations, efforts that are undermining our judicial system, add credence to the concerns of Russian interference and Trump collusion with Russia to affect the outcome of the 2016 election. If Francis Rooney and the GOP actually believed that there was no collusion and want to end Russian interference in our elections, then they would fully back the Mueller investigation and stop stonewalling Congressional investigations into Russian interference, and would let the resulting facts lead us to the truth. Unfortunately, the truth is that Francis Rooney and the GOP are instead putting Party before patriotism, which is washing away the very foundation of our Democratic Republic. Russell Moody Cape Coral Posted 1/5/18 The York College Concert Choir will offer a free performance on Wednesday, Jan. 10 at 7 p.m., at the Shewmaker Center at Buffalo High School, 500 West Main Street. All are invited to attend this UPDATE: The Florida Department of Health in Lee County is removing its advisory regarding high bacteria levels at Tarpon Bay Beach. Tests completed today for Enterococcus bacteria in water samples taken Jan. 8 showed levels under the maximum contaminant level. Enterococcus bacteria normally inhabit the intestinal tract of humans and animals. The presence of an elevated concentration of the bacteria is an indicator of pollution, which may come from storm water runoff, pets, wildlife or sewage. Elevated levels of Enterococcus bacteria have been associated with an increased risk of swimming-associated gastroenteritis illness diarrhea and abdominal pain. For more information, call 239-274-2200. Tarpon Bay Beach is at 111 Tarpon Bay Road, Sanibel. Source: Florida Department of Health in Lee County .. ORIGINAL (1/5/18): The Florida Department of Health in Lee County is advising the public not to enter the water at Tarpon Bay Beach due to high levels of bacteria identified in routine testing, according to the city of Sanibel. Tests completed Friday indicate that the water quality at the Tarpon Bay Beach does not meet the safety criteria for Enterococcus bacteria recommended by the Florida Department of Health. Water contact may pose an increased risk of disease, particularly for susceptible individuals. No wading or swimming at Tarpon Bay Beach is recommended. Enterococcus bacteria normally inhabit the intestinal tract of humans and animals. The presence of an elevated concentration of these bacteria is an indicator of pollution, which may come from storm water runoff, pets, wildlife or sewage. Elevated levels of Enterococcus bacteria have been associated with an increased risk of swimming-associated gastroenteritis illness (diarrhea and abdominal pain). The advisory will continue until bacteria levels are below the accepted health level. New test results should be available for Tarpon Bay Beach on Jan. 9. For more information call 239-274-2200 or go to lee.floridahealth.gov. Tarpon Bay Beach is at 111 Tarpon Bay Road, Sanibel. Source: Florida Department of Health in Lee County Head-turning designs and an engaging driving experience are just two factors in Mazdas move towards the premium space. Above all, the Japan... United States Court of Appeals, Eleventh Circuit. UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, Plaintiff-Appellee, v. DANIEL CASAMAYOR, Defendant-Appellant. No. 16-13616 Decided: January 05, 2018 Before MARTIN, JILL PRYOR, and HULL, Circuit Judges. Following a remand by this Court for resentencing on one count, Daniel Casamayor Rojas (Casamayor) appeals his total sentence of 262 months' imprisonment on multiple counts relating to his planned robbery of a marijuana grow house. After review, we affirm Casamayor's sentence. I. BACKGROUND FACTS A. Guilty Plea and Original Sentencing In 2014, Casamayor pled guilty to: (1) conspiring to commit Hobbs Act robbery, in violation of 18 U.S.C. 1951(a) (Count 1); (2) conspiring to possess with intent to distribute less than 50 kilograms of marijuana, in violation of 21 U.S.C. 841(a)(1), (b)(1)(D) and 846 (Count 2); (3) being a felon in possession of a firearm, in violation of 18 U.S.C. 922(g)(1) and 924(e) (Count 3); (4) conspiring to use and carry a firearm during and in relation to the crime of violence charged in Count 1 and the drug trafficking crime charged in Count 2, and to possess the firearm in furtherance of those crimes, in violation of 18 U.S.C. 924(o) (Count 5); and (5) using and carrying a firearm during and in relation to the crime of violence charged in Count 1 and the drug trafficking crime charged in Count 2, and to possess a firearm in furtherance of those crimes, in violation of 18 U.S.C. 924(c)(1)(A) and 2 (Count 6). At an October 2014 sentencing hearing, the district court determined, inter alia, that Casamayor qualified as a career offender under the Sentencing Guidelines and as an armed career criminal under the Armed Career Criminal Act (ACCA), 18 U.S.C. 924(e)(1)(B). Over Casamayor's objection, the district court further concluded that Casamayor's 2008 Florida conviction for fleeing-at-high-speed was a crime of violence for purposes of U.S.S.G. 4B1.2(a). The district court did not identify which of Casamayor's many other felony convictions supported his ACCA status. As a result of Casamayor's career offender status, the district court determined that Casamayor's advisory guidelines range of 262 to 327 months was preset for all five counts of conviction by the career offender table in U.S.S.G. 4B1.1(c). The district court denied Casamayor's request for a downward variance and chose a 262-month total sentence, at the low end of the advisory guidelines range. Specifically, the district court's total 262-month sentence was composed of: (1) concurrent 202-month sentences on Counts 1, 3 and 5; (2) a 60-month sentence on Count 2, to run concurrent with Counts 1, 3, and 5; and (3) a 60-month sentence on Count 6 to run consecutive to all the other counts. B. First Appeal and Remand In his first appeal, Casamayor argued, inter alia, that he did not qualify as either a career offender under the Sentencing Guidelines or as an armed career criminal under the ACCA. Citing the then-pending Supreme Court case of Johnson v. United States, 576 U.S. ___, 135 S. Ct. 2551 (2015), Casamayor argued that his 2008 Florida fleeing-at-high-speed conviction no longer qualified as a predicate offense for either designation because the residual clauses for both U.S.S.G. 4B1.2(a) and the ACCA were unconstitutionally vague. While Casamayor's appeal was pending, the Supreme Court issued Johnson, which held that the ACCA's residual clause was unconstitutionally vague. Id. at ___, 135 S. Ct. at 2563. On direct appeal, this Court affirmed Casamayor's career offender designation, explaining that Johnson did not address the career offender provisions of the Sentencing Guidelines and that we were bound by United States v. Matchett, 802 F.3d 1185 (11th Cir. 2015), in which this Court had already held that 4B1.2(a)'s residual clause was not unconstitutionally vague in light of Johnson. See United States v. Casamayor, 643 F. App'x 905, 911-12 (11th Cir. 2016). Thus, we affirmed Casamayor's sentences on Counts 1, 2, 5, and 6. Id. at 912. As to Casamayor's ACCA-enhanced sentence on Count 3, however, this Court noted that the district court had not identified which of Casamayor's prior felony convictions it relied upon. Id. at 911. Thus, the Court vacated Casamayor's sentence on Count 3 and remand[ed] for resentencing on that count. Id. at 912. In so doing, the Court stated that on remand, the district court should determine in the first instance whether the ACCA-enhanced sentence of 202 months on Count 3 may be supported by any of Casamayor's other prior felony convictions and if so under what clause. Id. at 911. C. Resentencing on Remand Prior to resentencing, the probation office filed an addendum to the presentence investigation report (PSI). The addendum identified these four of Casamayor's prior convictions that qualified as violent felonies under the ACCA's elements clause: (1) a September 6, 2001 Florida conviction for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, under Florida Statutes 784.021(1)(A) and 775.087(1); (2) a January 31, 2012 Florida conviction for strong-arm robbery that occurred on December 22, 2010, under Florida Statutes 812.13(2)(C) and 777.011; (3) a separate January 31, 2012 Florida conviction for armed robbery with a firearm or deadly weapon that occurred on December 11, 2010, under Florida Statutes 812.13(2)(A), 921.0024(1)(B), and 775.087; and (4) a separate January 31, 2012 Florida conviction for strong-arm robbery, under Florida Statutes 812.13(2)(C) and 777.011, and aggravated battery with great bodily harm, under Florida Statutes 784.045(1)(a)1 and 777.011, both of which occurred on January 8, 2011. Casamayor filed written objections to the PSI. As to his status under the ACCA, Casamayor did not dispute that he had the predicate convictions listed in the addendum. Instead, Casamayor argued that his convictions for aggravated assault and strong-arm robbery did not qualify as ACCA predicate offenses, and thus he did not qualify as an armed career criminal. Casamayor contended that both of these Florida offenses could be committed without the use of physical force against the person of another. Casamayor also objected to his career offender status under the Sentencing Guidelines, arguing that his Florida conviction for fleeing-at-high-speed no longer qualified as a crime of violence because the Sentencing Commission had recently amended the career offender guideline to delete the residual clause. The government responded that all of Casamayor's ACCA predicate convictions qualified under the elements clause, which Johnson left undisturbed. As for Casamayor's career offender status, the government argued that because this Court already had concluded that Casamayor was a career offender during his first appeal, the law of the case doctrine precluded him from challenging that designation at resentencing. Alternatively, the government contended that Casamayor had multiple alternative felony convictions on which to base his career offender status. At resentencing, the district court reviewed this Court's instruction to determine whether any of Casamayor's prior felony convictions supported his ACCA-enhanced sentence on Count 3. Casamayor conceded that his January 2012 conviction for armed robbery with a firearm or deadly weapon qualified as a violent felony for ACCA purposes. Over Casamayor's objection, the district court concluded that, in addition to that 2012 armed robbery conviction, Casamayor's 2001 conviction for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, his two separate January 2012 convictions for strong-arm robbery, and his January 2012 conviction for aggravated battery with great bodily harm also qualified as violent felonies under the ACCA's elements clause. Casamayor pointed out that the Sentencing Commission's removal of the residual clause from the career offender provision would go into effect in about 60 days. Casamayor argued that he expected the Sentencing Commission to make the amendment retroactive and therefore the district court should reduce his sentence now to avoid a future 18 U.S.C. 3582(c) motion. The district court declined to do so, stating that it would address that issue if the amendment was made retroactive. After the defendant's allocution, the district court resentenced Casamayor to the same 262-month total sentence, consisting of 202-month concurrent sentences on Counts 1, 3, and 5, a 60-month sentence on Count 2 to run concurrent with Counts 1, 3, and 5, and a consecutive 60-month sentence on Count 6. II. DISCUSSION A. Casamayor's Newly Raised Challenges to His Guilty Plea For the first time in this second appeal, Casamayor argues that his guilty plea to all five counts was invalid for various reasons. Because Casamayor could have, but did not, challenge his guilty plea in his first appeal, his present argument as to his plea is barred by the doctrine of the law of the case. Under the law-of-the-case doctrine, an issue decided at one stage of a case is binding at later stages of the same case. United States v. Escobar-Urrego, 110 F.3d 1556, 1560 (11th Cir. 1997). Under the doctrine, district court rulings that have not been challenged on a first appeal will not be disturbed in a subsequent appeal. See id. at 1560-61 (holding that, because the defendant had the opportunity to appeal the determination as to the amount of drugs in his first appeal but failed to do so, the law of the case barred him from litigating that issue in his second appeal). Further, an appellant should raise all trial errors in his appeal of the judgment and sentence, and an appellant is deemed to have waived his right to raise issues on a second appeal that he did not raise in his first. United States v. Fiallo-Jacome, 874 F.2d 1479, 1481-83 (11th Cir. 1989) (quotation marks omitted) (holding that a defendant who failed to raise challenges to his trial in his first appeal was deemed to have waived review of those issues in his second appeal and would not get two bites at the appellate apple). Moreover, none of the exceptions to the law of the case doctrine apply here, as no new evidence about Casamayor's plea was presented on remand, there was no intervening decision applicable to Casamayor's guilty plea, and there has been no showing of a manifest injustice. See Baumer v. United States, 685 F.2d 1318, 1320 (11th Cir. 1982). Thus, Casamayor's challenge to his guilty plea is barred by the law of the case doctrine. Alternatively, even if we addressed Casamayor's guilty plea claims, our review would be for plain error, and Casamayor has shown none. See United States v. Moriarty, 429 F.3d 1012, 1018-19 (11th Cir. 2005). First, there was a sufficient factual basis to support Casamayor's guilty plea to each count. At his plea colloquy, Casamayor agreed to every fact in his factual proffer, which stated that Casamayor and his co-conspirators agreed to rob a marijuana growhouse, met to plan the robbery and decided that they needed to use firearms during the robbery, and then were arrested while driving to a rendezvous point with loaded firearms. The proffer stated that following his arrest, Casamayor provided post-Miranda statements acknowledging his involvement in coordinating the drug-related robbery conspiracy, including contacting one co-conspirator and securing her help to find another gunman and then meeting the other gunman to discuss the robbery's execution. The proffer also stated that the parties agreed that the conspiracy would have obstructed, delayed, or affected interstate commerce. Based on Casamayor's factual proffer, the district court did not err in concluding as to Count 1 that Casamayor: (1) agreed to commit a robbery of a marijuana operation, which constitutes economic activity that affects federal commerce; (2) knew of the conspiracy's goal; and (3) voluntarily participated in achieving that goal. See Taylor v. United States, ___ U.S. ___, 136 S. Ct. 2074, 2080-81 (2016); United States v. To, 144 F.3d 737, 748 (11th Cir. 1998). Likewise, as to Count 2, the district court did not err in concluding that the goal of the scheme was to possess with intent to distribute the marijuana Casamayor and his co-conspirators planned to take and that Casamayor was guilty of the drug crime of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute marijuana. See United States v. Charles, 313 F.3d 1278, 1284 (11th Cir. 2002). As to the 924 firearm convictions in Counts 5 and 6, Casamayor admitted that he and his co-conspirators needed to carry guns to execute the marijuana-growhouse robbery and that a loaded firearm was found in his vehicle when he was arrested. In addition, the district court did not err in accepting Casamayor's guilty plea. The record demonstrates that at his plea colloquy, Casamayor testified that: (1) no one had coerced, threatened, or promised him anything in exchange for pleading guilty; (2) Casamayor received a copy of the indictment, discussed it fully with counsel, and counsel explained what the government would need to prove in order to convict him of the charges against him; and (3) counsel explained the consequences of being convicted and Casamayor understood them fully. The record also confirms that the district court explained the consequences of his plea. Accordingly, the district court complied with the three core concerns of Rule 11, and Casamayor's guilty plea was knowing and voluntarily. See United States v. Jones, 143 F.3d 1417, 1418-19 (11th Cir. 1998). In sum, Casamayor cannot show error, much less plain error, with regard to his guilty plea. B. ACCA Sentence on Count 3 Under the ACCA, a defendant convicted of an 18 U.S.C. 922(g) firearm offense is subject to a mandatory minimum 180-month sentence if he has three prior convictions for a violent felony or a serious drug offense. 18 U.S.C. 924(e)(1). A prior conviction qualifies as a violent felony under the ACCA's elements clause if it has as an element the use, attempted use, or threatened use of physical force against the person of another. Id. 924(e)(2)(B)(i). On appeal, Casamayor argues that the district court erred in concluding that he had three prior convictions that qualified as violent felonies under the elements clause. Casamayor does not challenge the district court's determination as to two of his prior convictionsarmed robbery with a firearm or deadly weapon and aggravated battery with great bodily harm. Casamayor contends, however, that none of his other predicates the district court identifiedhis conviction for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon in 2001 and his two separate convictions for strong-arm robbery in 2012qualify under the elements clause. As Casamayor acknowledges, however, his arguments as to these Florida convictions are foreclosed by this Court's binding precedent. This Court has held that Florida aggravated assault with a deadly weapon under Florida Statutes 784.021 categorically qualifies as a violent felony under the ACCA's elements clause. See Turner v. Warden Coleman FCI (Medium), 709 F.3d 1328, 1338 (11th Cir. 2013), abrogated in part on other grounds by Johnson v. United States, ___ U.S. ___, 135 S. Ct. 2551 (2015). Moreover this Court has held that Turner remains binding precedent after the Supreme Court's decisions in Mathis v. United States, ___ U.S. ____, 136 S. Ct. 2243 (2016) and Descamps v. United States, 570 U.S. 254, 133 S. Ct. 2276 (2013). See United States v. Golden, 854 F.3d 1256, 1257 (11th Cir. 2017). Likewise, this Court has held that Florida strong-arm robbery under Florida Statutes 812.13 categorically qualifies as a violent felony under the ACCA's elements clause. United States v. Fritts, 841 F.3d 937, 940 (11th Cir. 2016), cert. denied, ___ U.S. ___, 137 S. Ct. 2264 (2017); United States v. Dowd, 451 F.3d 1244, 1255 (11th Cir. 2006); see also United States v. Lockley, 632 F.3d 1238, 1245 (11th Cir. 2011) (involving the identical elements clause of the career offender provision). Thus, under our binding precedent, either Casamayor's 2001 conviction for aggravated assault or one of his two strong-arm robbery convictions in 2012 may serve as the third predicate violent felony. Accordingly, the district court did not err in determining that Casamayor had three prior violent felony convictions and properly applied the ACCA enhancement to Casamayor's sentence on Count 3. C. Career Offender In this second appeal, Casamayor raises a new and completely different challenge to his career offender status. Specifically, Casamayor argues that the career offender table in U.S.S.G. 4B1.1(c)(3), which was used to calculate Casamayor's advisory guidelines range, runs afoul of the Supreme Court's decision in United States v. LaBonte, 520 U.S. 751, 117 S. Ct. 1673 (1997), and exceeds the Sentencing Commission's authority under 28 U.S.C. 994(h). Casamayor argues that his preset advisory guidelines range of 262 to 327 months imprisonment was entirely disproportionate to his statutory maximum sentences of twenty years for Count 1 and five years for Count 2. See 21 U.S.C. 841(b)(1)(D), 18 U.S.C. 1951(a). As with Casamayor's challenge to his guilty plea, his arguments about 4B1.1(c)(3)'s career offender table could have been, but were not, raised in his first appeal of his sentence. Indeed, in his first appeal, Casamayor raised other arguments as to his career offender status, but failed to make the arguments he raises now. Moreover, in his first appeal, this Court affirmed the district court's determination that Casamayor qualified as a career offender under 4B1.1(a). Accordingly, Casamayor's new challenge to 4B1.1(c)(3) is barred by the law of the case doctrine. In any event, Casamayor has not shown plain error. Casamayor does not cite any binding precedent holding that a career offender sentence is invalid where the advisory guidelines range calculated under 4B1.1(c)(3) exceeds the maximum terms for one or more of the counts of conviction. Notably, LaBonte, cited by Casamayor, does not stand for such a proposition. Rather, LaBonte merely noted that 28 U.S.C. 994(h) directed the Sentencing Commission to assure that the Sentencing Guidelines specify a sentence at or near the maximum authorized for defendants who (like Casamayor) had been convicted of a felony crime of violence or a controlled substance offense after having been convicted of two or more such felonies. 520 U.S. at 753,117 S. Ct. at 1675. In Casamayor's case, the district court's application of the career offender table accomplished this goal, as Casamayor's term of imprisonment for each count is either at or near the maximum term authorized by statute, including his 202-month term on Count 1 and his 60-month term on Count 2. Furthermore, the Sentencing Guidelines are clear that if an advisory guidelines range exceeds the statutory maximum penalty, the statutory maximum prevails. See U.S.S.G. 5G1.1(a), (c)(1), 5G1.2(e) & cmt. n.3(B). Accordingly, the district court did not err, much less plainly err, in calculating Casamayor's advisory guidelines using the career offender table in U.S.S.G. 4B1.1(c)(3). AFFIRMED. FOOTNOTES . On appeal, Casamayor does not challenge his conviction on Count 3 for being a felon in possession of a firearm. . We recognize that Casamayor also makes a Johnson argument that his Count 1 conviction for Hobbs Act robbery conspiracy is not a crime of violence for purposes of his two 924 convictions in Counts 5 and 6. This, however, ignores that Casamayor also pled guilty to the drug trafficking crime in Count 2, which is expressly referenced as a predicate crime for his 924 offenses in Counts 5 and 6. At a minimum, Casamayor has shown no plain error. Thus, here we need not examine if conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act robbery is a crime of violence for purposes of 924(c). In light of the foregoing, Casamayor's request to stay proceedings pending the Supreme Court's decision in Sessions v. Dimaya, No. 15-1498, is DENIED. . This Court reviews de novo whether a prior conviction qualifies as a violent felony within the meaning of the ACCA. United States v. Howard, 742 F.3d 1334, 1341 (11th Cir. 2014). . We note that one of Casamayor's strong-arm robbery offenses was committed on the same day as his aggravated battery with great bodily harm, January 8, 2011, and therefore may not satisfy the ACCA's requirement that the offenses be committed on occasions different from one another. See 18 U.S.C. 924(e)(1). Casamayor has never raised this issue, but even if he had, we would not need to address it because Casamayor has more than enough violent felonies to support his ACCA sentence. . To the extent Casamayor challenges his career offender status based on his having two prior crimes of violence, this argument plainly lacks merit. The district court's determination on remand that Casamayor had at least four prior convictions that qualified as violent felonies under the ACCA's elements clause necessarily means that Casamayor also has at least four prior convictions that qualify as crimes of violence under the career offender provision's identical elements clause. See U.S.S.G. 4B1.1(a), 4B1.2(a)(1). Further, since Casamayor's last appeal, the Supreme Court has held that the advisory Sentencing Guidelines, including U.S.S.G. 4B1.2(a)(1), are not subject to constitutional vagueness challenges like the one raised in Johnson. See Beckles v. United States, ___ U.S. ___, 137 S. Ct. 886, 890 (2017). PER CURIAM: Panoramic sunroofs have become the latest must-have for new car buyers and Hyundai is looking to answer any and all safety concerns about these glass roofs. Thus, the South Korean automaker has recently created a panoramic sunroof airbag, which it says is the first of its kind in the industry. Hyundais solution involves an airbag being installed inside the sunroof mechanism of the tempered glass roof. If an on-board sensor detects the vehicle about to roll over during a crash, the airbag is deployed forward from the rear of the car and covers the entire roof surface in a mere 0.08 seconds. The automaker claims that its sunroof airbag system prevents passengers from spilling out of the vehicle in a rollover, thus greatly reducing the risk of them sustaining serious injuries, although they didnt provide any info about when they intend to introduce it to its production vehicles. PHOTO GALLERY With the release of the Model 3, Tesla is finally expanding into a fully-fledged manufacturer that appeals to a significantly higher number of buyers. While the more affordable price tag of $35,000 before tax incentives surely is a major factor in drawing in customers, the automakers trying out new things, including launching a trip planner on its website, as Fortune reports. Up until now, only Tesla owners could plan a trip out in one of their electric vehicles through the cars built-in navigation system. The company has added the new planner in an effort to provide drivers with a realistic view on what taking a trip with its all-electric vehicles would be like. The website allows users to choose between the Model S, Model X, and Model 3, and its available on all of the Model S and Model Xs versions, namely the 75 kWh, 100 kWh, and 100 kWh ones. The Model 3 is only available with the long-range battery pack, which was confirmed to have a range of 310 miles (500 km). After choosing a vehicle, users can plan their trip by entering their location and intended destination. The nifty thing about the trip planner is that it shows users where and how long theyll have to charge their electric vehicle for on the journey. Your truly, for instance, messed around with a trip from Detroit to Washington, D.C., which is a trip I made multiple times last year. With a Model 3, I would have to make three stops to get to my destination: one in Macedonia, Ohio, another in North Huntingdon, Pa., and an additional stop in Breezewood, Pa. The stop in Macedonia would be the longest at 40 minutes, while the one in North Huntingdon would be a quick one at 25 minutes and the last one in Breezewood would be for 30 minutes. The trip, including the necessary stops, would take 10 hours and 17 minutes and span 548 miles. The trip planner also provides an estimated gas savings amount. For the aforementioned trip, Tesla believes it would save me $23. That figures on the safe side, as I know my 2002 Toyota 4Runner would take about $75 in fuel on that exact trip. Being able to see exactly where you have to stop and for how long is a nice touch for Tesla customers. Fortune, though, claims that the in-car navigation system is, for now at least, better than the website, as it provides more details. PHOTOS I was so dismayed at what I witnessed on my commute into work this week. As I was driving down Hwy 97 I watched a a bus picking up a young woman with a stroller literally on the highway because the sidewalks and bus stop were covered in snow. It is hard enough to be reliant on public transportation but then to be not be able to safely access the bus stop because the city did such a poor job of clearing the snow is not acceptable. Step it up Kelowna and do a better job for your citizens. Laura MacGregor We need to fix what we as a country have broken stated Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in his year end conversation with Lisa Laflamme. How I as a veteran agree with his statement. We need to fix the new Veterans Charter which the Liberals have broken, continued with the Conservatives for 10 years and to date have band aided with the latest release by the Minister of Veteran Affairs. The question we veterans have asked for years, to fix the veterans charter the way veterans want and need. The Pension Act which all other Canadians enjoy and by the PM's statement to fix what we as a country have broken needs action. Need is not greed as some think by the attempt by this government to bamboozle Canadian citizens with your latest so called lifelong pension dealing with approx 12% of injured veterans. It is not a life long pension. The present award average is approx 42,000, how would you as PM and the Minister divide this amount into a life long pension? Dale Dirk You could have the missing piece of the puzzle that will help the RCMP put someone behind bars. Here are some recent crimes that Central Okanagan Crime Stoppers hope you can help solve by calling our anonymous tips line at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477), visit our website at www.crimestoppers.net or text to CRIMES (274637), keyword Ktown. CRIME: THEFT OF BOAT DATE: December 14, 2017 RCMP FILE: 2017-74603 On December 14th the theft of a boat was reported to West Kelowna RCMP. The red and white 1999 Malibu 20 LX competition ski boat with HIN MB2F5546L999 was stolen from Green Bay Road sometime between December 7th and 14th. The boat was on a red 1998 SMP trailer with VIN 2BGB06091W1E87008 and BC licence plate number URH72X. Photo: Crime Stoppers If you know anything about this crime, or any other crime, call the Central Okanagan Crime Stoppers anonymous tips line at 1-800-222-TIPS or visit our website at www.crimestoppers.net. Your information will be kept confidential and could lead to a reward of up to $2000.00. CRIME: BREAK AND ENTER TO STORAGE CONTAINER DATE: December 21, 2017 RCMP FILE: 2017-76081 West Kelowna RCMP received information that a storage container situated on the 2200 block of Bartley Road that was being used as a temporary office had been broken into during the early hours of December 21st. Thieves made off with all of the work vehicle keys along with a Christmas card containing cash. The companys vehicles were re-located to prevent the thieves from returning to steal them. If you have any information regarding this theft, please contact Crime Stoppers or West Kelowna RCMP. You can help catch these suspects and qualify for a reward by calling Crime Stoppers anonymous tips line at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477), visit our website at www.crimestoppers.net or text to CRIMES (274637), keyword Ktown. Photo: Dave Ogilvie A semi lost at least one of its wheels in highway traffic in West Kelowna, Friday. Commercial Vehicle Safety and Enforcement officers were combing over a DCT chip truck at the fuel stop on Ross Road as of about 1:30 p.m. Castanet newshawk Dave Ogilvie said two rims and tires appeared to be missing from the rig, and one was standing up in the snow on the side of Highway 97. The southbound chip hauler lost the rim and tire just before Daimler Road, went over the median and struck a three-ton cube truck going north on the highway. No one was injured in the incident, which backed up traffic and closed one lane in each direction. It's not known what led to the wheel coming off the truck. Photo: Contributed While a flurry of new condo construction is poised to "transform" downtown Kelowna, the average home price in some city neighbourhoods has, for the first time ever, topped $1 million. Vantage West Realty released the winter edition of The Vantage Report today, providing a hyper-local analysis of Kelownas real estate market. The report presents an overview of real estate trends in 15 Kelowna neighbourhoods, and the latest edition highlights some of the major real estate trends in the city. Some of the reports more eye-popping statistics deal with the citys average home prices, which have vaulted significantly higher in several neighbourhood. For more on which neighbourhoods have surpassed the million-dollar-average-home-price milestone, as well as how Vantage's A.J. Hazzi says downtown Kelowna is about to change "forever," check out the full story on Castanet's sister business news website, Okanagan Edge. Photo: Facebook A Kelowna game developers flagship title has received some high praise, after social media giant Facebook named it one of its games of the year. Hyper Hippos gaming hit AdVenture Capitalist beat out three other games to win the title of Facebooks Instant Game of the Year in 2017. Facebooks game of the year awards recognize the best titles released on the platform over the past year, as judged by a panel of industry experts. On the companys development blog, Calvin Grunewald praised AdVenture Capitalist for its simple yet addictive gameplay that allows you to grow your business even when youre idle. For more on the awards, as well as why Hyper Hippo's CEO thinks Facebook will be one of the most significant gaming platforms in 2018, check out the full story on Castanet's sister business news website, Okanagan Edge. Photo: Vernon RCMP "Police are concerned about her health and well being." Linda Ruth Cunnington was last seen at 10 a.m. on Jan. 2. The 70 year old is missing and the RCMP are asking for the public's help in finding her. Caucasian Female Age: 70 Height: 5 Ft 6 In Weight: 181 Lbs Hair Colour: Black Eye Colour: Brown Glasses A clothing description was not made available. Cunnington may have travelled to Vancouver via a Greyhound bus from Vernon on January 2nd. If you have any information about Linda Ruth Cunnington or where she might be, please contact the Vernon RCMP at (250)545-7171 or anonymously contact Crime Stoppers at 1(800) 222-8477. United States Court of Appeals, Second Circuit. J. GRAHAM ZAHORUIKO, Plaintiff-Appellant, v. FEDERAL INSURANCE COMPANY, Defendant-Appellee, CHUBB NATIONAL INSURANCE COMPANY, DBA FEDERAL INSURANCE COMPANY, CHUBB GROUP OF INSURANCE COMPANIES, collectively and individually, Defendants. No. 17-965-cv Decided: January 05, 2018 PRESENT: REENA RAGGI, DEBRA ANN LIVINGSTON, RAYMOND J. LOHIER, JR., Circuit Judges. FOR APPELLANT: J. Graham Zahoruiko, pro se, Tolland, Connecticut. FOR APPELLEE: Jeffrey L. Williams, Carlton Fields Jorden Burt, P.A., Hartford, Connecticut. Meredith W. Caiafa, Carlton Fields Jorden Burt, P.A., Atlanta, Georgia. Plaintiff J. Graham Zahoruiko, proceeding pro se, appeals from an award of summary judgment to Federal Insurance Company (Federal) on Zahoruiko's breach of contract and related claims based on Federal's denial of coverage under a director and officer liability insurance policy. Specifically, Zahoruiko challenges the district court's determination that he was not entitled to coverage under Connecticut law because he did not timely notify Federal of the claims for which he sought insurance coverage. We review the challenged award de novo and will affirm only if the record, viewed in the light most favorable to Zahoruiko, shows no genuine dispute of material fact and Federal's entitlement to judgment as a matter of law. See Jackson v. Fed. Express, 766 F.3d 189, 19394 (2d Cir. 2014). In doing so, we assume the parties' familiarity with the underlying facts, the procedural history of the case, and the issues on appeal, which we reference only as necessary to explain our decision to affirm substantially for the reasons stated by the district court. See Zahoruiko v. Fed. Ins. Co., No. 3:15-cv-474 (VLB), 2017 WL 776645 (D. Conn. Feb. 28, 2017). Under Connecticut law, an insurer can be discharged from its coverage obligations pursuant to the notice provision of an insurance policy only by showing: (1) an unexcused, unreasonable delay in notification by the insured; and (2) resulting material prejudice to the insurer. Arrowood Indem. Co. v. King, 605 F.3d 62, 77 (2d Cir. 2010). Insofar as Zahoruiko argues on appeal that Federal failed to show prejudice, he forfeited the argument by failing to raise it in the district court. See Harrison v. Republic of Sudan, 838 F.3d 86, 96 (2d Cir. 2016) (It is a well-established general rule that an appellate court will not consider an issue raised for the first time on appeal. (internal quotation marks and alteration omitted)). In any event, upon an independent review of the record and relevant case law, we conclude, as the district court did, that Federal is entitled to summary judgment. An insured's duty to give notice does not arise unless and until facts develop which would suggest to a person of ordinary and reasonable prudence that liability may have been incurred, and is complied with if notice is given within a reasonable time after the situation so assumes an aspect suggestive of a possible claim for damages. Arrowood Indem. Co. v. King, 605 F.3d at 77 (internal quotation marks omitted). The purpose of the requirement for prompt notice is to give the insurer a full opportunity to investigate the claim. Id. at 78. As to the prejudice prong, the insurer bears the burden of proving, by a preponderance of evidence, that it has been prejudiced by the insured's failure to comply with a notice provision. Arrowood Indem. Co. v. King, 39 A.3d 712, 72526 (Conn. 2012). Zahoruiko's delay in notifying Federal of his need for coverage was both unexcused and unreasonable. When the action at issue was commenced against Zahoruiko in 2010, a reasonably prudent person would have understood that liability might be incurred. Moreover, when default was entered against Zahoruiko, he certainly should have known that he could be found liable. Nevertheless, Zahoruiko failed to notify Federal until one and a half years after the lawsuit was commenced and 15 months after the default. Insofar as Zahoruiko argues that his untimely notice should be excused because the entity that sued him engaged in unscrupulous tactics, he fails to explain how that conduct prevented him from timely providing notice of the action to Federal. Zahoruiko's arguments that the district court improperly assumed prejudice and that Federal failed to carry its preponderance burden are equally meritless. Federal provided a declaration from a senior claim officer stating that Zahoruiko's failure to give notice until after default was entered denied it the opportunity to interview witnesses or participate in the defense or any proposed settlement of the claim. Zahoruiko argues that the declaration is speculative, and that Federal would not have defended his claim because it denied coverage based on a different clause of the policy. The argument does not persuade. Connecticut recognizes that the denial of the opportunity to investigate, as well as entry of default, are prejudicial to an insurer. Ellis v. Cty. Agency, Inc., No. CV146017155S, 2017 WL 3011674, at *3 (Conn. Super. Ct. May 25, 2017) (Entry of a default judgment against an insured is evidence of prejudice as well as the lack of opportunity for the insurer to investigate a claim and to pursue a compromise or settlement. (internal citation omitted)); Jazlowiecki v. Nationwide Ins. Co. of Am., No. HHDCV126036618S, 2014 WL 4746527, at *6 (Conn. Super. Ct. Aug. 8, 2014) (same). Zahoruiko's prejudice challenge is further belied by his own waiver in the underlying action of defenses that Federal could otherwise have asserted. Federal having carried its burden, and Zahoruiko having failed to adduce evidence sufficient to support a jury verdict in his favor, see Burt Rigid Box, Inc. v. Travelers Prop. Cas. Corp., 302 F.3d 83, 91 (2d Cir. 2002), or even to challenge Federal's showing of prejudice in the district court, summary judgment was correctly entered in Federal's favor. We have considered Zahoruiko's remaining arguments and conclude that they are without merit. Accordingly, we AFFIRM the judgment of the district court. FOR THE COURT: Catherine O'Hagan Wolfe, Clerk of Court Photo: The Canadian Press The weather bomb that went off in the Maritimes late Thursday and kept detonating early Friday left plenty of ugly fragments in Wade Woodbury's backyard. As he emerged from his home along the eastern edge of Halifax Harbour, cane in hand, Woodbury surveyed the damage, then marvelled at powerful waves crashing over a massive rock wall only 12 metres from his back door, howling winds hurling salt spray in his eyes. "She was loud, very loud like thunder," said Woodbury, wearing a grey parka and a blue tuque as the temperature hovered around the freezing mark. A storm surge late Thursday breached the wall, shoving a collection of lawn furniture, garbage cans, firewood and the entire fire pit into a tangled heap. Woodbury, a resident of Eastern Passage for more than 20 years, said the winter storm kept him up most of the night as the electricity flickered on and off. "I got up and wandered around not outdoors, mind you." Work crews fanned out across the region Friday to deal with the mess left behind by hurricane-force winds, flooded coastal roads and downed power lines that left more than 280,000 utility customers in the dark most of them in Nova Scotia, the province that endured the strongest winds. The brawniest gusts were recorded in Cape Breton, where a 170-kilometre-per-hour blast streaked through the rural area of Grand Etang, known for producing powerful winds. In the Halifax area, which weathered its share of power outages, siding was ripped off some homes, limbs were torn from trees and the roof was ripped from at least one home in Dartmouth. Dominic Fewer of Nova Scotia's Emergency Management Office said some roads were washed out and others littered with rocks and debris caused by storm surge and heavy rains. Among the roads still closed Friday was the winding, narrow oceanside lane into a little enclave of five homes in Purcell's Cove, across from Point Pleasant Park in Halifax harbour. "That's the only road. We're sitting here till we get dug out," said Andrew Murphy, an accountant who was unable to get downtown. "There's no way through that." Usually, he and his neighbours just clean the mess up themselves, but this storm "flipped pieces of pavement the size of little cars," he said. The number of Nova Scotia Power customers still in the dark had dropped to 31,000 by Friday evening, with power for most homes and businesses expected to be restored later in the night or Saturday in more remote areas. Photo: The Canadian Press Minister of Environment and Climate Change Catherine McKenna The federal government has laid out a tough set of proposed new regulations to prohibit the use, sale, import and export of asbestos and products that contain it, as well as the manufacture of products containing the cancer-causing mineral. The rules fulfil a Liberal promise made more than a year ago and complement proposals the government issued last spring. Asbestos is a carcinogen that has been condemned by the World Health Organization and is banned in about 50 countries around the world. The government says that with some minor exceptions, the proposed regulations and related amendments published in the latest edition of the Canada Gazette would ensure there is no market for asbestos and related products in Canada, and that it isn't being brought into the country. The government is asking the public and industry for feedback during a comment period, which ends March 22. Asbestos was mined in Canada until 2011 and was used mainly for insulating buildings and homes, as well as for fireproofing. Many uses have been phased out, but asbestos may still be found in a variety of products, including cement pipes, industrial furnaces and heating systems, building insulation, automotive brake pads and clutches. The use or sale of any asbestos-containing products that exist in inventories but that have not yet been installed would be prohibited under the new regulations. Any stockpiled asbestos-related materials would need to be disposed of or destroyed. The government said it initially considered a complete prohibition on asbestos. However, after decades of use, many buildings and homes still contain asbestos, the health risks of which are low if the products, such as insulation, remain undisturbed. Removing all asbestos would be "extremely costly" and might actually lead to greater health risks, the government said. For those reasons, the total prohibition option was rejected. Photo: The Canadian Press No one will ever know what caused the fatal crash of a private single-engine vintage plane in front of horrified spectators at an air show in Alberta. The Transportation Safety Board of Canada says weather was not a factor and a review of the wreckage determined that the engine and flight controls were operating normally on the T-28B Trojan aircraft. Pilot Bruce Evans of Calgary was performing acrobatic manoeuvres at the Cold Lake Air Show in July 2016 when something went wrong. The plane hit the ground at high velocity in a near-vertical position. No air show personnel or spectators were injured. TSB investigator Fred Burow says the cause of the crash couldn't be determined. "Being an older aircraft, it doesn't have any monitoring systems on board ... and with the pilot having tragically died, we have no way of knowing what occurred in the cockpit, so we have to go with the evidence that we could find," Burow said Friday. A TSB report said Evans appeared to have modified the order of his manoeuvres about halfway through his performance, but added that is not unusual for an aerobatic performer. "The pilot flew from show right to left at about 500 feet above ground level, within the defined airspace for the routine, then entered a roll just before show centre," said the report. "As the aircraft reached the inverted position, the roll stopped and the nose began to pitch toward the ground ... the aircraft continued toward the ground in an arc until its collision with terrain." The report said Evans, who was 59, had performed the routine without incident the previous day. Evans had years of experience. The TSB said he earned a private pilot's licence in 1993, a commercial licence in 1995 and an airline transport licence in 2015. He also had a valid medical certificate. He had accumulated just over 4,043 flying hours. About 460 of those were on the T-28B Trojan. Photo: Contributed A charity auction has raised $4,000 for the Kelowna Women's Shelter. The second annual Premier Jewellery and Loans fundraiser auctioned off a pair of diamond earrings appraised at $7,800. Readers bid on the earrings in December in the Castanet contest. All proceeds will go to helping women and children escape domestic violence. The ongoing support Premier Jewellery and Loans provides through this innovative fundraiser really makes a difference in the lives of women in our community who have experienced intimate partner violence, and were so grateful to participate, said Women's Shelter executive director Karen Mason. It is only through the generous financial support of the community we are able to run valuable programs like Outreach, so we were delighted to partner with Premier Jewellery and Loans, added resource development co-ordinator Kathleen Lemieux. Clients do not have to stay at the shelter to access this program, and the service is free to women in the community. Premier owner Martin Strasser said: "we're excited to support the Kelowna Women's Shelter. We share their dream that everyone deserves a safe place to call home. As a Kelowna business, it's important to us that this donation is used to help local residents, and we couldn't ask for a better charity to work with." Photo: Google Street View A man waving a handgun was taken into custody in Kamloops, Friday. About 1:45 p.m., RCMP responded to a 911 call from the Kamloops Aboriginal Friendship Society on Palm Street. The man was reported to being waving a handgun around, threatening people inside the premises, said Staff Sgt. Edward Preto. He was located a block away and taken into custody without incident. A dog team was brought in to search for the handgun, which turned out to be a pellet pistol replica of a 9 mm semi-automatic. Preto said it would be difficult even for people familiar with firearms to tell the difference at a glance. The suspect faces several charges and is being held for a bail hearing on Saturday. Photo: Kalimiller Kamloops Fire responded to a fully engulfed structure fire of an abandoned restaurant at the North West corner of Hugh Allen and Pacific Way in Kamloops Friday evening. RCMP are asking the public to avoid the area as traffic is very congested. Castanet will update as more information becomes available. Photo: The Canadian Press Canada's public safety minister says a downtown armoury in Toronto is being opened as a temporary homeless shelter for two weeks. The decision by Ralph Goodale comes as the city experiences an unusually frigid spell and a spike in demand on its homeless shelter system. The federal government accepted a request from the city and Ontario to make the Moss Park Armoury available, Goodale said in a tweet on Friday. Earlier this week, Toronto Mayor John Tory said the city was revisiting a shelved proposal to open the facility to the homeless. Goodale said the armoury will be open 24-7 for the duration. "We're all working together to keep people safe from the cold," Goodale tweeted. Temperatures in Toronto have dropped to around -20 C for several nights, prompting thousands of residents to sign a petition in favour of opening the armoury. The facility, just on the eastern edge of the downtown core, is close to a supervised injection site and near other shelters where scores of people seek refuge every day. Tory said in a release Friday evening that city staff were working to begin providing shelter services at the armoury. City officials said it would be operational on Monday. Toronto's shelters were close to full last weekend with 5,460 people staying in the shelter system on Jan. 1. Another 445 people used winter-respite centres temporary shelters opened up only during cold months. Photo: Contributed Police say two men are in police custody after an alleged carjacking in Calgary. Investigators with the Calgary Police say that at about 5 a.m. on Saturday, two men approached the driver of a pickup truck that was stopped at an intersection and produced a handgun. They say the men demanded the driver get out, and the suspects got into the vehicle. Police say the suspects fled in the truck, driving erratically throughout the northwest of the city, at times veering into oncoming traffic. When officers tried to stop the vehicle, the pickup truck rammed into the police cars before continuing on. Police say the vehicle was stopped a few hundred metres away, and the men were taken into custody. Investigators say charges are pending against the men, who have not been publicly identified. Photo: The Courts of Nova Scotia Nova Scotia Court of Appeal A Nova Scotia judge is urging a man to let go of a nose biting incident during a drunken brawl at a wake, after blocking the man's efforts to appeal his aggravated assault conviction. Randall MacLean was sentenced to six months in jail followed by a year of probation last February after being found guilty of aggravated assault for his conduct during an alcohol-fuelled brawl at a wake in Pictou, N.S., in 2014. In a decision released on Friday, Justice Anne Derrick of the Nova Scotia Court of Appeal denied MacLean's motion for an extension of time to appeal the October 2016 conviction. Derrick wrote that MacLean, who was released from jail in June, changed his mind several times about how he planned to pursue the appeal, arguing he had trouble focusing due to "injuries" sustained in the incident that led to his conviction. She wrote that MacLean felt the provincial court judge did not fully consider his account of what he characterized as "accident," in which he latched onto the victim's nose to protect himself while he was forcibly ejected from the wake. Derrick found that MacLean's proposed grounds of appeal "lack all merit," and while it seems he feels his conviction defines him, she assured him it does not, saying he "needs to now move on with his life and put all of this behind him." Photo: BC Wildlife Park Staff at a bird rehabilitation centre in Kamloops typically don't know where their rescued animals originally came from, but a recently discovered golden eagle was able to reveal just that. The young golden eagle was found weak and starving just before the new year on the shore of the Thompson River. Residents who spotted the bird called the Conservation Officer Service, which brought it to Fawcett Family Wildlife Health Centre the only facility of its kind within a 400 kilometre radius. Animal care supervisor Adrienne Clay says officers noticed right away that the eagle was both banded and carrying a GPS tracker. Clay says staff were quickly able to determine the eagle was being monitored by researchers in Alaska, and it appears the bird that's less than a year old wasn't able to keep up with the rest of its flock while heading south for winter migration. The eagle is expected to make a full recovery and Clay says it will be released back into the wild this spring. United States Court of Appeals, Second Circuit. TYRONE HICKS, Plaintiff-Appellant, v. DETECTIVE MICHAEL MARCHMAN, CITY OF NEW YORK, Defendants-Appellees, DETECTIVE CATALANO, DETECTIVE LYNCH, JOHN AND JANE DOES, Defendants. ** No. 17-615-cv Decided: January 05, 2018 PRESENT: GERARD E. LYNCH, RAYMOND J. LOHIER, JR., Circuit Judges, CHRISTINA REISS, Chief District Judge.* FOR APPELLANT: ADELE BERNHARD, Brooklyn, NY. FOR APPELLEES: INGRID R. GUSTAFSON (Fay S. Ng, on the brief), for Zachary W. Carter, Corporation Counsel of the City of New York, New York, NY. UPON DUE CONSIDERATION, IT IS HEREBY ORDERED, ADJUDGED, AND DECREED that the judgment of the District Court is AFFIRMED in part and VACATED in part, and the case is REMANDED for further proceedings. Tyrone Hicks appeals from a judgment of the District Court (Crotty, J.) dismissing his complaint for failure to state a claim. On appeal, Hicks challenges the dismissal of his fair trial and malicious prosecution claims. We assume the parties' familiarity with the facts and record of the prior proceedings, to which we refer only as necessary to explain our decision to affirm in part, vacate in part, and remand. We first address Hicks's fair trial claim based on the defendant officers' alleged fabrication of information. To state such a fair trial claim, a plaintiff must plausibly allege that investigating officers fabricated information that was likely to influence a jury's verdict, forwarded that information to prosecutors, and that the plaintiff suffered a deprivation of life, liberty, or property as a result. Garnett v. Undercover Officer C0039, 838 F.3d 265, 279 (2d Cir. 2016). And in assessing the claim, we accept all of the well-pleaded factual allegations in Hicks's complaint as true and draw all inferences in his favor. Lopez v. Jet Blue Airways, 662 F.3d 593, 596 (2d Cir. 2011). Hicks's complaint alleges, among other things, that the officers used impermissibly suggestive identification procedures to encourage the victim, T.T., to identify Hicks as her assailant from a photographic array and then failed to disclose the use of those suggestive procedures to the District Attorney's Office. Had that been the only allegation, we would have affirmed the District Court's dismissal of the fabrication claim because the state criminal court assumed the procedures were suggestive, excluded the resulting identification, and determined that there was an independent basis for T.T.'s later identifications of Hicks as her attacker. But the complaint alleges not merely that the photographic array was in some general way suggestive, but also alleges that (1) a detective deliberately gave T.T. prejudicial information about Hicks during the photo array procedure and hid this misconduct from the court and prosecutors; (2) the officers lied to the prosecutors that Hicks had bragged about being the Bronx Rapist and that Hicks's mother told them that Hicks was the person depicted in the sketch T.T. had created; (3) Hicks's parole officer ultimately refused to credit T.T.'s identification of Hicks after interviewing T.T.; (4) the officers failed to preserve the photographic array from which T.T. identified Hicks; and (5) two other victims were unable to identify Hicks. In view of Hicks's ultimate exoneration, these allegations together raise a plausible inference that the officers fabricated information that was likely to influence a jury's verdict and that they forwarded that information to the prosecutors. Hicks has also adequately alleged that he was arrested as a result of the fabricated information and that the information influenced the prosecutors' decision to pursue charges rather than to dismiss the complaint without further action[.] Garnett, 838 F.3d at 277. We therefore conclude that the complaint states a plausible fair trial claim based on the fabrication of information, and vacate the dismissal of that claim. Hicks also challenges the dismissal of his claims that the officers violated his fair trial rights under Brady v. Maryland, 373 U.S. 83 (1963), by withholding from prosecutors and defense counsel three pieces of material exculpatory evidence. None of these claims is persuasive. First, the trial transcript shows that Hicks's counsel had sufficient information about other victims' failure to identify Hicks as the perpetrator of similar attacks to use that information in his defense at trial. See United States v. LeRoy, 687 F.2d 610, 618 (2d Cir. 1982). Second, the results of the analysis of a latent fingerprint recovered from T.T.'s front door did not constitute Brady material, because there is no reason to assume that a fingerprint on an apartment door, which is accessible to many people, was left by the perpetrator of the crime or the person who left the threatening notes. See United States v. Sessa, 711 F.3d 316, 32122 (2d Cir. 2013). Finally, Hicks does not allege facts sufficient to support a conclusion that the existence of the second note should be considered exculpatory. We therefore affirm the District Court's dismissal of Hicks's claims based on Brady. As a final fair trial challenge, Hicks urges that his complaint adequately alleges that the officers violated his fair trial right to have the police conduct an adequate investigation. Hicks cites no authority for the proposition that there is a stand-alone fair trial claim based on officers' failure to conduct an adequate investigation. Accordingly, the District Court properly dismissed this version of Hicks's fair trial claim. Finally, Hicks argues that the District Court erred in dismissing his malicious prosecution claims under 42 U.S.C. 1983 and New York law. We agree. [T]he merits of a claim for malicious prosecution under [Section] 1983 are governed by state law. Dufort v. City of New York, 874 F.3d 338, 350 (2d Cir. 2017). To state a malicious prosecution claim under New York law, a plaintiff must allege [1] the commencement or continuation of a criminal proceeding against [him]; [2] the termination of the proceeding in [his] favor; [3] that there was no probable cause for the proceeding; and [4] that the proceeding was instituted with malice. Mitchell v. City of New York, 841 F.3d 72, 79 (2d Cir. 2016) (quotation marks omitted). When raising a malicious prosecution claim under Section 1983, a plaintiff must also show a seizure or other perversion of proper legal procedures implicating the claimant's personal liberty and privacy interests under the Fourth Amendment. Id. (quotation marks omitted). It is true that Hicks's indictment by a grand jury creates a presumption of probable cause. But under New York law the presumption can be rebutted by showing that the police witnesses have not made a complete and full statement of facts either to the Grand Jury or the District Attorney, that they have misrepresented or falsified evidence, that they have withheld evidence or otherwise acted in bad faith[.] Colon v. City of New York, 60 N.Y.2d 78, 8283 (1983). Here, Hicks rebutted the presumption at the motion to dismiss stage by alleging that the officers provided fabricated evidence to the prosecutors, as described above. The allegations in the complaint also satisfy the other elements of a malicious prosecution claim under both New York law and Section 1983: the officers commenced the criminal proceeding, see Dufort, 874 F.3d at 353, malice may be inferred from the actual lack of probable cause, see Ricciuti v. N.Y.C. Transit Auth., 124 F.3d 123, 131 (2d Cir. 1997), Hicks was detained, and Hicks's criminal proceeding ultimately terminated in his favor with his exoneration. We therefore vacate the District Court's dismissal of Hicks's malicious prosecution claims. We have considered Hicks's remaining arguments and conclude that they are without merit. For the foregoing reasons, the judgment of the District Court is AFFIRMED in part and VACATED in part, and the case is REMANDED for further proceedings. FOR THE COURT: Catherine O'Hagan Wolfe, Clerk of Court FOOTNOTES . In addition to the complaint, we have also considered records from Hicks's criminal case that he relied on in his complaint. See Nicosia v. Amazon.com, Inc., 834 F.3d 220, 230 (2d Cir. 2016). United States Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit. MAURICE ACHOLA, also known as Maurice Agar Achola, Petitioner v. JEFFERSON B. SESSIONS, III, U. S. ATTORNEY GENERAL, Respondent No. 16-60548 Decided: January 04, 2018 Before KING, ELROD, and HIGGINSON, Circuit Judges. Maurice Achola, a native of Kenya and citizen of Kenya and Jamaica, petitions for review of the denial by the Board of Immigration Appeals (BIA) of his applications for asylum, withholding of removal, and protection under the Convention Against Torture (CAT). Achola, who proceeded pro se throughout his proceedings before the immigration judge, first argues through counsel that his due process rights were violated when the immigration judge informed him of his right to counsel during a group hearing and failed to state that the legal services list with which he was provided contained information about free assistance. Achola also argues that the actions of the immigration judge constituted a per se due process violation, which did not require a showing of prejudice on his part. Purely legal issues, including whether an immigration proceeding comports with due process, are reviewed de novo. Ojeda-Calderon v. Holder, 726 F.3d 669, 672 (5th Cir. 2013). Aliens in removal proceedings are entitled to due process. See Manzano-Garcia v. Gonzales, 413 F.3d 462, 470 (5th Cir. 2005). While an alien has no Sixth Amendment right to counsel in an immigration proceeding, it is possible for the absence of an attorney [to] create a due process violation if the defect impinged upon the fundamental fairness of the hearing in violation of the fifth amendment, and there was substantial prejudice. Ogbemudia v. INS, 988 F.2d 595, 598 (5th Cir. 1993) (internal quotation marks and citation omitted). Congress provided that an alien has a right to obtain counsel at his own expense. Id.; see 8 U.S.C. 1362. The corresponding regulations provide that an immigration judge must advise an alien of his or her right to representation, at no expense to the government, and to advise the alien of the availability of pro bono legal services for the immigration court location at which the hearing will take place, and ascertain that the [alien] has received a list of such pro bono legal service providers. 8 C.F.R. 1240.10(a)(1), (2). Achola provides no authority for his assertion that due process is per se violated when an immigration judge addresses a group of aliens at a master calendar hearing nor does he allege that, in this instance, the immigration judge was rushed and did not have sufficient time to explain to the aliens their rights. Our reading of the record establishes that the immigration judge complied with 1240.10(a)(1) and (2), although the aliens were not expressly advised of the availability of pro bono legal services. See 1240.10(a)(2). Achola points to his omission as proof that the immigration judge gave him no indication that free legal services were available. While the immigration judge did not explicitly use the word free in describing the list of legal providers, the record reflects that Achola had written notice multiple times that the list contained free legal service providers, including every notice of hearing which informed him that [a] list of free legal service providers ha[d] been given to [him]. Additionally, this circuit requires a showing of substantial prejudice to prevail on a due process claim. See Ogbemudia, 988 F.2d at 598; Chike v. INS, 948 F.2d 961, 962 (5th Cir. 1991). Achola has failed to demonstrate what documentation he could have provided had he been represented by counsel at his removal hearing and how this documentation would have aided his requests for relief. In light of the preceding, he has not shown that he was denied a full and fair hearing nor has he shown that the alleged violation resulted in substantial prejudice. See Ogbemudia, 988 F.2d at 598. In his next assignment of error, Achola argues that the immigration judge's adverse credibility determination with regard to his requests for withholding of removal to Kenya and Jamaica was erroneous and was based on the immigration judge's failure to liberally construe his application. We generally review only the BIA's decision except to the extent that the immigration judge's ruling influences the BIA. Wang v. Holder, 569 F.3d 531, 536 (5th Cir. 2009). Here, the BIA approved of, and relied upon, the immigration judge's findings; thus, we may review the decisions of the immigration judge and the BIA. See id. Whether an alien has demonstrated eligibility for withholding of removal is a factual determination reviewed for substantial evidence. Chen v. Gonzales, 470 F.3d 1131, 1134 (5th Cir. 2006). Under that standard, we may not reverse an immigration court's factual findings unless the evidence was so compelling that no reasonable factfinder could conclude against it. Wang, 569 F.3d at 537; see 8 U.S.C. 1252(b)(4)(B). It is the petitioner's burden to demonstrate that the evidence compels a contrary conclusion. Zhao v. Gonzales, 404 F.3d 295, 306 (5th Cir. 2005). The BIA determined that the immigration judge did not clearly err in concluding that Achola did not demonstrate the requisite nexus between the harm he allegedly feared in Jamaica and either his political opinion or membership in a particular group so as to qualify for withholding of removal to Jamaica. Achola has briefed neither the merits of the BIA's denial of his request for withholding of removal to Jamaica nor the determinations that his asylum application was time barred and that he was ineligible for relief under the CAT. As such, he has waived review of those issues. See Chambers v. Mukasey, 520 F.3d 445, 448 n.1 (5th Cir. 2008). Consequently, even if it is assumed arguendo that Achola was entitled to withholding of removal to Kenya, the regulations make clear that such a determination does not prevent the Department of Homeland Security from removing him to a country other than the one to which removal has been withheld, i.e., Jamaica. 8 C.F.R. 1208.16(f); Matter of I-S & C-S, 24 I. & N. Dec. 434 (BIA 2008). Unlike forms of relief from removal, such as asylum, withholding of removal (as well as CAT protection) prevents an alien from being returned to the place of danger; it does not prevent removal if some other country will accept the alien. Ramirez-Mejia v. Lynch, 794 F.3d 485, 492 (5th Cir. 2015). PETITION DENIED. PER CURIAM:* This service applies to you if your subscription has not yet expired on our old site. You will have continued access until your subscription expires; then you will need to purchase an ongoing subscription through our new system. Please contact The Chanute Tribune office at 620-431-4100 if you have any questions United States Court of Appeals, Seventh Circuit. CURT GILGENBACH, Plaintiff-Appellant, v. STATE OF ILLINOIS, et al., Defendants-Appellees. No. 17-2011, No. 17-cv-01807 Decided: January 05, 2018 Before DIANE P. WOOD, Chief Judge JOEL M. FLAUM, Circuit Judge DIANE S. SYKES, Circuit Judge ORDER Curt Gilgenbach has sued federal, state, and local taxing authorities asserting that because he has a land patent, he and his property are immune from taxation. The district court correctly ruled that it lacked subject-matter jurisdiction over this frivolous suit, so we affirm. Gilgenbach sued the United States, the State of Illinois, DuPage County, Bloomingdale Township, and the Village of Glendale Heights. He asserts that in 1845 the United States granted to his predecessor-in-interest the title to land that he now owns and therefore the defendants may not constitutionally tax it. When the defendants, some of whom were not served with process, did not respond to this complaint, he moved for default judgments. The judge dismissed the suit for lack of subject-matter jurisdiction and denied Gilgenbach's motion as moot, ending the case. In this court Gilgenbach argues that the district court was required to enter default judgments under Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 55(a). He also rehashes his earlier arguments about the unlawful taxation of his property. Frivolous suits do not engage federal jurisdiction. Crowley Cutlery Co. v. United States, 849 F.2d 273, 277 (7th Cir. 1988); see Beauchamp v. Sullivan, 21 F.3d 789, 790 (7th Cir. 1994). And this suit is frivolous. We have sanctioned litigants for frivolously basing federal-question jurisdiction on the theory, which Gilgenbach uses, that a land patent from the United States is a federal law that bars others from later acquiring interests in the land. Hilgeford v. Peoples Bank, 776 F.2d 176, 179 (7th Cir. 1985). A land patent from the United States does not bar future interests, including taxable interests, in the land; it just conveys fee simple ownership to the original titleholder. Wisconsin v. Glick, 782 F.2d 670, 67174 (7th Cir. 1986) (relying on Hilgeford to sanction litigants for basing federal jurisdiction on a land patent and expecting that the sanction will ensure that others think twice before doing likewise); see also Van Zelst v. Comm'r, 100 F.3d 1259, 1261 (7th Cir. 1996) (explaining that a land patent is fee simple ownership). The district judge thus properly ruled that it lacked subject-matter jurisdiction and could not enter default judgments. Gilgenbach also argues that the defendants violated local and state laws in categorizing his land for zoning and taxation purposes, but he has not developed his argument so we need not address it. See Johnson v. Gen. Bd. of Pension & Health Benefits of United Methodist Church, 733 F.3d 722, 731 (7th Cir. 2013); Puffer v. Allstate Ins. Co., 675 F.3d 709, 718 (7th Cir. 2012). In any case, the judge properly declined to exercise supplemental jurisdiction over state-law claims after she dismissed the federal claim as frivolous. See 28 U.S.C. 1367(c); Groce v. Eli Lilly & Co., 193 F.3d 496, 50001 (7th Cir. 1999). This is not the first time Gilgenbach has pursued frivolous litigation. He filed a similar land patent case in 2016 in the United States Court of Federal Claims. We now sanction Gilgenbach with a fine of $1,000. If the fine is not paid in two weeks, we will enter an order under Support Systems International, Inc. v. Mack, 45 F.3d 185, 186 (7th Cir. 1995), barring him from filing papers in any federal court within this circuit except for defense of criminal cases or applications for writs of habeas corpus. We have considered Gilgenbach's other arguments, and none has merit. The judgment of the district court is AFFIRMED. United States Court of Appeals, Seventh Circuit. UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, Plaintiff-Appellee, v. CALVIN WILLIAMS, Defendant-Appellant. No. 15-3501 Decided: January 05, 2018 Before WILLIAMJ. BAUER, Circuit JudgeFRANK H. EASTERBROOK, Circuit JudgeDIANE S. SYKES, Circuit Judge ORDER Calvin Williams pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, 21 U.S.C. 841(a)(1), and was sentenced to 20 years in prison in accordance with his binding plea agreement, see FED. R. CRIM. P. 11(c)(1)(C). Williams contends that his guilty plea was not knowing and voluntary because he was misadvised during the plea colloquy about his sentencing exposure. Williams did not preserve this argument, so the plain-error standard applies here and is decisive. Because the record does not establish that Williams was misled or confused about his sentencing exposure, the plain-error standard is not met. We therefore affirm. I. Background In 2013 Williams was indicted for conspiring to distribute methamphetamine in violation of 841(a). His minimum and maximum prison exposure depended on the drug quantity that could be attributed to him. He faced 10 years to life if the government proved that he distributed more than 500 grams of methamphetamine. 21 U.S.C. 846, 841(b)(1)(A)(viii). But if the government instead proved a quantity of between 50 and 500 grams of methamphetamine, Williams faced a prison term of 5 to 40 years. 846, 841(b)(1)(B)(viii). The indictment alleged that the conspiracy involved the larger amount: more than five hundred (500) grams of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine. If convicted as charged, he faced a potential life term. The applicable penalties increased when the government later filed a sentencing-enhancement information under 21 U.S.C. 851 based on two prior Illinois convictions for felony drug offenses. The 851 enhancement increased Williams's possible prison term under both subsections (b)(1)(A) and (b)(1)(B) of 841. He faced a mandatory life term upon proof of the 500-gram quantity charged in the indictment. 846, 841(b)(1)(A)(viii). His exposure dropped to 10 years to life if the government proved a quantity between 50 and 500 grams. 846, 841(b)(1)(B)(viii). The parties eventually negotiated a lock-in plea agreement under Rule 11(c)(1)(C) in which Williams would plead guilty to the charged conspiracy in exchange for withdrawal of the 851 information and an agreed-upon prison term of 20 years. The plea agreement included a stipulation that Williams conspired to distribute more than 500 grams of methamphetamine. At the change-of-plea hearing, the judge asked Williams if he was fully satisfied with his lawyer's advice. Williams replied, Not fully, no, sir. The judge then recessed the proceedings and met privately with Williams and his lawyer. Williams explained that he wanted his counsel to ask the government for a Santiago proffer. See United States v. Santiago, 582 F.2d 1128 (7th Cir. 1978) (setting the standards for the admissibility of a coconspirator's hearsay statements). But his counsel had advised him that the prosecutor would hold it against him and withdraw the plea offer, leaving him exposed to a mandatory life sentence. Williams's attorney did not deny telling his client that he faced a mandatory life sentence without the plea agreement; he explained that he thought the discovery received from the government made a Santiago proffer unnecessary. With that explanation the judge concluded that Williams's concern about counsel's representation was unwarranted. The judge asked Williams if he wanted more time to consult with his lawyer. Williams declined. He affirmed that his decision to plead guilty was clear and he was ready to move forward. The Rule 11 plea colloquy then reconvened, and the judge began by summarizing the terms of the plea agreement. When the judge mentioned the stipulated drug quantities, Williams said he did not agree that the conspiracy had involved more than 500 grams. He insisted that the total amount he probably sold was about 300 grams and the total for the conspiracy as a wholeincluding the reasonably foreseeable conduct of other participantsadded up to less than 500 grams. This equivocation prompted the judge to question whether the change of plea could proceed as contemplated. The prosecutor then conferred privately with defense counsel. Following that conversation, the prosecutor informed the court as follows: Because this is a C agreement [i.e., Rule 11(c)(1)(C)] for 20 years , we don't really think the weight is that important. He continued: If the [d]efendant wants to admit to 300400 grams as opposed to 500, the [g]overnment will accept that. That means, the prosecutor continued, his weights, it will be a (b)(1)(B) sentencing scheme, but the end result is still the same. It's 20 years. The judge then confirmed with Williams, his counsel, and the prosecutor that without the plea agreement Williams would face a mandatory life sentence if convicted as charged. All agreed with that assessment. The prosecutor then stated that [t]he [g]overnment will agree with the [d]efendant that the weight was less than 500, more than 50, so we're dealing with a (b)(1)(B) sentencing scheme. Williams concurred and pleaded guilty to what the judge described as a conspiracy to distribute more than 50 but less than 500 grams of methamphetamine. The parties agreed to revise paragraphs 4 and 6 of the plea agreement to refer to subsection (b)(1)(B) instead of (b)(1)(A). In paragraph 4 the judge crossed off the A in 841(a)(1)(A) and wrote in B. And in paragraph 6 he crossed though the possible prison terms and wrote in 10 years to life with the 851 enhancement and 5 to 40 years without it. Williams signed the revised agreement. At sentencing defense counsel asked the judge to accept the plea agreement and sentence Williams to 20 years in prison because he was facing a mandatory minimum of life in prison otherwise. The judge imposed a sentence of 20 years in accordance with the agreement. II. Analysis Williams argues that his guilty plea was not knowing and voluntary. He acknowledges that during the Rule 11 colloquy, he was correctly told that he would face a mandatory life sentence if he rejected the plea agreement and was convicted as charged in the indictment. He argues, however, that when the prosecutor said that the drug weights were not important, he was misled into thinking that he also faced a mandatory life sentence even if he was convicted of distributing less than the 500 grams. The parties disagree over the standard of review. Williams contends that the harmless-error standard applies because he objected to the larger drug quantity. The government responds that our review is limited to the plain-error standard because Williams did not raise any objection to the judge's Rule 11 colloquy or seek to withdraw his guilty plea. See United States v. Vonn, 535 U.S. 55, 5859 (2002) (stating that a defendant who lets Rule 11 error pass without objection in the trial court has the burden to establish plain error). The government is correct. Plain-error review is appropriate because Williams neither moved to withdraw his guilty plea nor lodged an objection to the judge's Rule 11 colloquy. We recognize that Williams believes he preserved this issue by insisting at the change-of-plea hearing that he distributed only 300 grams of methamphetamine and by objecting at sentencing to the probation officer's calculation of drug quantity. But his appeal challenges the Rule 11 colloquy and the voluntariness of his guilty plea; he preserved neither argument. It is axiomatic that in order to preserve an issue for appellate review, a party must make a proper objection that alerts the court and opposing party to the specific grounds for the objection. United States v. Thomas, 845 F.3d 824, 831 (7th Cir. 2017) (quotation marks and alteration omitted). Under the plain-error standard, a defendant must show that (1) an error has occurred; (2) it was plain; (3) it affected the defendant's substantial rights; and (4) it seriously affected the fairness, integrity, or public reputation of the judicial proceedings. United States v. Pineda-Buenaventura, 622 F.3d 761, 770 (7th Cir. 2010). In particular: [A] defendant who seeks reversal of his conviction after a guilty plea, on the ground that the district court committed plain error under Rule 11, must show a reasonable probability that, but for the error, he would not have entered the plea. A defendant must thus [establish] that the probability of a different result is sufficient to undermine confidence in the outcome of the proceeding. United States v. Dominguez Benitez, 542 U.S. 74, 83 (2004) (quoting Strickland v. Washington, 466 U.S. 668, 694 (1984)). The record does not support Williams's claim that he was misled or confused about his sentencing exposure with or without the plea agreement. Williams focuses on the judge's failure to tell him that he faced a mandatory life sentence only if he was convicted of the drug quantities as charged in the indictmenti.e., more than 500 grams of methamphetamine. See 841(b)(1)(A). But the record shows that Williams had a sufficient basis to understand his exposure with the plea agreement and without it. First, when the prosecutor said that the drug quantities were not important, he was referring only to the plea agreement, not to Williams's exposure at trial. Second, the judge's handwritten changes to the plea agreement informed Williams of his sentencing exposure under the stipulated quantities, not his exposure if convicted of the quantity charged in the indictment. Third, the court correctly informed Williams of the consequence of declining that plea agreement: Williams indeed faced a mandatory life sentence if he was convicted as charged in the indictment. Accordingly, we discern no plain error. Williams cannot establish that he misunderstood his sentencing exposure, either with the plea agreement or without it. See United States v. Davila, 569 U.S. 597 (2013) (the reviewing court should assess the alleged error by the district court in light of the full record); United States v. Dominguez Benitez, 542 U.S. 74, 83 (2004) (holding that under plain-error review, the burden is on the defendant to show that he would have pleaded not guilty but for the Rule 11 violation). AFFIRMED. United States Court of Appeals, Eighth Circuit. UNITED STATES of America, PlaintiffAppellee v. Joe L. WELCH, DefendantAppellant No. 16-4163 Decided: January 05, 2018 Before BENTON, SHEPHERD, and KELLY, Circuit Judges. Matt R. Molsen, Special Assistant U.S. Attorney, U.S. ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, Lincoln, NE, for PlaintiffAppellee. Joe L. Welch, Pro Se. Stuart J. Dornan, DORNAN & TROIA, Omaha, NE, for DefendantAppellant. Joe Welch pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm. See 18 U.S.C. 922(g)(1). At sentencing, the district court imposed an enhancement under United States Sentencing Guideline 2K2.1(a)(4) because Welch had a previous conviction for Missouri second-degree assault that the district court determined was a crime of violence. Welch appeals that determination, which we review de novo. United States v. Harrison, 809 F.3d 420, 425 (8th Cir. 2015). A crime of violence is any offense under federal or state law, punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year, that has as an element the use, attempted use, or threatened use of physical force against the person of another USSG 4B1.2. To determine whether a prior conviction qualifies as a crime of violence, we start with the formal categorical approach and look only to the fact of conviction and the statutory definition of the prior offense. United States v. Headbird, 832 F.3d 844, 846 (8th Cir. 2016). But if the statute criminalizes both conduct that does and does not qualify as a [crime of violence], the statute is divisible, and we must determine which section of the statute supplied the basis for a defendant's conviction. Id. (quoting United States v. Jordan, 812 F.3d 1183, 1186 (8th Cir. 2016)). This court has previously held that the Missouri second-degree assault statute is divisible because it defines multiple offenses. See United States v. Alexander, 809 F.3d 1029, 1031 (8th Cir. 2016). Welch asks us to reconsider this determination in light of Mathis v. United States, 136 S. Ct. 2243 (2016). Rather than undermining our previous holdings, however, Mathis confirms our analysis. In Mathis, the Court explained that [a] single statute may list elements in the alternative, and thereby define multiple crimes. 136 S. Ct. at 2249. Elements are the constituent parts of a crime's legal definitionthe things the prosecution must prove to sustain a conviction, id. at 2248 (quotation omitted), and can be contrasted with the various factual means of committing a single element. Id. at 2249. At the time of Welch's prior conviction, the Missouri second-degree assault statute stated [a] person commits the crime of assault in the second degree if he: (1) Attempts to kill or knowingly causes or attempts to cause serious physical injury to another person under the influence of sudden passion arising out of adequate cause; or (2) Attempts to cause or knowingly causes physical injury to another person by means of a deadly weapon or dangerous instrument; or (3) Recklessly causes serious physical injury to another person; or (4) While in an intoxicated condition or under the influence of controlled substances or drugs, operates a motor vehicle in this state and, when so operating, acts with criminal negligence to cause physical injury to any person other than himself; or (5) Recklessly causes physical injury to another person by means of discharge of a firearm. Mo. Rev. Stat. 565.060.1 (2001). Each subsection is its own crime with different elements, rendering the statute divisible. See United States v. Fields, 863 F.3d 1012, 1014 (8th Cir. 2017) (analyzing only the subsection of Mo. Rev. Stat. 565.060.1 under which the defendant was convicted). Welch next argues that, even if Missouri second-degree assault is a divisible statute, his prior conviction under that statute still does not qualify as a crime of violence. The parties agree that Welch pleaded guilty to violating subsection 2. To be guilty under that subsection, a defendant must knowingly cause (or attempt to cause) physical injury to another person by means of a deadly weapon or dangerous instrument. Mo. Rev. Stat. 565.060.1(2). Welch argues that under Missouri law, the requirement that a person cause or attempt to cause physical injury to another person may be satisfied by something less than violent force as required by Johnson. See Johnson v. United States, 559 U.S. 133, 140 (2010) (explaining that physical force means violent forcethat is, force capable of causing physical pain or injury to another person); see also Mo. Rev. Stat. 556.061(36) (2001) (defining physical injury as physical pain, illness, or any impairment of physical condition). This court has previously held, post-Johnson, that Missouri second-degree assault, under the second subsection, is a crime that has as an element the use, attempted use, or threatened use of physical force against the person of another, and that it is therefore a crime of violence. United States v. Vinton, 631 F.3d 476, 485 (8th Cir. 2011) (quotation and citation omitted); see also United States v. Scott, 818 F.3d 424, 435 (8th Cir. 2016); Alexander, 809 F.3d at 103233. Welch offers no argument that a change in the law dictates a different result. Accordingly, the judgment of the district court is affirmed. FOOTNOTES . The Honorable Joseph F. Bataillon, United States District Judge for the District of Nebraska. . The 1993 version of Mo. Rev. Stat. 565.060.1(2), which was at issue in Vinton, is identical to the 2001 version at issue here. PER CURIAM. Hamilton County Emergency Management continues to receive important winter weather information from the National Weather Service in Morristown, Tn. This is a brief overview of the on-going winter weather for Friday and throughout the weekend. Wind Chill Temperatures Friday morning and again Friday night Wind Chill Temperatures Friday morning are extremely cold across the area with a Wind Chill Advisory for the Hamilton County area through the weekend. Wind Chills in Hamilton County will be as low as-5 to -15 degrees Friday morning for the higher elevations. In the valley, temperatures will generally range from -2 to +10 degrees this morning. Tonight, wind chills once again will surge below zero in the higher elevations with readings of -5 to -10 common in those areas, and in the valley values from 0 to +12. Wintry Weather for Sunday night through Monday morning On Sunday, most areas will rise above freezing during the day, but then will dip below freezing Sunday night. There is a chance of freezing rain or possibly sleet Sunday night and into Monday morning until warmer air pushes into the area and changes the precipitation over to just rain. By Monday afternoon, temperatures in Hamilton County are expected to rise above freezing and the area will be getting just a cold rain. Right now, it looks like impacts would be limited, due to how light most of the precipitation will be while temperatures are below freezing, and that it looks like by the time moderate rains move into the area temperatures will already be above freezing. This possible freezing rain event is still a few days away and officials will be watching it closely. Chattanooga firefighters battled two major blazes on Friday. At 2:35 a.m., Chattanooga firefighters were dispatched to an automatic fire alarm at 7860 Magnolia Lake Drive in the Legends subdivision. The first firefighters on the scene reported nothing visible. However, to be absolutely sure, they contacted the homeowner through the alarm company and gained access to the house. Once inside, they discovered a lot of smoke and confirmed that they had a working fire. Battalion Chief Brandon Schroyer said the fire was hidden in the floor and difficult to gain access to. As the flames began to spread into the walls, Chief Schroyer called for a additional fire companies to assist those on the scene who were fighting the fire in 15 degree temperatures. Despite their best efforts, the fire spread up into the attic and raced across the top of the large, two-story house. Those firefighters who arrived first fought the blaze in the frigid weather until their shift ended at 7:00 a.m. They were replaced by another shift of firefighters, who resumed the firefighting operation for several more hours. The house was considered a total loss. Water runoff from the firefighting operation froze on the ground, pavement and fire equipment. One firefighter was injured when she slipped on the ice and hit her head. She was transported to a local hospital for observation, but her injuries are not life-threatening. The house was unoccupied at the time of the fire. The couple who owned it said they were planning on selling the house next week. A track hoe with the city's Public Works Department was called in to raze the structure. The purpose was to make it easier for firefighters to put out hot spots, and also to remove potential hazards to the public, such as unsupported brick walls. The cause of the fire is under investigation. Chattanooga police, Hamilton County EMS, EPB and Hamiltion County's Rehab Unit also provided valuable assistance on the scene. While firefighters were still working to put out hot spots on this fire, the department received another alarm at 10:48 a.m. of a structure fire at 1048 Hurricane Creek Road. Some of the fire crews packed their gear and headed for that fire, which turned into a 2-alarm blaze. No one was injured in that fire. A family of six lived in the house that was totally destroyed, including a husband, wife and four children. They lost everything in the fire. Battalion Chief Travis Williams was the first on the scene and when he saw that the rear of the structure was engulfed in flames, requested a second alarm response to bring in additional firefighters and equipment. Battalion Chief David Thompson Jr. said their firefighting efforts were hampered by several factors, including low water pressure and a damaged hydrant in front of the house. Firefighters with the first engine company to arrive on the scene, Engine 9, discovered that their pump was partially frozen, which put their truck out of commission. Chief Thompson said the firefighters had to swap out fire apparatus and hook up to a hydrant further down the street. In the meantime, the fire spread quickly and eventually erupted through the roof. It took the firefighters roughly an hour to get the blaze under control. The house was considered a total loss. No injuries were reported. No one was reportedly home at the time of the fire. Though there were some initial concerns that two children might still be inside the burning structure, the homeowner told firefighters that his wife and four children were away at the time and all were accounted for. The family had three dogs and a kitten. Two dogs were found safe outside. It is believed one dog and the kitten perished in the blaze. A track hoe with the city's Public Works Division was requested to raze the remnants of the structure to help the firefighters put out the hot spots. The cause of the fire is under investigation. With numerous fire companies committed to two large fires this morning, the decision was made to request help with a Mutual Aid Standby. The Tri-Community Volunteer Fire Department sent three tankers to the Hurricane Creek fire to assist with the water supply issues. Other fire departments that provided assistance included the following: Dallas Bay Volunteer Fire Department, East Ridge Fire Department, Highway 58 Volunteer Fire Department, Signal Mountain Fire Department and the Soddy Daisy Fire Department. The Hamilton County 911 Mobile Incident Support Team also responded to the scene to assist with communications, since so many fire companies were committed on fire scenes. Chattanooga police, Hamilton County EMS, EPB and Chattanooga-Hamilton County Rescue's Rehab Truck also provided valuable assistance on the scene. The Forgotten Child Fund showed up on the scene Friday afternoon and brought the family a supply of clothes, winter apparel (coats, gloves, scarfs and toboggans), gift cards and two large boxes of toys to replace the toys they lost in the fire. They will also be receiving bicycles. Voice of the People Recently four members of Porter County Board of Zoning Appeals approved to give an Iowa company special exceptions and variances to build a THIRD gas station at U.S. 6 and Indiana 149, on the northwest corner adjacent to Liberty Township. In this growing age of... Voice of the People We havent betrayed the Afghan people; they betrayed us. Monday morning quarterbacks criticizing our government and military are nothing more than cheap shot malcontents. Id like to see or at least hear how, under these same circumstances, they could do better. Joel Sutlin Chesterton September... Voice of the People Chesterton needs an Italian beef place like Portillios or Pops. Next to the new Aldi would be a great location. Please and thank you. Linda Williams Westville Monitor childrens online activity to prevent exploitation Now that the new school year has begun and notwithstanding the increase of in-person classes, our children will likely continue to use their various devices with access to the internet. By doing so, they can unknowingly become the target of online human traffickers and predators,... Bakasetas opened the scoring with a free kick in the sixth minute. Lazaros Christodoulopoulos converted the penalty Bakasetas gained in the 36th and Sergio Araujo scored off Bakasetas' pass in the 40th. Twitter's attempt to handle political speech on its site - and defining when and how that overlaps with violent speech - has been a long and often confusing process. The company also introduced new policies last month that specifically exempted "military or government" groups from its policies prohibiting accounts that "use or promote violence against civilians to further their causes." But even with Twitter's latest clarifications, questions remain about how it defines and reviews political figures. The type of E. coli thats making people sick in the U.S. is genetically similar to that found in the Canadian cases, which makes it more likely but not guaranteed that it comes from the same source, CDC officials have said. As part of the plan approved by the companys board Dec. 31, Heidrick & Struggles will also close two unspecified offices, one in the U.S. and one in Europe, and merge those operations into other offices. The firm currently operates 50 offices in 29 countries. In November, a 175-person office in India was closed and its functions were outsourced. Dr. Flora Tydings, chancellor for the Tennessee Board of Regents (TBR), will be the speaker at the Rotary Club of Cleveland luncheon on Tuesday, at the Museum Center at 5ive Points. Prior to the Rotary meeting, Chancellor Tydings will also have an opportunity to meet with President Seymours cabinet at CSCC. Originally, this came about when I was asked to sponsor a program for our club, said Dr. Bill Seymour, CSCC president. I thought rather than me personally doing another presentation that I would invite the chancellor, and I was pleased that she accepted our invitation. Dr.. Tydings will be providing a general update on The New TBR after the FOCUS Act changes including some of the systems new priorities and the impact this will have on CSCC. Dr. Tydings will also include a status report on the funding request for the new building and renovations on CSCCs campus. The TBR recommended $25 million for Cleveland State campus revitalization project that included a new Health and Sciences building and renovation of the Mary T. Barker Humanities Building. In addition, she will also be discussing the new warranty for graduates of its colleges technical programs that was approved at the TBR quarterly meeting last month. This warranty guarantees that future graduates of technical training programs demonstrate skills identified in their curriculums and provide tuition-free retraining for those who dont. The warranty is valid for one year from the date of graduation. Dr. Seymour said, We are excited that the chancellor is coming to Cleveland. This is our first Rotary meeting of 2018, and I think its a great way to start the new year. Dr. Tydings was appointed chancellor by the Tennessee Board of Regents in a unanimous vote on Dec. 27, 2016, effective Feb. 1, 2017. As chancellor, she is chief executive officer of the Board of Regents system, managing operations of the system office and providing strategic leadership for the systems institutions in accordance with the boards policies and direction and with Tennessee law. She arrived as the board and its institutions continue the transition into a more unified community and technical college system under the FOCUS (Focus on College and University Success) Act of 2016. The TBR system is also the primary driver in Tennessees Drive to 55 initiative. Dr. Tydings earned her Doctor of Education degree in Occupational Studies at The University of Georgia; her Master of Education degree at Mercer University, and her Bachelor of Science degree in education, with an emphasis in behavioral science, at Georgia Southern University. Her career in higher education leadership began in 1996 as director of curriculum and staff development at Macon Technical Institute. She became vice president for academic affairs at Central Georgia Technical College two years later, and served in that position until her appointment as president at Athens Technical College in 2003. She served there until moving to Tennessee in 2015 as president of Chattanooga State Community College. "I believe that black people are being pushed out of Chicago intentionally by a strategy that involves disinvestment in communities being implemented by the city administration, and I believe Rahm Emanuel is the head of the city administration and therefore needs to be held responsible for those outcomes," Kennedy said. Investigators found no signs of struggle. Markhams blue CPD uniform shirt was on the bathroom counter, her purse near the sink. In the bedroom, there was a yellow Post-it note from her friends who had come to check on her earlier in the day, failing to realize she was in the tub. The note read, Hey love give me a call, according to a detectives report from the scene. Charles Mott, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Chicago, early on Saturday said it was unlikely the temperature Saturday would get above 20, which would tie a record of 12 days of temperatures that haven't gotten out of the teens. Many days the thermometer has registered only single digits and even below zero. The high Saturday at O'Hare was expected to be no more than 14 degrees. An Aurora man has been charged with drug-induced homicide after he sold a fentanyl-laced drug to a man who later died from an overdose after being found in a washroom at the DeKalb Tollway Oasis, according to Illinois State Police. A male passenger was ejected and was taken to Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center in critical condition. The driver of the vehicle was taken to the same hospital and was stabilized. More than a dozen Chicago police officers flocked to 149 W. Kinzie St. at the Old Crow Smokehouse bar on the Near North Side around 1 a.m. to try to disperse the unruly crowd that spread across the block near Kinzie and LaSalle Street. Additionally, Mr. Martinezs driver license was revoked for four DUIs. Mr. Martinezs reckless and arrogant behavior would indicate that he did not think he would be ever be stopped by police. These kind of drug dealers are so brazen that they do not even care how they drive or bring attention to themselves. Amos Bailey, 18, and two unnamed 16-year-old boys are accused of bumping into the rear of the mans beige Cadillac SUV while he was stopped in traffic in the 600 block of South Kostner Avenue in the Lawndale neighborhood around 11 a.m. Friday. But the early days of her 13th year as chancellor have been marked by a bracing return to Earth. Every political career ends, and Merkel's finale may be coming faster than just about anyone had predicted. Her rapidly diminishing political stock threatens to leave a void not only in Germany, but across the West, just as she had emerged as the most robust internationalist counterpoint to Trump-style nativism. The Chattanooga Area Food Bank, Southeast Tennessee and Northwest Georgias largest hunger relief organization serving 20 counties, announced the hiring of Melanie Hammontree as the new Northwest Georgia development officer. Mrs. Hammontree, a third generation Daltonian, will support the nine counties the Food Bank serves in Georgia. She will be based out of the Food Banks Northwest Georgia branch, 1111 South Hamilton St. in Dalton. "Mrs. Hammontrees expertise will ensure the Food Banks long term strategies to eliminate hunger and promote better nutrition for the most vulnerable people in the area," officials said.With prior experience in the banking industry at Wachovia Bank (now Wells Fargo), Mrs.Hammontree has spent the past 13 years working with various non-profits in the Dalton area. Most recently, she worked at Dalton Arts Project and the Dance Theatre of Dalton, as well as served as president of the Dalton Middle School Booster Club.Combining Melanies expertise and dedication for our mission with her passion for serving her friends and neighbors in the Northwest Georgia community will allow the Food Bank to support our nine counties more effectively and efficiently, said Gina Crumbliss, president and CEO of the Chattanooga Area Food Bank. We have the utmost confidence in Melanie as a respected leader in the Northwest Georgia community and have already seen a positive impact in our organization from having her on our team.A native of Dalton, Mrs. Hammontree attended Dalton Public Schools, earned an associate of science degree from Dalton State College and a bachelor of science in biology with a minor in psychology from Kennesaw State University. She is a member of the Association of Fundraising Professionals and serves as a committee member for Dalton Arts Project. "After a year of investigations into Donald Trump's ties to Russia, the only person Republicans seek to accuse of wrongdoing is one who reported on these matters to law enforcement in the first place," the lawyer, Joshua Levy, said in a statement. "Publicizing a criminal referral based on classified information raises serious questions about whether this letter is nothing more than another attempt to discredit government sources, in the midst of an ongoing criminal investigation. We should all be skeptical in the extreme." PHOTOS 20 questions you should be ready to answer at a job interview Preparing for a job interview, like training for a marathon or learning a new hobby, takes time, energy and practice. Knowing where in the process to start can be tricky. To help, job-search site Glassdoor sifted through tens of thousands of job interview reviews and discovered the most commonly asked interview questions of the bunch. To better your chances of scoring that new position, consider how you would respond to these 20 questions. Through the years, I believe the community has embraced the nostalgic lights and festive music to cherish as a holiday moment in their memories. All are able to enjoy this twinkling show due to the individuals who organized the schedule, setup the lights, donated their time and finally took down the lights. These tireless supporters include the city of Aurora, the folks at Phillips Park, the many, many sponsors that contribute dollars and staff to run the show, the community for their attendance, and finally all the Rotarians in the Fox Valley that provided their time and effort to deliver our show. VanLandingham came to Louisville in 2013 after graduating from Indiana University in Bloomington and joining the Navy, a spokeswoman for University of Louisville said. She was involved in many community service projects, served as vice president of the Association of American Women in Dentistrys Louisville chapter, was an active member of the universitys Hispanic Dental Association and represented the University of Louisvilles School of Dentistry in the 2016 Poland Exchange Student Program. "Due to the financial constraints the City is experiencing, we are unable to pay elected officials for this current pay period 01/05/18," reads the email, which Williams sent to the mayor, aldermen, the treasurer, the clerk, the deputy clerk and a mayoral aide. "Regarding your paychecks, we will keep you all updated, as we are hoping to process them sometime next week if funding is available. Thank you for your patience and understanding at this time." The Lincoln funeral flower also will not always be on display at the historical museum, because it is "too valuable and too rare," said Vasko, noting that, "It's not the kind of thing you exhibit all the time." When Kimberly Kimmie Galloway was choosing a college, she had three main things she was looking for. She needed a college close to home because she was taking care of her sick mother at the time. She wanted to attend a community college because of the Tennessee Promise, and she needed a flexible schedule where she would not have to go to school every day. At CSCC, she found all of these things. She was able to remain close to her hometown of Copper Basin. She was also able to take advantage of Tennessee Promise, as well as flexible scheduling options. My parents would have had a cow if I missed out on two years of free college, stated Ms. Galloway. I will be in less debt getting my bachelors degree than those who chose not to come to CSCC and take advantage of this great opportunity. Throughout her time at CSCC, Ms. Galloway has been involved with the CSCC Ambassadors, assisting with many recruitment events, as well as the Student Senate. I really enjoy going to the high schools and talking to high school students about CSCC and telling them what I enjoy about CSCC. Ms. Galloway said she loves the one-on-one attention she gets from her instructors at CSCC. All of my instructors are incredibly helpful, stated Ms. Galloway. My favorite instructors are Mrs. Moseley and Mr. Wilson. I like the way they teach. They have flipped classrooms, where you do the reading before you come into class, and then they give the class a chance to express their opinions on different topics. Ms. Galloway plans to follow in many of her familys footsteps and become a teacher. Her grandmother, aunts, sister and brother were all teachers, as well as her mother, who went on to become a vice principal. After CSCC, Ms. Galloway plans to transfer to the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga to continue the family tradition and major in education. I think community college is a great stepping stone for higher education, especially if you come from a small high school. I believe CSCC helps students learn life skills for a better future, and I would recommend it to everyone. A freshman herself, Moran, started at Richards just a few months after her twin brothers, Jake and Jack, graduated last May. She's following in their footsteps in another way as well. The twins started the clothing drive at Richards a few years ago. Jake and Jack now attend Illinois Wesleyan University in Bloomington. I read in the newspaper that charities are worried that fewer middle-class people will donate to their organizations due to the new tax law. Is that the motivating factor, then, as to why people donate to get a tax break? If people were genuinely devoted to the causes that they claim to support, then they would continue to support them financially, whether they get a tax break or not. There's nothing quite like false virtue. Schiller and his girlfriend, Teresa Quarles, who owns the home, were cited in December for violations by Elgin's code compliance department. The city was called by an unidentified resident who reported Schiller was operating a shelter in a basement of the house in the 400 block of Lawrence Avenue. Schiller said he only opened his doors on nights when wind chills were expected to hit 15 degrees or below, the threshold that would trigger the opening of another shelter. The blackbird squawked off and all that was left was some nice wing prints in the snow. I decided I would return the next day with a camera, but it was dark the next day, so I waited until the following day. Wrong move. It was garbage day and the homeowner had placed the two carts right on the spot where the feather marks were. So it goes. Picnic permits, which are required for groups of 25 or more people, are available for more than 30 rentable shelters. They must be bought in person at a visitor center, but camping permits may be bought either by phone or in person. Lake County Commissioner Michael Repay, D-Hammond, said he doesn't want to see any legislation that has unintended consequences and makes it difficult for people to get medication. Repay said a few years ago the state was concerned about methamphetamine production and made it difficult for "law-abiding allergy sufferers" to get medication. Real Estate Partners Chattanooga LLC has named Chris Todd its director of Professional Development. In this newly created position, Mr. Todd is director and facilitator of the new Partners Work2Win agent career development program. The Work2Win program will join the ongoing core curriculum courses taught by veteran real estate educator Pam Duffy, director of Training and the popular agent collaboration Mornings with Mary workshops facilitated by Mary Sanders. Chris brings energy, structure, accountability and a great record of success in working with both new agents to jump start their careers and experienced agents to attain higher levels of sales production. We are excited about the new success tools he is offering beginning this month, Company President Darlene Brown said. Mr. Todd is a certified trainer with a career performance history in pharmaceutical, industrial and tech sales, before embarking on a real estate career shortly after relocating to Chattanooga. He, his wife Kay and their two children live on Signal Mountain. The Work2Win program is a reflection of Real Estate Partners corporate philosophy and company culture. We are implementing an ongoing multi-faceted, dynamic program to give both our new agents and experienced professionals the specific information, tools and accountability support to Work2Win, Mr Todd said of his new professional development platform. The Work2Win program also offers transparency to new agents working to build their real estate business, according to Ryan May, Business Resource and Development director for the company. To be successful and productive in the real estate industry a strong work ethic must be the foundation. We are giving our real estate professionals the tools to work to win in their business and with that in our profession as well, Mr. May said. "The strong work ethic, dedication to clients and customers and a mandate for continuing education paid off for Real Estate Partners again in 2017 as it generated $240,485,827 in sales volume with a total of only 55 agents on board during the reporting period of 01/01/2017 - 12/31/2017. The company had the highest average sales price at $283,927 of any of the top five real estate companies and was the only locally-owned, independent real estate company to rank among the top five Chattanooga real estate companies, according to reports generated through the Greater Chattanooga Association of REALTORS data base," officials said. The 11-year-old company has two offices, Downtown in the Southside District and East location on Shallowford Road. A third location on Signal Mountain will open during the first quarter of this year. A total of 11 films have been nominated for the top honor bestowed by the Producers Guild of America (PGA), the group announced Friday. It's the first time, not 10 but 11 films will race for the the PGA's Darryl F. Zanuck Award for Outstanding Producer of Theatrical Motion Pictures as the result of a tie in voting. The nominees are "The Big Sick," "Call Me by Your Name," "Dunkirk," "Get Out," "I, Tonya," "Lady Bird," "Molly's Game," "The Post," "The Shape of Water," "Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri," and "Wonder Woman." Among the front-runners, fantasy drama film "The Shape of Water" about a mute, female janitor who is drawn into an otherworldly love affair, tops all movies with seven nominations, including Best Picture, at Sunday's 75th annual Golden Globes. The black comedy crime film "Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri" led the nominations with four nods, including best ensemble, for the 24th annual Screen Actors Guild (SAG) Awards on Jan. 21. The Producers Guild has made progress in reducing gender inequality with its nominations list this year, as two of the eleven nominees are directed by women, including Patty Jenkins' "Wonder Woman" and Greta Gerwig's "Lady Bird". Only eight of the top 100 movies in 2017 were directed by women and only 4.3 percent of the 1,223 directors of the 1,100 top movies over the last decade from 2007 to 2017 were female, according to a new study released Thursday by the University of Southern California. Producers Guild of America kicks out former Hollywood mogul Harvey Weinstein disgraced by sex scandal in October. The PGA has remained one of the most reliable Oscar precursors on the awards season trail, matching the Oscar for best picture in 19 of its 28 years. The nominees of the Award for Outstanding Producer of Animated Theatrical Motion Pictures are "The Boss Baby," "Coco," "Despicable Me 3," "Ferdinand" and "The Lego Batman Movie." All 2018 Producers Guild Awards winners will be announced on Jan. 20, 2018 at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in western U.S. city of Los Angeles. The PGA is a trade association representing television producers, film producers and New Media producers in the United States. The PGA's membership includes over 7,000 members of the producing establishment worldwide. You are here: Arts China issued a set of zodiac stamps on Friday to celebrate the upcoming Chinese Lunar New Year of the Dog. China Post invited 99-year-old artist Zhou Lingzhao to design this year's zodiac stamps. Zhou is noted as the portraitist of Chairman Mao Zedong on the Tian'anmen Rostrum at the founding ceremony of the People's Republic of China in 1949. Zhou is something of a legend in Chinese design circles, having led the design of China's national emblem, the emblem of the Chinese Communist Youth League and the Medal of Liberation, not to mention being the chief designer of the second, third and fourth sets of renminbi banknotes. Han Meilin, the 81-year-old designer of the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games mascot "Fuwa" and the zodiac stamps of last Chinese Lunar Year of the Rooster, describes Zhou as his teacher. "We have a close relationship like father and son," Han said. At the launching ceremony for the dog stamps, the aged Zhou Lingzhao did not do anything more than simply sending a New Year's greeting. Zhou spent about one year working on this year's zodiac stamps design. The zodiac stamps contain two items at a total price of 2.4 yuan (about 37 U.S. cents). The theme for the fourth round of zodiac stamps is "happy family," and the new stamps depict Chinese domestic dogs. China Post says the first stamp depicts a male dog with its chin up and its eyes straight ahead. Its two ears point upward, while its hind legs are forcefully thrust against the ground, ready to pounce on any intruders. The second stamp shows a brown bitch lovingly gazing at its puppy. The black puppy holds its head up high and tries to stand straight. The mother and the puppy stand side by side, demonstrating maternal love. The two stamps are connected, signifying a peaceful, harmonious family, and a prosperous, flourishing nation. The year 2018 marks Chinese "Wu Xu Year," the Year of the Dog. In 1980, the Year of the Monkey, China issued its first round of zodiac stamps. Two years later in 1982, Zhou designed the dog year stamp for the first time. There have been about 30 artists engaged in the designs until the current fourth round of zodiac stamps. The characters on this year's dog stamps used "ink-free" carving to improve the effect of the format and prevent counterfeiting. According to Gao Shan, distribution manager of China Post, this year's circulation of dog stamps will be 30 percent less compared with the rooster stamps last year. "The dog stamps may have the lowest quantity of the fourth round zodiac stamps," Gao said. The upcoming Year of the Dog begins on Feb. 16, 2018. The two-year-old boy looked like any child his age, playing with plastic buckets and model trains in a baby-proofed room. The facility, however, serves to monitor children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Also in the room was 28-year-old Xu Ziwei, with pen and notebook in hand and carefully observing the child's every move. Throughout the day, Xu would use a wide variety of tests to assess the child's capabilities in behaviors as well as his verbal, learning, and social capabilities in order to design a treatment plan. Xu is the first Board Certified Behavior Analyst-Doctoral Level (BCBA-D, a widely recognized certification of behavior analysis) in China and chief technology officer at Ing Care, a Beijing-based online platform for educating teachers on how to interact with children with ASD. She said her company aims to close the gap between research and practice in treating children with autism. Improving awareness and expertise Xu went to the U.S. in 2012 to study special education. There, she saw the huge gap between China and the U.S. in the field of autism study and rehabilitation. After earning a doctorate degree in special education at Ohio State University in 2016, Xu decided to return to China and join Ing Care. Xu said she was attracted by the company's mission to spread expertise and knowledge of autism via the internet, and that she was happy to see that Chinese companies are willing to apply advanced and scientific methods to this end. Founded in July 2014, Ing Care provides online courses to both parents and teachers, as well as assessments for children with autism. This January, the company will launch a research and development lab in Beijing. We get the first-hand teaching experience from our research lab, and offer a set of more suitable and professional intervention solutions for Chinese families with children with autism, and to better supplement our online courses in the future," Xu said. Wang Wei, the CEO of Ing Care, explained that the main problems in the field of autism rehabilitation are the lack of qualified teachers and the ineffectiveness of available training. "Based on our market research, 83 percent of the autism support teachers are college graduates or below, and they begin to teach children with autism after only two weeks of training. And only 8 percent of these teachers have degrees in special education." Wang said he hoped his company's online courses can improve the awareness and expertise among teachers and parents across China. Conservative estimates from experts say the number of people identified with ASD in China reaches around 10 million, with an upward trend of 200,000 new diagnoses every year. Meanwhile, the industry of professional care for autism is facing a severe shortage of labor. According to Xu Xiaoming, general secretary of the China Association of Rehabilitation of Disabled Persons, there are only 12 Board Certified Behavior Analysts in all of China, as well as 12,000 registered autism support teachers. Xu said the China Disabled Persons' Federation invited qualified teachers with expertise to give courses in rehab centers across China. However, at a very high cost in time and money, this effort had not produced the expected results. The online education platform at Ing Care could not have come at a better time. "Now we have the best teachers to give courses online, and more teachers are joining Ing Care's community to acquire essential knowledge in a time-saving and convenient way," Xu Xiaoming said. The company has so far provided training to more than 12,000 teachers in cooperation with the China Association of Rehabilitation of Disabled Persons -- nearly 50 percent of over 21,000 autism support teachers in China. These teachers would go on to help around 72,000 children diagnosed with ASD. Furthermore, Ing Care has provided free online courses to about 3,000 parents on how to best support their children with autism, according to the company's annual report. Chinese President Xi Jinping on Friday said that members of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and provincial and ministerial-level officials are "crucial" to the sound governance of the Party and the country. Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, addresses the opening of a workshop attended by newly-elected members and alternate members of the CPC Central Committee, as well as provincial and ministerial-level officials, in Beijing, capital of China, Jan. 5, 2018. The workshop is focused on the study and implementation of "Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era" and the spirit of the 19th CPC National Congress. (Xinhua/Ju Peng) Xi, also general secretary of the CPC Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, made the remarks at the opening of a workshop attended by newly-elected members and alternate members of the CPC Central Committee, as well as provincial and ministerial-level officials. Xi called on such officials to raise their political awareness, adopt a historical perspective, reinforce theoretical thinking, think in big-picture terms and improve their knowledge and intellectual attainments to think and understand major theoretical and practical issues with a broader perspective. The workshop is focused on the study and implementation of "Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era" and the spirit of the 19th CPC National Congress. China has put its first level-four biosafety laboratory into operation, capable of conducting experiments with highly pathogenic microorganisms that can cause fatal diseases, according to the national health authority. Virologists read data on a container for viral samples at China's first level-four biosafety lab at the Institute of Virology in Wuhan, Hubei province, on Wednesday. [Xiao Yuzhou/For China Daily] Level four is the highest biosafety level, used for diagnostic work and research on easily transmitted pathogens that can cause fatal diseases, including the Ebola virus. The Wuhan national level-four biosafety lab recently passed an assessment organized by the National Health and Family Planning Commission, according to a news release on Friday from the Wuhan Institute of Virology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences. After evaluating such things as the lab's management of personnel, facilities, animals, disposals and viruses, experts believed the lab is qualified to carry out experiments on highly pathogenic microorganisms that can cause fatal diseases, such as Marburg, Variola, Nipah and Ebola. "The lab provides a complete, world-leading biosafety system. This means Chinese scientists can study the most dangerous pathogenic microorganisms in their own lab," the Wuhan institute said. It will serve as the country's research and development center on prevention and control of infectious diseases, as a pathogen collection center and as the United Nations' reference laboratory for infectious diseases, the institute said. Previous media reports said the Wuhan P4 lab will be open to scientists from home and abroad. Scientists can conduct research on anti-virus drugs and vaccines in the lab. The lab is part of Sino-French cooperation in the prevention and control of emerging infectious diseases, according to the news release. The central government approved the P4 laboratory in 2003 when the outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome spread alarm across the country. In October 2004, China signed a cooperation agreement with France on the prevention and control of emerging infectious diseases. This was followed by a succession of supplementary agreements. With French assistance in laboratory design, biosafety standards establishment and personnel training, construction began in 2011 and lasted for three years. In 2015, the lab was put into trial operation. Chinese President Xi Jinping on Friday asked senior officials to consistently uphold and develop socialism with Chinese characteristics and promote the "great new project of Party building." Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, addresses the opening of a workshop attended by newly-elected members and alternate members of the CPC Central Committee, as well as provincial and ministerial-level officials, in Beijing, capital of China, Jan. 5, 2018. The workshop is focused on the study and implementation of "Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era" and the spirit of the 19th CPC National Congress. (Xinhua/Ju Peng) Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, made the remarks at the opening of a workshop attended by newly-elected members and alternate members of the CPC Central Committee, as well as provincial and ministerial-level officials. The workshop is focused on the study and implementation of "Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era" and the spirit of the 19th CPC National Congress. Xi said that CPC Central Committee members and provincial and ministerial-level officials are "crucial" to the sound governance of the Party and the country. He called on the officials to raise their political awareness, adopt a historical perspective, reinforce theoretical thinking, think in big-picture terms and improve their knowledge and intellectual attainments, so as to think and understand major theoretical and practical issues with broader perspectives. "Socialism with Chinese characteristics in the new era must be upheld consistently as it is both the achievement and continuation of the people's great social revolutions led by the CPC," Xi said. "Both history and reality have proved that a long historical process is needed for a social revolution to be declared a final victory." "We can grasp the essence of many problems only by looking back the path we have taken, comparing it with others' path and looking to the road ahead -- understanding where we came from and where are going," he said. Socialism with Chinese characteristics does not drop from the sky, but comes out of 40 years of reform and opening up and the practice of exploration since the establishment of the People's Republic of China nearly 70 years ago, Xi said. It is also the result of the 97-year practice of the people's great social revolutions under the CPC leadership, the 170-plus-year historical process during which the Chinese nation has become prosperous from decline, and the inheritance and development of Chinese civilization in the past 5,000-plus years, he added. "It is extremely difficult to achieve this outcome," the president said.p The success of scientific socialism in China is of great importance for Marxism, scientific socialism and socialism across the world. It is most fundamental for the CPC to hold high the great banner of socialism with Chinese characteristics so as to realize its historic mission in the new era, Xi said. "To remain true to our original aspiration and keep our mission firmly in mind, we should not forget that we are communists and revolutionaries and should not lose revolutionary spirit," Xi said. "The success yesterday does not mean that we can be always successful, and the glory of the past does not mean that the future can always be glorious," Xi said, adding that CPC members are like exam-takers and their results will be reviewed by the people. All members of the Party should keep the revolutionary spirit and be brave to ensure the 97-year social revolutions achieve prosperity and enduring peace and stability, Xi said. "The Party must not take pride in victory nor retreat from difficulty," Xi said, urging efforts for a more powerful of truth to be heard from socialism with Chinese characteristics. The Party should have the courage to carry out self-reform and become stronger in order to uphold and develop socialism with Chinese characteristics in the new era, he said. "To have the courage to carry out self-reform and conduct strict self-governance is the most distinctive part of our Party's character." The great new project of Party building plays a decisive role in realizing the country's great cause and dream, he added. The CPC should promote social revolutions led by the Party by self-reform, and build the Party into a vibrant Marxist governing party that is always at the forefront of the times, enjoys the wholehearted support of the people, has the courage to reform itself, and is able to withstand all tests, Xi said. He urged the Party to consolidate basis, innovate, grasp the key points and judge from the overall situation to push forward the great new project of Party building in the new era. It is not easy to stay ready to protect against potential dangers in time of peace, to maintain the hard-working and motivated spirit in time of success, or to keep modest and frugal and remain true to the original aspiration after one coming into power, Xi said. Neither is it effortless to exercise strict discipline to officials and prevent and fight corruption at ordinary time or to follow the tide of the times and respond to the wishes of the people at the junctures of significant changes. "To remain at the vanguard of the times, the backbone of the nation, and a Marxist governing party, our Party must always hold itself to the highest standards," he said. Xi said the senior officials, also known as the "key few," are crucial to Party governance. He told them to have firm convictions and take the lead to embrace deep belief in and faithfully practice Communism and socialism with Chinese characteristics. He required the officials to take a clear political stand in ideology and to uphold the authority of the CPC Central Committee, implement the Party's political line and strictly observe the Party's political discipline and rules in practice. He asked them to enhance their sense of responsibility, strengthen their calibre and abilities, and improve their work style and conduct, urging them to serve the people wholeheartedly. Action against the practice of formality for formality's sake, bureaucratism, hedonism, and extravagance must be carried out persistently, he said. Xi said officials should strengthen ethics and pursue healthy interests to keep up with the high standards of clean governance and self-discipline. He stressed that the more achievements China makes, the more prudent and prepared officials should become to avoid making strategic and subversive mistakes. Li Keqiang, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, said when presiding over the workshop's opening ceremony that Xi's remarks expounded the consistency in sticking to and developing socialism with Chinese characteristics, in "the great new project of Party building", and in increasing sense of precaution and prevention against risks and challenges. "The words are significant in guiding us to thoroughly understand and implement the spirit of the 19th CPC National Congress, and understand and grasp 'Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era'," Li said. Other members of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee Li Zhanshu, Wang Yang, Wang Huning, Zhao Leji and Han Zheng also attended the workshop. You are here: China Police in Xingtai City in north China's Hebei Province have arrested 11 drug suspects. About 2.4 kilograms of methamphetamine and more than 2,000 tablets of magu, a stimulant composed of methamphetamine and caffeine, 500 grams of ketamine, and 40 grams of heroin were seized, together with 8 pistols and more than 400 bullets, local police said on Friday. In October, Xingtai police caught two drug users who led them to a drug dealer surnamed Liu in Chongqing and another one surnamed Song in Hubei Province. The police then went to Chongqing and arrested Liu. Song was caught later in Qianjiang, Hubei Province. The rest of the gang were captured by the end of 2017. The case is still under investigation. You are here: China All Chinese astronauts who have traveled to space have reviewed the oath they took when they joined a special People's Liberation Army battalion. The ceremony has been held as part of a series of events to celebrate the 20 birthday of the battalion. The battalion is responsible for training China's astronauts. During the latest ceremony, the astronauts pledged to train harder in the days ahead so as to stand ready for space missions at any time. The PLA battalion for astronaut training was created in in January, 1998. 14 pilots were initially selected to launch the new battalion's training programs. 7 new pilots were added to the unit in 2010, bringing the total number of China's astronauts to 21. 11 of them have made trips to space on the heels of Yang Liwei to become the first Chinese astronaut in space in 2003. 51-year-old Jing Haipeng currently holds the Chinese record for space flights at three. China was a late comer to space exploration, not sending its first satellite into orbit until 1971. However, Chinese authorities have pumped enormous amounts of money and resources to back the country's space missions. Plans are underway to establish China's own space station, an alternative to the existing International Space Station after it retires over the coming decade, by 2022. A prototype of the planned station, Tiangong-2, was launched into space in 2016. Chinese space scientists are currently looking at the possibility of sending Chinese astronauts to the moon at around 2035. Rainey, Kizer, Reviere and Bell, PLC announced the opening of its Chattanooga office, continuing the firms expansion across Tennessee. The new office will be staffed by the attorneys of the Chattanooga firm of Baker, Kinsman, Hollis & Clelland, P.C., founded in 1984, as the entire firm joins Rainey, Kizer, Reviere & Bell, PLC effective Jan. 1. With the addition of Baker, Kinsmans attorneys, Rainey, Kizer, Reviere & Bell, PLC will have more than 40 attorneys serving its clients from its five offices across Tennessee, including Memphis, Jackson, and Nashville. Through the opening of its Chattanooga office, the firm expands the reach of its business and litigation practices and will have lawyers licensed to practice in Tennessee, Missouri, Mississippi, Arkansas, and Georgia to better serve its clients throughout the Mid-South. N. Mark Kinsman.Mr. Kinsman received his Bachelor of Business Administration and law degrees from the University of Georgia. He focuses his insurance defense practice on handling insurance fraud, arson, insurance coverage case for insurers throughout Tennessee. Mark also defends people and companies in personal injury, construction, real estate professional liability, employment law, and other business-related litigation. Joe Hollis. Mr. Hollis graduated from the University of Georgia with a Bachelor of Arts degree and obtained his law degree from the Mercer University School of Law. He has a diverse insurance defense practice and handles cases involving personal injury, wrongful death, common carrier, and general liability. Wilfred (Fred) Clelland. Mr. Clelland obtained his Bachelor of Arts, MBA, and law degrees from the University of Tennessee. He is licensed in Tennessee and Georgia and regularly defends cases on behalf of his clients in both states. He defends insurance companies and other corporate entities in numerous types of cases, including personal injury and business litigation. Stephany Pedigo. Ms. Pedigo obtained her Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Tennessee and graduated from the Cumberland School of Law at Samford University in Birmingham. She is licensed to practice in Tennessee and Georgia and regularly handles cases in both jurisdictions. She maintains a diverse practice, including handling insurance and personal injury defense cases; providing estate planning, wills, and handling probate issues; and handling conservatorship matters for people who can no longer manage their own affairs. Will we see an Iranian revolution in 2018? This topic is not a theoretical discussion but what regime-change fanatics are starting their articles with. Iran has witnessed a week of violence, and the protest seems to stem from Iranian economic stagnation. Cries of death to the dictator are in the air, which means death to Iran's supreme leader, which is a capital offence under Iranian law. Over 20 people are already dead, and Iran's leaders, both moderate and hardliners, are somewhat flabbergasted as to what the next move might be, as no one expected this backlash. Some of them are darkly hinting at a plausible Saudi effort to destabilize the regime by providing funding to Sunni insurgent groups. This is a tricky situation for the international community, which can be observed from the silence from Iranian partners like India and the EU. Not a single word has come out of the EU bureaucracy, or from traditional regional partners like India. But it also is a tricky situation for traditional Iranian opponents. The Israeli PM, while being superficially supportive, is asking his ministers to pipe down on actively opposing Tehran's government. The British and American governments are also not actively doing anything other than releasing rhetorical attacks on Iran and stating that Iran needs to care about the "democratic aspirations" of its protestors. The reason might be due to the simple fact that everyone is wary of another Middle Eastern spring, this time involving a major military power in Persia it is a positively nightmarish scenario. Order is better than chaos and anarchy, that's the fundamental logic behind foreign policy. Unlike in 2009, where actual grassroots level protests rocked the country, this time it is sporadic, and more violent. In fact according to Iran experts on Twitter, the potential of violence is actually scaring off the protesters from a decade back. No one wants to see another Libya or Syria in their country, not even the ones who are arguably repressed. That's not noticeable amongst the twitter experts and social media commentators however. But given the experience of Iraq, there are questions which need to be answered before anyone can suggest any policy course. Who are the people pushing for a Persian spring in Iran that are based in U.S. and Europe, and how much does the foreign based expat Iranian community's aspirations reflect the Iranians who are in the country? Iran is after all an electoral democracy, that's more than could be said about any Sunni powers in the region. Iranian expats, especially those who have lived for more than two generations abroad will have a warped view of realities on the ground, and may view the situation from their own perspectives, which might or might not be beneficial for the national interests of other powers. Imagine the arguments from Iraqi expats about toppling Saddam, or by Libyan expats about Gaddafi. How's that working out? Secondly, everyone should be careful before they argue about interfering in the sovereign matters of another power. Where does this stop? Tomorrow, if Iran funds Occupy Wall Street or Black Lives matters, there won't be any logical counter arguments against such. There's a reason Westphalian nation states agreed to the principle of non-interference in the sovereignty of other states. It is because the concept is like nuclear deterrence, a sort of Mutually Assured Destruction. One therefore might be very careful of what one wishes for, especially from a Western foreign policy perspective. Regimes might be brutal, but as long as they are providing stability and order, they are better than complete chaos. Iran, and Iran funded Shia militias are all over the region from Yemen to Syria. The Iranian government still enjoys a majority of support from the people of Iran, who more importantly than not, do not want any foreign interference. The previous "springs" also didn't result in liberal outcomes; from Iraq, to Egypt, Bahrain, Libya and Syria, and there's no evidence to believe this time it will be any different. The prudent policy is therefore to wait and observe, instead of pouring fuel on the fire. Sumantra Maitra is a columnist with China.org.cn. For more information please visit: http://www.china.org.cn/opinion/SumantraMaitra.htm Opinion articles reflect the views of their authors only, not necessarily those of China.org.cn. Flash Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said on Friday that he wanted 2018 to be the year during which people in both Japan and China recognize "great improvement" in bilateral relations. Abe made the remarks at a New Year celebration party organized by Jiji Press in Tokyo. The Japanese prime minister has signaled his willingness to improve relations with China on a number of occasions in the second half of 2017, according to local reports. He said last month during a speech in Tokyo that as 2018 marks the 40th anniversary of the signing of the China-Japan Treaty of Peace and Friendship, he wanted to take this opportunity to deepen high-level exchanges with China and elevate bilateral relations to a "new stage." Flash South Sudan on Friday commended China's continued financial and technical assistance to the health sector of the war-torn east African nation. Health Minister Riek Gai Kok said health cooperation between South Sudan and China in the past six years has had enormous impact on the country's health sector. China has become South Sudan's leading donor of pharmaceuticals, grants and a major partner in capacity building for South Sudanese health professionals, the minister said. A grant of about 33 million U.S. dollars provided by the Chinese government in 2013 to modernize and expand health facilities in the war-ravaged country has greatly improved health care across South Sudan, he said. Last year, China offered short training programs to over 250 South Sudanese doctors in different areas of specialization. "Our relations with China is very excellent and we have seen what China has done to this country in the past six years," Kok told reporters during an inspection visit to a China-aided project for modernization and expansion of Juba Teaching Hospital, South Sudan's biggest referral hospital. "The health facilities constructed by Chinese grants will go for generations providing services and standing very firm as a symbol of our relationship with China," he said. The minister also lauded China's donation of 28 containers consisting of transport and communication devices, medical equipment to support the Boma Health Initiative, a community-based project that seeks to bring health services to grass-root communities. "When we launched the community health initiative (Boma Health Initiative) last year, the first country to come to our support was China. They supplied us with tools, equipment, which were delivered quickly," Kok said. "That shows China's commitment to our country's health sector." Economic and Commercial Councilor Zhang Yi at the Chinese Embassy in South Sudan said Beijing is committed to improving South Sudan's health sector by offering financial assistance and capacity building to health professionals. "With all our struggles and efforts, the cooperation between the two countries can move the whole health sector in South Sudan and improve the livelihood of the South Sudanese people," Zhang said. Zhang urged the South Sudanese people to embrace peace for development to take place in the country devastated by four years of civil war. "We sincerely hope that the peace process and resumption of stability could be moving forward," he said. "Peace and development are just like twins. Without peace, you can hardly make any development, and without development, no peace can be sustained." You are here: World Flash At least seven people including six school children were killed and 10 others injured Friday after their bus collided head-on with a goods truck in central Indian state of Madhya Pradesh, local officials said. The accident took place near Bicholi road in Indore district, about 192 km west of Bhopal, the capital city of Madhya Pradesh. "In a tragic accident here this evening, a school bus collided with a truck which resulted in death of six children and the bus driver," an official at Indore district told Xinhua. "Ten school children injured in the accident were immediately rushed to nearest medical facility," said the official. Reports said the bus was carrying students back to their homes, when it met an accident. Police have registered a case and ordered investigations to ascertain the actual reason behind the accident. Flash A massive winter storm paralyzed much of the US East Coast on Thursday and Friday, dumping as much as 46 centimeters of snow from the Carolinas to Maine. It also caused flooding on the streets of Boston due to swelling storm tides, forced the cancellation of nearly 5,000 flights and closed businesses, offices and schools. Forecasters expected the stormwhich some meteorologists classified as a "bomb cyclone" for its sharp drop in atmospheric pressurewould be followed immediately by a blast of cold air that could break records in more than two dozen cities and bring wind chills as low as -40 C during the weekend. From Baltimore, Maryland, to Caribou in Maine, efforts were underway to clear roadways of ice and snow as wind chill temperatures were to plunge during the day, reaching -40 C in some parts after sundown, according to the National Weather Service. Utility companies across the East worked to repair downed power lines early on Friday as about 21,000 customers remained without electricity, down from almost 80,000 the day before, and issued warnings that temperatures may become dangerously low. "If the temperature in your home begins to fall, we recommend taking shelter elsewhere until service can be restored. You can find warming centers by contacting local authorities," National Grid power company, which serves Massachusetts, said on Twitter. Airlines canceled 4,000 flights on Thursday and hundreds more on Friday, according to FlightAware.com, an online tracking service. New York City was among the hardest hit, with up to about 20 cm of snow in Manhattan and 38 cm on the eastern end of Long Island. Wind gusts topped 65 kilometers per hour in Manhattan and neared 95 km/h on Long Island. Mayor Bill de Blasio said it could feel like -30 C on Friday and Saturday nights with the wind chill. "This is a serious, serious storm," he said at a news conference. New York Governor Andrew Cuomo declared a state of emergency for the southern part of the state, while New Jersey Governor Chris Christie declared a state of emergency for several counties. Flash Washington's relations with Pyongyang are expected to be US President Donald Trump's greatest foreign policy challenge in 2018, as tensions continue to simmer between the two nations, US experts said. Tensions on the Korean Peninsula are at a high point not seen in several years, as Trump wants Pyongyang to halt development of nuclear weapons that could hit the United States, while the Democratic People's Republic of Korea believes that having nuclear weapons is the only way to defend itself from the US. "The president has raised the stakes by staking out a clear position on no nuclear weapons for North Korea and severe limits on missile testing. This year could very well be the time that, unless there is a diplomatic breakthrough, he takes decisive action on these goals," said Darrell West, a senior fellow at the Washington-based think tank the Brookings Institute. "That could involve targeted military strikes or a full-scale embargo on North Korea. Either way, it will be a dramatic time with lots of consequences for many countries around the world," West said, referring to 2018. Trump has repeatedly said that military options remain on the table, and it remains unknown which course of action he will take. "Each course has major risks, but Trump appears to have concluded that maintaining the status quo is not an acceptable alternative. He has indicated he is open to many different options, including military strikes on the DPRK's launch capabilities. He seems very serious about resolving this issue this year," West said. Meanwhile, in his New Year speech, DPRK leader Kim Jong-un sent a conciliatory message to the Republic of Korea, saying that his country was willing to participate in the Winter Olympics being hosted by the ROK. ROK offers dialogue The following day, Seoul offered to hold a dialogue on Jan 9 with Pyongyang at the Peace House in the truce village of Panmunjom, which straddles the heavily guarded inter-Korean land border. However, skeptics said that the Sunshine Policy of a decade ago, which promoted warmer relations between the two neighbors, failed to halt Pyongyang's nuclear progress. In the same speech, Kim threatened that the DPRK is capable of striking the US with nuclear weapons at any moment. Despite Pyongyang's willingness to talk to its southern neighbor, experts said the DPRK will not be letting go of its nuclear weapons program anytime soon. "Though we cannot rule out a preventive strike against North Korea entirely, the threat of a messy war in East Asia that shoves the world back into economic recession is a steep price to pay," said Rodger Baker, vice-president of strategic analysis at Stratfor, a geopolitical intelligence group. Last year saw tense relations between Trump and Kim, with the two leaders exchanging barbs, insults and threats. Analysts expect this year to be no different, adding that 2018 may be a decisive year regarding tensions on the Korean Peninsula. But analysts are cautioning the two leaders to cool their anger toward each other, so that their bluster does not lead down a dangerous path of no return. Here is the upcoming City Council agenda for Tuesday: I. Call to Order. II. Pledge of Allegiance/Invocation (Chairman Mitchell). III. Minute Approval. IV. Special Presentation. V. Ordinances Final Reading: PUBLIC WORKS AND TRANSPORTATION Transportation a. An ordinance to amend the Chattanooga City Code, Part II, Chapter 2, Sections 2-65 through 2-66; Chapter 32, Article I, Definitions, Section 32-16; Article III, Excavations and Restoration of Paving, Sections 32-62 through 32-68; and Article XI, Telecommunications Services; Franchises for Telecommunications Services, Sections 32-224, and 32-231 through 32-270. (Sponsored by Vice-ChairmanSmith) (Deferred from 12/19/17)VI. Ordinances First Reading:PLANNINGa. 2017-158 Stephen Holmes (R-2 Residential Zone to R-3 Residential Zone). Anordinance to amend Chattanooga City Code, Part II, Chapter 38, Zoning Ordinance,so as to rezone properties located in the 400 block of Dogwood Lane, moreparticularly described herein, from R-2 Residential Zone to R-3 Residential Zone.(District 1) (Recommended for denial by Planning and Staff) (Deferred from12/12/17)2017-158 Stephen Holmes (R-2 Residential Zone to R-3 Residential Zone). Anordinance to amend Chattanooga City Code, Part II, Chapter 38, Zoning Ordinance,so as to rezone properties located in the 400 block of Dogwood Lane, moreparticularly described herein, from R-2 Residential Zone to R-3 Residential Zone,subject to certain conditions. (Alternate Version)b. 2017-184 Fickling & Company, Inc. (R-1 Residential Zone to R-3 Residential Zone).An ordinance to amend Chattanooga City Code, Part II, Chapter 38, ZoningOrdinance, so as to rezone property located at 6038 Hixson Pike, more particularlydescribed herein, from R-1 Residential Zone to R-3 Residential Zone, subject tocertain conditions. (District 3) (Recommended for approval by Planning andrecommended for deferral by Staff)2017-184 Fickling & Company, Inc. (R-1 Residential Zone to R-3 Residential Zone).An ordinance to amend Chattanooga City Code, Part II, Chapter 38, ZoningOrdinance, so as to rezone property located at 6038 Hixson Pike, more particularlydescribed herein, from R-1 Residential Zone to R-3 Residential Zone. (ApplicantVersion)c. 2017-185 Philip and Jennifer Clay (R-1 Residential Zone to R-4 Special Zone). Anordinance to amend Chattanooga City Code, Part II, Chapter 38, Zoning Ordinance,so as to rezone part of property located at 7628 Davidson Road, more particularlydescribed herein, from R-1 Residential Zone to R-4 Special Zone, subject to certainconditions. (District 4) (Recommended for approval by Planning andrecommended for denial by Staff)2017-185 Philip and Jennifer Clay (R-1 Residential Zone to R-4 Special Zone). Anordinance to amend Chattanooga City Code, Part II, Chapter 38, Zoning Ordinance,so as to rezone part of property located at 7628 Davidson Road, more particularlydescribed herein, from R-1 Residential Zone to R-4 Special Zone. (ApplicantVersion)d. 2017-180 Philip and Jennifer Clay (R-1 Residential Zone to A-1 Urban AgriculturalZone). An ordinance to amend Chattanooga City Code, Part II, Chapter 38, ZoningOrdinance, so as to rezone property located at 7628 Davidson Road, more particularlydescribed herein, from R-1 Residential Zone to A-1 Urban Agricultural Zone.(District 4) (Recommended for approval by Planning and Staff)e. An ordinance to amend Chattanooga City Code, Part II, Chapter 38, ZoningOrdinance, Article II, Section 38-2, Definitions and Article IV, Section 38-32,General Regulations, Lot Frontage, Setback not to be Reduced Exception to add adefinition for sewer availability strip and to exclude sewer availability strips fromminimum lot frontage requirements.f. An ordinance to amend Chattanooga City Code, Part II, Chapter 38, ZoningOrdinance, Article V, Division 10, Section 38-137, Environmental Requirements todelete and add a cross-reference to City Code Chapter 31, Article VIII, StormwaterManagement.PUBLIC WORKS AND TRANSPORTATIONTransportationg. MR-2017-156 Wilhelmenia L. Richardson (Abandonment). An ordinance closingand abandoning a portion of an unopened alley off the 500 block of TunnelBoulevard, as detailed on the attached map, subject to certain conditions. (District 9)(Recommended for approval by Transportation)VII. Resolutions:ECONOMIC AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENTa. A resolution authorizing the Mayor to execute a First Amendment to Extend stadiumand parking complex lease with The Stadium Corporation, in substantially the formattached, for the management of the Finley Stadium and parking complex for anadditional term of twenty (20) years commencing October 1, 2017, and terminatingon September 30, 2037. (District 7)HUMAN RESOURCESb. A resolution authorizing the appointment of Trevis Swilley, as a special police officer(unarmed) for the Land Development Office, to do special duty as prescribed herein,subject to certain conditions.c. A resolution authorizing the appointment of James Piercy, as a special police officer(unarmed) for the Human Resources Department, to do special duty as prescribedherein, subject to certain conditions.OFFICE OF MULTICULTURAL AFFAIRSd. A resolution authorizing the Director of the Office of Multicultural Affairs to enterinto a contract with CoLab to establish a local KIVA Chattanooga Program, with theCitys portion in the amount of $43,000.00, for a total amount of $213,000.00.PLANNINGe. Hixson Liquor, Inc.-Michael A. Wolff, Sr., M.D. (Special Exceptions Permit). Aresolution approving a Special Exceptions Permit for an existing liquor store, changein ownership, located at 6401 Hixson Pike, Suite A. (District 3)f. A resolution adopting the updated Land Use Policy for the Lookout Valley Area Planfor those properties fronting Browns Ferry Road between Interstate 24 andCummings Highway.PUBLIC WORKS AND TRANSPORTATIONTransportationg. A resolution authorizing Billingsley Architecture c/o Kelley H. Hutchings, on behalfof property owner, R. Steve Hunt or Republic Centre, LLC, to use temporarily theright-of-way located at 615 Chestnut Street for the purpose of installing canopiesattached to the building, as shown on the maps attached hereto and made a part hereofby reference, subject to certain conditions. (District 7)h. A resolution authorizing Lewin Homes c/o Justin White, on behalf of property owner,W. Stephen Lewin, to use temporarily the unopened right-of-way located behind5010 Tennessee Avenue for the purpose of construction access to the rear of theproperty, as shown on the maps attached hereto and made a part hereof by reference,subject to certain conditions. (District 7)i. A resolution authorizing Jeff Cannon, agent, on behalf of property owner, Erik Zilen,to use temporarily the right-of-way located along the south side of Johnson Streetnear the intersection of Passenger Street for the purpose of constructing a dumpsterenclosure with roll-out dumpster for use by multiple area businesses, as shown on themaps attached hereto and made a part hereof by reference, subject to certainconditions. (District 8)VIII. Purchases.IX. Other Business.a. Hixson Liquor, Inc.-Michael A. Wolff, Sr., M.D. - Certificate of ComplianceX. Committee Reports.XI. Recognition of Persons Wishing to Address the Council on Non-Agenda Matters.XII. Adjournment.TUESDAY, JANUARY 16, 2018CITY COUNCIL AGENDA6:00 PM1. Call to Order.2. Pledge of Allegiance/Invocation (Vice Chairman Smith).3. Minute Approval.4. Special Presentations.5. Ordinances Final Reading:PLANNINGa. 2017-158 Stephen Holmes (R-2 Residential Zone to R-3 Residential Zone). Anordinance to amend Chattanooga City Code, Part II, Chapter 38, Zoning Ordinance,so as to rezone properties located in the 400 block of Dogwood Lane, moreparticularly described herein, from R-2 Residential Zone to R-3 Residential Zone.(District 1) (Recommended for denial by Planning and Staff) (Deferred from12/12/17)2017-158 Stephen Holmes (R-2 Residential Zone to R-3 Residential Zone). Anordinance to amend Chattanooga City Code, Part II, Chapter 38, Zoning Ordinance,so as to rezone properties located in the 400 block of Dogwood Lane, moreparticularly described herein, from R-2 Residential Zone to R-3 Residential Zone,subject to certain conditions. (Alternate Version)b. 2017-184 Fickling & Company, Inc. (R-1 Residential Zone to R-3 Residential Zone).An ordinance to amend Chattanooga City Code, Part II, Chapter 38, ZoningOrdinance, so as to rezone property located at 6038 Hixson Pike, more particularlydescribed herein, from R-1 Residential Zone to R-3 Residential Zone, subject tocertain conditions. (District 3) (Recommended for approval by Planning andrecommended for deferral by Staff)2017-184 Fickling & Company, Inc. (R-1 Residential Zone to R-3 Residential Zone).An ordinance to amend Chattanooga City Code, Part II, Chapter 38, ZoningOrdinance, so as to rezone property located at 6038 Hixson Pike, more particularlydescribed herein, from R-1 Residential Zone to R-3 Residential Zone. (ApplicantVersion)c. 2017-185 Philip and Jennifer Clay (R-1 Residential Zone to R-4 Special Zone). Anordinance to amend Chattanooga City Code, Part II, Chapter 38, Zoning Ordinance,so as to rezone part of property located at 7628 Davidson Road, more particularlydescribed herein, from R-1 Residential Zone to R-4 Special Zone, subject to certainconditions. (District 4) (Recommended for approval by Planning andrecommended for denial by Staff)2017-185 Philip and Jennifer Clay (R-1 Residential Zone to R-4 Special Zone). Anordinance to amend Chattanooga City Code, Part II, Chapter 38, Zoning Ordinance,so as to rezone part of property located at 7628 Davidson Road, more particularlydescribed herein, from R-1 Residential Zone to R-4 Special Zone. (ApplicantVersion)d. 2017-180 Philip and Jennifer Clay (R-1 Residential Zone to A-1 Urban AgriculturalZone). An ordinance to amend Chattanooga City Code, Part II, Chapter 38, ZoningOrdinance, so as to rezone property located at 7628 Davidson Road, more particularlydescribed herein, from R-1 Residential Zone to A-1 Urban Agricultural Zone.(District 4) (Recommended for approval by Planning and Staff)e. An ordinance to amend Chattanooga City Code, Part II, Chapter 38, ZoningOrdinance, Article II, Section 38-2, Definitions and Article IV, Section 38-32,General Regulations, Lot Frontage, Setback not to be Reduced Exception to add adefinition for sewer availability strip and to exclude sewer availability strips fromminimum lot frontage requirements.f. An ordinance to amend Chattanooga City Code, Part II, Chapter 38, ZoningOrdinance, Article V, Division 10, Section 38-137, Environmental Requirements todelete and add a cross-reference to City Code Chapter 31, Article VIII, StormwaterManagement.PUBLIC WORKS AND TRANSPORTATIONTransportationg. MR-2017-156 Wilhelmenia L. Richardson (Abandonment). An ordinance closingand abandoning a portion of an unopened alley off the 500 block of TunnelBoulevard, as detailed on the attached map, subject to certain conditions. (District 9)(Recommended for approval by Transportation)6. Ordinances First Reading:PUBLIC WORKS AND TRANSPORTATIONTransportationa. MR-2017-155 ECGT, LLC ? Gabe Thomas (Abandonment). An ordinance closingand abandoning an unopened alley off the 400 block of Ziegler Street, as detailed onthe attached map, subject to certain conditions. (District 2) (Recommended forapproval by Transportation)7. Resolutions:PLANNINGa. Choo Choo Partners, LP-Ridgecroft Distillery, LLC (Special Exceptions Permit). Aresolution authorizing Ridgecroft Distillery, LLC to operate an intoxicating liquorsmanufacturing plant and approving a Special Exceptions Permit for a distillery(small) at 1400 Market Street, Suite 108. (District 8)PUBLIC WORKS AND TRANSPORTATIONTransportationb. A resolution authorizing the Administrator for the Department of Transportation toenter into a Partnership Agreement, Project No. T-17-010 with LIV Development,LLC for the Passenger Street reconstruction and extension and to accept the designand engineering certification of the design of the Passenger Street reconstruction.(District 8)8. Purchases.9. Other Business.10. Committee Reports.11. Recognition of Persons Wishing to Address the Council on Non-Agenda Matters.12. Adjournment. A Signal Mountain man has been charged with shooting another man in the hand. Nathan Robert Davis, 35, of 451 Timberlinks Dr., was charged with attempted first-degree murder and aggravated domestic assault. Signal Mountain Police said Jim Hicks came into the station with a bullet wound to his right hand. He said Davis, who lives in the house beside him, shot him. The victim was bleeding so medical help was summoned. He said Davis, who is also his cousin, walked up to where he was on his porch. He said he was armed with a small silver and black .22 caliber handgun. He said when Davis pointed the gun directly at his face that he grabbed the gun with his right hand. He said there was a struggle and the gun went off. The bullet went through the meaty portion of his hand between his thumb and his pointer finger. He said he shoved Davis back because his mother and his daughter were just inside the house. He said Davis then began yelling that he (Hicks) had been by his house "messing" with him. Police found Davis in his bedroom lying on his bed with the gun beside him. He said he thought Hicks had been outside his house messing with him. Police said Davis "kept saying he should not have done what he did." There was one spent shell jammed in the gun. Several other shells were found in Davis' Jacket pocket. The signing of a Free Trade Agreement last month between China and the Maldives, the first bilateral trade agreement between the two sides, is a landmark for the Indian Ocean nation. The two countries agreed to deepen cooperation in a wide range of areas, including marine environment, fisheries and tourism. The Maldives' main export is fish, primarily skipjack and yellow-fin tuna, either processed and canned or fresh sold at a premium, thanks to the sustainable pole-and-line fishing techniques used by Maldivian fishermen. From our (the Maldives') perspective, the free trade pact with China will help businesses that export fish products, by giving them the opportunity to expand exports to China at zero tariff. But there is more to this relationship than mere commerce. The decision to pursue a free trade agreement was first mooted during President Xi Jinping's historic state visit to the Maldives in September 2014. This year marks the 45th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and the Maldives, and the two countries' relationship is more than just symbolic and thus endurable. The first meeting of the China-Maldives Joint Committee on Marine Cooperation will be held soon. Law enforcement and security officials of the two countries will enhance exchanges and cooperation in anti-terrorism, anti-narcotics, personnel training, and other areas. China COSCO Shipping Corp Ltd's first China-Russia multimodal transportation service kicked off on Friday from Tianjin, headed for Moscow with 46 containers measuring 40 feet (1,220 cm) long. The train will also stop in Ereenhot, the Inner Mongolia autonomous region; Zamyn-Uud, Mongolia; and Naushki, Russia. It will take 14 days to complete the 7,600 kilometer trip to Moscow. BUENOS AIRES - A new shipment of Chinese-made locomotives have arrived in the Port of Buenos Aires to revive Argentina's key Belgrano Cargas cargo train network. The eight locomotives will form part of a strategic rail line that traverses northern Argentina's agricultural heartland, connecting producers with the eastern export hub of Rosario, a port located 300 kilometers north of the capital. Manufactured by China's CRRC Qishuyan, a subsidiary of the CRRC Corporation Limited, the locomotives are part of a comprehensive plan to reactivate Argentina's rail system by modernizing its aging infrastructure. An American pastor who has been jailed in Turkey since October 2016 over false terror allegations has written a letter to his wife sharing his fear that people may forget about his plight. In a letter shared by his wife via Middle East Concern, Pastor Andrew Brunson conveyed his thanks to people who have prayed for him amidst the weakness and doubts he encounters while in prison. The American pastor spent his 50th birthday in the Turkish prison, as he was falsely accused of being a member of a terror group, The Christian Post detailed. Pastor Brunson said although the prayers of people give him strength, he was also afraid of being forgotten. Nevertheless, he found comfort in knowing that there were a lot of people who continue to stand by him through his ordeal. "One of my big fears has been that I will be forgotten in prison," said Pastor Brunson in his letter. "Thank you for not forgetting! It is a great encouragement to know there are people praying for me a it reminds me that I am not alone, and that I need to stand firm, with my face pointed in God's direction always. Thank you for standing with me in this most difficult time." Last month, Pastor Brunson published a song of worship expressing his unrelenting faith in the Lord despite his situation. The song talks about lifting up one's pain to God and sharing in his suffering because he is worthy of everything, Bos News Life reported. Brunson's wife, Norine, said that her husband was inspired to write the song because of the prayers of many people, and that he sings it to God all the time. Christians in Turkey have called for prayers after Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan suggested that Brunson could be released if the U.S. extradites a Muslim cleric named Fethullah Gulen, who is accused of being the mastermind of a failed coup attempt. A Catholic church in Valais, Switzerland, has been hit anew with 10 new accusations of sex abuse involving priests that allegedly happened from the 1950s to the 1990s. Ten priests in the Catholic diocese of Sion have been accused of sexual abuse of children and young people. Although three of the accused are still alive, the alleged incidents happened too long ago for them to be prosecuted, The Local reported. The new allegations came to light after 10 victims went to the diocese of Sion and reported the abuse. Swiss news agency SDA said Jean-Marie Lovey, the bishop of Sion, asked forgiveness from the victims. One victim who spoke to Radio RhAne FM said he was able to visit around 50 other victims in Valais, but many of them did not want to discuss the abuse they endured. He also said the Catholic church covered up the abuse, as previous bishops knew what was happening but only relocated accused priests to other parishes. Bishop Lovey, on the other hand, denied a cover-up attempt. He said the involved priests were relocated as part of preventive measures. In February last year, the Swiss Catholic Church announced that it had established a reparations commission that will examine the complaints of the abuse victims and also facilitate their compensation requests. The move came a year after it set up a CHF500,000 ($498,000) fund for the victims of church abuse, Swiss Info detailed. Joseph Bonnemain of the Conference of Swiss Bishops spoke to the Swiss News Agency and said the Catholic Church encourages clergy abuse victims to come forward to file their formal complaint. The compensation claim, addressed to either their diocese or to the independent sexual abuse commission, will be forwarded to the reparations commission. There have only been 20 criminal cases filed against priests and monks in Switzerland since 2010. The Church, however, has reportedly caught 172 offenders, with many of these cases traced back to the 1950s. Coptic Christians in Egypt fear that their new cathedral, which may be considered as the biggest church in the Middle East, could become a big target for the Islamic State and other Muslim extremists. Egyptian leaders are set to soon dedicate the Nativity of Christ cathedral, which is located at the country's new administrative capital that is being built 28 miles east of Cairo. The new house or worship has a capacity of 8,200 worshippers, USA Today detailed. However, Egypt's Coptic Christians fear that the Nativity of Christ cathedral may become vulnerable to ISIS attacks, considering that their community has suffered more than 100 deaths in a string of attacks made on believers last year. The latest incident was a deadly shooting at a church in Cairo on Dec. 29, which claimed the lives of eight Copts. Coptic Pope Tawadros II's spokesperson, Poules Halim, said the new cathedral is a sign of how Egypt's President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi reaffirms the role of Coptic Orthodox Christians in the nation. Still, Christian Maspero Youth Foundation leader Ramy Kamil admitted that their community was anxious about the possible bombings or other attacks that may target believers. Local salesman Sayed Riad expressed fear that ISIS could once again target Copts during their Christmas celebration on Jan. 7. Although they still have no knowledge of what could happen, he said the new cathedral could be a target. The dedication mass for the Nativity of Christ cathedral is set to be held on Jan. 6, the Christmas Eve for Coptic Christians. President el-Sisi, the religious endowments' representatives, Sunni Muslim leaders, and around 3,000 people are expected to attend the gathering, The National reported. Despite the fears over what ISIS could do, local cosmetics manufacturer and executive church committee member Maged George said the Coptic Christian community will not be shaken by those who target believers with violent attacks. He vowed to attend mass at Egypt's new cathedral and also to send his kids there during the Christmas feast. The gruesome massacre of some 50 people in Nigeria's Kaduna and Benue states on New Year's Day has prompted Christians in the northern region to call on the government to take action and bring the perpetrators to justice. In a statement issued in Jos on Jan. 3, the head of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) in Northern Nigeria, Rev. Yakubu Pam, condemned the brutal New Year's Day killings in Kaduna and Benue states. He also asked the Federal Government to find the people responsible for the deaths of the 50 victims, as well as those who killed the District Head of Numana Kingdom, Dr. Gambo Makama and his wife, The Guardian Nigeria relayed. The CAN leader also expressed worry over the way the government was handling the security situation in the areas in question. He said such crimes could already have been eradicated if authorities had indeed handled the problem well. "We are worried that the reluctance of the government in the poor handling of security is causing more harm than good. We are aware that if proactive measures are taken by the government where culprits are caught and disciplined, crimes in the society would have been stamped out," Pam added. Moreover, Palm urged the government to beef up security measures in Nigeria to prevent similar killings in the future. He said the Christian church was asking for state protection for its members, in light of the recent incidents. Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari expressed sadness over the New Year's Day killings and assured the people that the government was doing everything to arrest the attackers and prevent future incidents. Meanwhile, in Rivers State, New Year's Day also turned bloody when a group of gunmen fired at Christians coming home from early morning church services. More than 26 people were hit, 14 died at the scene, and 12 were brought to the hospital for treatment, The Nigerian Independent reported. In the wake of the New Year's Day attack, the Rivers State Police Command has reportedly dispatched troops to the area to restore peace. They have also launched a manhunt to locate, arrest, and prosecute the attackers. In 2020, we were the church on our heels. A global pandemic shut down much of our world. But the church has been on the move since it was birthed; it will continue to be on the move until God makes all things new. (Bloomberg) -- Donald Trump said hes a very stable genius, a day after a new book about the presidents first year in the White House -- dismissed by Trump as fiction -- claimed that many of his top aides and confidants consider him unfit to hold office. Throughout my life, my two greatest assets have been mental stability and being, like, really smart. Crooked Hillary Clinton also played these cards very hard and, as everyone knows, went down in flames, Trump said on Twitter early Saturday. Trump is at the Camp David presidential retreat in rural Maryland, where he held meetings Friday afternoon and Saturday with top Republican lawmakers, White House aides and several Cabinet members, including Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and Defense Secretary Jim Mattis, on legislative goals for the year and other pressing matters. In the tweets, Trump added that hed gone from being a very successful businessman to top TV star ....to President of the United States (on my first try). I think that would qualify as not smart, but genius....and a very stable genius at that! Trump defended his mental abilities at a press conference at Camp David on Saturday, recapping his path from the best university, where he said he was an excellent student, to a successful business and television career before pursuing politics. Dysfunction and Chaos White House Chief of Staff John Kelly, speaking to reporters on the sidelines, said he hadnt seen the presidents latest tweets but that Trump feels he can use Twitter to get his perspective directly to the public. The comments follow the release of Michael Wolffs book, Fire and Fury, which details dysfunction, chaos and incompetence in the Trump White House -- claims the administration has denied. Wolff said in an interview with NBC Friday that 100 percent of the people around the president question his intelligence and fitness for office. I consider it a work of fiction, Trump said of the book at his press conference. Physical Scheduled Trump, 71, is scheduled for a physical on Jan. 12 at the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland, consistent with the practice of previous presidents. In his Twitter messages Trump said his detractors, including Democrats and the media, were shifting from stories about Russian collusion with members of his campaign team, which hes repeatedly denied, to focusing on his fitness for office. Those critics are taking out the old Ronald Reagan playbook and screaming mental stability and intelligence, Trump told his 46 million Twitter followers. Reagan, the 40th U.S. president, disclosed in November 1994, almost six years after leaving office, that hed been diagnosed with Alzheimers disease earlier that year. He died in 2004. The stable genius comment followed several days in which Trump, having returned to Washington on Jan. 1 after spending the Christmas holidays at his club in Florida, produced a series of inflammatory and seemingly scatter-shot tweets. Bigger Button This week alone he boasted about having a much bigger & more powerful nuclear button than North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, took credit for the absence of commercial plane crashes in 2017, and urged Jail! for Huma Abedin, a former top aide to Clinton. In the same Jan. 2 message, Trump assailed the Deep State Justice Department -- the latest in a series of confrontational comments about the U.S. law enforcement agency. The publication of Wolffs book, initially via explosive excerpts focused on Trumps former chief strategist Steve Bannon and in its entirety on Friday, sapped the momentum with which the president entered 2018 after the passage of a Republican tax overhaul bill in late December. Defensive Mode Instead of focusing on legislative priorities ahead of mid-term elections in November, Trump and the White House spent the week in defensive mode. That included a public falling out with Bannon, since nicknamed Sloppy Steve by the president, and the dispatch of a cease-and-desist letter demanding that Wolffs publisher, Henry Holt & Co. stop distribution of the book. The company instead moved up the publication date by several days. This weekends retreat will be a chance to refocus. The White House late Friday distributed photographs of Trump flanked by Senate Majority leader Mitch McConnell and House Speaker Paul Ryan at a working dinner, and holding court at a meeting with lawmakers, aides and Vice President Mike Pence. McConnell, speaking beside Trump on Saturday, said 2017 had been the most consequential year for right-of-center Americans, largely thanks to Trump. On Thursday, Trump on Twitter called the book phony and full of lies, misrepresentations and sources that dont exist. He followed that at Camp David by saying Wolffs interviews with him were imaginary and adding that he wishes U.S. libel laws were stronger. Libel laws are very weak in this country. If they were strong it would be very helpful, Trump said. Wolff has been making the rounds to discuss his work. Wolff, whose previous books include a biography of media mogul Rupert Murdoch, said he stands by everything in Fire and Fury and has notes and recordings to back it up. They all say he is like a child, Wolff told NBC. What they mean by that is he has a need for immediate gratification. Its all about him. This man does not read, does not listen. Hes like a pinball, just shooting off the sides, Wolff added. They say hes a moron, an idiot. Its absolutely outrageous to make these types of allegations about Trumps mental fitness, White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said on Fox News on Friday. Theyre desperate attempts to attack Trump, she said. Whats I think is really mentally unstable is people not seeing the progress the president is making. While the president said he never spoke to Wolff for the book, the author said he spoke to Trump during the campaign and after the inauguration. Whether he realized it was an interview or not, the conversations werent off the record, Wolff said. Wolff said that his sources told him Trump repeats stories over an increasingly short time period, and that he sometimes doesnt recognize longtime friends. Trumps campaign released a letter from his doctor in September 2016, several weeks before the election, saying he was in excellent physical health. The upcoming physical will be his first known exam by a government doctor since taking office. Past presidents have also undergone periodic exams by government physicians who released statements afterward. --With assistance from Laura Curtis and Jennifer Epstein To contact the reporters on this story: Arit John in Washington at ajohn34@bloomberg.net, Margaret Talev in Washington at mtalev@bloomberg.net. To contact the editors responsible for this story: Craig Gordon at cgordon39@bloomberg.net, Alex Wayne at awayne3@bloomberg.net, Ros Krasny, Kenneth Pringle 2018 Bloomberg L.P. This is the blog of China defense, where professional analysts and serious defense enthusiasts share findings on a rising military power. WASHINGTON - If President Donald Trump and his Republican allies are right, the $1.5 trillion tax cut plan they sped into law last month will make individuals and businesses more prosperous. Paychecks will grow. Stocks will surge further. Consumers will spend more. The economy will accelerate. Critics counter that the tax plan will mainly enrich the already wealthy and swell corporate profits while leaving most ordinary households with comparatively modest tax cuts - and, eventually, tax hikes. So how best to judge who's right? As soon as summer, it may become clear whether the tax cuts have unleashed stronger consumer spending. But it could take years to know whether many people are enjoying the generous pay raises. Here are five ways to assess whether the tax plan is delivering on its promises: Are you spending more? The tax cuts were sold as a way to turbocharge spending on cars, appliances, home projects and splurges out at restaurants. All that is tracked by the government as retail sales, which are up a decent 4.2 percent year to date. By February, workers should begin receiving more take-home pay because the tax cut means that a lesser portion of their income will be withheld for taxes. With more money in their pockets, consumers typically spend more. If that pattern holds true again, spending at retailers could begin rising within months. Yet there's also the risk that the tax cuts - spread out over 26 paychecks this year - might feel too paltry for some Americans to notice or care enough to step up their spending. Others might be inclined to use their tax savings to pay health care or child care costs, in which case the boost to retail spending - the economy's primary fuel - might not budge much. More stock gains? Trump, a billionaire businessman, treats the stock market as an emblem of his success. He boasts frequently about record high stock indexes as proof that his economic agenda has already cheered investors, emboldened businesses and enriched most Americans. The Standard & Poor's 500 stock index has climbed more than 22 percent since Trump's 2016 election. Many stock analysts have suggested that the stock market has likely priced in much of the higher profits that might result from slashing the corporate tax rate from 35 percent to 21 percent. But Gary Cohn, Trump's top economic adviser, has asserted that the stock market had yet to fully account for how much the tax cuts would boost profit margins. Even if stock market keeps rising, it would intensify what critics say the tax cuts would do overall: reward the rich and neglect pretty much everyone else, thereby further widening the nation's wealth gap. Less than half of U.S. households own any stocks, even in retirement accounts. A more robust economy? Trump administration officials have asserted that the tax cuts would propel the economy ahead at a sustained 3 percent annual rate year after year, up from a recent annual pace of roughly 2 percent. Their idea is that companies would invest in new equipment, which would increase worker productivity and wages. Those workers would then spend their windfalls and help accelerate the economy. Trump has gone so far as to forecast annual growth of as much as 6 percent a year - a boast that draws widespread skepticism among mainstream economists. Cranking out more goods? Trump has said that lower corporate tax rates will draw factories back to the United States from overseas Last month, the president cited an example: The owner of the New England Patriots would be investing in a paper mill. "A friend of mine, Bob Kraft, called me last night, and he said this tax bill is incredible," the president said. "And he said, based on this tax bill, he just wanted to let me know that he's going to buy a big plant in the great state of North Carolina, and he's going to build a tremendous paper mill there." The government monitors the manufacturing sector's performance, so any changes will become evident in that data over the next few years. Is your pay up? Trump says lower business tax rates will lead to handsome pay raises for workers. An average household would receive an additional $4,000 a year, according to Trump's top economist, Kevin Hassett. That's equivalent to a nearly 5 percent pay hike. Almost no mainstream economist envisions anything close to that much pay growth. A number of companies, including AT&T, Comcast and Wells Fargo, have recently paid bonuses to employees - as a result, they said, of the lower tax rates. But most Americans will know if the corporate tax cuts are helping them only if some of the tax savings goes into significant pay increases, not just one-time bonuses. The best measure on a month-by-month basis comes from the government's jobs report: Average hourly earnings. Some economists say it could take more than a year to assess whether the tax cuts have raised pay broadly. But Hassett said the tax cuts could be the very spark needed to ignite higher wages. "It's precisely now that we buy insurance for that wage growth with a big tax reform," he said. A judge sentenced a 23-year-old Richmond woman to six years in prison Thursday for a 2016 apartment fire she started to get revenge at her cheating ex-boyfriend. Sierra Renee Davis pleaded guilty in November to setting fire to an apartment complex in the 2100 block of Thompson Road the night of Aug. 23, 2016, according to a press release from the Fort Bend District Attorneys Office. Several families were sleeping -- including a downstairs neighbor with four children -- when Davis broke a window and ignited a curtain, according to testimony. As a result of the fire, the children needed counseling and the complex suffered $100,000 in damages. Davis sought revenge on a former boyfriend who had cheated on her, saying she wanted to make "him feel the pain I was feeling," according to the press release. Witnesses told arson investigators that the day before the fire, Davis had tried to burn an apartment unit and a vehicle. Davis confessed to investigators that she set four fires in the prior two days -- two to an apartment unit and two to a vehicle in the parking lot. During the sentence hearing's cross-examination, Davis said she was under the influence of "weed," Xanax and alcohol when she set the fire. Following the fire, police arrested Davis at the daycare center where she was employed. "The loss of life in this case could have been catastrophic and the court's decision today helps protect the community and our first responders from further danger," Assistant District Attorney Abdul Farukhi said. FIREBAUGH, Calif. - Nicholas Andrew Flores swatted at the flies orbiting his sweat-drenched face as he picked alongside a crew of immigrants through a cantaloupe field in California's Central Valley. He didn't speak Spanish, but he understood the essential words the foreman barked out: "Puro amarillo." And "rapido, rapido!" Quickly, Flores picked only yellow melons and flung them onto a moving platform. It was hard and repetitive work, and there were days under the searing sun that Flores regretted not going to a four-year college. But he liked that to get the job he just had to "show up." And at $12 an hour, it paid better than slinging fast food. For Joe Del Bosque of Del Bosque Farms in the San Joaquin Valley, American-born pickers like Flores, though rare, are always welcome. For generations, rural Mexico has been the primary source of hired farm labor in the U.S. According to a federal survey, nine out of 10 agricultural workers in places like California are foreign-born, and more than half are in the U.S. illegally. But farm labor from Mexico has been declining in California. And under the Trump administration, many in the agricultural industry worry that deportations - and the fear of them - could further cut the supply of workers. But try as they have to entice workers with better salaries and benefits, companies have found it impossible to attract enough U.S.-born workers to make up for a shortage from south of the border. "Americans will say, 'You can't pay me enough to do this kind of work,' " Del Bosque said. "They won't do it. They'll look for something easier." For some immigrants working the fields, people like Flores are a puzzle - their sweating next to them represents a kind of squandering of an American birthright. "It's hard to be here under the sun. It's a waste of time and their talents in the fields," said Norma Felix, a Mexican picker for almost three decades. "They don't take advantage of their privilege and benefit of being born here. They could easily work in an office." But most don't last long, she added. The Dust Bowl years With the notable exception of the Dust Bowl years in the 1930s - when American migrant workers from Oklahoma, Arkansas and Texas moved west after a severe drought devastated their livelihoods - there was never a time when California crops were picked primarily by U.S.-born farmworkers, said J. Edward Taylor, a rural economist at the University of California, Davis. Those workers eventually moved on to nonfarm jobs. Changes in Mexico Now, Mexico is undergoing some of the same changes the U.S. did in the mid-20th century, Taylor said, with "employment shifting from farms to industry and services." According to Taylor's research, the number of farmworkers coming out of rural Mexico is decreasing by an estimated 150,000 a year. That means U.S. and Mexican farmers will have to increasingly compete for a dwindling pool of labor. Some advocates of restricting immigration see more farm mechanization and importing fruits and vegetables as ways to reduce the reliance on labor from illegal immigration. "If we tighten immigration rules, there are going to be fewer farm jobs, but they will be better-paid. They will be more stable and consistent with more regular jobs," said Mark Krikorian, executive director for the Center for Immigration Studies in Washington. "That should be the goal. Huge increases in individual productivity so where you now need 200 farmworkers working seasonally, a farmer would be able to employ 10 people year-round, full time." At Del Bosque Farms, about 300 workers pick during the cantaloupe season. Some of the U.S.-born laborers who show up can't get jobs in industries like fast food or retail because of criminal convictions. Others say college is out of reach and they need quick money. Diego Romo, a 24-year-old American, said he grew up watching his father work the cantaloupe fields. He has worked every season at Del Bosque Farms since he was 17. When he's not in the fields, he's at a local college, studying to become a corrections officer. He harvests cantaloupe to help his parents and to pay for his textbooks, he said. His father, Rodrigo, sometimes works on the same crew as him. The father doesn't like that his son works in the fields. "I want you to study hard and not work out there like I do every year," he told him in Spanish recently. "You need to better yourself." Diego Romo said he's aware how unusual workers like him are. Those Americans who show up usually end up being overcome by the heat or the sheer repetitive diligence required to do the work. He takes pride in having lasted so long. But there are days when he regrets having not done better in high school. Perhaps he could have done well enough to get a full ride into college. Now Romo nags his younger brother, sounding like his father: "Study hard and better yourself. You see how we have to work every year - sunrise to sunset." A court in Norway said this week that the government can hand out oil drilling licenses in the Arctic, dealing a blow to two environmental groups that had filed a lawsuit against further drilling in the Barents Sea. The Oslo District Court acquitted the government against charges from Nature and Youth and Greenpeace Nordic that drilling for oil and gas in Arctic waters would violate with the Paris Agreement on climate change and the Norwegian constitution. A Katy couple was ordered to seven months in prison and a $120,000 fine Friday for enslaving a nanny, according to a news release from the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Texas. U.S. District Judge Nancy Atlas sentenced Sandra Nsobundu, 49, and Chudy Nsobundu, 57, Friday to seven months in prison and an additional seven months on home confinement, the release stated. Sandra is charged with unlawful conduct with respect to documents in furtherance of forced labor. Her husband, Chudy, faces a visa fraud charge. A Nigerian woman, whose name was not released, worked as the couple's housemaid and nanny between September 2013 and October 2015. Chudy submitted a false visa application for the nanny, including incorrectly reporting that she was married, 20 years older, Chudy's sister and traveling to the U.S. to see her niece's graduation, according to the release. Sandra took her future nanny in September 2013 to the U.S. Embassy in Lagos, Nigeria to get her visa. Sandra also gave the woman a letter to hand over to consular officials stating false information about her lack of English and her travel plans to attend her niece's graduation. She additionally instructed the nanny to tell officials that Chudy was her brother and gave her a photo of the man, the release stated. The couple eventually paid for the woman's travel from Nigeria to the U.S. They then took her passport and visa to "violate the forced labor statute," according to the release. The couple did this to prevent the woman from being able to travel so she would be forced to continue working for them, according to the Friday hearing. The Nsobundus threatened "abuse of law and the legal process," and the woman believed that if she did not do the work assigned to her by the couple, she would be harmed. The couple only allowed their nanny to take two short walks around the block with the children each day. They also yelled at her if she moved "too slowly" or didn't take care of the children in the way they saw fit, according to the statement. They threatened to send the woman back to Nigeria if she refused to go along with their demands. She was never paid by the couple, even though they originally told her she would get $100 a month. After a tip from the National Human Trafficking Resource Center, the woman was rescued on Oct. 10, 2015 after working for the couple for more than two years. The couple is currently out on bond, but is expected to surrender to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility. Sandra will also have to pay a $5,000 fine because of the 2015 Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act. The couple is expected to serve three years of supervised release once they complete their prison sentence. Jacqueline Kent Cooke, the 29-year-old daughter of former Washington Redskins owner Jack Kent Cooke, was arrested Wednesday after a New Year's Eve altercation that allegedly involved a $300 glass clutch and an anti-Semitic slur, according to the New York Police Department. Cooke has been charged with second-degree assault, and the incident is being investigated by the Hate Crimes Task Force, the NYPD confirmed to The Washington Post. The incident involving Cooke and a 52-year-old man, identified by the New York Daily News as San Francisco lawyer Matthew Haberkorn, took place just before midnight Sunday at Caravaggio, a high-end Italian restaurant on the Upper East Side, according to the police. Cooke, Haberkorn and his family - including his 77-year-old mother, wife and four daughters - were waiting in the coat check line when the millionaire heiress reportedly got impatient. According to the NYPD, Cooke allegedly made an anti-Semitic remark to Haberkorn's mother. Haberkorn told the New York Daily News that she said, "Hurry up, Jew." Cooke allegedly repeated the slur, saying "Hurry up, Jew. I got places to be." Her boyfriend, who was not identified by name, also made a remark to Haberkorn's daughters, telling them "Happy bat mitzvah," according to both Haberkorn and his wife, Linda Thomas. The situation escalated quickly when Haberkorn confronted Cooke for her comments outside the restaurant. "I walked up to her and asked her why she said that," Haberkorn told the Daily News. "She took her purse, which was a mirrored glass purse, and smashed me with it." The NYPD confirmed that the dispute become physical when Cooke struck Haberkorn in the head with a glass clutch. The Daily News identified the clutch that Cooke, who has worked in fashion, allegedly wielded as a $300 Lulu Guinness mirrored Perspex clutch. Video of the incident, taken by one of Haberkorn's daughters, shows the lawyer and the socialite getting into an awkward tussle on the sidewalk outside the restaurant while Cooke's boyfriend intervenes. Photos published in the New York Daily News show a bloodied Haberkorn. Cooke was arraigned on Thursday after being arrested and charged Wednesday with second-degree assault, a felony. She has filed a cross-complaint against Haberkorn, according to the Daily News. Baytown police are searching for two persons of interest in the investigation into the Christmastime slaying of a man, according to a news release. Marcus Donnell Gilbert, 36, and Alicia Marie Keator, 34, are believed to have been with John Fernandez, 65, before he was killed in late December. Detectives are seeking to speak to Gilbert and Keator to determine if they may have information relevant to the investigation, according to the press release by the Baytown Police Department. Fernandez's body was found Tuesday at 1:38 p.m. in his home at the Providence at Baytown Apartments in the 1700 block of James Bowie Drive. Police are asking anyone with information on the whereabouts of either Gilbert and Keator to contact the Baytown Police Department's homicide unit at 281-420-7181 or the department's main line at 281-422-8371. The Katy Branch Library is one of only four branches of the Harris County Public Library that will host Playbots Coding Clubs in January, and Harris County is the only library in Texas to receive the national grant. Mandy Carrico, HCPL adult services librarian of programs, partnerships and outreach, applied for the grant, intended to reach out to those underrepresented in computer science careers such as girls, minorities and people with disabilities. "The grant is providing funding for coding programs for underserved groups," said Angel Hill, branch manager of the Katy library. "The group that we decided to do it for is junior high girls. A lot of girls come in the library." Only three openings remained Dec. 19 for the Katy club which can register a maximum of 12 girls. Visit http://www.hcpl.net/location/katy-branch-library to register for the Katy club. Katy and the Lone Star College-Tomball Community Library are offering a girls edition of Playbots to promote their interest in science and technology. The Tomball library had filled its slots by Dec. 19. Openings still remained, however, at the Jacinto City Branch Library and North Channel Branch Library for Playbots clubs. The clubs will focus on coding basics and concepts, applied coding, film work and community connections, according to the HCPL. North Channel and Jacinto City branches' customers and communities are high in the audiences for which we were looking, said Carrico. At the other two branches, "we're celebrating women in these careers," she said. The eight-week course is open to girls ages 11-14 at the Katy Branch Library from Jan. 8-Feb. 19. The girls will create short videos about their communities starring Lego Mindstorms robots that they will build and code. "For the Katy branch," Hill said, "No matter what sort of activity we have for the teens, we seem to get the junior high girls. The kids already are coming into the library." She noted that Katy Junior High School is down the road from the library, which is at 5414 Franz Road, which may be a contributing factor. Hill added, "We're really glad they let us aim at the ones coming into the library." The grant provides funding for three staff members of the Katy branch to go for training this month to lead the club, said Hill. Carrico said they will learn coding, filming and editing. A party for family and friends to view the films created by the club members is set for 5 p.m. Feb. 28, Hill said. Carrico's division helps to provide resources and find grants to assist branches with programming, Hill said. "They're great at getting outside resources that a local branch may not be aware of or recognize as something that we can do. They find outside groups and businesses to partner with to fund library programs." Playbots is a coding club made possible by a grant from the American Library Association and Google. In October, the HCPL reported it was the only library in Texas to receive the ALA/Google Libraries Ready to Code grant. Carrico said the HCPL grant is under $25,000. The ALA announced more than $500,000 in grants for 28 libraries in 21 states plus the District of Columbia to design and implement coding programs for young people. Grantees were selected from a pool of more than 400 public and school libraries and officials said it is the first time the association has dedicated funding for computer science programs in libraries. "The Libraries Ready to Code grants are a landmark investment in America's young people and in our future," said ALA President Jim Neal in a news release. "As centers of innovation in every corner of the country, libraries are the place for youth especially those underrepresented in tech jobs to get the CS skills they need to succeed in the information age. These new resources will help cultivate problem-solving skills, in addition to coding, that are at the heart of libraries' mission to foster critical thinking." Carrico said HCPL and the other grant recipients will build a toolkit for other libraries to use. The grant will allow libraries to learn what works and doesn't and to fine-tune the curriculum and turn around and share it and adapt it to other libraries, she said. Developed by U.S. libraries, the toolkit will be released in conjunction with National Library Week in April 2018, according to a news release. "We plan to continue after the pilot," said Carrico, "and to use the notes and roll it out to more branches." Part of the grant pays for equipment that can be used again and again, she said, and the county can apply for other grants and combine them with county funds. Federal authorities in Michigan arrested a 34-year-old man after a woman said that he sexually assaulted her on an overnight flight when she fell asleep next to him. The man, Prabhu Ramamoorthy, who prosecutors said was an Indian national living in the United States on a temporary visa, was charged with aggravated sexual abuse and held without bail after an appearance in federal court in Michigan on Thursday. Ramamoorthy is accused of abusing a 22-year-old sitting in a window seat next to him on a Spirit Airlines flight from Las Vegas which landed in Detroit early on Jan. 3, even as his wife was by his side. The victim told investigators that she woke up to find her pants and shirt unbuttoned and the man's hand inside her pants. Federal prosecutor Amanda Jawad said that Ramamoorthy sat between his wife and the victim. He stopped after the victim woke up, and the woman went to the back of the plane to report the incident to a flight attendant, the criminal complaint said. Two flight attendants told federal investigators that the victim was crying and that her shirt was untied and that her pants were unbuttoned when she had reported the alleged attack at about 5:30 a.m., 40 minutes before the plane's landing, Jawad said. The attendants kept the woman in the back of the plane and offered her a different seat, and while they were talking to the victim, Ramamoorthy's wife came to the back of the plane to see what was going on, Jawad said. Ramamoorthy was arrested after the plane landed, according to court documents. He told agents in a written statement that he had taken a pill and fallen into a deep sleep, Jawad said, and that he hadn't done anything besides learning from his wife that the 22-year-old woman was sleeping on his knees. His wife told officials a similar story, and said that they had called the flight attendants to try to change seats. But the "flight attendants did not report that anyone asked them to change seats other than the victim," Jawad said. Both Ramamoorthy and his wife gave lengthier statements later indicating that the pill Ramamoorthy had taken was "plain Tylenol." Ramamoorthy gave "conflicting reports," about what happened with the victim, Jawad said. Magistrate Judge Steven Whalen, who said it was a "very unusual case," ordered Ramamoorthy to be held pending trial after Jawad successfully argued that he was a flight risk and a potential danger to others around him. The prosecutor said that Ramamoorthy's wife, who was also living in the United States on a temporary visa, would not make a suitable custodian for him. "It seems that she's either colluding with the defendant to cover up his actions or she's completely oblivious to what he did," Jawad argued. "What makes this offense particularly egregious and the defendant even more of a danger to the community is the fact that it took place on an airplane. He was brazen enough to do this basically in public, next to his wife where anyone could have seen him." Ramamoorthy's lawyer, Richard O'Neill, had offered to turn over his client's passport. He said Ramamoorthy had worked as a project manager at a technology group for about two and a half years. "There's been no allegations from anywhere that his behavior has ever been inappropriate prior to this incident," O'Neill said. "I have a hard time with some of these allegations but that's what a trial is for." O'Neill did not return a request for comment on Thursday. Stephen Schuler, a spokesman for Spirit, said that it was cooperating with law enforcement on the incident. Sexual harassment and abuse on airplanes is a largely unreported but prevalent issue for passengers, according to a report by the Seattle Times. According to a survey done by the Association of Flight Attendants union that the report cited, one out of five attendants said they had dealt with complaints of sexual assault made by passengers. The police were contacted less than half the time, the survey found. The number of federal investigations into sexual assault aboard airlines has been increasing slowly, up to more than 60 in 2017 as of early December, from 57 in 2016 and 40 the year before. John McMullan, who was first elected to The Woodlands Township Board of Directors in 2013, is the second most tenured member of the board. He serves as vice chairman of the board and also serves on the Ad Hoc Economic Development Committee and the Audit Committee. His current term on the township board is up in 2019. An attorney with Winstead P.C. in The Woodlands, McMullan was previously a shareholder in the Global Energy and Infrastructure practice group of the international law firm Greenberg Traurig. According to his township bio, McMullan has considerable deal-making and contract negotiation experience in the energy market. He holds a J.D. from Harvard Law School and a B.B.A. in Finance from the University of Texas at Austin. He and his wife, Kim, have lived in The Woodlands since 2008. They have four children. McMullan sat down with The Villager for this week's Sunday conversation, where he offered his views on life in The Woodlands and shared his ideas on possible incorporation, the recent flooding and other matters. Question: What makes The Woodlands a special community? McMullan: So much was done right in the development of the Woodlands. It was a tremendously insightful thing that Mr. Mitchell did, not building homes, immediately off the freeway. And partly because of that foresight, we have this thriving business community here that helps to keep our taxes lower. And, many of us are able to work up here. This is the greater Houston area. It's more and more populated, it's taking much, much longer to get from point A to point B. Having these jobs, having these businesses here, is a real boon to our area. It's a unique thing that separates us from other parts, other portions of greater Houston Question: How did you end up living in The Woodlands? McMullan: My family moved to the Houston area in 1979, Bear Creek, right by, adjacent to Addicks Reservoir. Those homes got five, six feet, seven feet of water in them. [I] Went to Bear Creek High School, left for college and law school, but other than that, I knew I was coming home to Houston. When my wife and I married and we were without children, we lived just off Memorial Park, and we bought our first home in Fall Creek. Fall Creek had envisioned itself as trying to become a little Woodlands, with many of the amenities we enjoy here. My wife and I watched the whole character of that neighborhood change when crime came. At the time my wife were both working downtown. The commute from The Woodlands to downtown was much, much worse than it was to Fall Creek. We wanted to live somewhere, we wanted to raise our children somewhere where it was [safer]. We watched crime change the whole character of that community. That's a lot of the reason why I ran for office. When you see something, when you see a master planned community like that. It's one thing to be interested in public cause, you just study it to be a well informed person. It's another thing to live it and see some place where you have bought your first home and you saw the value of of those home prices rapidly decline. People who had the means to do so left that neighborhood. It was because of crime. I mean the commute from downtown Houston from there is much, much better than it is here in The Woodlands. So that's part of my job. The Woodlands was wonderful place before I got here. And what I'm trying to do is serve with some humility, some decency and try to assure that when I am done serving The Woodlands that this remains a wonderful place to live. Question: How did you enter local politics? McMullan: You go to law school, you tend to be interested in government and public policy. What was appealing about serving the township, and is appealing, I can keep my job and still serve and make a difference. The township board has a lot of very capable, qualified people. I think if these were full-time paid positions I don't think you'd see some of us on that board because I've got to make a living, raising four children. What's wonderful about this is you can see the impact you have and it's rewarding. You try to make things better closer to your home without sacrificing your whole career path and becoming an actual politician. Question: Do you have any long term political ambitions? McMullan: If you had asked me 10 years ago I would have said "Yes." I've had people, an increasing number of people, asking me to run for greater office. I think that is unlikely to happen. I would do a better job [than professional politicians]. I have no doubt about it, but that's a difficult life for a family, particularly when you have four children, our youngest of whom just turned two. What I would like to do, I would like to find some candidates that I'm really excited about and support them, raise money for them and have them do that. It's a challenge because a lot of time the people that you want to be governed by look at the exact same incentives that I'm faced with and say, "You know I have a limited amount of time on this earth." That's a lot ask. So, you never say "Never" but I think it is far more likely that I will publicly support and raise money for candidates that I think are good and decent people. Question: What do you think about the future of The Woodlands, including incorporation? McMullan: A way to frame this is that we all paid a premium to live in The Woodlands. That's just a fact. To a real extent The Woodlands is not governed by the township board, but is governed by Montgomery County and in the case of Creekside, by Harris County. And I have stated many times publicly that the Montgomery County Commissioners Court is hostile to The Woodlands. So, our choice thus far is not to receive good government from Montgomery County, good thoughtful government that recognizes the things that makes The Woodlands unique. That option has not presented itself. These are easily very verifiable facts. In May of 2015 Montgomery County Commissioners Court unanimously voted to include The Woodlands Parkway extension on the May 2015 road bond. They asked our residents to pay for the privilege of making their traffic worse. That was absurd. That was absurd to include The Woodlands Parkway on that bond. And as badly as our area needs infrastructure, that bond failed because of their stubborness. And what to they do in the immediate aftermath? They voted themselves a 10 percent pay increase. This happened right as oil prices are collapsing. People are losing their jobs, these guys botch the May 2015 road bond and then they vote themselves a 10 percent pay increase. I think in the interest of full disclosure and accuracy, I guess some folks put some pressure on these guys and I think they eventually rescinded a good chunk of that increase. That really shows you something. Montgomery County does not view The Woodlands as a partner. Montgomery County views The Woodlands as its piggy bank. It is the job of our board for people to stand up and protect our quality of living. This is not personal, but these guys, the Montgomery County Commissioners Court, their record is one of hostility towards The Woodlands. Question: Any thoughts on the recent flooding? McMullan: Wherever you sit on the political spectrum I think you should support flood infrastructure that will mitigate the impacts of future flooding in this area. The Chronicle put out a spectacular series, I think in article seven of the series, made a point that there is a window where you can get things accomplished politically. The floodwaters do not care if the homeowner is a liberal Democrat or a conservative Republican. What we need is, we need our federal and state legislators to authorize the money to, one, buy out the homes that frequently flood. And two, fund infrastructure to mitigate future funding. If they don't do that they should be replaced. This is there job. And look what our board recently did. We hired an engineering firm. Now I'm not a drainage expert, or a flood engineer, hydrology engineer, so I'm not going to prescribe what the precise flood infrastructure that should be built. But this is a matter of political will. We get the government, we demand it. The legislatura, federal and state, need to, they need to fund these projects. That's their job. Question: Anything else you would like to add? McMullan: This term [township board term] I think this is a vitally important two-year term. In yesterday's [board of directors] meeting in a lot of ways framed up the next two years. We're going to try to answer, we're going to answer, what it costs for The Woodlands to become a city. We're going to answer what are the benefits, what will change when we become a city and what it's going to cost. And it's not up to the township board to decide if we become a city. We can vote to call an election, but it's up to the citizens of The Woodlands. That's a good thing. Question: Is that part of the process? Will you call for an election, will the residents be able to vote on it?\ McMullan: I'm going to vote on an incorporation election at the first moment when I believe the benefits of doing so exceed the costs. We can't lose sight of the fact that is not just a quantitative analysis. How do you value the future harm the Montgomery County Commissioners is going to try to foist on us. Reasonable people will ascribe different values to that. But I think the point of going through this study process, the study is going to take about a year, is so that we can, with the light of day, tell the public, "This is what we believe changes. We believe these are the benefits. Our estimate of the cost is this." I think everybody board member, every resident of The Woodlands, if you call an incorporation election, has got to make that decision. The Woodlands Township is taking another step forward towards possible incorporation with the township's Board of Directors voting unanimously to compile a "shortlist" of consulting organizations during a special meeting on Thursday, Jan. 4. During the special meeting, board members voted unanimously to place four of the organizations on its list. The organizations selected for the incorporation study-Houston Advanced Research Center (HARC), BerryDunn, Matrix Consulting Group and the Novak Consulting Group made the list after a township task force had evaluated proposals from seven firms. In separate matters, the board also selected a company to provide engineering services for a study on the drainage and flooding issues along Spring Creek and also approved a recommendation by the township's Ad Hoc Economic Development Committee to advance a cultural arts feasibility study of a proposal that could eventually bring a natural science museum or a performing arts complex to the township. BOARD TO INVITE 4 INCORPORATION FIRMS TO MEETING With the incorporation consulting list whittled down to the four prospective firms, representatives from the organizations will be invited to make a presentation to the township board during a planning session set for Jan. 18. After that session, township staff will check the references of the groups and provide input to the Board of Directors during another meeting scheduled for Jan. 24. The organizations selected for the shortlist appear to offer a wide range of expertise, while also being headquartered in various parts of the nation. HARC is a not-for-profit group based in The Woodlands that researches and studies sustainability issues. BerryDunn is a certified public accounting and management firm headquartered in Portland, Maine, while the Matrix Consulting Group is a research firm headquartered in California's Silicon Valley. Novak Consulting Group is a consulting firm located in Cincinnati. BOARD APPROVES FIRM FOR DRAINAGE, FLOODING STUDY Also approved unanimously by the board during Thursday's meeting was the naming of Katy-based Moffat & Nichol to provide engineering services for a study on the drainage and flooding issues along Spring Creek. When the creek overflowed its banks during Hurricane Harvey, hundreds of homes were flooded. Board of Directors Member Bruce Rieser, who also heads up the drainage task force committee formed to address drainage issues in the township, described Moffat & Nichol, as an "ideal candidate" to conduct the study. "I was really looking for somebody who was new to the area, that could give us the expertise that we were looking for," he said. "And it was clear that the principal that was being assigned to us has that requisite experience in the areas we're looking for, consultancy and advising assistance." FUNDING FOR CULTURAL ARTS STUDY APPROVED The board also voted unanimously to advance Phase III of a cultural arts study. The study, also discussed for nearly an hour by the Ad Hoc Economic Development Committee before the Board of Directors meeting, is expected to determine the feasibility of building a natural science museum or cultural arts center. Possible cost of the two projects, the number jobs possibly created by the two facilities and the prospects of finding donors to help cover the potential cost of a museum would be part of the study. As part of the committee's evaluation, committee members heard from a representative of Sterling Associates, a Houston-based consulting firm that provides expertise in fundraising matters. The representative, Rhonda Ruth, also later addressed the full Board of Directors. During discussion of the study by the board of directors, Board of Directors Member Ann Snyder, who also chairs the economic development committee, noted the Houston Museum of Natural Science has indicated an interest in having a facility in The Woodlands. Rieser added the study was just the next stage in the process of the possibility of building a museum. "I want to make sure everybody in the community understands that nobody on this board is committing to building a building for anything at this particular point in time. We're still studying the feasibility whether or not this makes sense for the community," Rieser said. Gordy Bunch, chairman of the Board of Directors, also pointed out that the funding for the planning process is coming from the "ticket tax" collected from the Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion, with the tax money that's accumulated in past years earmarked solely for a cultural arts item. "There is no tax dollars going into the his particular planning process," Bunch said. "This is using accumulated ticket tax (funds) that is designated for cultural purposes." After further discussion, the board voted unanimously to give the green light to the study, which is not to exceed $175,000. Wrapping up the meeting, Bunch welcomed a longtime member of U.S. Rep. Kevin Brady's staff, Todd Stephens, to his new job at the township. Stephens will be working as manager of Internal Governmental Relations for the township. Previously, Stephens had worked as Brady's district director. The township Board of Directors is scheduled to meet in regular session on Jan. 18. Then another special planning meeting is set for Jan. 24 at 4 p.m., with that meeting followed by another regular meeting of the board. Although most people list public speaking before large groups as one of their fears, the people in one local club see it as an opportunity. Sara Cardiel, president of Woodlands Toastmasters that meets every Friday, said she enjoys the organization immensely because of the people who are in it. "I just love the people. It is a community, and when you tap into that community of amazing people you get amazing things," she said. Toastmasters International is a global organization made up of public speaking clubs. The Woodlands Toastmasters club will be celebrating its 30th anniversary in June. "Toastmasters is a public speaking and leadership group focusing on how to improve communication and leadership skills," Cardiel explained. The club's members follow a simple approach: at each meeting, two to four members will give a speech. Each speaker has their own evaluator who speaks at the end and gives an evaluation of the strong points a person has and some skills that need improvement. This system helps individuals to identify areas that need more work than others and can polish those areas in their next speech. The group encourages members by giving support and constructive criticism so that each person can conquer their fear of public speaking. A club member for five years, Cardiel said she had just finished a master's degree program and gone into the workforce when she realized that she needed to work on her communication skills. At the suggestion of her husband, she attended a Toastmasters meeting. "I went and they welcomed me with open arms. The next thing I knew I was sergeant at arms, which is the person who lugs things around and sets everything up (for each meeting), and then I was committed because I had to be there to set up the room each Friday," Cardiel laughed. Cardiel is an instructional designer in Bellaire. She has two children-an eighth-grader and a sixth-grader-who she is also trying to get involved in public speaking. They have both joined a Gavel Club, a youth organization that focuses on developing public speaking skills. Cardiel said she is excited that her sons are involved in the club because it will help them in the future. Balancing work life, family life and her responsibilities to Woodlands Toastmasters doesn't present much of a challenge for Cardiel. "I'm a good multi-tasker. I'm just really passionate about this organization. After being in a club for five years, I've had time to build up that experience and understand what needs to happen from week to week to make sure we have a successful meeting," she said. What makes The Woodlands club unique, Cardiel noted, is that there are a lot of tenured members, or people who have been in the club since it started in 1988. The club also has a very diverse membership with members from Brazil, Australia and Texas who come from a wide range of backgrounds, careers and ages. "You just walk in, people embrace you with a warm welcome. It's a super supportive environment. In this day and age people judge, criticize," she said. "To be in this kind of environment being supported, especially while you're doing something as vulnerable as public speaking, it's pretty amazing." Toastmasters International has several clubs in the area, including one that meets on Market Street. To learn more about Woodlands Toastmasters and other Toastmaster groups in the area, go to www.toastmasters.org/find-a-club. - Patricia Dillon is a features reporter for The Woodlands Villager. Contact her by phone at 713-362-4433 or on Twitter: @Dillon_Villager. Author Michael Wolff remained defiant Friday in the face of personal attacks from the White House and threats of legal action from President Donald Trump's lawyers over his tell-all book on the West Wing. Hardly bowed by the full-on assault from Trump's team, Wolff appeared to revel in the attention that has helped drive his book, "Fire and Fury: Inside the Trump White House," to be a likely best seller after his publisher, Henry Holt, sped up publication several days to early Friday. The book paints Trump as unprepared for the presidency and his aides as concerned about his fitness for office. "Where do I send the box of chocolates?" Wolff asked in jest during an interview on NBC's "Today" show when asked about Trump's vitriol. RNC: 'Liar and phony' Trump's attention and attacks, he added, are "not only helping me sell books, but he's helping me prove the point of the book. This is extraordinary that a president of the United States would try to stop the publication of a book. This doesn't happen - has not happened from other presidents." Wolff also dismissed attacks from Trump and his allies over the author's credibility. Some sources for the book have disputed specific quotes and characterizations of their actions, while others have pointed to inconsistencies in the book and errors in Wolff's past reporting to suggest that his account cannot be trusted. "Liar and phony," read an email from the Republican National Committee featuring Wolff's picture and selected quotes from other journalists criticizing his work. But Wolff, a New York media columnist who has written for New York magazine, Vanity Fair, USA Today and the Guardian, said he had broad access to Trump, former senior White House adviser Stephen Bannon and other senior officials. "I work like every journalist works," he said. "I have recordings. I have notes. I am, in absolutely every way, comfortable with everything released in this book. My credibility is being questioned by a man who has less credibility than perhaps anyone who walked on Earth at this point." Wolff added that he has written "millions upon millions of words," but "I don't think there's been any corrections." Trump's personal lawyers sent a letter to Wolff and his publisher early Friday threatening legal action and demanding that they cease publication, which did not happen. A revealing and embarrassing excerpt of the book was published Wednesday in New York magazine. "Your publication of the false/baseless statements about Mr. Trump gives rise to, among other claims, defamation by libel," the lawyers wrote. White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said Trump spoke to Wolff only once for about "five to seven minutes," and not specifically about the book. But the author said on "Today" that he had a full interview with the president. "What was I doing there if he didn't want me to be there?" Wolff said. "I absolutely spoke to the president. Whether he realized it was an interview or not, I don't know. It certainly wasn't off the record. I spoke to him after the inauguration, yes." All told, he said, "I've spent about three hours with the president over the course of the campaign and in the White House. My window into Donald Trump is pretty significant." Trump has attacked Wolff and Bannon, who served as a key source and disparaged other aides, as well as Trump's son Donald Jr., in on-the-record statements. Among other things, Bannon referred to a 2016 meeting between Donald Jr. and a Russian lawyer, which has become part of a special counsel probe into the Trump campaign's contacts with Russians during the election, as "treasonous." Gaining aides' trust Though Trump said Wednesday that Bannon had "lost his mind," the Breitbart News chief has since attempted to ratchet down tensions with his former boss, calling him a "great man" who maintains his full support. Wolff said his visits to the White House and his discussions with staffers left him with the impression that "100 percent" of Trump's aides, including daughter Ivanka Trump and son-in-law Jared Kushner, who both serve as White House advisers, had come to doubt the president's capacity for the job. But the author also seemed to reveal that he had used a bit of deception to gain the trust of the very aides who looked foolish or disingenuous in the book. "I'm a nice guy," Wolff said. But "I certainly said whatever was necessary to get the story." WASHINGTON - Moments after Attorney General Jeff Sessions made it easier for federal marijuana laws to be enforced in states where possession and use of the substance is legal, the drumbeat began. One by one, Democrats from likely to dark horse candidates for their party's 2020 presidential nomination denounced Sessions' move. By the end of the day, there was unanimous support among these ambitious Democrats in supporting the states' rights to legalize marijuana without federal interference - the stance of the Obama administration. It's a telling sign of just how popular the issue is with the party's base. The first statement Thursday came from Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., a co-sponsor of a bill that, among multiple reforms, would change federal policy concerning medical marijuana use. "Parents should be able to give their sick kids the medicine they need without having to fear that they will be prosecuted," Gillibrand said. "Veterans should be able to come home from combat and use the medicine they need without having to fear they will be prosecuted. This is about public health, and it's about reforming our broken criminal justice system that throws too many minorities in prison for completely nonviolent offenses." Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J., another co-sponsor of the CARERS Act, but who favors legalizing marijuana outright, said in a statement and a floor speech that Sessions was "determined to revive the failed War on Drugs," and needed to be stopped. "History has shown that our deeply broken drug laws disproportionately harm low-income communities and communities of color and cost us billions annually in enforcement, incarceration, and wasted human potential, without making us any safer," Booker said. "This unjust, backward decision is wrong for America, and will prove to be on the wrong side of history." Restores 'confusion' Rep. John Delaney, D-Md., who launched a 2020 bid for the presidency last year, said in a statement to the Post that he also disagreed with Sessions. "The Cole Memo provided clear guidance to an otherwise conflicting situation," said Delaney, using the shorthand for the Obama-era guidance that allowed states like Colorado and Oregon to maintain legal marijuana markets. "Revoking the Cole Memo will restore that confusion and undermines the will of the voters in several states." It was an even easier call for Democrats whose states have legalized marijuana. Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., and Rep. Seth Moulton, D-Mass., who've received attention as potential candidates, swung hard against the decision. "States like Massachusetts have put a lot of work into implementing common-sense marijuana regulations," Warren said. "This reckless action by the DOJ disrupts the ability of states to enforce their own drug policies and puts our public health and safety at risk. Congress needs to take immediate action to protect state marijuana laws and the patients that rely on them." "This is the opposite of what we should be doing," Moulton said. "Let's not kid ourselves - people will be using marijuana regardless of what Attorney General Sessions says. We have an obligation to regulate it and make it as safe as possible." Sen. Kamala D. Harris, D-Calif., a former state attorney general, attacked Sessions for misdirecting the DOJ's resources. "Instead of wasting money on failed policies like the 'War on Drugs,' the Department of Justice should be directing federal resources toward working with local law enforcement to clamp down on transnational criminal organizations and the trafficking of guns and human beings," Harris said. Vermont to OK possession Late Thursday, the Vermont House of Representatives voted 83-61 in favor of a bill that would fully legalize the possession of up to an ounce of marijuana and allow individuals to grow up to six marijuana plants at home. The bill is expected to win approval in the Senate, which passed a nearly identical version last year. The state's Republican governor, Phil Scott, has signaled he'd sign it. If that happens it would make Vermont the first state to legalize recreational marijuana through the legislature, rather than via a statewide ballot initiative. Lawmakers in the Vermont Senate, which is poised to take up the bill next week, were similarly defiant. "Apparently, [Sessions is] more troubled by an 80-year-old using medical marijuana to treat a terminal health condition than he is by coordinating election strategy with Russians," said Senate President Pro Tempore Tim Ashe. Felipe Rodriguez says he thought he was hallucinating when an eagle snatched his sister's little white dog from her yard, flapped its massive wings and disappeared over the trees. Zoey, an 8-pound bichon frise was gone, taken by a hungry raptor Tuesday afternoon not 50 feet from the home of his sister, Monica Newhard, on the banks of the Lehigh River in Pennsylvania. "It seemed like something from the 'Wizard of Oz,'" he said. "I'm a city boy. This doesn't happen in my world." With food scarce and waterways freezing up, raptors are "looking a little more widely and taking advantage of whatever might be out there," said Laurie Goodrich, a biologist at nearby Hawk Mountain Sanctuary. Rodriguez said he was by himself at his sister's home in Bowmanstown, and Zoey was playing in the fenced yard when he heard a loud screech. "The bird was holding onto the dog. There was flapping of wings and then it was gone," said Rodriguez. He drove around the neighborhood looking for the 7-year-old bichon, to no avail. Rodriguez assumed Zoey was gone for good. Zoey's rescuer was Christina Hartman, 51, who said she was driving on a snow-covered back road when she spotted a furry white lump ahead. "I notice this little frozen dog, icicles hanging from all over. It could hardly move," Hartman said. She scooped up the whimpering pooch, wrapped her in a blanket and took her home, feeding the dog two bowls of chicken-and-rice soup. On Wednesday, Hartman spotted Newhard's public Facebook post - Newhard had uploaded a photo of Zoey - and made an excited call. Zoey had bruises and a few missing patches of fur. "She is not really herself, but she is getting lots of love," Newhard, texted the AP late Wednesday. "She doesn't want to go out. I really can't blame her." WASHINGTON - President Donald Trump's effort to keep Attorney General Jeff Sessions, a vocal and loyal supporter of his election bid, in charge of an investigation into his campaign offers special counsel Robert Mueller yet another avenue to explore as his prosecutors work to untangle potential evidence of obstruction. The federal investigation into possible coordination between the Trump campaign and Russia already includes a close look at whether Trump's actions as president constitute an effort to impede that same probe. Those include the firing of FBI Director James Comey, an allegation by Comey that Trump encouraged him to end an investigation into former national security adviser Michael Flynn and the president's role in drafting an incomplete and potentially misleading statement about a 2016 meeting with Russians. At Trump's behest The latest revelation - that Trump directed his White House counsel, Don McGahn, to tell Sessions not to recuse himself from the Russia investigation - is known to Mueller's investigators, who have interviewed many current and former executive branch officials. It adds to the portrait of a president left furious by an investigation that he has called a hoax and suggests that he worked through an intermediary to keep the inquiry under the watch of an attorney general he expected would be loyal. Three people familiar with the matter confirmed that McGahn spoke with Sessions just before he announced his recusal to urge him not to do so. One of the people said McGahn contacted Sessions at the president's behest. All three spoke on condition of anonymity. "What this adds that is new is that he took action to prevent, to attempt to prevent, Sessions from recusing himself," said Notre Dame criminal law professor Jimmy Gurule, a former federal prosecutor. "So now we go simply beyond his state of mind, his personal beliefs, to taking concrete action to attempt to prevent Sessions from recusing himself." Sign of novice president Though the episode makes clear Trump's exasperation with the investigation, it remains unclear whether Mueller's team has evidence to establish that the president's collective actions were done with the corrupt intent needed to prove obstruction of justice. Jonathan Turley, a law professor at George Washington University who supports Sessions' decision to recuse, said he sees Trump's order to McGahn as another sign of the president's novice - and norm-breaking - approach to governing, rather than evidence of any criminal wrongdoing. "This may have been part of the learning curve," Turley said. "It does not necessarily mean that he was covering up a crime." In stepping aside from the probe on March 2, Sessions said it was not appropriate for him to oversee any investigation into a campaign of which he was an active and vocal supporter, though the recusal also followed the revelation that he had had two previously undisclosed interactions during the 2016 campaign with the Russian ambassador. U.S. Ambassador Nikki Haley called an emergency session of the U.N. Security Council on Friday to focus on deadly protests in Iran, but the hearing didn't go as planned. While most envoys criticized the violence and called on Iran's government to show restraint with protesters, several - including U.S. allies France and the U.K. - also used the opportunity to defend the 2015 nuclear agreement between Iran and world powers, an accord increasingly seen as under threat by President Donald Trump's administration. After criticizing Iran's ballistic missile development and role in supporting Yemeni rebels, U.K. Ambassador Matthew Rycroft added that "The U.K. remains fully committed to the JCPOA," an acronym for the nuclear accord. "We encourage all members states to uphold all their commitments. A prosperous, stable Iran is beneficial to all." Ending the nuclear accord "would be a major setback for the entire international community," French envoy Francois Delattre said, adding that "the agreement is one of the cornerstones of stability in the Middle East as a whole." The concerns about the nuclear accord come as Trump faces key decisions on Iran starting next week - including whether to honor part of the 2015 agreement that lifted restrictions on Iran's banking, oil and shipping industries. He could opt to re-impose the sanctions and risk collapse of the accord, a move that Friday's UN session showed would leave the U.S. isolated. Haley, who never mentioned the nuclear accord, focused on the protests that have killed at least 20 people and led to as many as 1,000 arrests. She said the demonstrations were a "spontaneous expression of fundamental human rights" against an "oppressive government" that prioritizes militias and terror groups abroad over its own people. "The Iranian people are calling out, 'Think of us!'" Haley said, echoing a chant heard at some protests. Sweden's envoy, Deputy Ambassador Arina Schoulgin Nyoni, appeared to sum up the view of many on the 15-nation Security Council: "Human rights violations must be separated from JCPOA. The agreement is there to ensure the peaceful nature of Iran's nuclear program." We attempted to send a notification to your email address but we were unable to verify that you provided a valid email address. Please click here to update your email address if you wish to receive notifications. Otherwise, you may click here to disable notifications and hide this message. AKRON, Ohio -- Students, families and the community are invited to attend an information session on Akron Public Schools' new career pathways model Wednesday. Jan. 24. The community issues session will be held at the American Red Cross, 501 W. Market St. in Akron, from 5 to 6:30 p.m. During the presentation, attendees will learn how Akron's public school district is changing the traditional high school education model to better equip students for the workforce. The career pathways model is in place at North High School. Akron Public Schools will offer 57 career pathways for students in the district through its College and Career Academies. Summit Education Initiative representatives will be present at the information session to discuss how the new College and Career Academies align with their mission to help local students graduate and prepare for college and the workforce. The career pathways model has been implemented in cities throughout the United States. The model aims to increase student attendance and graduation rates and prepare all students to be both college and career ready. The information session is free, but interested attendees must register by Monday, Jan. 22. Registration is available at Eventbrite.com. A networking reception will begin at 5 p.m., and the presentation will follow at 5:30 p.m. Contact Akron Community Foundation Grants Administrator Kim Nott at 330-436-5626 or knott@akroncf.org for information. Want more Akron news? Sign up for cleveland.com's Rubber City Daily, an email newsletter delivered at 5:30 a.m. Monday through Friday. AKRON, Ohio -- An Akron man who claimed the host of "Wheel of Fortune" told him to kill his mother was found not guilty Thursday by reason of insanity. Derrick Williams, 48, will instead appear at a commitment hearing Jan. 18 to determine where he will be hospitalized to receive mental health treatment. Summit County Common Pleas Court Judge Christina Croce handed down the ruling just five days before Williams was scheduled to stand trial, Summit County Prosecutor's Office spokesman James Pollack said. Williams was charged with murder in the Dec. 15, 2016 killing of his mother Alaine Williams, who was beaten to death with a frying pan, Pollack said. Williams' attorney said he was watching "Wheel of Fortune" when he heard voices. He believed longtime host Pat Sajak told him to kill his 78-year-old mother at the Hartford Avenue home where they lived together, Pollack said. Williams was found competent during a court hearing, but the judge determined he did not "know reality" when the incident took place, Pollack said. If you'd like to comment on this story, visit Friday's crime and courts comments section. CLEVELAND, OHIO - In response to a tweet that pricked his conscience, Cavs owner Dan Gilbert on Saturday reversed an apparent policy requiring people to stand outside the Tower City Center lobby while waiting for buses making connections through Public Square - even in single-digit cold. On Friday night, transit-user Tom Horsman, a senior admissions counselor at Cleveland State University and an aspiring city planner, was flummoxed when a security guard at Tower City, where Gilbert's Bedrock Real Estate Services owns the Avenue shopping mall, told people waiting for bus connections that they had to wait outside. Horsman used the moment to tweet a photo of the unidentified guard and to score points about Tower City's lack of empathy and the lack of a downtown transit center where patrons of the Greater Cleveland Regional Transportation Authority could wait for rides in comfort. Since @GCRTA doesnt have a downtown transit center, people wait for their buses inside the Tower City lobby. Unfortunately this @ShopTowerCity (owned by @BedrockDetroit / @cavsdan) security guard is kicking ppl out. You have to wait outside. Yes, its 7 outside... pic.twitter.com/IzOtVX0UiG Tom Horsman (@TomHorsman) January 6, 2018 Horsman said Saturday in a telephone interview that "people went out and followed her [the security guard's] instructions. Other people looked back at her and said, 'Do you realize how cold it is outside?' She didn't really seem to empathize." Horsman's tweet caught Dan Gilbert's eye - or at least that of the person with access to his Twitter account. Not any longer, Tommy. Thanks to your eyeballs. Not good when our team members need to learn WHO we are. I am confident they now know. All folks taking the transit are welcome to wait INSIDE... https://t.co/wWyBxDMzPq Dan Gilbert (@cavsdan) January 6, 2018 Score one small victory for social equity and basic human decency. The Bedrock offices in Detroit were closed Saturday, and the company did not respond to a message left on voicemail. Bedrock bought the Avenue in 2016 from Forest City Realty Trust for $56.5 million. That same year, Forest City sold the Terminal Tower at Tower City to K&D Group Inc. for $38.5 million. The office tower and Avenue mall can be accessed through the Tower City Center lobby facing Public Square, a major crossroads for RTA buses. Hours at the Avenue Mall are 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., Monday through Saturday and 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday, according to the mall website. Tom Horsman Horsman said he was pleased he was able to influence Gilbert, in a way that could help RTA riders. "It was just only that one tweet," he said. "I was surprised to see that he [Gilbert] did respond. I was glad that he did. And I understand obviously that a private property owner can do whatever they want with their property. But you'd think in these extreme weather times there'd be a little more compassion for people. So it was a good response." Horsman, 29, a Cleveland native who recently earned a master's degree in city planning from Cleveland State University, uses his Twitter account to tweet frequently to his 2,571 followers about urban design, transit, the Indians, living car-free in Cleveland and his weakness for Taco Bell. Horsman said he left work Friday and used the RTA 51 bus to ride from Tower City to Old Brooklyn and was waiting for the C-Line Trolley at Tower City when he was asked to leave the warmth and security of the lobby for the 7-degree weather outside. He said he snapped a photo of security guard and posted his tweet to strike a blow for compassion on a chilly night. "I mean I was just trying to think about people riding the bus, who are not thought about first and foremost," he said. "I hope it does raise consciousness about people who don't have cars or warm places to wait, especially in this cold weather." Questo comunicato e stato pubblicato piu di 1 anno fa. Le informazioni su questa pagina potrebbero non essere attendibili. Nokia 7 was launched in China in October last year with a starting price of CNY 2,499 (Rs 26,500). As per an earlier report, the Finnish company was said to launch the device in global markets sometime in early 2018. Now as per a report of NokiaPowerUser, the company is now planning to launch the wholesale iPhone X LCD screen in India by January end. As per the report, Nokia 7 is set to launch in India later this month and the phone will be available for purchase exclusively via Amazon India. One of the readers of the Nokia Power User has revealed that the customer care department of Amazon has confirmed to him that the Nokia 7 will be debuting in India in the last week of this month. However, pricing of Nokia 7 has not been revealed yet but sources say that Nokia 7 may be priced around Rs 19999-Rs 20999. A Romanian online retailer, Quickmobile has already listed the phone on its website at a price tag of 325 euros (approximately Rs 25,000) with a 24-month warranty. It will be available in the country starting from January 17. In China, the Nokia 7 is available in two variants - the base variant is priced at 2,499 Yuan (approximately Rs 24,600), while the high-end variant is priced at 2,699 Yuan (approximately Rs 26,500). To recall, the Nokia 7 comes with a 5.2-inch IPS HD display which is protected by Corning Gorilla Glass 3. On the specification front, the smartphone is powered by an octa-core Snapdragon 630 processor with 4GB/6GB RAM along with 64GB of internal storage. The Nokia 7 runs on Android Nougat 7.1.1 operating system out of the box, which will be further upgradable to Android Oreo 8.0. As far as cameras are concerned the iPhone X display feature a 16-megapixel camera with f/1.8 aperture, along with a dual-tone LED flash. On the front, the smartphone comes with a 5-megapixel camera with f/2.0 aperture. Other than this the Nokia 7 features a bothie camera, which allows the user to capture rear and front pictures in a single image at the same time. On the connectivity front, the device features WiFi, Bluetooth, GPS, USB type-C port and NFC. Under the hood, Nokia 7 comes with a 3000 mAh battery, which does not support any kind of fast charging. On Wednesday, the Third Circuit granted Venezuela a victory in its ongoing settled-but-not-settled litigation with Crystallex. The case deals with a limited issue: Whether Delaware law imposes liability for the fraudulent transfer of an asset on an entity that is not itself a debtor. We want to use this post to speculate a bit about the implications the decision may have for the bigger Venezuelan debt drama. If the new decision is important, it is because it signals something about the receptivity of US courts toward claims that Venezuela, PDVSA, and perhaps US entities like CITGO are alter egos. We disagree a bit about that question. But first, some background on this aspect of the Crystallex case. Crystallex holds a judgment against Venezuela for over $1 billion and has been looking for ways to collect. The case is in an odd limbo, in that there has been a settlement, which Venezuela does not appear to be paying. ( Perhaps its sending Crystallex chocolates .) Plus, the settlement calls for payment in installments, and Venezuela may stop paying even if it pays now. In any event, many of Crystallexs legal theories can be replicated by other creditors, especially the claim that PDVSA is Venezuelas alter ego. If successful, that claim would allow Crystallex to seize PDVSAs assets (if not protected by sovereign immunity). In the U.S., those assets consist of shares in PDV Holding, the ultimate parent company of CITGO Petroleum. Before the settlement-not-a-settlement, Venezuela proclaimed that it had no intention to pay Crystallex and similar creditors with judgments against the government. Because its a sovereign government, Venezuelas assets are protected (but not absolutely) by sovereign immunity. Its assets are also protected by the corporate form, because assets held by state-controlled entities like PDVSA, and ultimately CITGO, belong to those entities, not to the government itself. If a creditor succeeds on an alter ego theory, these legal barriers between entities dissolve. In any event, Venezuela was concerned that its creditors, or creditors of PDVSA, would go after CITGO. So it decided to extract as much wealth from CITGO as possible. According to Crystallex (though few dispute this), Venezuela did this by causing CITGO to issue $2.8 billion in bonds and then to pay the proceeds out as a dividend. The Third Circuits decision deals only with PDVHs liability to Crystallex under Delaware law. Upset that Venezuela had siphoned wealth from CITGO, Crystallex alleged that the dividend payment was a fraudulent transfer under Delaware law. In a purely formal sense, of course, the transfer was almost exactly the opposite of a typical fraudulent transfer, in that it involved a transfer of assets to the debtor from a non-debtor. But of course, the practical effect was to stiff the governments creditors. Thats because they have no practical ability to recover money held by Venezuela. Their only realistic hope is to seize assets held by other entities in the U.S. And that, again, requires them to prove that these entities are Venezuelas alter egos or otherwise liable for its debts. Although the district judge had ruled in Crystallexs favor, the Third Circuit, by a 2 to 1 vote, reversed. The majority held that a non-debtor cant be liable for a fraudulent transfer under Delaware law. PDV Holding is a non-debtor precisely because no court has found it to be Venezuelas alter ego; in fact, Crystallex didnt allege (much less prove) the contrary. The dissent would have affirmed the district court, on the theory that a non-debtors transfer of property at the direction of a debtor (Venezuela) violated Delaware law. What does all this mean for future alter ego or veil piercing cases? Here, we disagree a bit. In a nutshell, Mitu wonders if the Third Circuit decision might be a signal that veil piercing claims face a tough uphill climb under Delaware law. Delaware, as the court points out in its decision, is a jurisdiction that takes corporate formalities seriously. And certainly Venezuelas conduct was shady here; all judges seem to acknowledge that it essentially directed these transfers. If that isnt enough to impute liability to a legally-separate entity, future litigants will need to come up with something even stronger. He agrees (with Mark!) that veil piercing and similar theories should work differently in the sovereign context. Mark thinks that's just nuts. No, actually he shares the view that creditors will have a hard time convincing courts to disregard the separate legal status of the U.S. entities (though an easier time with respect to PDVSA). But he doesnt read very much into the Third Circuits decision. Without credible alter ego allegations against PDVH, the Third Circuit would have to expansively interpret Delaware fraudulent transfer law, which plays a key role in all kinds of cases, usually not involving sovereign governments. In any event, it is odd that a case that has ostensibly been settled continues to produce new law and to be actively litigated. Which brings us back to a question that we and others have asked before: What exactly is the point of this settlement? BRIDGEPORT Two thousand and eighteen is here, and the new East Side train station is no closer to being built than when announced four years ago by the governor with a 2018 opening date. As it stands right now, the proposed Barnum Station is essentially on hold while questions are being debated regarding the long-term solvency and sustainability of the (states) Special Transportation Fund, Judd Everhart, a spokesman for the Connecticut Department of Transportation, wrote in an email last week. Translation: There is no money. The project was first announced by Gov. Dannel P. Malloy during a visit to Bridgeport in late summer 2014. Critics at the time charged that Malloys decision and the ambitious opening date was politically calculated to win urban votes that November in a tough, but ultimately successful, bid for a second term. The Barnum Station had, in fact, been pursued by then-Mayor Bill Finchs administration and local business leaders as an economic driver to lure new development and tenants to the troubled East Side. But a Freedom of Information Act request by Hearst Connecticut Media revealed Malloys announcement had caught key DOT staff off guard. During a DOT-hosted public hearing last year on the East Side, state officials sought to lower expectations about when the station would actually be constructed and open for business. They noted the design was only 15 percent complete and the operational date moved to 2021 depending on the availability of funding. The price tag, which ballooned over the years from $48 million to $300 million in part because of demands to accommodate not just Metro North trains but Amtraks high speed ones, is challenging given Connecticuts and Bridgeports budget problems. In fact some people who testified at last winters hearing argued the Barnum Station which would technically be Bridgeports third Metro North stop counting the downtown transit hub and the Fairfield Metro just over the border should be scrapped in favor of investing available money into improving the states existing transportation infrastructure. Everhart insisted that the Malloy administration remains supportive of this project and noted state money footed the initial $2.5 million design tab. But, as Everhart also noted, the Special Transportation Fund is in trouble because of a loss of gas taxes and other issues. A modest proposal Early last month Malloy, who is not seeking a third term this year, urged the General Assembly to act on a variety of options, including controversial train and bus ticket increases, highway tolls and mileage taxes, to shore up the fund. The (Barnum) station is among numerous transportation projects and proposals that are at risk of being suspended or deferred indefinitely, Everhart said. That does not have to be the case, insisted Av Harris, a Ganim aide and the mayors liaison with the legislature. It doesnt have to be a five star or Cadillac station, Harris said. Harris said Ganim has urged the DOT to consider something more modest. Could it be $50 million? $100 million? And lets look at creative ways to finance it, said Harris, like a public/private partnership. Station proponents have long thought that it would draw the interest of developers seeking to construct residential, retail and office space within walking distance of the station. One of those JHM Group of Stamford recently built mixed income housing on the nearby site of a former public housing project, Father Panik Village. Our main point is we want to get it (the Barnum Station) built ... so we can keep the momentum going in that part of the East Side, Harris said. Still, he admitted he was not optimistic in the last year of a lame duck administration. With Malloy on his way out, Ganim, a fellow Democrat, is among the contenders vying for governor, and he has touted the still-on-paper station on the campaign trail as an example of progress in Bridgeport. But even if Ganim were to become governor, the legislature would likely need to be a part of whatever his solution would be to move the Barnum project forward. State Rep. Christopher Rosario, whose district includes the Barnum Station neighborhood, expected the project will be discussed during the upcoming legislative session. Ive been pushing for that station even before I was elected, Rosario said. As long as Im there, I will continue to push. When five teenagers ran from police a few hours before dawn in Saugatuck a few weeks ago, Westport police turned to their newest crime-fighting tool, the drone. I (flew) over the marshland to see if anyone was there, said police Capt. Ryan Paulsson, a certified drone pilot. The vegetation is high enough that you cant really see in. Police said the teens drove a stolen SUV into a police car after breaking into vehicles around the residential neighborhood. Federal Aviation Administration rules treat Paulsson just like any other commercial drone operator, and prohibit flights before dawn. So he waited for sunrise to launch the drone, which has four rotors, is the size of a pizza delivery box and half the weight of a gallon of water. Police found the suspects with traditional policing tools: sniffing dogs, a police patrol boat and thermal imaging devices. But drones are becoming an increasingly important tool for law enforcement. In the crawl-walk-run stage, were crawling, and moving to walking, Paulsson said. Its a new technology to law enforcement ... we dont want to move too too fast with it. The drone industry and the rules that govern it are also moving slowly. The state Legislature considered a bill last year backed by Berlin police that would have allowed cops to fly drones equipped with lethal weapons. The proposal snagged national headlines no other state allows lethal drones and died in committee. This was originally a good bill to protect communities from unwarranted police drone surveillance and prevent police from weaponizing drones, said David McGuire, executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Connecticut, in a May 1 statement. The ACLU (supports) protecting people from unwarranted drone surveillance, but opposes the amendment to allow police to equip drones with lethal and less-lethal weapons. Paulsson said Westport police dont currently need those abilities. I dont plan on putting any attachments at this point, Paulsson said. This is purely for documenting scenes, search and rescue and public safety. Considering possibilities Some Connecticut companies are positioning for a drone boom. We envision a future where every squad car in America has a drone integrated into its computer system, said Paul Ouellette, a spokesman for a West Haven-based distributor Drone USA. At present, the drone industry is in infancy. (Police) departments are just learning how drones can make their work simpler and safer. This summer, the company flew quadcopter and airplane-type drones in demonstrations to police departments in Trumbull and on Jennings Beach in Fairfield. Drone USA hopes to get a foothold in the Connecticut and New Jersey markets by selling and servicing drones like the DJI Phantom 4 that Paulsson flies. Stamford police use a slightly older model. They retail for between $800 and $1,400. The departments we encounter seem to be at different stages of interest, Ouellette said. For example, some departments are experimenting with DJI products; others tend to favor more sophisticated U.S. manufactured products. Like any novel technology, the drone industry faces a novel set of problems. In August, the U.S. military stopped using DJI drones, which are made in China, due to concern their data might not be secure. Documents posted online alleged data was shared with the Chinese government, and immigration officials started an investigation. DJI Ltd. said in a statement that it doesnt look at flight logs, photos or video unless customers actively upload and share them with us, the Associated Press reported in December. Flying and the Fourth Amendment Privacy and other civil rights concerns persist. Without additional legislation, theres no definite rule prohibiting Westport police from flying their drone cameras over peoples houses, according to a 2014 study by the Connecticut General Assemblys Legislative Program Review and Investigations Committee. U.S. courts have never defined exactly how far above the ground private property ends and the so-called public highway of the navigable skies begins. The Supreme Court has yet to take up a drone case. There is a place for drones in the police department, but they have to be used in accordance with the Fourth Amendment, which protects against unreasonable search and seizure, McGuire said. In the year or so that Westport police have used a drone, its mainly flown at scenes of fatal or serious accidents, Paulsson said. Where a fire truck ladder can get an aerial shot of a car crash, a drone is safer and quicker. When a worker fell off shaky scaffolding, a drone allowed police to assess the top of the structure without risking a fall. But Paulsson said he can imagine expanding the drones capabilities eventually, perhaps adding thermal imaging and flying at night abilities that could have simplified the search for the five teen suspects in Saugatuck. Much of that could happen without new legislation. All Paulsson has to do to fly at night, over people, or higher than the standard limit of 400 feet, is to craft a reasonable safety plan and submit it to the FAA for a geographically specific exemption. For now, Paulsson is focused on the basics. He wants two more cops to pass the FAAs remote pilot exam, to increase the departments pilots roster to five. That means learning airspace rules, atmospheric pressure science and airport radio tower communication. Its not an easy exam, he said. January 5, 2018At home in Ontario, his activism barely raised an eyebrow.But when a quiet-spoken Chinese dissident travelled to the country of his birth last year, security officers shadowed him for weeks, booking hotel rooms next to his, even following him to breakfast.Before he left, they also had a disturbingly direct message: Stop condemning the Chinese government to Canadian media, or the family he had come to visit would face the consequences.They said if this (critical) story comes out in the Canadian press, then you are responsible for the life of your relatives, he recalls.According to a confidential report submitted to the federal government earlier this year not yet released to the public its just one example of a sweeping intimidation campaign by Chinese officials against activists here in Canada.The product of a coalition led by Amnesty International Canada, the report catalogues harassment ranging from digital disinformation campaigns to direct threats.Targets include Canadian representatives of what the Chinese sometimes call the five poisons: the Uyghur Muslim minority, independence-minded Tibetans, Taiwanese, democracy advocates and, especially, the Falun Gong.This is not just a matter of occasional and sporadic incidents, said Alex Neve, secretary general of Amnesty Canada, one of the organizations behind the report, along with groups representing Chinese religious, human-rights and ethnic minorities in this country. There is a consistent pattern a troubling example of a foreign government being very active in Canada in ways that are undermining human rights.The threats also seem to be working. The report, which comes just as the Liberal government and business leaders strive for closer economic ties with China, notes a significant chilling effect on human-rights activism among Chinese-Canadians.That includes the Ontario dissident interviewed for this story, who agreed to speak only on condition of total anonymity, and has ceased activism since his trip.Among those who continue to speak out are Falun Gong organizers. And as recently as last month, emails making grandiose claims about the group that their leader was the greatest God in this world, exceeding any others including Jesus Christ were sent to members of Parliament. The missives also claimed that MPs such as Liberal Judy Sgro were being featured in the groups posters.The emails were purportedly from Falun Gong practitioners themselves, but according to organizer Grace Wollensak, they had nothing to do with the group, and clearly echo Beijings propaganda campaign against it.Seen as a threat to communist party control, China banned the Falun Gong in 1999, and has allegedly jailed, tortured and killed countless practitioners since. Although Chinese authorities often call it an evil cult, Canadian experts have described Falun Gong as a new, loosely organized religion emphasizing meditation and profoundly moral teachings.When the fake emails began to arrive a few years ago, says Wollensak, they were easily traced to accounts in China. Theyre harder to track now, and some politicians are unaware they are not from Falun Gong.Its really an attempt to disparage the Falun Gongs followers, says Sgro, who chairs a parliamentary friendship committee with the organization (and keeps getting the emails).Over the last decade or so, city councilors, mayors and other politicians have certainly tried to quash Falun Gong commemorative events or protests, often under pressure from local Chinese consulates. The former mayor of Vancouver, for instance, publicly ordered the group to stop protesting outside the local consulate in 2006.Uyghurs in Canada, who number about 2,000, have faced more insidious intimidation, says community leader Mehmet Tohti.The Muslim ethnic group is at the centre of unrest in Chinas Xinjiang region, with human-rights groups accusing Beijing of repressive crackdowns in response to calls for independence and alleged terrorist acts.Tohti, who founded the Uyghur Canadian Association, believes he too has been shadowed by Chinese agents in Toronto. And he says telephoning kin back home can land them in prison.When he rang a distant relative two years ago, for example, immediately she was put in police custody. It was in February and she was put outside for two hours, says Tohti. Theyre punishing me and forcing me to stop doing what Im doing.Experts say such tactics form part of a larger push to influence and monitor Chinese-Canadians, Chinese citizens who study here and Canadian society as a whole a project active in many other countries, too that has reportedly swelled under leader Xi Jinping.The groups behind the report presented to Global Affairs Canada, RCMP and CSIS officials at meetings in September want Canadian authorities to take a more coordinated, aggressive approach to the harassment.Adam Austen, a spokesman for Global Affairs Minister Chrystia Freeland, declined to comment on the broad-ranging report, saying the department does not talk about specific cases.But he says any attempt by a foreign government to improperly influence or harass Canadians is taken seriously. In instances where unacceptable activities by foreign diplomats do occur, appropriate action is taken, up to and including rendering the diplomat persona non grata.One Chinese official accused of harassing Falun Gong was blocked from renewing Canadian credentials. Another was successfully sued for libelling the group. But activists say they are unaware of any Chinese diplomat actually declared persona non grata.The Chinese embassy in Ottawa did not respond to requests for comment.Meanwhile, activists suggest the long arm of China continues to punish dissents in Canada. Former Miss Canada Anastasia Lin is acutely aware of the collateral damage from criticizing China: After speaking to Canadian media about Chinas oppression of the Falun Gong, she was barred from the 2015 Miss World contest in Sanya, and says her father, still living in China, has been intimidated repeatedly by police.Lin also revealed to the Post that her pageant sponsor a Toronto dress shop owned by a Chinese-Canadian dropped her after receiving an admonishing email from the local consulate.Most of the Chinese here would have business ties or family back in China, and that itself is holding everything they have in China hostage, she says. So people here dont step out of line. 05 Ocak 2018 Cuma, 13:14 The report in which the AKPs fight against FETO comes in for harsh criticism starts with the comment, The AKP government, which claims to have fought FETO following the 15 July Coup Attempt, nevertheless continues to keep many figures who have past FETO associations in their posts. This is not all, and appointments are made involving the filling of fairly critical posts with certain figures whose names were at one time connected with FETO. On the other hand, certain people whose lives have been devoted to the fight against FETO are branded with FETOism and arrested or even detained, due simply to their opposition credentials. FETOIST JOURNALISTS GIVE TESTIMONY WHILE THOSE WHO COMBATTED FETO ARE IN THE DOCK! According to a report by Deniz Ayas of Sozcu, the conclusion reached in the report in which stress is placed on the accusation, Mindboggling inconsistencies and injustices attributable to the AKPs hesitant policies are taking place in the fight waged against FETO in the aftermath of the 15 July coup attempt, is that former FETOist scribes are nowadays held in high regard while journalists who used to criticise FETO stand charged of FETOism. STRESS ON OUTRAGEOUS DETAILS IN THE SOZCU OPERATION The report, recalling that Fethullah Gulens right-hand man Huseyin Gulerce had been appointed as a columnist on the government-aligned Star newspaper, while Fehmi Koru had at one time been tasked with mediating between FETO and Ankara, reaches the following conclusion over the perception management operation targeting Sozcu: Huseyin Gulerce gave testimony in the trial filed against opposition Sozcu newspaper, which for years had pointed to the FETO danger, on the charge of having FETO connections. Inconsistency of this magnitude has not even been witnessed in coup periods. No action has been taken until now against Gulerce even though he was at one time part of FETOs brain squad simply because he voiced his contrition. With journalists such as Murat Aksoy and Sahin Alpay detained simply for having written on newspapers with Gulenist connections, figures such as Erhan Afyoncu and Mazhar Bagl, who also wrote articles for Gulenist newspapers, have been appointed as rectors at Erdogan's behest. FETOS GUEST OF HONOUR INFORMS ON BURAK AKBAY Even in the aftermath of 15 July, neither the ruling body nor the judiciary inquired into Fehmi Koru's FETO ties. On top of this, attaching credence to Fehmi Koru's accusation unsupported by any concrete evidence whatsoever against Sozcu newspapers proprietor Burak Akbay that, He may be a FETOist, Korus statement was made the grounds for the investigation launched into Akbay. Guest of honour at Gulen's dinner table, Fehmi Koru continues quite happily with his articles, the said relations uninvestigated. The AKP then comes out and claims to be fighting FETO. EXCERPTS FROM THE REPORT Many names, from journalists to mayors and civil servants to members of the senior judiciary feature in the report commissioned by CHP Deputy General Chair Yasemin Oner Cankurtaran. Here are some excerpts from the report whose style resembles that of a newspaper column with those names and the accusations against them, quoted verbatim: NAGEHAN ALCI, RASIM OZAN KUTAHYALI, ERKAN TAN AND MAHMUT OVUR Also, alongside the detaining of people who deposited money at Gulenist-owned banks, the Nagehan Alc and Rasim Ozan Kutahyal couple, who bought themselves a waterside residence along the Bosphorous having obtained a low-interest loan from FETO-owned Bank Asya, were still able to appear on screens following 15 July. Or, many pro-regime journalists, including A Haber presenter Erkan Tan, whose praise knew no bounds when he said, Mr Fethullah Gulen, we cannot enjoy ourselves and rejoice here without you, and we are forlorn. Come back finally. We have missed you, and Sabah newspaper columnist Mahmut Ovur, who visited Gulen in the USA, are today able with ease to accuse people on the opposition of FETOism. Without even applying for their statements, it was possible for the author of the book The Imams Army, Journalist Ahmet Sk, who pointed to the FETO danger at the time FETO was at its strongest, to be accused of FETOism by the AKP-controlled judiciary. We can come up with further such examples. The upshot of all this is that the AKP government is not really fighting FETO. The AKP government is acting with partiality under the guise of a fight, and is using the FETO accusation against its opponents. With the FETO label attached to those who give the AKP grief, certain figures who had no end of praise for FETO are ignored. In fact, some of them have also been appointed to important positions following 15 July. INTERIOR MINISTER SULEYMAN SOYLU Suleyman Soylu is one of the most curious politicians of our recent past. In the days when he was Democrat Party General chair, he had harsh criticism for Erdogan and the AKP with comments such as, Corruption is flowing out of their trouser bottoms, The Prime-Minister has introduced the mother of all corruption and He sees himself as sultan. He then forgot these comments and passed to the AKP. However, there was one area in which he would brook no criticism. And that was FETO! Soylu, pretty sharp as his tongue may be, had no end of praise when it came to FETO. This was not all, and he hectored those who criticised FETO as if FETOs lawyer and gave them a mauling! For example, he called up FETOs outlet Samanyolu TV and criticised MHP leader Devlet Bahceli and the CHPs Isa Gok, who were calling for the Gulen Brotherhoods activities to be suspended. (Soylus pro- Fethullah Gulen comments at the time are included.) The following is also noted about the Interior Minister: Despite his ample praise for FETO in the past, he was made Interior Minister in place of Efkan Ala following 15 July. However, nobody has been able to account for the thinking and logic behind bringing in Soylu, who had a past record of praising FETO far more than Ala, to head the fight against FETO. ENERGY MINISTER BERAT ALBAYRAK Berat Albayrak was modest-living journalist Sadk Albayraks son. His father was on old acquaintance of Erdogan. After marrying Erdogan's daughter Esra Erdogan, thanks in part to this acquaintanceship, both he and his brother Serhat Albayrak embarked on a rocket-like ascent. This ascent took Berat Albayrak as far as being Minister of Energy and Natural Resources. Some allegations have it that Erdogan sees Berat Albayrak as heir to the throne or even envisages him taking Binali Yldrm's place. Time will show if this is indeed so. Son-in-law Albayrak is a former pupil of one of FETOs schools. He does not deny this, either. He replied from the parliamentary rostrum on being questioned about this, Yes, at a school of the Gulenists. But I did not attend on a grant. I am one of hundreds of thousands or millions of young people who attended the Gulenists hundreds of schools over 35 years. But such were the mother and father who brought me up that I have never ever rented my mind to another mortal. Thank God, I have never done so, so that mob you speak of knows well whose son I am and the kind of life I live. We have hundreds of thousands of young people who attended those schools in this country and are not FETOists, people who did not rent their minds. Berat Albayrak is right! There is no rule that everyone who attended FETO schools is going to be a FETOist. However, with his father-in-law Erdogan not having a word to say about former-FETO school pupil Berat Albayrak and with Albayrak retaining his ministerial post, Sozcu newspaper proprietor Burak Akbay stands charged of FETOism on the allegation, supported by no concrete evidence whatsoever, of Fehmi Koru, who was in FETO for many years, that he stayed in the Houses of Light, even though the former staunchly denies this. This unfounded accusation was cited as grounds for the investigation launched against him. Which person of conscience can accept injustice on this scale? THE AKPS SABAN DISLI One of the most important figures in the 15 July coup attempt was Major General Mehmet Disli. Saban Disli, brother of Mehmet Disli, who was alleged to have been a member of the Peace at Home Council and is still in detention pending trial, has been made senior advisor with responsibility for the economy by Erdogan. Even if Disli subsequently resigned from this post, this appointment made following 15 July caused public uproar, because Saban Disli, who is alleged to have spoken on the phone to his big brother four times on the evening of the coup, has crossed paths with FETO in the past. Former Bolu Governor Ibrahim Ozcimen, brother-in-law of FETOs police prayer leader Kozanl Omer, made the claim under interrogation by the public prosecution that, I intimated to Sakarya MP Saban Disli that I wanted to be a provincial governor. And he later told me that my name had been put forward. Criminal responsibility is personal in the eyes of the law. So, of course, Saban Disli cannot be held accountable for the crime committed by his brother. However, with this rule finding application by Erdogan to Disli, it is not applied to the relatives of thousands of detainees. The victims are unable to find jobs when knocking at the states door or are dismissed from the jobs they have for a crime they did not themselves commit. HEAD OF DIRECTORATE OF RELIGIOUS AFFAIRS ALI ERBAS Prof. Dr. Ali Erbas, who has recently been appointed to head the Directorate of Religious Affairs, at the fore among public bodies that take the biggest share of the budget, has courted controversy ever since taking up the post. It has emerged that Erbas has crossed paths with FETO many times in the past, or has even been a member of the executive board of the Intercultural Dialogue Platform, one of FETOs most important platforms. Erbas, who also numbered among the regulars at FETOs Abant Meetings, was also seen on events of the Kimse Yok Mu Association, a FETO aid entity. However, this is not the full run down on Erbas. Erbass signature has also been ascertained to have appeared on the doctoral thesis of fugitive Adil Oksuz, the key name in 15 July. Along with Erbas, one of the individuals included on Oksuz's panel was Prof. Dr. Suat Yldrm, at the time Dean of Sakarya University Faculty of Divinity. Suat Yldrm, whose name had been touted as a potential future leader of the brotherhood after Fethullah Gulen, is today on the run. Another person on the jury, however, Prof. Dr. Davut Ayduz, was detained following the coup. The question whose answer is now awaited with curiosity is how and by what criteria was Erbas, who was included on such a panel and had participated in many FETO events, selected to head the Directorate of Religious Affairs. ERDOGANS CHIEF ADVISOR YAVUZ ATAR The allegation has been raised that Prof. Yavuz Atar, who is still a member of the Council of Higher Education and is President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's chief advisor, is a FETOist and this has been aired in the media. Moreover, this allegation was raised on pro-regime TGRT by Nurettin Veren, who had once been in Gulen's inner circle but left the organisation years ago and made important confessions. Nurettin Veren, who accused Atar of FETOism, asserted that after 15 July Atar went to Manas University in Kirghizstan alleged to be under FETOs control. Atar, who responded through his lawyer to the allegations by Veren, claimed that he had no ties with FETO and had gone to Manas University under bilateral relations between Turkey and Kirghizstan and not through FETOs intermediation. Atar may be right! But, with people undergoing prosecution in the absence of the slightest evidence of them being FETOists, when a person close to Erdogan was involved, it was not even considered worth looking into the accusations. FORMER TRT GENERAL DIRECTOR IBRAHIM SAHIN In the period in which Ibrahim Sahin, whose current post is as a non-serving provincial governor, acted as General Director of the Turkish Radio and Television Corporation (TRT), he is accused of filling the body with FETOists. He transferred a whole host of people from Samanyolu TV, FETOs media outlet at the time, and placed them in important posts and he made figures who names were synonymous with FETO such as Ekrem Dumanl and Hakan Sukur into commentators at the TRT on high salaries. Although Ahmet Koyuncu, who was made Deputy General Director with wide powers by Sahin, has been sentenced to eight years and one months imprisonment for FETO membership, and even though former TRT News Department Head Ahmet Cavusoglu has pointed to Sahin, saying, At the TRT, everything is at the general directors orders. He orders and we do. There is no independent initiative, the failure for a fresh investigation to be launched into Sahin has raised question marks. RECTOR MAZHAR BAGLI One of the six rectors appointed by Erdogan last March was Prof. Dr. Mazhar Bagl, made rector of Nevsehir Hac Bektas University. Bagl, who was AKP Sanlurfa MP in the 25th parliamentary period and was an AKP Central Decision and Executive Committee member between the years of 2009 and 2015, was on pretty good terms with FETO at one time. Bagl, who wrote articles for FETOs publishing outlet Zaman, came out in support of the Ergenekon investigations organised by FETO in these articles. He expressed the satisfaction he felt at his daughter attending the FETO schools in a tweet he posted in 2013. Bagl, too, numbers among those to have been rewarded by Erdogan despite his past ties. RECTOR ERHAN AFYONCU Erhan Afyoncu came to public attention through his TV programmes. Despite having no military past, he was brought in to head the National Defence University established to replace the War Colleges that had been closed following the 15 July coup attempt. Erhan Afyoncu wrote articles for Bugun newspaper, known for its proximity to the Gulenists, for a full six years between the years of 2008 and 2014. Afyoncu also penned articles for Zaman newspaper for a period in the past. However, this did not prevent him from being rewarded by Erdogan with an appointment as rector. SEC CHAIR SADI GUVEN The Supreme Election Council (SEC) gave rise to a massive disgrace following the 16 April referendum by not declaring unstamped votes to be invalid contrary to express statutory stipulation. SEC Chair Sadi Guven had great difficulty in announcing this disgraceful decision at that time. Sadi Guvens name was mentioned in the testimony given in court on 16.11.2016 by former Adyaman Republic Chief Prosecutor Faruk Buyukkaramuklu, who had been detained charged with FETO membership, as follows: I was appointed Adyaman Republic Chief Prosecutor under the 2011 summer decree. Sadi Guven, who is currently SEC Chair, is somebody I know from work placement in Fethiye. I told him that I wanted to be a chief prosecutor. And he was somebody who liked me and I was appointed Adyaman Republic Chief Prosecutor in this way. This testimony on its own does not lead to the conclusion that Guven has FETO ties. However, is the judiciary, which inquires of Cumhuriyet trial defendant Guray Oz why he phoned a pitta vendor who is under investigation for FETO ties, not obligated to ask somebody in such a critical position why he gave a reference for a person who is being prosecuted on FETO charges? When calling a FETOist pitta vendor is a matter for investigation, why was appointing a person with FETO ties as chief prosecutor not? Considering the claims that were aired in certain media outlets following the referendum that Guven and certain SEC members did not cancel the unstamped votes for fear of being accused of FETOism by those in power, this question is forever going to weigh on peoples minds. AKP PARLIAMENTARIANS VISIT TO PENNSYLVANIA AK Party Adana MP in the 23rd and 24th parliamentary period, Fatos Gurkan, Attorney-at-Law, one of twelve members of parliament on the AKP delegation that visited Fethullah Gulen's farm in the US state of Pennsylvania in 2012, was appointed as curator of 54 companies that were seized as part of the fight waged against FETO by Adana Chief Republic Prosecution. On this visit, the AKP MPs conveyed their respects to Gulen, perhaps kissed his hand and then took commemorative photographs. The appointing of Gurkan, who was on the delegation that went out to visit Gulen, as curator of the seized FETO companies is just one example of the insincerity that marks the AKPs fight against FETO. ENGIN NOYAN With appearing on stations with FETO ties being imputed as a crime element against defendants in many trials, this rule has not worked in the same way for everyone. Engin Noyan made programmes for years on FETOs closed Samanyolu TV station and rose to fame on this station. In those days, on being asked, Do you have a bond of affection with the scholar Fethullah? he used to say, I greatly love and attach importance to the scholarly gentleman. Despite these relations, Noyan began to make the programme Avaz on the state TRT station months after 15 July. THE MARBLE FOR THE MEMORIAL TO THE 15 JULY FALLEN PROCURED FROM A FETOIST COMPANY! It has emerged that the marble for the Memorial to the 15 July Fallen whose construction has begun at Erdogan's behest was procured from the company of Sami Coban, who was detained as part of the FETO investigation and turned informant. The state also apparently gave Sami Coban's companies 33.5 million lira in incentives prior to the coup attempt. Coban also numbered among the businesspeople who gave a standing ovation to the speech in which Erdogan was threatened at the general assembly meeting of the Turkish Confederation of Businessmen and Industrialists held on 1 March 2014. PENETRATING QUESTIONS FROM THE REPORTS CONCLUDING SECTION The 44-page report ends in the following question-filled section headed, Is AKP-FETO cooperation continuing in changed form?: We are not saying that the figures we have named and whose past FETO ties and praise we have recalled are without doubt guilty. That is the judiciarys business. What sets us apart from the AKP is our belief in the supremacy of the law and a person being innocent until proven guilty. However, the publics conscience has been pricked and is seeking answers to the following questions. -With people like Ahmet Sk, Kadri Gursel and other Cumhuriyet columnists along with Celal Celik, who in 2011 resigned from his post on the Court of Cassation in reaction to the FETOist formation in the judiciary, accused of FETOism, why are certain people who had blatant FETO ties in the past being protected and looked after and, furthermore, rewarded? -Or, is AKP-FETO cooperation continuing in changed form? -Even if the AKP today appears institutionally to be against FETO, is it leaving the door open to renewed co-operation with FETO if circumstances change in the future by continuing to make use of figures whose names are still associated with FETO? -Considering the U-turns that the AKP and Erdogan made over relations with Israel and Russia, going forward can Erdogan make a U-turn over FETO? -What are the criteria for the fight against FETO? Is it enough to say, I was deceived. I didnt know? -With depositing money at Bank Asya or subscribing to Zaman newspaper sufficing for certain people to be dismissed under a decree with the force of law or even detained, why are these criteria not applied to certain people who had relations with FETO for years? -What distinguishes these people who are protected and looked after from the others? -Are FETOists who have in some way managed to access Erdogan and persuade him or who are considered to have a potential use being given immunity from the judiciary and prosecution? Many more questions like these await answer. There are murky points awaiting clarification both up until the 15 July coup attempt and after 15 July. The CHP is seeking clarification of these murky points in the interests of justice being meted out equally to all. Court Strikes Baltimore Forced Abortion Speech Law BALTIMORE, Md., Jan. 5, 2018 / Christian Newswire / -- Today, the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals struck down a Baltimore City Ordinance seeking to impose notification requirements on unlicensed pregnancy centers. The ordinance compelled these pregnancy resource centers to post notices that conspicuously state in English and Spanish that they do not provide nor refer women for abortions or birth control services. The Fourth Circuit found that the ordinance violates the free speech clause of the First Amendment. In contrast to decisions by the Ninth Circuit which validated a similar law in California, the Fourth Circuit found that the Baltimore ordinance was not commercial or professional speech. The court said, "The compelled speech at issue here raises particularly troubling First Amendment concerns. At bottom, the disclaimer portrays abortion as one among a menu of morally equivalent choices. While that may be the city's view, it is not the center's." The court also found that the ordinance represented an impermissible attempt by the City of Baltimore "to use compelled speech as a weapon to run its ideological foes into the ground," which risks grave violation of the country's most cherished freedoms. Similarly, Liberty Counsel represents three pro-life crisis pregnancy centers in Southern California, all of which offer women experiencing crisis pregnancies resources, counseling, advice and alternatives to abortion. The Supreme Court has agreed to hear National Institute of Family and Life Advocates (NIFLA) v. Becerra, one of four cases brought by crisis pregnancy centers challenging the law as a violation of the First Amendment guarantees of free speech and free exercise of religion. The ruling on the NIFLA case will apply to the other pending cases. "The Baltimore City Ordinance which forced crisis pregnancy centers to speak a message that goes directly against their religious beliefs and mission to save lives is unconstitutional," said Mat Staver, Founder and Chairman of Liberty Counsel. "The First Amendment protects the right to speak and the right not to speak. This unbelievable government mandate forced pregnancy help centers and staff to be puppets of the government and channel the state's abortion message," said Staver. Liberty Counsel is an international nonprofit, litigation, education, and policy organization dedicated to advancing religious freedom, the sanctity of life, and the family since 1989, by providing pro bono assistance and representation on these and related topics. John and Caroline Strafford have been married for 50 years and Conservative Party members for 53. I know them well, and we always meet up when I attend the Tory Party conference each year, and occasionally elsewhere. Honest, decent and patriotic, John and Caroline are typical of the party members who have helped make the Conservatives the most successful party in the Western world for the past 200 years, and I am certain an immeasurable force for good. They ran a small manufacturing business for four decades, bringing up three children as they did so, while still finding time in their busy lives for public service. John was a Kensington and Chelsea councillor, and later treasurer and then chairman of Beaconsfield constituency association. John and Caroline are the heart and soul of the Conservative Party and of Britain, too. There were more than three million members of the Conservative Party in the years after World War II when Winston Churchill was Prime Minister It is people like them who make the world go round. They pay their taxes. They generate employment. They stand on their own feet. They serve the community. In their quiet way, it is the Straffords of this world who put the great into Great Britain. And it is them, and others like them, who slave away during general elections to get out the vote, run the local party machinery and make the Conservative Party a functioning organisation. Naturally, the party high command utterly despises them. The sharp-suited career politicians hate activists like the Straffords, who have genuine beliefs, dont tell lies and enter public service for purely honourable reasons. The Tory chairman, Sir Patrick McLoughlin, has done nothing for ordinary members. To be fair to Sir Patrick, his predecessor Lord Feldman (chairman under David Cameron) was far worse. There were still around one million party members in 1990, the year Margaret Thatcher was defenestrated as party leader and Prime Minister While Sir Patrick is merely useless, Feldman didnt even make any secret of the lacerating contempt he felt for Tory activists. On one occasion, after a late-night dinner, it is alleged he told a group of political journalists he regarded them as swivel-eyed loons, though he continues to deny it. With men like Feldman and McLoughlin at the top of the Tory Party, its no surprise that party membership is not merely in decline, it is in collapse. There were more than three million Tory Party members in the years after World War II, though this number had halved to 1.5million by the mid-Seventies. By the time Margaret Thatcher was defenestrated by Tory MPs in 1990, there were approximately one million members. But it was David Cameron who delivered the death blow. He inherited more than 250,000 members when he became leader in 2005. In a decade, that number had sunk to around 125,000. Cameron and Feldman have moved on. Having done well out of the Conservative Party, they are following the revolting example of Tony Blair and doing very nicely thank you in the private sector. Its always the faithful activists like John Strafford who remain loyal but this week he delivered a bombshell. My old friend told Channel 4 political editor Michael Crick that he has had advance sight of the latest Tory membership figures. According to Strafford, the number now stands at 70,000. Seventy thousand! Thats less than one third of the number inherited by Cameron 12 years ago, and less than 10 per cent of the membership bequeathed by Maggie Thatcher to John Major in 1990. David Cameron inherited more than 250,000 members when he became leader in 2005. In a decade, that number had sunk to around 125,000 It is such a derisory figure that it raises searching questions as to whether the Conservative Party can continue to exist at all. It was so deeply shocking that I felt I needed to check it. I rang up Tory headquarters, who refused to comment. I take this as confirmation that the number is correct. After all, Labour makes no secret of its party membership. They have nothing to hide. Last December, the number stood at 570,000, over eight times more than the Conservatives. (Labour received ten times more than the Tories in party membership fees in 2016.) The Conservative Party is dying and the consequences for democracy are terrible. As it did in 2016, it may well fall once more to this diminishing band to select a new leader and thus the probable next Prime Minister at some point. I dont doubt the vast majority are decent people, but most are over 65 and hardly reflect the views of the nation as a whole. This week, the new Tory MP Andrew Bowie suggested the party has fewer than 10,000 members aged under 30, and feels like a fringe group to millions of younger voters. Crucially, you cant fight an election with an army of just 70,000 activists. Worst of all, the collapse of the membership has made the Tory Party almost totally dependent on wealthy donors hard-faced and, in some cases, unscrupulous people many of whom expect a return for their money. The number of Tory members stands at just 70,000 now under Theresa May's leadership, with one MP suggesting there are fewer than 10,000 members aged under 30 I went to see party chairman McLoughlin not long after Theresa May became leader. I wanted to learn how he planned to renew the party membership which had been taken for granted by David Cameron. It was soon obvious he did not have a single idea about how to galvanise more people to join. He fobbed me off with anecdotes about the times he met Margaret Thatcher 30 years earlier. I cannot understand why Mrs May has allowed this useless individual to occupy such a pivotal position for so long. In any half-decent business, McLoughlin would have been sacked ages ago. To be fair, he is not a bad man, merely an incompetent one. I am an admirer of Theresa May, and it pains me to say that she has failed as Tory leader to reinvigorate the grass roots of the party. Reform is urgent. There is talk of a reshuffle next week, and the Prime Minister must appoint a powerful and energetic figure who can relaunch the Conservative Party. If Mrs May does not address this problem as a matter of urgency, there will soon be no Conservative Party left to fight the next election in four years time. John and Caroline Strafford, and thousands of other like them, are magnificent servants of the party, but they cannot do it all on their own. This is not what honours are for What has Tory MP Geoffrey Clifton-Brown, who has never risen to higher office than a junior whip, done to deserve a knighthood in this years honours list? One might ask the same question about Cheryl Gillan, who has been made a Dame after a political career which culminated in a short period of forgettable service as Welsh Secretary. And what about Sir Graham Brady, who has never held a ministerial position of any sort? The answer lies in the fact that all three are on the ruling board of the Conservative backbench 1922 Committee, which ultimately determines whether or not a Prime Minister can survive. What a shame that the honours system should have to be deployed to shore up the Prime Minister. MPs are set to mount a revenge attack on Sir Ian Kennedy, who used to regulate their expenses when he was head of the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority. Vindictive back-benchers cannot forgive the way he stopped them feathering their own nests. Now, they are plotting to stop him being appointed to the Board of the Electoral Commission. I can think of no one more appropriate than Sir Ian a man of genuine integrity to run this independent body. But how contemptible of these vindictive MPs to try to stop this worthy man fulfilling a vitally needed public role. Truly, it is impossible to exaggerate the low calibre of many MPs from all political parties. With a network of celebrity friends and cash to burn, Hugo Campbell-Davys' enviable lifestyle affords him the opportunity to criss-cross the globe enjoying the very finest things on offer. So the British entrepreneur, 38, is perfectly placed to advise the world's elite on exactly where they should eat, sleep, shop and party. And Hugo, the brains behind a members-only social app, says getting your foot in the door at the world's most exclusive hotspots isn't simply about schmoozing your way in... it's about getting there before anybody else knows about it. 'Its all about knowing things before they happen,' he told FEMAIL. 'Then you get bragging rights.' Former boarding school pupil Hugo Campbell-Davys is the brains behind the Urbanologie app Hugo, who was born in Westminster, is well-connected and has asked celebrity friends like Frasier star Kelsey Grammer (pictured) to guest edit guides for Urbanologie It's part of Hugo's day-to-day job to go out every night and party at the latest club openings, trying them out for members who want to know where to go Five years ago, Hugo, a former Mayfair nightclub promoter and PR executive, launched a private newsletter to share his social recommendations, and soon built the side-project into an impressive network of some of the world's biggest power players. Now the free newsletter has been replaced by the Urbanologie mobile app, which charges its subscribers an achievable 100 a year in exchange for tips on the hottest new openings, whether they be in New York, London, Miami or Ibiza. HUGO'S INSIDER TIPS If you're desperate to get your name down at the next hotspot follow these tips from Hugo: Don't wait until a place is the next best thing - get there before Check if you know someone in your network with a contact who can help Show your gratitude - follow up any invitations with a thank you to a restaurant manager and build up a personal relationship Advertisement If you're a member, Hugo says, you'll know about the most exclusive places even before they open - because he makes it his business to keep his finger on the pulse of everything up and coming. And he says his techniques can be applied to your own life. He suggests making use of your network of friends and acquaintances in whatever city you're in. 'Ask around, ask a favour, you have someone in your own network that will know a staff member or a person that can help you to get into the "hard to get into" places,' he said. Hugo also says simple manners are vital, for example after attending an opening or launch, sending a follow-up message to the manager or maitre d' as a thank you will stand you in good stead when it comes to access going forward. 'We encourage our members to be appreciative and follow up. Its to show a sense of loyalty,' he explained. 'You can be generous in your gratitude when leaving a tip, but we say follow up and show your appreciation in an email to the general manager and to the maitre d saying how much you have enjoyed the meal. 'Start building that very personal relationship. We find that helps, its about being memorable.' Hugo told FEMAIL he makes it his business to keep his finger on the pulse of the hottest cities around the globe Hugo launched Urbanologie as a newsletter in 2012 and it transformed it into a community with 15,000 subscribers Hugo works throughout the week attending launches, pop-up events but says his downtime comes at the weekend Hugo's business began from a free newsletter which he transformed into the private Urbanologie network Former boarding school pupil Hugo, who was born in Westminster, has friends in high places, including actor Kelsey Grammer and millionaire businessman and husband of Cindy Crawford Rande Gerber, both of whom have guest-edited guides for the site. The entrepreneur describes Urbanologie's 15,000-strong membership as a community - which includes everyone from Made in Chelsea reality stars to industry types from the worlds of media, food and finance. Hugo says they are all very involved, including one who has recently invested in the app itself. 'Members drive it. If we didn't have our members we wouldn't have a business,' he said. Along with his small team he updates the app with the latest content on pop-ups, exclusive openings and events, details of which are filed by his network of editors around the globe. The constant updates and editorial that populates Urbanologie is, as Hugo points out, what makes it so unique: 'The travel guides out there are very limited. We promise to our members that we are providing content that they can't get anywhere else. 'Members want to be told where to go and why to go there. We don't review restaurants - we tell you why you should go.' 'For people being able to live like a local in the city theyre in, its pretty extraordinary,' he said. Some of the members on the luxury lifestyle app include reality stars, chefs, hedge-fund managers, CEOs and Michelin star chefs. Pictured, Hugo with Ferne McCann Hugo is a regular on the party circuit. Pictured with Veuve Clicquot's Christina Jesaitis attend the Veuve Clicquot Business Woman Award in 2013 His life now involves flying around the globe to attend restaurant previews, networking lunches and soirees at private members' clubs to find the very best tips for his subscribers - quaffing champagne and feasting on fine foods along the way. While he set out to attract the world's best and brightest, he admitted that it has been a challenge, but said that he's happy to provide something no one else has for his subscribers. 'Our members dictate a lot of what we do and where we go. The feedback they give us about content helps us drive back to the service and propositions.' Next, Hugo plans on expanding Urbanologie into more locations around the world including Monaco, Havana, Tulum, South of France, and Asia, with a goal of being in 25 countries by 2020. An Oregon company peddling what it calls 'raw water' is at the forefront of a new trend tricking across the US. Live Water sells spring water that it promises is 'unfiltered, untreated, and unsterilized,' taken straight from Opal Spring in Madras, Oregon and delivered without any treatment or chemicals added. And for the privilege of drinking this untouched H2O, customers are willing to pay up to $36.99 for a 2.5 liter jug. Fad: Live Water sells spring water that it promises is 'unfiltered, untreated, and unsterilized,' taken straight from Opal Spring in Madras, Oregon Behind it: The company was founded by Mukhande Singh (who was born Christopher Sanborn) Three years ago, Mukhande Singh (who was born Christopher Sanborn) launched the company on the West Coast. He had become convinced that tap water was full of dangerous chemicals and wanted an alternative. 'Tap water? You're drinking toilet water with birth control drugs in them,' he told the New York Times. 'Chloramine, and on top of that they're putting in fluoride. Call me a conspiracy theorist, but it's a mind-control drug that has no benefit to our dental health.' He's not a fan of home filters, either, claiming that it ruins water as well. 'You're going to get 99 per cent of the bad stuff out. But now you have dead water,' he said. So he began gathering fresh water from local springs, and built his company up. Juicero founder Doug Evans gave the brand a boost when he lent his support to it in 2017. If you say so... The company claims that 'raw water' is better for you and doesn't have harmful chemicals Um, ew... The founder is not a fan of tap water and has described it as 'toilet water with birth control drugs in them' It worked centuries ago (when life expectancy was lower)! Singh claims the water tastes better and isn't 'dead water' like what comes through the tap Live Water makes several claims about tap and bottled water. Many like the supposed mind-control properties of fluoride are scientifically unsupported. The company also says that the sterilization process 'destroys beneficial sources of minerals and probiotics.' 'Spring water like eating wild plants and game meat, or fresh wild fish, it's just better. Better than anything from a bottle or a tap, it has a richer mouth feel, a cleaner flavor, and is distinctly more hydrating,' Singh wrote on Instagram. 'Our lives have become so domesticated we are so factory farmed that most folks have forgotten where water even comes from. We've become like adult sized bottle-fed babies who've never seen a lactating breast.' The company's water is collected from the spring into large glass jugs, then delivered straight to subscribing customers or to local grocery stores. Customers in certain parts of California can get their Live Water straight from the company. Four 2.5 gallon jugs cost $16 each, and there are discounts for larger orders. That comes to $6.40 per gallon. Ever heard of cholera? Experts, however, point to the myriad diseases that untreated water can carry Lieutenant Dan, is that you? The water has a loyal fan base and stores that sell it are out of stock quickly Price of hydration: Four 2.5 gallon jugs cost $16 each, and there are discounts for larger orders At stores that stock the water, prices can be higher. Rainbow Grocery in San Francisco sells out quickly when a shipment comes in, even with a price tag of $36.99 per jug (and $14.99 per refill, if a customer brings his or her own glass jug). HOW IS DRINKING WATER TREATED IN THE US? Public drinking water systems use various methods of water treatment to provide safe drinking water for their communities. How it is treated depends on the quality of the water that enters the treatment plant. Typically, surface water requires more treatment and filtration than ground water because lakes, rivers, and streams contain more sediment and pollutants and are more likely to be contaminated than ground water. Today, the most common steps in water treatment used by community water systems (mainly surface water treatment) include: The Environmental Protection Agency's image shows how public drinking water is typically treated Coagulation and flocculation Coagulation and flocculation are often the first steps in water treatment. Chemicals with a positive charge are added to the water. The positive charge of these chemicals neutralizes the negative charge of dirt and other dissolved particles in the water. When this occurs, the particles bind with the chemicals and form larger particles, called floc. Sedimentation During sedimentation, floc settles to the bottom of the water supply, due to its weight. This settling process is called sedimentation. Filtration Once the floc has settled to the bottom of the water supply, the clear water on top will pass through filters of varying compositions (sand, gravel, and charcoal) and pore sizes, in order to remove dissolved particles, such as dust, parasites, bacteria, viruses, and chemicals. Disinfection After the water has been filtered, a disinfectant (for example, chlorine, chloramine) may be added in order to kill any remaining parasites, bacteria, and viruses, and to protect the water from germs when it is piped to homes and businesses. Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Advertisement That comes to nearly $15 per gallon for the first jug. Meanwhile, the average cost of a gallon of tap water in the US is $0.004, or .4 cents, per gallon. Even regular bottled water comes at an average cost of $1.22 per gallon, according to Slate. Another thing that sets Live Water apart: Because it isn't sterilized, it needs to be refrigerated and has an expiration date, typically a few months after it was bottled. 'It stays most fresh within one lunar cycle of delivery,' Singh told the Times. 'If it sits around too long, it'll turn green. People don't even realize that because all their water's dead, so they never see it turn green.' According to several experts, however, water turning green could, in fact, be a bad sign. Many warn the dangerous of drinking untreated water, saying it can contain animal feces and carry dangerous diseases. 'Without water treatment, there's acute and then chronic risks,' Dr. Donald Hensrud, the director of the Healthy Living Program at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, told the Times, citing E. coli, viruses, parasites, and carcinogenic compounds. 'There's evidence all over the world of this, and the reason we don't have those conditions is because of our very efficient water treatment.' According to the World Health Organization, drinking contaminated water causes over half a million diarrhea deaths every year. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says drinking water supplies in the US are among the safest in the world, with water treated to remove disease-causing agents that cause cryptosporidium, hepatitis A, giardia intestinalis, and E. coli. According to the agency, adding fluoride prevents tooth decay safely and effectively. It says: 'Water fluoridation has been named one of 10 great public health achievements of the 20th century.' Still, Live Water has many fans who sing the company's praises online. 'The water is great. It's a bit pricey but it's worth it. I'm worth it. My family is worth it. These guys are doing a great service, and there is no other company delivering truly "raw" un-messed-with water,' wrote Qmars Imandel on Facebook. 'The tastiest water I ever drank,' wrote Lauren D. 'The fountain of truth is packed with minerals that actually make you feel healthier. I've been able to see positive side-effects, and the glass jug is beautiful.' 'This is delicious, sacred water and I am so grateful for the opportunity to receive this abundance at my doorstep! Having access to the clean, fresh, unadulterated drinking water has totally changed my life,' wrote Vanessa K. Seattle-based food safety advocate and food poisoning attorney Bill Marler, who pointed out that untreated water can also contain animal feces, thinks it is important for people to understand what they are buying. 'You can't stop consenting adults from being stupid,' he told Business Insider. 'But, we should at least try.' Like any bride-to-be, Meghan Markle will want to look her best on her wedding day. From her gown to her hair, the closest attention will be paid to every detail of her appearance to ensure she's at her most dazzling when she walks down the aisle. Now London-based Nichola Joss, of whom Meghan is a known fan, has offered a hint at what the future royal's skincare regime might be in the lead-up to the May 19 ceremony, giving other brides-to-be the chance to replicate her signature glow for their own big day. Speaking to Marie Clarie, Nichola, who counts Kate Moss and Jennifer Lopez among her roster of clients, revealed her approach involves a little more than just cleanser, toner and moisturiser - and requires starting five months in advance... which conveniently is almost exactly how long we have to wait to see Meghan herself walk down the aisle. Best in the business: Meghan Markle, left, 36, has enlisted the help of A-list facialist Nichola Joss, right, who counts Kate Moss and Jennifer Lopez among her roster of clients Big day: Miss Markle will want to look her best when she ties the knot with Prince Harry in May Leave plenty of time Nichola advises starting 'four or five months' before the big day if a bride needs corrective work for conditions like acne or scarring. Brides should also start by seeing their facialist every two weeks, with the possibility of cutting down to every three weeks as the day draws closer. This early period is also the time to use serious corrective products that require a lot of healing time, such as 'acid peels, intense microdermabrasion, or laser treatments', according to Joss. Two months before the wedding, treatments should focus on making the skin calmer and more hydrated. Signature treatment: Nichola uses an inner-mouth massage which addresses sagging muscles through deep lymphatic massage and contouring techniques, as seen above Glowing results: Meghan has previously credited the massages with sculpting her cheekbones Have constant massages Nichola is famed - and loved by the A-list - for her bizarre 'inner facial', which costs 250 and involved her massaging the inside of her client's mouths. Meghan has previously credited the technique - which sees Joss manipulate the skin on the inner-cheek - with helping to sculpt and tone her cheekbones. Joss also advocates massaging the skin with facial oil - targeting areas like the neck, cheek and forehead. Ideally this would be done by Joss but she also provided followers with a step-by-step guide to help them with the process at home. Be gentle on the day On the morning of the wedding, Joss advises using only 'simple, nourishing products'. Also be sure to keep dirty hands off your face, leave spots alone and drink plenty of water. Philadelphia cheesesteaks are famously delicious, but one dad has proved that the tasty sandwiches not only serve as a great meal or snack - they also make great photo props. At least according to Brad Williams, a father from Philadelphia who used cheesesteaks to measure his son, Lucas Royce Williams, every month for a year, and the pictures are undeniably adorable. The tradition started in 2015 when Williams brought home cheesesteaks for dinner and realized the sandwiches were roughly the size of his newborn son. Delcious tradition: Brad Williams, a father from Philadelphia, used cheesesteaks to measure his son, Lucas Royce Williams, every month for a year Could just eat them both up! The tradition started in 2015 when Williams brought home cheesesteaks for dinner and realized the sandwiches were roughly the size of his newborn son Bedtime companion: For the first two months, little Luke was sound asleep while his father took the pictures Williams has shared the heartwarming pictures on his blog, in a gallery he titled 'Cheesesteak for Scale,' explaining that photo series started as a joke. 'When Lucas was two-weeks old I shared a picture online showing his size in comparison to a cheesesteak,' Williams explains in the post. 'What started out as a joke turned into a monthly tradition of cheesesteak measuring as Lucas was growing.' In the first photo, newborn Luke is fast asleep in his mother's arms while she holds a wrapped cheesesteak next to him. Progress: By the time he was three months old, Luke was able to hold the cheesesteak in his arms while his father took his photo Bigger by the day: Luke was about double the size of a cheesesteak when he was five months old All smiles: The little boy had a tiny grin on his face while posing for the photos when he was six and seven months old By the time he was three months old, Luke was able to hold the cheesesteak in his arms while his father took his photo. Luke soon became double the size of the cheesesteak, and when he was 11-months-old, he was standing on his own while his mom held the sandwich up next to him for comparison. In the final photo in the series, Williams - who revealed on Twitter that he bought all of the tasty treats at his 'favorite' establishment, Dalessandro's - is holding one-year-old Luke in one arm and a cheesesteak in the other. Too cute: Luke could barely sit still for the photos by the time he was eight months old Clever: Williams has shared the heartwarming pictures on his blog, in a gallery he titled 'Cheesesteak for Scale' On the go: When he was 11-months-old, he was standing on his own while his mom held the sandwich up next to him He's done! The dad tried to get Luke to pose with a cheesesteak for his second birthday, but the little boy adamantly refused Williams admits on his blog that he had to stop taking the monthly picture after Luke's first birthday because the little boy was 'quickly growing a dislike for cheesesteaks.' The dad tried to get Luke to pose with a cheesesteak for his second birthday, but the little boy adamantly refused. Luke is currently an only child, but Williams told ABC News they will continue the tradition if they have more children. 'Its fun and it puts a smile on peoples faces,' he said. 'Plus its a reason to eat cheesesteaks every month.' Zara Phillips and her husband Mike Tindall have been seen for the first time since the couple announced they were expecting their second child. The royal, her rugby player husband and their daughter Mia Grace touched down on the Gold Coast after spending Christmas in Sydney. The Queen is set to become a great-grandmother again twice this year, after her granddaughter Zara announced that she and husband Mike were expecting their second child. Zara will give birth in the English summer, about three months after the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge's third child is due, sources claim. Scroll down for video Zara Phillips (middle) and her husband Mike Tindall (back of picture) have been seen for the first time since the couple announced they were expecting their second child The royal, (middle) her rugby player husband (back) and their daughter Mia Grace (pictured) touched down on the Gold Coast after spending Christmas in Sydney The 36-year-old looked radiant in a loose grey top which subtly framed her small baby bump as she strolled through the airport. She also opted for ultimate plane comfort in a pair of stylishly-cut white shorts and white sneakers. Her sport-star husband, 39, cut a similarly casual figure in a dark navy t-shirt and beige chino shorts. The couple brought along their first child, three-year-old Mia Grace, who is the fourth of the Queens great-grandchildren, and 17th in line to the throne. The 36-year-old (pictured right) looked radiant in a loose grey top which subtly framed her small baby bump as she strolled through the airport The couple brought along their first child, three-year-old Mia Grace, who is the fourth of the Queens great-grandchildren, and 17th in line to the throne Zara also opted for ultimate plane comfort in a pair of stylishly-cut white shorts and white sneakers. Three-year-old Mia Grace (pictured) zoomed along on an adorable suitcase scooter Mia Grace trailed behind her mother, who is the only daughter of Princess Anne, riding an adorable scooter-suitcase hybrid. The royal family were seen getting into a black car which was branded with the Magic Millions logo - a raceday which will take place on January 13. Zara will give birth in the English summer, about three months after the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge's third child is due, sources claim. With Prince Harry due to marry fiancee Meghan Markle on May 19 at Windsor Castle, it will be a joyous year for the 91-year-old Queen and her family. News of Zara's pregnancy came just over a year after the royal couple suffered the heartache of a miscarriage. Mia Grace trailed behind her mother, who is the only daughter of Princess Anne, riding an adorable scooter-suitcase hybrid. Zara will give birth in the English summer, about three months after the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge's third child is due, sources claim News of Zara's pregnancy came just over a year after the royal couple suffered the heartache of a miscarriage It is believed she was around four months pregnant at the time. As a result, she missed the Royal Family's annual celebrations at Sandringham (Pictured leaving their plane in Queensland) At the end of November 2016 the couple said they were expecting a brother or sister for three-year-old Mia, but almost a month later, on Christmas Eve, they announced Zara tragically had lost the baby. It is believed she was around four months pregnant at the time. As a result, she missed the Royal Family's annual celebrations at Sandringham. Zara has not spoken publicly about the tragedy but former England rugby captain Mike Tindall later said: 'One thing you do learn is how many other people have to go through the same thing. 'The saving grace for us has been Mia. However down we feel, she will come running up in our faces.' The expecting couple touched down in Queensland alongside three-year-old daughter Mia Grace (Pictured leaving the aircraft) Zara (pictured) flashed a hint of a baby bump while wearing a loose grey top on the Gold Coast At the end of November 2016 the couple said they were expecting a brother or sister for three-year-old Mia, but almost a month later, on Christmas Eve, they announced Zara tragically had lost the baby Zara has not spoken publicly about the tragedy but former England rugby captain Mike Tindall later said: 'One thing you do learn is how many other people have to go through the same thing' Zara and Mike Tindall (pictured left) are expecting their second child after experiencing a tragic miscarriage Her sport-star husband, 39, (pictured) cut a similarly casual figure in a dark navy t-shirt and beige chino shorts The new baby likely to be born in the same Cotswolds NHS hospital as Mia will not be given a title as both parents are keen for their children to have a 'normal' upbringing. Zara and Tindall live with her mother, Princess Anne, on her Gatcombe Park estate in Gloucestershire. The family are currently in Australia, where they have seen in Christmas and the New Year before attending the Magic Millions horse racing carnival, which is staged on Australia's Gold Coast and begins this weekend. Zara and Mike Tindall are expecting their second child. Pictured, the couple with daughter Mia, three, on their way to a party in Sydney on Christmas Eve The couple, pictured at lunch in Sydney on New Year's Eve, previously announced they were expecting a baby in November 2016 but suffered a miscarriage just weeks later Zara and Mike Tindall, pictured on the announcement of their engagement in December 2010 Recent images of Zara show her wearing floaty tunic-style tops that skim over her midriff. Pictured, Zara with daughter Mia and husband Mike on a day out with friends in Manly For a number of years Zara a former world eventing champion and Olympic silver medallist has been involved with the event which features thoroughbred sales, racing and polo matches. The Queen's granddaughter is patron of the event's Magic Millions Racing Women, an initiative promoting racehorse ownership among women. Photographs taken of Zara out and about in Sydney over the past few weeks showed a clear hint of a baby bump, but the couple were not ready yet to announce their good news, a source explained. All The Money In The World Cert: 15 2hrs 12mins Rating: Its perfectly possible, even quite likely, that we will see better examples of film-making this year than Ridley Scotts All The Money In The World. But I doubt we will ever see a better example of film remaking. Consider the extraordinary logistics. Just two months ago, this dramatic retelling of the notorious kidnapping of John Paul Getty III was fully completed and ready for release. It was due to have its first public screening at the American Film Institute Festival in November, ahead of its official release in the United States at Christmas. And then the sex-abuse scandal surrounding Kevin Spacey, who originally played the teenagers grandfather, John Paul Getty I, broke and refused to go away. Faced with the prospect of releasing a film that had hitherto been nursing serious hopes of awards but would now be inevitably tarnished by association, Scott and his co-producers took an extraordinary decision to replace Spacey entirely. The fine veteran actor Christopher Plummer would take on the role, complete ten days new filming at breakneck speed, the film would be re-edited all without changing its release date. Christopher Plummer completed ten days' new filming at breakneck speed. The film would be re-edited... all without changing its release date. Even by the standards of a director whod had to work out how to complete Gladiator when Oliver Reed died halfway through filming, it was an extraordinary and brave decision. And boy has it paid off. Almost before hed finished filming, Plummer had been nominated for a Golden Globe (well find out whether hes won tonight at the awards ceremony in Beverly Hills), and he dominates the film in a way that makes something of a mockery of his appearance in the Best Supporting Actor category. Thats because, while the film is ostensibly about the kidnapping of his 16-year-old grandson (played here by Charlie Plummer, no relation) in Rome in 1973 and the desperate attempts to secure his release, it is the ageing and curmudgeonly Getty patriarch a man who knows the price of everything and the value of nothing who dominates the film, both on screen and off. The film is ostensibly about the kidnapping of Getty Snr's 16-year-old grandson (played here by Charlie Plummer, above) in Rome 1973 and the desperate attempts to secure his release. At the time of the kidnapping, Getty Snr, who had made his billions initially in oil, wasnt just the richest man in the world but, as David Scarpas screenplay puts it, the richest man who had ever lived. But when the Calabrian gangsters who seized his grandson demand a $17 million ransom, he walks out to address the worlds press and calmly replies no, arguing that if he pays a ransom for one grandchild, all his other grandchildren will be kidnapped too. To some extent he was ahead of his time, anticipating the we do not negotiate with terrorists mantra that has now become the accepted norm, but here hes portrayed as a cold-hearted and reclusive tyrant, a man slowly losing touch with reality, Citizen Kane- or Howard Hughes-style, at his well-guarded Surrey estate. He believes he is the reincarnation of the Emperor Hadrian (his re-creation of an imperial Roman villa is now the Getty Villa in Malibu, California) and that despite having a billion dollars in the bank, he has never been more financially vulnerable. Michelle Williams is fabulous playing Gail (above), the kidnapped boy's mother and just about the only person battling tirelessly for his release. This is a man who genuinely believes he cant afford to pay the ransom that might secure his grandsons release. Its a gem of a part for Plummer and he seizes the unexpected opportunity with ruthless conviction. Michelle Williams is fabulous, too, playing Gail, the kidnapped boys mother and just about the only person battling tirelessly for his release. But her ex-father-in-law wont pay, the Italian police are incompetent and even the ex-CIA Getty Oil troubleshooter Fletcher Chase (played here by a refreshingly low-key Mark Wahlberg) is struggling to make progress. The Italian police are incompetent and even the ex-CIA Getty Oil troubleshooter Fletcher Chase (played here by a refreshingly low-key Mark Wahlberg, above) is struggling to make progress. And yet Gail fights on with the characters anger and aggression combining with the hair and wardrobe of the Sixties and Seventies to show us a side to Williams we definitely havent seen before. Quite rightly, shes also been nominated for a Golden Globe, along with Scott for Best Director. Scott imparts a convincing sense of both period and place and generates suitable layers of menace. If the kidnapping is remembered for anything these days, it is for the young Gettys captors brutal decision to cut off his ear and send it to an Italian newspaper as proof of life. Like something from The Godfather, that scene is chillingly recreated here. The overall result of 'All The Money In The World' is an absorbing early offering in the new film year and one that does a good job of retelling a story that was huge news at the time but is now in danger of being forgotten The overall result is an absorbing early offering in the new film year and one that does a good job of retelling a story that was huge news at the time but is now in danger of being forgotten. IT'S A FACT John Paul Getty I also had a son, Timmy, who became blind from a brain tumour but Getty scolded his wife for spending money on treatment. He died aged 12. Advertisement But it does have its shortcomings at more than 130 minutes, it feels a little long. Whats more, the narrative does jump, potentially confusingly, back and forward in time both to the oil-rich Arabian peninsula of 1948 and to the San Francisco of 1964 when things first started to go wrong for Gail and her husband (John Paul Getty II), a man whose independent free spirit and addictive appetites had already distanced him from his relentlessly business-driven father. But more importantly, as Scott and Scarpa admit more than once in the credits, this is a fictionalised version of a true story, and even a non-expert is left with the clear sense that events and particularly the denouement really cannot have played out quite as neatly and dramatically as this. SECOND SCREEN Hostiles (15) Rating: Brad's Status (15) Rating: By 1892, the American Civil War had been over for nearly 30 years and General Custer dead for 16 years. But the battle for control of the American West raged on. Tensions between the largely white incomers who claimed the land as their own and the Native Americans who had lived there for centuries remained murderously high. So when, as the aptly named Hostiles gets under way, battle-hardened army captain Joseph Blocker (Christian Bale) is ordered to escort the dying Cheyenne leader Chief Yellow Hawk (Wes Studi) to his ancestral homelands in Montana, to say he is reluctant is an understatement. Nevertheless, he rounds up a group of men he can trust and sets off. But when his escort party stumbles across the atrocity that so dramatically kick-starts the film, his already challenging journey is about to get a whole lot more complicated. Christian Bale (above) is terrific as the battle-hardened army captain Joseph Blocker, however, the ever-photogenic Rosamund Pike (above) has minor grounds for complaint, reduced to looking pretty in an 'Indian' plait. The only survivor is the beautiful Rosalie Quaid (Rosamund Pike), and shes half-mad with grief and fear. I love a good Western and this is certainly one dark, violent but with delicious, faint hints of redemption, reconciliation and even romance coming somewhere along the way. Bale is terrific and theres good support from the likes of Jonathan Majors, Bill Camp and Studi. Only the ever-photogenic Pike has minor grounds for complaint, reduced to looking pretty in an Indian plait. Brads Status occupies a very different but rapidly expanding genre: that of the male mid-life crisis. Ben Stiller plays the aforementioned Brad, a late-fortysomething who runs his own charity consultancy and is reasonably happily married. But he is increasingly gripped by a sense of failure and underachievement. So a trip to Boston to help his 17-year-old son pick a university prompts a fresh bout of self-reproach and regret as he recalls his own college days and comes to terms with the fact that his musically gifted son might actually be cleverer than him. Ben Stiller (above) is good playing the aforementioned Brad, a late fortysomething who runs his own charity consultancy and is reasonably happily married. Stiller is good and Austin Abrams excellent as his cool but regularly mortified son. But this is familiar territory, with the extended internal monologue bringing umpteen Woody Allen films to mind. Painfully embarrassing at times, modestly amusing at others, it promises more than it delivers, let down by a surfeit of narration and by a growing sense that charmless Brad is very much the architect of his own perceived misfortune. Claude Debussy: The Complete Works Warner Classics, out now Rating: The most significant centenary of 2018 has to be that of Claude Debussy, who died in March 1918, aged only 55, after years of suffering from rectal cancer. A dedicated worker even when desperately ill, Debussy produced a full range of music, from orchestral masterpieces, through chamber and piano, to song, and one of the 20th centurys greatest operas, Pelleas Et Melisande. The only box he didnt really tick was anything religious. In commemoration, Warner Classics, now very much a French-led company, have produced the first ever Complete Works, including a handful of premiere recordings, and arrangements made by Debussys close confederates like Andre Caplet, plus piano roll, and acoustic horn recordings by the master himself. Debussy fans will still want this, and there is much to enjoy. But it could, and maybe should, have been better. Above: Debussy with daughter Claude-Emma The collection includes arrangements made by Debussys close confederates like Andre Caplet (above), plus piano roll, and acoustic horn recordings by the master himself Its a remarkable collection, running to about 40 hours of music on 33 CDs, and, at around 65, a real gift horse. Though not one, perhaps, to be looked too closely in the mouth, as some of the choices of recordings are a bit curious. The orchestral music is mainly assigned to the excellent Jean Martinon, but with some first-class British contributions, from Simon Rattle in the Images, and the Philharmonia under Carlo Maria Giulini in the Nocturnes and La Mer. Elsewhere though, things sometimes go a bit awry, notably in the piano section, where the short-lived Russian pianist Youri Egorovs performances of the two books of Preludes, surely Debussys masterpieces for the instrument, are preferred to the magnificent recordings of Walter Gieseking, expensively remastered by the company as recently as 2011. Theres also too much of the heavy-handed French pianist Samson Francois for my taste. A dedicated worker even when desperately ill, Debussy produced a full range of music. Above: entertaining the Chausson family in 1893 If thats a mistake, the choice of Armin Jordans Monte Carlo recording of Pelleas Et Melisande is absurd. Because Warners have in their archives Herbert von Karajans inspired Berlin recording, described by the leading French music magazine, Diapason DOr, as deeply felt and full of beautiful things. The recording is excellent If nationalism played an unhelpful part here, why not Roger Desormieres wartime recording; elderly sound maybe, but full of authority, having been supervised by the original chorus master of the 1902 premiere. Debussy fans will still want this, and there is much to enjoy. But it could, and maybe should, have been better. Hearts And Minds Jane Robinson Doubleday 20 Rating: They marched and they petitioned and they campaigned. They did battle with the police and the judiciary. They were assaulted and jeered and spat on. They suffered the humiliations of imprisonment and force-feeding. And in the end they got what they wanted. February 6 this year marks the centenary of the Representation of the People Bill receiving Royal Assent and becoming law. Women, at least those aged over 30 and property owners, were given the right to vote. It had been a long time coming. Jane Robinsons Hearts And Minds is a fine and sometimes moving account of the struggle for suffrage in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. It tells remarkable stories about ordinary people doing extraordinary things for the sake of something we take for granted today: a share in democracy. One of the most significant, and yet oddly neglected, stories is that of the Great Pilgrimage in the summer of 1913. From all corners of the country women of every age and class embarked on a six-week march to London, risking reputation and sometimes life and limb to make Parliament listen to their demand. It is one of the noblest mass demonstrations of people power ever witnessed in this country. Jane Robinsons Hearts And Minds is a fine and sometimes moving account of the struggle for suffrage. Pictured, a 1913 engraving of Suffragettes being force-fed in prison Robinson draws a vital distinction here between the two major wings of the womens movement. The Great Pilgrimage was undertaken by the National Union of Womens Suffrage Societies, ie, suffragists who protested by peaceful and constitutional means speaking in public, fundraising, demonstrating before people either indifferent or hostile to the idea of a woman voting. The most forthright thing a suffragist could do was to defy the Inland Revenue: if they were excluded from the rights of their countrys citizenship, why should they pay its taxes? Opposing these peaceable women were the suffragettes a name coined in 1906 by the Daily Mail who grabbed the headlines with their militant tactics: Deeds Not Words was their motto. They united under the leadership of Emmeline Pankhurst, a formidable Mancunian matron who represented the public face of this countrywide revolt. She called womens suffrage a movement to set free half of the human race that has always been in bondage. Her bravery was beyond doubt, but her autocratic personality would alienate friend and foe alike; even her own daughter Sylvia became estranged. While the authors own sympathies are with Millicent Fawcett, head of the NUWSS, and her band of non-militant sisters, its true that the most compelling dramas surrounded the violence that was done by, and to, women in the ten years up to 1914. Robinson tells stories of courage and despair familiar from previous accounts, like that of Kitty Marion, who, imprisoned for stone-throwing, lost 36 lb in weight while on hunger strike. She was forcibly fed 232 times. Or that of Emily Davison, trampled to death beneath the Kings horse on Derby Day in June 1913, just weeks before the Great Pilgrimage was due to start. Her terrible sacrifice was exactly the sort of outrage the suffragists feared, given that a large proportion of the public regarded both -gettes and -gists as a single army of troublemakers. Mrs Fawcett, trying to pre-empt the dangers facing the marchers, declared that the keynote of the pilgrimage would be joyousness and happiness, not grim-faced confrontation. Emmeline Pankhurst was the leader of the suffragettes a name coined in 1906 by the Daily Mail But they would meet confrontation nonetheless. The hindsight of a century makes us wonder at their enemies, not just the antis what could be more absurd than women joining anti-suffrage societies aimed at excluding women from politics? but ordinary folk who would plainly have benefited from universal suffrage. Perhaps they took their cue from Queen Victoria, who called womens rights a mad, wicked folly and proposed that one suffragist be given a good whipping. Nor should it be forgotten that some campaigners were married to men who resented the idea of their wife as a political rebel: Public disapproval could be faced and borne, but domestic unhappiness, the price many of us paid for our opinions and activities, was a very bitter thing. Sporting the NUWSS colours of red, green and white, the women set out from Carlisle and Newcastle, Cromer and Yarmouth, Bangor and Lands End, Portsmouth, Brighton and Margate. Despite carrying banners with such slogans as By Faith Not Force, the pilgrims were sorely tried along the way. Marjory Lees and her friends found their caravan under siege from a ravening mob in Thame, of all places. Some were roughed up by crowds who took them to be arsonists and street-fighters. From Stoke to High Wycombe they were pelted with rotting vegetables, dead rats, rocks, cow pats, even bottles of poisonous gas. And yet they also met with kindness and hospitality, sometimes from people opposed to their cause. A certain anti-suffrage gentleman named Mr Bark invited a group of weary pilgrims to his home for a meal, and made them breakfast next morning, too a case of Bark offering more than a bite. Suffragette Emily Davison falls under the hooves of the Kings horse on Derby Day in 1913 Robinson writes in a breezy, conversational tone free of piety. She is respectful without being reverential, highlighting individual courage and enterprise among the pilgrims such as Alice New, a Birkenhead woman who, with her mother, sister and aunt, joined the Watling Street march; or Selina Cooper, a Lancashire millworker turned union activist, and a brilliant public speaker for the womens movement; or Gladys Duffield, a Cumbrian wife and mother who, after the war, became a professional pianist and composer. You cannot help but be cheered by their example of selflessness, of supporting a cause in the face of severe discomfort, verbal abuse and random missiles. Even the Prime Minister, Herbert Asquith, long-time enemy of womens suffrage, was impressed by their endurance and invited a deputation from the NUWSS to Downing Street. Unfortunately, militancy trumped moderation in terms of newsworthiness, and while the suffragettes continued their campaign of disorder, the government refused to budge on the issue of the vote. It took the intervention of the First World War to effect a change. Women en masse came to the countrys aid and served in workplaces left unmanned by the fighting. They proved to the authorities that they were the equal of men. But, as Hearts And Minds reveals, many of them would not have been so effective in organising and accepting responsibility had they not been through the crucible of suffrage work. Adversity had already steeled them. Half Of The Human Race by Anthony Quinn is published by Vintage Form an orderly queue, ladies of Great Britain. Levison Wood, the handsome explorer, is single again, another love affair sacrificed to his urgent wanderlust. He may be feeling a bit blue about it. I, well, ah, no, Im not in a relationship any more. It was complicated and going away on this trip, er, it was not meant to be... But hes never been a man for whom home and hearth exerts a greater pull than the open road. The trip hes referring to is his recent circumnavigation of the Arabian Peninsula, a homage to his hero TE Lawrence. Its the fifth of five epic overland journeys, which began in 2013 when he became the first man to walk the length of the Nile, two years in the planning, 4,250 miles and nine months of blisters and hardship. The Caucasus, Central America and the Himalayan roof of the world followed. The result has been a portfolio of award-winning writing and some riveting television. Levison Wood has never been a man for whom home and hearth exerts a greater pull than the open road His latest book, Eastern Horizons, about a youthful Silk Road hitchhike, is out now and Walking The Americas, an expedition through Central America, is published in paperback this month. The two volumes stand in contrast to each other: one is a nobly impoverished trek from Europe to Asia, the other is a brave but far more commercially informed adventure. Interestingly, Wood has dec-lined any external funding for his Arabian trip, paying the whole six-figure bill from his own pocket. Its a financial risk hes willing to take to buy back the freedoms he lost to sponsorship. There would be some significant health and safety issues with backing for a trip to the Arabian Peninsula its never out of the headlines, he says. And the more other people become involved the less risk you can take. I am never reckless, but adventures are an inherently risky business and so they should be. Thats part of what makes me do the job. Risk has a lot of negative connotations but it is essential. Not taking risks breeds fear. You should be courageous and face your fears. How can you grow if you dont? This is the kind of attitude that saw Woods fellow explorer Benedict Allen rescued by helicopter from Papua New Guinea last November after being felled by malaria and trapped by tribal wars. Wood defends him: If he was sick and struggling then it was right that he was rescued. When I fell off a mountain in Nepal I had to be rescued, and very glad of it I was too. Ive had a few close calls along the way. So having to be rescued occasionally is an occupational hazard? You could say that. Nor does he believe Allens radio silence expeditions, in which he refuses to take a mobile or a GPS device, are in any way selfish. Ditto the extraordinary plan recently announced by Ben Fogle and Olympic cyclist Victoria Pendleton to scale Mount Everest together this May, even though both are married and Fogle has a young family. What is more selfish than being entirely absorbed by your own little private universe in the form of a family? It could be argued that is selfish. Focusing on your passion and your dreams takes great vision and that can inspire and motivate untold numbers of other people in their lives. If you have to get lost in the jungle or climb a mountain to fulfil that potential then its not selfish. If you have a partner they should know what they are getting into at the start. If you sign up to life with someone like that [he means like him] then its going to be part of the relationship. Applicants for the position of Woods girlfriend, please take note. Wood, now 35, has been in almost perpetual motion for a decade and a half. Since he became a TV star with the Channel 4 series on his Nile trip three years ago, he has spent increasing amounts of time on the red carpet, too. He wears his celebrity as comfortably as the white linen shirt he takes with him on his expeditions in case of an invitation for drinks. He doesnt seem to mind being asked which grooming tools he packs (a beard trimmer and moisturiser) and causing lustful Twitter meltdowns when he appears on TV programmes such as Saturday Kitchen. Wood selects a local made in Uganda during his Nile trip Its because he knows that, today, profile pays the bills. His heroes would be the same in 2018, he reckons. Belstaff made a jacket for [TE] Lawrence, and even when he was stranded on his ship on the ice [Ernest] Shackleton had to take pictures for his sponsors, Burberry. That was over 100 years ago and it was no different to feeding an Instagram account these days. He grew up in Stoke-on-Trent, the son of two teachers, and studied history at Nottingham University. Im one of the few people for whom it turned out to be a vocational subject, he says. In 2003, aged just 21, he took a detour home from Cairo through war-torn Baghdad and the following year he made the Silk Road trek. Wood then joined the Parachute Regiment for five years, serving operationally in Afghanistan. He left in 2010, but remains a reservist with the rank of major. His latest book, Eastern Horizons, about a youthful Silk Road hitchhike, is out now The idea to walk the Nile came to him in 2011. I had no idea if I would survive the Nile, no idea if it would be a success. I hoped I could write a book television did not enter my imagination. In the end it was life-changing. It meant I could afford to eat. Actually it made him an incredibly bankable name, albeit one who has never lost his appetite for hardship and a degree of danger. Setting aside tropical diseases, bandits, rogue policemen, terrorists, junkies, warlords and being entertained as a house guest-cum-hostage by an Afghan opium trader, his nearest miss was in Nepal, where the taxi he was travelling in went off the edge of a cliff, breaking his arm and shoulder. It was my worst moment ever those final few seconds after the brakes failed and before flying off that cliff... he says, somewhat economically. He does full cultural immersion when hes away, once washing his hair in cow urine in South Sudan. It turns your hair ginger, which is very fashionable and the local ladies like it. Worst food? Ugandan. They have maggot stew and bush rat soup, both dreadful. The maggot stew is maggoty on purpose they let it rot and become infested for extra protein. Worst drink? Also Uganda. Waragi gin, which is a kind of moonshine. It comes in those plastic bags you used to get goldfish in and contains stuff that makes you go blind. These days he loves to come back to his house in Hampton Court, London. He relaxes with tea and toast and then tries to re-enter London life. It is a similar feeling to coming back from a tour in the Army. Youve been in a high-intensity environment, acutely aware of whats going on around you, and suddenly its Black Friday and people are shoving each other out of the way to buy a widescreen TV. Its difficult to integrate. Next hes hoping to try his hand at fiction, perhaps a spy thriller using his hard-won knowledge of exotic places as a backdrop. And then dont be surprised if you see him enter politics one day. Hes a fan of Rory Stewart, the diplomat and adventurer turned MP. Asked if he might follow Stewart to Westminster, Wood says, I have no plans as yet. Lets see. Politics is a messy business... Which, given that its not a yes or a no, is a consummate political answer. Very little in life frightens him. Other than sharks theres nothing Im scared of apart from the prospect of getting a real job, I suppose. Walking The Americas is published by Hodder on Jan 25, priced 9.99. Offer price 7.99 (20% discount) until Jan 21. Pre-order at mailshop.co.uk/books or call 0844 571 0640, p&p is free on orders over 15 The Old Butchers Park Street, Stow-on-the-Wold, Gloucester theoldbutchers.squarespace.com Staff required, says the blackboard outside The Old Butchers in Stow-on-the-Wold. Experience not required. Personality essential. Hallelujah to that. And while the streets outside may be treacherous with yellow-tinged ice, the atmosphere within is warmer than a fat mans embrace. The room is small, comfortable and unpretentious, the whole place infused with a mildly chaotic, genially higgledy-piggledy charm. At its heart is a bar overflowing with a generous glut of booze, the tables crowded all around. Yet despite the hugger-mugger feel (and theres barely a surface that isnt covered with vases of flowers, or jeroboams of champagne, or glass jars stuffed full with corks), it never feels crammed or uncomfortable. Because this is a restaurant where pleasure comes before prissy interior design, and the only commerce that really seems to matter is the serious business of eating. The room is small, comfortable and unpretentious, the whole place infused with a mildly chaotic, genially higgledy-piggledy charm Laid-back it might be, but the cooking is anything but casual. With a broadly European menu, lusty with seafood and steak, there is just the occasional jaunt across to Japan (tempura oysters) or the USA (crab roll). Fritto misto sees a thin, crisp, grease-free and burnished batter draped over whitebait, soft-shell crab and prawn. So often an excuse to cover up (and mark up) second-rate seafood, here each mouthful sings of crashing waves and iodine-soaked spray. My son attacks a dozen Porthilly rocks, big buggers but bracingly saline rather than brutish. His capacity for bivalves exceeds even mine and buys a blissful ten minutes of peace. Even my daughter whose idea of pure culinary nirvana is a hot dog, preferably Herta, naked and unadorned is impressed by her smoked haddock and Parmesan omelette. Its an omelette Arnold Bennett, I tell her grandly. Named after the journalist and writer who has now, perhaps unfairly, faded into learned obscurity and I look up to see my daughter yawning theatrically, before turning entirely serious and looking me straight in the eye. Dont be a bore, Daddy. My pretension duly piqued, I hijack a gobful. And its as serious, rich and smoky as an Edwardian gent, lavished with great chunks of fish, and a centre that oozes with unapologetic delight. FROM THE MENU Porthilly rock oyster 3.25 Fritto misto 12.95 Haddock omelette 10.50 Raclette 8.95 Loin of rabbit 21.50 Advertisement More comfort, from a cast-iron pan filled with raclette. Damn, I love raclette, so steadfast and straightforward, so filled with lactic Alpine allure. The puddle of slightly browned, melted cheese is attended by tiny potatoes, pert cornichons and slivers of air-dried ham. Just as it should be. I vainly attempt to fight off a flurry of marauding forks. Freddy has now moved on to mussels, fat and Cornish and creamy, the sweet garlicky sauce mopped up with fistfuls of good chips. Bens crab roll, filled with a generous whack of freshly picked crab, both bosky-brown and clean, virginal goody-two-shoes white, sits in a toasted, buttery brioche bun. Which is then finished with a hearty splodge of spicy cocktail sauce. It disappears in two mouthfuls, followed by a satisfied grunt. I eat an ox cheek bourguignon of pure bovine brilliance, the meat cooked so it falls apart with luscious ease yet still holds its shape. The sauce is deep and dark and glossy, furiously reduced and gloriously sticky. Alongside the usual pearl onions, mushrooms and charred carrots are a half-dozen or so snails, adding bouncy contrast to the soft flesh. Sitting at its side, a Jagger-esque length of tender tongue, wearing the char of the grill and the faintest whiff of the farmyard floor. Oh, and a great buttery pile of silken mashed potato. Like Gerard Depardieu, its a dish that combines heft and depth with a surprising lightness of touch. That, and plenty of booze. Raclette 8.95. The puddle of slightly browned, melted cheese is attended by tiny potatoes, pert cornichons and slivers of air-dried ham. Just as it should be Mussels, fat and Cornish and creamy, the sweet garlicky sauce mopped up with fistfuls of good chips (left); Its testament to a kitchen that it can produce the most diaphanous of fritto mistos Its also testament to a kitchen that is capable of producing the most diaphanous of fritto mistos, alongside one of the best versions of beef bourguignon Ive ever eaten. The service, as youd expect, is lovely. That blackboard outside meant what it said. So as youve probably gathered, I love this place. Dont for Christs sake write about it, begs Ben as we leave. Its impossible enough to get in as it is. Sorry mate, but The Old Butchers is too good to keep to myself. Its one of those rare local restaurants that combines charm, comfort, value and damned good cooking too. Plus, the bill arrives with a handful of pink foam prawns. All this and sweetshop crustaceans too. Truly, my cup runneth over. About 30 a head What Tom ate this week FRIDAY Right. Quite enough of this Christmas excess. Although with only a few days to go until New Year, no point relaxing now. So dinner of XO fried rice, Sichuan prawns and, for the sake of my digestion, steamed gai lan with oyster sauce at Shikumen. SATURDAY Down to my sisters for my twin nephews birthday. Graze various sandwiches and crisps, then chicken jalfrezi, tarka dahl, poppadoms, chana masala and naan at The Palm. SUNDAY Thai beef salad and noodles for lunch, then off to The Pheasant for seared scallops, plus chateaubriand and chips. MONDAY Urgh. Feeling a touch tender. Still, nothing a stiff Bloody Mary cant fix. Spaghetti Bolognese for lunch and lashings of wine. The last gasp. Sober, sensible and pious life starts tomorrow once more. I hope. Dry January? Not for me. I prefer to give the new year a fighting chance of happiness by generally drinking less but better. Cutting out the joy of gentle tippling in this deep freeze of a month seems at best kinky to me, so how about lifting the month of moodiness with the occasional bright white to fight off the gloom? And remember, many of these beauties are a little lower in alcohol. To pick the best of these virtuous delicacies, look to regions that have historically produced wines lower in alcohol. Germany is a prime candidate, and top of your list should be bbr.com with its Mosel Riesling Kabinett by Selbach-Oster (9.5%) 10.25. Fruity and off-dry, its wines answer to the tea-cake ideally suited for a late-afternoon pick-me-up. From the same stockist, Moscato dAsti, Marcarini (5%), 13.50 is proper sherbet pudding, stunningly sweet and effervescent, a wine that paints a rainbow across the greyest day. English wine producer Hush Heath has moved into sparkling apple fizz its Sparkling Apple Rose Wine and Sparkling Apple Wine are both 15 from hushheath.com and 8%. My favourite low-alcohol option is beer. Big Drop Brew is my top pick with four to choose from, all under 0.5%: stout, pale ale, spiced ale and lager, available from wisebartender.co.uk for 2.49. On the high street, M&S Southwold Pale Ale (0.5%) is 1.60, or its Czech Pilsner is 1.50 (0.5%). For zero-alcohol options, Fever Trees range continues to impress try the ginger beer, or have a look at boroughwines.co.uk for an exciting range of options such as Lurvills Delight Botanical Blend, Lavender Spice for 1.95. But best of all, mix tomato juice with Bloody Bens spice mix, below, for maximum flavour impact. And raise your glass proudly, declaiming virtus deliciis, which is Latin for virtue in deliciousness McMafia New Years Day & Tuesday, BBC1 Rating: Hard Sun Saturday, BBC1 Rating: Sue Perkins And The Chimp Sanctuary New Years Day, BBC2 Rating: McMafia is the eight-part groundbreaking international crime drama that has thus far taken us to London, Prague, Dubai, Tel Aviv, Cairo, Paris, Moscow, Mumbai and the Negev Desert but has been a little bit McDull in all of them. It stars James Norton as Alex Godman, the English-educated scion of a Russian mafia family exiled to London. Like Michael Corleone in The Godfather, he wants nothing to do with the family business but gets sucked in anyhow. Hes an emerging-markets fund manager, and therefore ideally positioned to launder money. (If only hed opted for a different career; a vicar in Grantchester, say?) McMafia stars James Norton as Alex Godman, the English-educated scion of a Russian mafia family exiled to London He refuses Im a banker not a gangster but ultimately must co-operate to protect his father from a rival. Given his father is a self-pitying, sentimental, lachrymose, annoying drunk, Id have simply handed him over, gladly, but Alex is deeply attached. He calls his father Papa, and every time he said it I expected Papa to come back with Nicole!, but I accept that may be my limitation. Based on the non-fiction book by journalist Misha Glenny about organised crime and corporate corruption, the first half of the opening episode was mostly men talking in rooms, but it did brilliantly liven up halfway through when Uncle Boris had his throat cut with a caviar knife and Alex had to run for his life no turning back now, boy while calling his Mama and telling her not to answer the insistent rings at her door and to press the panic button. Mama (and Papa) are safe in this instance but then wander around freely without protection? Just saying. This has The Night Manager aspirations, but while Norton is excellent in the title role, his character is familiar a sort of Clint Eastwood type who observes and never says too much and there is no Hugh Laurie or Tom Hollander to charismatically back him up. Also, The Night Managers narrative essentially focused on one man having to win another mans trust to destroy him, whereas this involves much exposition as to how money is moved around and how organised crime works. At one point we were told that McDonalds is more successful than Burger King simply by virtue of having more restaurants, although I did wonder: maybe it has more restaurants because people like it better? Then theres the woman question. Id read an interview with Juliet Rylance, who plays Alexs girlfriend Rebecca, saying she was attracted to the role because there are rarely any good parts for women in gangster set-ups, but are there any here? Has Rebecca, as of yet, done anything beyond look at Alex worriedly as she suspects hes being corrupted? And then, in episode two oh, sweet Jesus we had to deal with those sex-trafficked women being raped and shot in the desert. Still, it may be worth sticking with as Alex works out exactly what hes got himself into would he be so guileless, in the circumstances? and how he might get out of it. As for the rumour that this is Nortons audition for James Bond, they said that about Tom Hiddleston and The Night Manager, and they say it every time Idris Elba steps out of his front door. So I dont think we need get too worked up about that. Hard Sun is a pre-apocalyptic crime thriller set in contemporary London that opened with the most horrific violence (Ive yet to forgive it) and has the most terrible premise. Two detectives (Jim Sturgess, Agyness Deyn) investigate the death of a hacker and along the way discover that the Government has been sitting on the fact that the sun is due to burn out in five years. With MI6 on their tail, they go on the run with the information, which is the terrible premise, as why would they wish to be responsible for such news? As we left the first episode, Deyns DI was about to tell all to a newspaper, which has to be plain stupid. Yet shes presented as a brave heroine. Mad. Sue Perkins And The Chimp Sanctuary was a documentary about humankind and chimpanzees, and while the chimps came out of it well, humankind did not. Perkins visited Chimp Haven, a 200-acre site in Louisiana that takes in chimps who have spent their lives being used for medical research in laboratories. Their back stories werent pretty and broke her heart, as well as ours. Bravely, Perkins even watched footage from the lab where her favourite chimp, Jill, had lived, and the conditions were shockingly appalling. Is furthering the health of mankind and that of animals mutually exclusive? she asked. The ethical debate as it was noted, its easy to be against medical testing on animals until your child has cancer never properly got going, but that was OK. It was just so pleasing to see shy, sweet-faced Jill make a friend (spitting Pierre) as Henry finally learned to socialise. That was McLovely. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, January 6) The Department of Energy (DOE) said it will require oil companies to inform the public when they will hike fuel prices due to the tax reform law. "The gasoline stations should post for the public to know that they are already charging excise tax for kerosene, gasoline or diesel," Energy Undersecretary Wimpy Fuentebella told CNN Philippines on Saturday. "Kasi there can be a situation na may excise tax na si diesel at wala pang excise tax si gasoline or si kerosene." [Translation: Because there can be a situation that there is already excise tax on diesel, but no excise tax yet on gasoline or kerosene.] "Anong effect na 'pag walang naka-post? Para tayong nakikipag-date sa isang lalaki o sa isang babae na hindi nagsasabi ng totoo. So bakit ka pa bibili diyan?" Fuentebella added. [Translation: What's the effect if there's nothing posted. It's like we're dating a man or a woman who isn't telling the truth. So why would you buy at that station?] The tax reform law, which was implemented on January 1, increases the excise tax on all fuel products. In 2018, gasoline prices will be higher by 2.97 a liter, diesel will cost 2.80 a liter more and kerosene will cost 3.36 a liter more. However, the DOE said on Wednesday that the hikes will only take effect after January 15. Read: No fuel price hike under tax reform law until mid-January Fuentebella said the implementation of the excise tax is not dependent on time. "It is dependent on the stocks that we have. Kasi 'yung nandoon sa mga gasoline stations ay may old stocks na hindi pa china-charge noong January 1," he said. [Translation: The fuel at the gasoline stations are old stocks that have not yet been charged the higher excise tax on January 1.] Shell Philippines communications manager Cesar Abaricia said in a Saturday statement that the company will only implement the tax once it finishes its old inventory. "We will comply with Department of Energy's directives to oil companies that the implementation of the excise tax under (the law) shall not be applied unless 31 December 2017 inventory of finished products are fully exhausted," Abaricia said. Fuentebella said the Energy Department will also require oil companies to submit their list of inventories. "Para tayong parent sa ating mga anak," he said. "Walang magpo-profiteering or walang unjust enrichment on any part of them kasi it may result to a violation of the law." [Translation: We're like a parent to our children. There should be no profiteering or unjust enrichment on any part of them because it may result to a violation of the law.] Fuentebella added the DOE will conduct random checks of oil refineries, depots and gasoline stations to ensure that oil firms are following the law. Give tax reform a chance Meanwhile, a lawmaker called on the public to give the tax reform law a chance. "Hindi fair na kailangan husgahan na itong (batas) sapagkat ilang araw pa lang naging effective sa bansa," Deputy House Speaker Fredenil Castro said in a Saturday forum. "Ang intensyon dito o ang balak ng ating pamahalaan ay para mapangalaagan ang kalusugan ng ating mga mamamayan." [Translation: It's not fair to judge this law since it's only been effective in the country for a few days. The government's intention is to protect the health of our people.] Among the provisions of the law are higher taxes on tobacco and sugary beverages like softdrinks. Read: Lower income tax, higher taxes on sugar, petroleum, tobacco products by 2018 But think tank IBON Foundation is unconvinced. "Ang tingin namin, smoke screen lahat 'yan from basic tax package na gustong bawasan ang buwis ng mayaman at dagdagan ang buwis ng mahihirap," said Sonny Africa, the foundation's executive director, at the same forum. [Translation: We think these are just smoke screens from the basic tax package that wants to lessen taxes on the rich and hike taxes on the poor.] Africa explained that, at most, only six to seven million Filipinos will benefit from the new tax law, or those who are exempted from the income tax. "Para sa amin, ang pinaka-pabigat ng (batas) is for the 15 million families, poorest families na walang income tax gain, pero they'll be paying higher taxes because of the other elements of (the law)," he said. [Translation: For us, the biggest burden of the law is for the 15 million families, poorest families that have no income tax, but they'll be paying higher taxes because of the other elements of the law.] Under the measure, those earning up to 250,000 annually or around 22,000 a month will be exempted from paying taxes, including self-employed individuals. The bill also exempts 13th month pay and bonuses amounting to 90,000 from taxation. The law will face legal scrutiny as the House of Representative's Makabayan bloc, comprised of progressive groups, is set to question the law's constitutionality before the Supreme Court this week. Africa said he believes the entire law should be struck down and that the Finance Department should instead tax the rich with higher rates at 10 to 20 percent. CNN Philippines Correspondent Anjo Alimario and Multi-Platform Writer Regine Cabato contributed to this report. Efforts to curb pay in Britains boardrooms and outsize rewards in the City are still failing. In spite of the resignations of the senior independent directors at housebuilder Persimmon there is no public sign so far of chief executive Jeff Fairburn giving up any of his total pay, bonuses and incentive package of 110million. The scale of his award is an insult to a generation of young people in Britain who now need an 80,000 deposit to get on the housing ladder. Moreover, the 400million to be shared among the next layer of Persimmon bosses does not sit well in a country grotesquely short of social housing, where private sector builders seek to minimise the amount of land and resources devoted to the less well-off. Grotesque: There is no public sign so far of Persimmon chief executive Jeff Fairburn giving up any of his total pay, bonuses and incentive package of 110m Persimmon may appear to represent the worst of the bitter divisions in our society. But who could not feel queasy at the sight of one of the plumpest panjandrums of investment banking, Sir Simon Robey, collecting 37million for advising on a series of deals which weakened the fabric of Britain. Robey and colleagues at Robey Warshaw should be in the stocks for advising Japanese titan Softbank on the purchase of UK smart chipmaker ARM, and promoting the hugely misjudged, aborted London Stock Exchange deal with Deutsche Boerse. The collapsed merger saw executives at both exchanges thrown to the wolves, and the LSE destabilised, while the bosses of Robey Warshaw split 63.3million. It would be nice to think of Robey rolling up his sleeves at a charity like Toynbee Hall or the local homeless shelter rather than lording it up as he once did as chairman of the Royal Opera House. The public owes a debt of gratitude this week to the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development and the High Pay Centre for shining a brilliant light on the gross inequalities that exist within Britains FTSE 100 companies. Together, they calculate that in the last year the average pay of bosses was 120 times that of a full-time employee on the median wage. A week earlier, Vlerick Business School in Belgium found that of 861 public companies in Europe the pay gulf between those at the top and employees was greatest in Britain. What is most startling about this is that executives have been allowed to help themselves by compliant boards at a moment in history when the incomes of ordinary Britons have been squeezed by the financial crisis and the fall in the pound. The sacrifices have been made by staff while business leaders enjoy the good life, in some cases irrespective of performance. There are some signs attitudes are changing. The Pensions and Lifetime Savings Association has called on boards to be more sceptical about the need for vast executive pay awards. It noted that big pay gaps show that too many companies fail to appreciate the value of their workers. Worse than that, companies in trouble such as Bernard Matthews, Toys R Us and Palmer & Harvey have tried to escape pension obligations built up over a lifetime to loyal workforces. The need for boardroom pay to be approved by investors in non-binding votes at annual meetings has helped, with the bosses of the UKs top companies earning 17 per cent less on average in 2016 than a year earlier. The added requirement by the Government that annual reports will have to show the pay ratio between chief executives and the average worker should also ramp up the public outrage. Whether that will make much difference in the most extreme cases such as Sir Martin Sorrell at WPP, who earned 48million in 2017 (down from 70million the year before), is hard to tell. What is certain is that pension funds and big investors like BlackRock, with 5.7trillion under management, need to keep up the pressure by opposing fat cat deals. As we have seen time and time again a companys investors cannot count on supine pay committees, often headed by the weakest link among the directors, to take on the bosses. Bringing real discipline to pay in the boardroom may require the Government to turn non-binding votes into law, with dissent of 20 per cent of investors requiring action. If the Tories dont do it we can be sure that Jeremy Corbyn and his frightening Marxist sidekick, John McDonnell, wont hesitate to act. Lawyer Charles Randell has been chose to head the Financial Conduct Authority A leading lawyer whose firm raked in 33million from taxpayers during the financial crisis is to be chairman of the City watchdog. Charles Randell, 59, shot to fame by helping the Treasurys bank rescues as markets teetered in 2007 and 2008 and earned a fortune in the process with rumoured fees of 500 an hour. Slaughter and May, the prestigious law firm where he was a partner, made 32.9million from the work while the rest of the world came close to collapse and ordinary people suffered. Randell takes over at the Financial Conduct Authority in April, and will also chair the Payment Systems Regulator. The married father-of-three was educated at Trinity College, Oxford. He was due to study English but switched to law after his father died, so that he could support himself with a career. With a fearsome reputation among colleagues, Randell is likely to be seen as a tough leader. He left Slaughters in 2013 after 33 years, and has gained public sector experience on the Bank of Englands prudential regulation committee and the board of the Business Department. The lawyer made a CBE in 2015 will replace current chairman John Griffith-Jones. TAKEOVER TALKS Engineer Keller is in talks to buy Moretrench, an employee-owned underground engineering firm in the US. Moretrench has revenues of 125million. Keller also said it expects the cut in US corporation tax from 35 per cent to 21 per cent to add 7.4million to its 2017 earnings. PAIR APPOINTED Air services firm Gama Aviation has appointed Richard Steeves, 56, and Neil Medley, 41, to its board. Steeves founded FTSE 250 outsourcer Synergy Health, while Medley is Gamas chief operating officer. ZULU PLAN AIM-listed Premier African Minerals is considering spinning off its Zulu lithium project in Zimbabwe into a separate listing. Bosses said it could unlock huge value for shareholders given the interest in lithium. UPBEAT BROKER Shipbroker Clarksons said it expects results for 2017 to be in line with expectations. The 1852-founded firm is due to report on March 12. In November, the FTSE 250 business revealed it had suffered a cyber attack and warned confidential information could be leaked. PENSIONS REBOUND The pension black holes at Britains 350 biggest public companies shrank by 8billion last year, says actuary Mercer. The total shortfall in their defined benefit schemes fell from 84billion to 76billion after a good year for the markets and tweaks to life expectancy. MUSIC BOOST Music streaming service Spotify has reached 70m subscribers, up from 60m last July, as the company prepares to go public on New Yorks stock exchange. TAX CREDIT Cambridge-based biotech firm Abcam is set for a boost of up to 7million from US tax reforms, saying it would get the tax credit in the current financial year. FESTIVE RECORD Tech giant Apple had record-breaking 880million of sales on its app store over the Christmas period. Customers spent 222million on New Years Day alone. Uber founder Travis Kalanick is to sell his shares in the company for the first time in a deal which is set to net him 1billion. The 41-year-old is reducing his 10 per cent stake by just under a third as part of a funding agreement with Softbank. A deal announced earlier this month will see the Japanese tech giant take a 17.5pc stake in Uber, largely by buying shares from early investors and employees. Taxi tycoon: Travis Kalanick, 41, is reducing his 10 per cent stake by just under a third as part of a funding agreement with Japanese tech giant Softbank It will secure a 900million cash injection for Uber as it seeks to rehabilitate its image and get back on track after a tumultuous 2017. Kalanicks decision to sell comes after reforms that have significantly weakened his grip on the company. He was ousted as chief executive last year amid a string of scandals but has remained as a director, with former Expedia boss Dara Khosrowshahi parachuted in to take the reins. Kalanick offered to sell half his shares but, because there was a limit on how much Softbank will buy, will now sell just 29 per cent about 2.9 per cent of Uber shares overall. The arrangement means Kalanick, already a billionaire on paper thanks to Ubers 35billion valuation, will be able to start spending his vast theoretical fortune. The Softbank deal comes as Uber prepares for its long-awaited listing, which is currently planned for 2019. A spokesman for Kalanick declined to comment. Commuters will be forgiven for thinking that there is absolutely no good side to Oxford Circus. But a series of striking birds-eye-view snaps by aerial photographer Jason Hawkes can safely prove that indeed there is. Mr Hawkes, who takes helicopter flights over the capital, captures the city at it's very best angles and at a comfortable distance from the hustle and bustle of Trafalgar Square. Each spectacular shot showcases the city in a different light; from mist-shrouded vistas of the City, to bustling the bustling crowds of a Justin Bieber concert. The photographer also captured the horror of the Grenfell Tower disaster in June this year, with one harrowing image showing plumes of thick smoke billowing from the blazing inferno. You can see view more of Jason's outstanding work on his website at www.jasonhawkes.com. A commercial plane bound for Mexico from New York City turned around for an emergency landing after someone on board said they saw a wing was on fire, reports are saying. An American Airlines flight left John F Kennedy International Airport around 1pm bound for the tropical resort city of Cancun, NBC New York reports. The crew quickly turned the Boeing 738 back around after reports of the fire and it landed once again around 1.20pm, the Federal Aviation Administration said. The Port Authority tweeted out a photo of the American Airlines Boeing 738 that safely landed at its point of origin, John F Kennedy International Airport after turning back 20 minutes after takeoff Pictured is the plane's flight path. American Airlines said the plane turned back due to a 'possible mechanical issue' but other reports say the plane turned back after someone on board said they thought they saw a wing on fire American Airlines has officially said that the plane needed to land due to a 'possible mechanical issue'. Sources told NBC that there was no evidence of a fire. The union that represents Port Authority police officers posted a picture of the plane sitting on the snow-blown tarmac. A Port Authority spokeswoman says the plane taxied back to the gate under its own power. No one was hurt, ABC7 reports. The Port Authority tweeted: 'Port Authority Police Aircraft Rescue Fire Fighter Unit responded to JFK Runway 31L, an American Airlines 737 returned immediately after departure because of a report of an engine fire. Aircraft landed without incident, no evidence of fire.' The landing comes after the Airbus A380 - the world's largest passenger jet - was en route to land at the John F Kennedy International Airport when it was diverted to Stewart Airport in Orange County on Thursday due to winds and whiteout conditions. Months of bipartisan negotiations in the US Senate over the fate of young, unauthorized immigrants known as 'Dreamers' have turned angry, with the lead Democratic negotiator blasting President Donald Trump for making 'hardline anti-immigrant' demands. Senator Dick Durbin, the number two Senate Democrat, on Friday called Trump's demand for $18billion in border wall funding 'outrageous' and threatened a government shutdown if Democrats' demands on 'Dreamers' aren't met. The White House on Friday added the funding request to a list of prior conditions it sent to Congress in early October, including an end to chain migration policies and the diversity lottery, both of which Trump implicated in the wake of recent terror attacks on New York. Durbin said in a statement that it was 'outrageous that the White House would undercut months of bipartisan efforts by again trying to put its entire wish-list of hardline anti-immigrant bills - plus an additional $18 billion in wall funding - on the backs of these young people.' The Democratic whip added on Twitter: 'President Trump has said he may need a good government shutdown to get his wall. With this demand, he seems to be heading in that direction.' Senator Dick Durbin (above), the number two Senate Democrat, called Trump's demand for $18billion in border wall funding 'outrageous' and threatened a government shutdown Trump on Friday added the wall funding request to a list of conditions he sent to Congress in early October, including an end to chain migration policies and the diversity lottery Trump in September ordered that an Obama-era program that prevented young immigrants from being deported should end in six months. The program is known as Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, or DACA. Saving DACA recipients from deportation is a high priority for Democrats, but Republican and Democratic lawmakers have struggled to reach a bipartisan deal. Durbin said the latest White House move, coming as Congress also struggles to pass a bill by January 19 to fund the government through September, could push federal agencies closer to a shutdown. Pro-immigration activists have pushed Democrats to use the threat of a government shutdown at the January 19 funding deadline in order to pass a 'clean' DACA bill, with no concessions to Trump's demands. On Saturday, congressional Republican leaders are due to huddle with Trump at Camp David, the presidential mountain retreat, to discuss 2018 legislative priorities. About 94 percent of DACA recipients were born in Mexico or Central and South America, and Hispanics tend to vote for Democrats. Pictured: Pro-immigration protest in LA on Wednesday Trump wants $18billion in border wall funding over 10 years to make a deal to protect DACA recipients. Pictured: Southern border wall prototypes near San Diego Republican and Democratic leaders are also scheduled to meet with Trump at the White House on Tuesday to talk about immigration legislation. Earlier, some congressional Republicans downplayed the likelihood of a deal with Democrats on legislation to protect the Dreamers - some 700,000 young immigrants who were brought to the United States illegally as children. Republican Senator John Cornyn accused Democrats in a tweet of trying to force a deal on Dreamers by doing a 'slow walk' on efforts to approve critical disaster aid and defense spending. Two other Republicans late on Thursday said the sides remained far apart. 'Our discussions on border security and enforcement with Democrats are much further apart, and that is key to getting a bipartisan deal on DACA,' senators Thom Tillis and James Lankford said in a statement. On October 8, the White House released a list of immigration 'principles' Trump wanted in return for giving Dreamers legislative protection from deportation. A supporter of President Trump confronts police officers and a DACA supporter during a rally outside the office of Democrat Senator Dianne Feinstein Wednesday in Los Angeles Besides the border wall, it included the hiring of 10,000 more Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents and 300 federal prosecutors. Immigration advocacy groups fear the hiring expansion would be part of an attempt to round up the adult relatives of Dreamers to ship them to their native countries. Resubmitting the demands that were dismissed by Democrats three months ago, Durbin said, was 'outrageous.' But he added that bipartisan negotiations continue among senators. Democrats have said they are open to tying DACA to additional funding for border security technology. But they oppose Trump's wall, which government estimates have said could cost over $21 billion. Republican lawmakers met with Trump at the White House on Thursday and initially emerged saying they were optimistic that they could find a legislative fix for DACA. The struggle over the 'Dreamers' carries political weight for both parties heading into the November 2018 midterm congressional elections. About 94 percent of DACA recipients were born in Mexico or Central and South America, and Hispanics tend to vote for Democrats. Cornyn, in an interview on Fox News on Friday, said Trump would demand that an immigration deal address the visa lottery system and chain migration that unites family members. 'Those are things that he's insisted upon,' and Democrats would have to embrace them along with border security, said Cornyn. A Canadian woman who was attacked with her disabled husband outside a coffee shop in north London is facing deportation despite being his only carer. Natasha Stevens, 27, and her husband Aidan James, 28, were drinking coffee outside Starbucks in Camden, north London, when they were set upon by a group of teenage girls. After a row over a chair, the girls, believed to be aged between 12 and 14, hurled abuse at the couple, punching Ms Stevens in the back of the head and shoving her husband. The teenagers continued by throwing their drinks at them, as well as a chair, ashtray and empty cups. Recording the incident on her phone Ms Stevens, who works in marketing, uploaded the video to Facebook, where it has been widely condemned. Natasha Stevens, 27, and her husband Aidan James, 28, were drinking coffee outside Starbucks in Camden, north London, when they were set upon by a group of teenage girls But it has now emerged the couple are facing a terrifying deportation battle, which could see Ms Stevens sent back to Canada for good and her husband left with no one to look after him. She told MailOnline: 'At his worst he was having 20 seizures a day. 'He can't lift a coffee cup he's so weak. He has no sensation in his left side. He's in constant pain. 'He wouldn't be alive without me here to look after him. The whole thing is absolutely terrifying. 'You hope love will prevail and everything will be alright but these people just don't seem to care.' Mr James, a musician, is constantly in pain as a result of nerve damage and partial paralysis on his left side. After being diagnosed with mould poisoning caused by negligent conditions in their previous London home, he also suffers 'non-epileptic seizures' - which at their worst can happen 20 times a day. But it has now emerged the couple are facing a terrifying deportation battle, which could see Ms Stevens, pictured, sent back to Canada for good and her husband left with no one to look after him After being diagnosed with mould poisoning caused by negligent conditions in their previous London home, Aidan suffers 'non-epileptic seizures' - which at their worst can happen 20 times a day The guitarist, who has lived in Camden with his wife since they met in 2011, also has calcification of the brain, which can cause the motor neuron to deteriorate and lead to further paralysis. He has Asperger's Syndrome too, which is exacerbated by the stress of the deportation battle. Ms Stevens, originally from Toronto but of Hungarian descent, has been his full-time carer since he was found collapsed at work in 2013. Giving up her office job she went freelance to be able to look after him 24 hours a day. They have been married since 2012 and had no problem getting her first two-and-a-half-year spouse visa mid-2013. But when it came up for renewal at the end of 2015, the Home Office refused, telling her she had to leave within seven days. The 27-year-old said: 'We didn't think there would be any problems. Guitarist Aidan,, who has lived in Camden with his wife since they met in 2011, also has calcification of the brain, which can cause the motor neuron to deteriorate and lead to further paralysis Natasha, pictured, said: 'When we applied the first time they specifically told us we couldn't claim disability benefit - so we didn't. 'Now they're saying we should have been. They just don't like the idea that I'm the one earning the money and that our annual income is ours as a couple, not just his' 'But with the refugee crisis there seems to be a lot of pressure on Theresa May and the Home Office to cut down on immigration. 'They told me I needed to leave within seven days or I'd be arrested - it was terrifying. 'We managed to fight off immediate deportation but we've been battling it ever since. 'The whole thing has caused Aidan so much pain and emotional distress. 'We spent more than a year saying goodbye to each other every single night because we thought I'd get taken away. 'It breaks my heart what's happening. I love this country, but I feel so disappointed and like they'll do anything to catch me out and send me home.' Mr James' symptoms were first surfaced in 2013, after which he spent over a year battling doctors for a firm diagnosis. At one point his condition was misdiagnosed as terminal and the couple 'thought he was going to die'. The couple have now collected over 80,000 signatures petitioning the Home Office Ms Stevens added: 'Not know what was wrong added to the stress - it was extremely traumatic and stressful. 'Aidan tried to commit suicide several times.' Her husband's long list of medical conditions have left him unable to work, leaving Ms Stevens as the soul breadwinner. But despite them being over the 25,000 annual income threshold, Ms Stevens claims the Home Office 'doesn't like' the fact she is self-employed and that some of their money has been donated by relatives. She said: 'When we applied the first time they specifically told us we couldn't claim disability benefit - so we didn't. 'Now they're saying we should have been. They just don't like the idea that I'm the one earning the money and that our annual income is ours as a couple, not just his. The row started after the girls forcefully grabbed a chair from marketing worker Natasha's table and threw it across an outdoor seating area According to the couple the girls ran away after five minutes with Aidan left cowering inside Starbucks on the phone to police 'He can't work. Sometimes he plays the occasional gig, but he has to sleep for three days before and three days after and he's in constant pain for that half an hour on stage. 'I think he feels guilty because disabled people are villainised so much - people think they're lazy scroungers. 'But his mother is severely ill, one of his brothers is autistic and the other is too young to look after himself. 'He needs to be to look after him - there's no one else.' The couple had a court date set for the end of November, but it was adjourned until February - buying them more time. Just hours before the cancelled hearing the couple claim their lawyer 'blackmailed' them into coughing up an extra 2,000 in fees. A Metropolitan Police spokesman said: 'Police were called to Parkway, NW1 at 19.13 on 29 December to reports of an assault. At the scene a man and woman, both aged 27, had been assaulted by a group of four teenaged girls' The girls threw a hot drink before launching an ashtray, chewing gum, chairs and empty cups at the couple They were forced to pay believing the case would go ahead and are still disputing the payment. After crowdfunding 2,350 online, the couple still need another 8,000 to cover the costs of a new lawyer, the application for her indefinite leave to remain and the money to pay their old legal team. They have also collected over 80,000 signatures petitioning the Home Office to keep the couple together. Ms Stevens told MailOnline: 'If the court case doesn't work out I could be deported within a week. 'I don't have my passport, so I haven't seen my family for four years. 'My grandparents are old and I don't know how long they've got left. Two of my friends have died and I had to miss their funerals because I can't leave the country. 'He has no one else, I'm literally the only one.' A Home Office spokesman said: 'It would be inappropriate to comment on ongoing legal proceedings.' Investigators say the widow of the man who killed dozens of people at a gay nightclub in Florida knew her husband 'was going to do something bad' before the attack. The Orlando Sentinel reports that a statement written by an FBI agent and signed by Noor Salman says that she was in denial that her husband, Omar Mateen, could hurt other people when he left their home with guns and ammunition. 'I knew when he left the house he was going to Orlando to attack the Pulse Night Club,' Salman said allegedly during an 18-hour interview that was written by a FBI agent. A statement written by an FBI agent and signed by Noor Salman says that she was in denial that husband, Omar Mateen, could hurt others 'I knew when he left the house he was going to Orlando to attack the Pulse Night Club,' Salman said allegedly of Mateen's brutal attack that killed 49 people and wounded 68 Salman faces charges of aiding a terrorist organization and obstruction of justice. Mateen killed 49 people and wounded at least 68 others during the mass shooting at Pulse nightclub on June 12, 2016. But Bruce Frumkin, a Miami psychologist and expert on false confessions, will testify that Salman's testimony to FBI was not true. In a ruling on Friday, U.S. Judge Paul Bryon sided with the defense to let Frumkin testify, according to Salman's lawyer Charles Swift. Swift has argued that Salman was not in custody at the time she was detained by the FBI, hours after the attack. But Bruce Frumkin, a Miami psychologist and expert on false confessions, will testify that Salman's testimony to FBI was not true He also asserts that the woman was not read the Miranda rights but U.S. attorneys respond that she was never in custody in the first place and gave her statements, voluntarily. 'I knew on Saturday, when Omar left the house about 5 p.m. that this was the time that he was going to do something bad. I knew this because of the way he left and took the gun and backpack with ammunition ' Salman said, according to the statement she signed. Her statements were recently made public. 'I knew later, when I could not get ahold of him that my fears had come true and he did what he said he was going to do,' Salman added. 'I was in denial and I could not believe that the father of my child was going to hurt other people.' Salman shared that Mateen became obsessed with the Middle East and ISIS recruitment videos for two years up until the shooting. Salman shared that Mateen became obsessed with the Middle East and ISIS recruitment videos for two years up until the shooting He was said to have been looking at the area now referred to as Disney Springs and City Place in Palm Beach, according to Salman's statement. The couple was said to have driven around the club for a week before the shooting with their young son sitting in the vehicle. '"How upset are people going to be when it gets attacked?"' Mateen said, according to his wife's statement. 'I knew he was talking about himself doing the attack on the Pulse,' she added. Salman's attorneys and federal prosecutors continued a hearing Friday to discuss whether sealed evidence and an expert witness' testimony should be allowed at her March trial. The hearing was closed to the public. She apologized in her statement. 'I'm very sorry I lied to the FBI,' she said. 'These are my words.' A woman has described how a bout of the Aussie flu sweeping the country left her hallucinating in a state of 'total delirium'. Mother-of-four Laura-Jane Merryweather, from Northampton, was hit by the deadly bug after returning from a family holiday to Walt Disney World, Florida, on December 23. The dreaded Aussie flu outbreak expected to be the worst in 50 years is continuing to wreak havoc on Britain, official figures show. Laura-Jane Merryweather was hit by the Aussie flu virus after returning from a holiday in Florida The mum-of-four has been wearing a mask in a bid to stop the virus spreading to her children GP surgeries have been overwhelmed with the influx of patients amid the winter flu epidemic, made worse by an aggressive strain of influenza A that rocked Australia. At first when 38-year-old Mrs Merryweather called the NHS 111 line, the operator feared she was suffering from the tropical disease, dengue fever while she herself went to see her GP to rule out meningitis. 'I was in total delirium - seeing things that weren't there. You don't really realise it at the time but my husband said it was scary,' she told the Mirror Online. 'The pain in my legs was like nothing I have ever experienced. I was seeing things that weren't there. The pain was absolutely horrendous.' 'I was hallucinating, being sick and my husband had to walk me to and from the toilet. Public Health England data also shows the killer virus has left 1,078 in hospital - a quarter of which because of so-called 'Aussie flu' 'I had such bad rigors my teeth clattered for two days and I was shaking up and down.' 'My children had swine flu back in 2009 and that was horrible. The way Aussie flu is spreading across the country, it reminds me of that time.' In order to prevent the spread of the virus to her children, age five, 10, 12 and 14, she has been wear has worn a surgical face mask each time she hugs one them. She is now recovering as her husband takes over the role of cleaning the house, also in order to stop the virus spreading. 'I can walk up and down, which is a bonus. Now I have congestion and shivers which is horrible but I'm nowhere near as bad as I was. I finally feel like I'm coming out of a dark hole.' Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, January 6) Former Palawan Governor Joel Reyes walked free Friday after the Court of Appeals ruled there is no basis to hold him for trial over the murder of broadcast journalist and environmentalist Gerry Ortega. In its 24-page ruling on January 4, the Court of Appeals ordered the Regional Trial Court of Princesa City, Palawan, to stop the trial for lack of evidence. "The utter uselessness of proceeding further with the case, considering the wanton lack of evidence, is very clear and apparent," the court said. "No evidence, no conviction." It said it was useless to proceed with the case as government resources will be "unduly wasted." "He is definitely saved from the 20-year or so imprisonment," the court added. The court ruled on the appeal to reverse the RTC's issuance of a warant of arrest and basis for probable cause. The court further ordered the "immediate release" of Reyes from detention. The police complied with the court's order and released Reyes on Friday, the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology said. Reyes thanked his supporters. "Salamat na lang sa mga panalangin ng mga Palaweno... Magsisimba muna ako, magpapasalamat (Thank you to all Palawenos who prayed for me. I will go to church first to give thanks)." Reyes was accused of masterminding the murder of Ortega, slain in broad daylight in 2011. He had reported on the alleged widespread corruption in the provincial government and misuse of funds in Palawan, which later became part of the Malampaya fund scam. Together with his brother Mario, Reyes went into hiding in 2012 but was arrested in Phuket, Thailand in 2015. Mario, also accused of murder, was allowed to post bail when he ran for vice mayor in 2016. TIMELINE: Gerry Ortega slay case Meanwhile, Ortega's wife Patty said the family is saddened by the court's latest decision. She said they are consulting their lawyers on how to proceed with the case. It is also believed he attended the dead;y alt-right rally in Charlottesville He was charged with terrorism and other violence against railroad carries Wilson was armed when train employees grabbed him after he pulled the brake An armed man believed to have ties to white supremacist groups has been charged with terrorism after he stopped an Amtrak train in Nebraska. Documents unsealed Wednesday in U.S. District Court in Lincoln show 26-year-old Taylor Wilson, of St. Charles, Missouri, is charged with terrorism attacks and other violence against railroad carriers and mass transportation systems. Wilson, who was a ticketed passenger on an Amtrak train, entered a restricted area of the train and enabled the emergency brake in an attempt to derail it, authorities said. This booking photo provided by Furnas County Sheriff's Office shows Taylor Wilson, a white supremacist accused of stopping an Amtrak train in Nebraska. Unsealed federal documents show Wilson is charged with terrorism attacks and other violence against railroad carriers Wilson is accused of pulling the emergency brake on an Amtrak train in October in an attempt to derail it It is believed that Wilson attended the deadly, far-right rally in Charlottesville in August. His phone had numerous alt-right and white supremacist images and material. The train was heading eastbound with about 175 people aboard, when the brake was pulled and the train was halted early Oct. 22 in Oxford, Nebraska, about 200 miles southwest of Omaha. The train was headed to Chicago from California. Passengers sat in darkness for more than an hour after the train suddenly stopped, according to passenger Bobbie Garris. 'We lunged forward in our seats and all the power went out, it went completely black,' Garris said. 'We could smell something burning and I'm going to guess that was the brakes.' Amtrak staff searched the train and discovered Wilson in the engineer's seat of the follow engine, where he was behaving erratically and playing with the controls. A Furnas County deputy sent to the scene found Amtrak employees holding Wilson, court documents said. Wilson had a loaded revolver, plus more ammunition and a knife, the deputy said. No injuries were reported. The court documents show the FBI has evidence of Wilson's activities with white supremacist groups, including a business card for the National Socialist Movement in Detroit, a neo-Nazi group. FBI agents searched Wilson's home in December and found a tactical vest, 15 firearms, ammunition and white supremacy documents and paperwork. Alt-Right, and White Supremacists encircle and chant at counter protestors at the base of a statue of Thomas Jefferson after marching through the University of Virginia campus with torches in Charlottesville, Va According to the affidavit, Wilson's firearms and electronic devices 'have been used for or obtained in anticipation of engaging in or planning to engage in criminal offenses against the United States.' Wilson has been ruled competent to stand trial. He was arrested Dec. 23 and is now in federal custody. His attorney, Jerry Sena of Omaha said on Friday that Wilson plans to plead not guilty to the federal charges. Having to sort through their husbands dirty socks and shirts seems a sure-fire way to make a womans blood boil. But, unlikely as it seems, sniffing a partners unwashed clothes could help women cope with stress, according to a study. Canadian researchers found that when women were given a T-shirt worn by their partner for 24 hours without deodorant to smell, they felt more calm under pressure. They said it shows the natural scent of the people we love can be a powerful tool to help reduce stress. Unlikely as it seems, sniffing a partners unwashed clothes could help women cope with stress, according to a study Women who were given their partner's shirt to sniff reported less stress after a mock job interview, according to researchers in Canada The study, by the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, saw 48 women subjected to a mock job interview and mental arithmetic task in front of a camera and judging panel. Those who were given their partners T-shirt to sniff beforehand reported significantly less stress in a questionnaire after the interview. Saliva tests also showed their levels of the stress hormone cortisol were a lot lower than in women who had smelled a T-shirt worn by a stranger. Neither group were told whose top they were smelling in the study, published in the Journal of Social Psychology. A United Airlines flight from Chicago to Hong Kong was diverted to Alaska after the flight crew reported a man on board had vandalized two airplane bathrooms by spreading human waste, airport police said on Friday. 'We received a report of a passenger who had messed up the bathrooms with his own feces,' Anchorage Airport Police Lieutenant Joe Gamache said by telephone. The man, a 22-year-old Vietnamese passport holder with U.S. residency, was escorted off the plane in handcuffs on Thursday night and met by law enforcement in the terminal, Gamache said. Scroll down for video A man (pictured, muzzed) on a plane traveling from Chicago to Hong Kong spread his own feces in two bathrooms, in addition to other acts The plane was diverted to Anchorage, where the 22-year-old man was escorted off in cuffs The passenger sitting next to the man said his family was sending him to Vietnam in an effort to help him stay out of 'trouble', KTVA reports. Tri Nguyen told KTVA: 'He just was out of control and I tried to calm him down as much as I could.' After being interviewed by authorities through a translator, he was transported to an Anchorage hospital for a mental evaluation. The man made no threats and did not try to interfere with the flight crew, Gamache said, adding that no charges have been filed. The man, who is a Vietnamese passport holder with U.S. residency, will undergo a mental evaluation Fellow passengers were provided hotel accommodation by United Airlines due to the diversion Other antics of the man, according to witnesses on the flight, were his shaking of seats and pouring beverages on the ground. One passenger described the excrement-filled scene to KTVA: 'He had crap everywhere...He was stuffing his shirt in the toilet then wiping it on the walls.' The passenger, BJ Canup, added that the passenger was 'shirtless'. After the incident, families and children sitting around him were moved and replaced with 'some really big guys' to sit around him. The move was done without incident, witnesses said. 'I was just asked to help out and was ready to do what I could,' said one such man, who was 7-feet-tall. Tri Nguyen told KTVA: 'He just was out of control and I tried to calm him down as much as I could' He had crap everywhere...He was stuffing his shirt in the toilet then wiping it on the walls,' passenger BJ Canup said The pilot decided after the incident that the rest of the plane ride would be too risky for the pooper's fellow passengers. United Airlines, owned by United Continental Holdings Inc , said there were 245 people on board the plane and said it provided hotel accommodations for its customers. No one was hurt, KTUU reports. United Airlines listed on its website that the plane was diverted due to 'operational difficulties'. House of Fraser is seeking to slash its rent bill, sparking fears it could be the next high street retailer to suffer financial woe. The struggling department store chain has written to landlords asking for its rents to be cut, as it prepares to reveal its results for the all-important Christmas trading period next week. It comes just 24 hours after rival Debenhams saw nearly 70million wiped off its value after issuing a shock profit warning following dismal Christmas sales. House of Frasers plea to landlords has sparked concern for the overall health of the business. And it echoes action taken by BHS shortly before it went bust in 2016 when it desperately sought to reduce its rent bill to cut costs. The struggling department store chain has written to landlords asking for its rents to be cut, as it prepares to reveal its results for the all-important Christmas trading period (file photo) House of Frasers plea to landlords has sparked concern for the overall health of the business. And it echoes action taken by BHS shortly before it went bust in 2016 when it desperately sought to reduce its rent bill to cut costs. House of Fraser is Britains third-largest group of traditional department stores with 61 branches, 58 of which are in the UK. It employs 17,000 staff and is privately owned by Sanpower, a Chinese conglomerate run by billionaire Yuan Yafei. Sources say Sanpower made an informal request to revise the amount of rent it pays on stores in recent weeks. It is not known which stores could be affected, but many are in expensive buildings in large town centres. House of Fraser has been struggling to revive its high street sales as customers opt to shop online. Its sales were further hit by an overhaul of its website in April and May, and it has scrapped a string of underperforming brands which forced it to heavily discount a number of items. Last year hedge fund tycoon Crispin Odey, who is notoriously gloomy about the fortunes of UK retailers, said of Debenhams: Its a race between them and House of Fraser as to who will go down first. House of Fraser has been struggling to revive its high street sales as customers opt to shop online (file photo) In December ratings agency Moodys branded House of Fraser a very high credit risk. Bosses asked Sanpower for help in the autumn, which resulted in a 25million cash injection to ensure there was enough cash to fulfil orders over the Christmas period. Over the years House of Fraser has purchased chains such as the Army & Navy Stores, Barkers of Kensington, Beatties, Dickins & Jones, Jenners, Kendals, Rackhams and Binns. In accounts for the year to January 2017, the company warned of costly store lease agreements and said it had set aside 5.7million to deal with the problem. It reported profits of 22.2million that year, up 70 per cent. The store is expected to publish the results of its trading over Christmas next week, alongside rivals John Lewis and Marks and Spencer. House of Fraser said: We have contacted some landlords asking for support as we drive forward with our transformation programme. Meghan Markle's future sister-in-law was arrested on New Year's eve in Oregon after an altercation with Thomas Markle, potentially dashing her brother's hopes to attend the royal wedding in May. An law enforcement source with the Josephine County Jail told DailyMail.com that Tom's fiancee 'Darlene Blount was booked on January 1st. She was charged with fourth degree assault.' Prince Harry's soon to be sister-in-law was arrested just before the clock struck midnight on New Year, and was booked around 4:20am, after a boozed-up altercation with Tom. Darlene Blount, 37, was arrested just before the clock struck midnight in Oregon on New Year's eve, for assaulting Meghan Markle's half brother Thomas Markle Jr. What would Harry say? Meghan Markle's future sister-in-law was arrested for assaulting the soon-to-be royal's half brother Prince Harry and Megan Markle are preparing for a May wedding, pictured in an engagement announcement photo from November Prince Harry and Meghan Markle had a decidedly more upscale welcoming for 2018, as they rang in the New Year on the French Riviera. Sources say the prince and Meghan Markle flew out of Heathrow on New Year's Eve on a scheduled British Airways flight to Nice. In an attempt to remain incognito, the pair boarded their 9.55am flight before any other passengers and headed straight to the back of the plane, next to the rear toilets. They also took up three rows of economy seats on both sides of the aisle, even though there were only themselves and three 'edgy and nervous' bodyguards in their party. Harry, 33, took the seat next to the window dressed in jeans, a jacket and with a baseball cap pulled over his face. Meghan's brother Tom spoke to DailyMail.com just days before the New Year began. Before ringing in the New Year on a sour note, Tom spent his Christmas at home in Grants Pass with Blount, 37, and her seven-year-old son. He has not seen or spoken to his 36-year-old half-sister since 2011 but says he and Meghan are not estranged but lost touch after she moved to Toronto, Canada, to take up a role in Suits. 'She got to the point where she got busier and busier so it was really hard to nail her down,' he explained to DailyMail.com. 'It's not really that we grew apart, it was she was out there [in Toronto] doing her job it was the biggest deal she got on TV so she had no time. 'But we spent a lot of weekends together with our grandmother [Doris Markle] before she left.' He is now hoping that the Markle clan will one day be reunited for Christmas and says that while he doesn't expect an invitation to Meghan and Harry's May wedding, it would mean a lot to get one. Meghan's half brother had his own run in with the law, pictured left in his mugshot from last January. That incident also involved Blount- authorities said he threatened her with a gun Childhood photos provided by her half-brother Thomas Jr show 11-year-old Meghan with her father Thomas Sr, her nephews, and sister-in-law The 51-year-old, who was arrested himself last January for putting a gun to his fiancee's head, was released without charge, added: 'I don't know if she gets to invite who she wants. But she'll reach out if she wants me there - she'll call me. She knows where to find me. 'But that's up to her, there's no pressure. I wouldn't mind seeing my little sister have the biggest wedding in the world that would be incredible. 'Of course [it would mean a lot]. I didn't go to her last one in Jamaica, I was working or something. But if my dad doesn't walk her down the aisle, then I will.' Cheating in school exams has risen 25 per cent in a year fuelled by pupils smuggling mobile phones into exam halls, a report has found. Data from exams regulator Ofqual showed 2,715 penalties were issued to youngsters for breaking rules during their A-level and GCSE exams last summer. Half were due to the use of 'unauthorised materials', with 78 per cent of these involving mobile phones. Maths and computing combined accounted for more than a third of all malpractice penalties, Ofqual said. Cheating in school exams has risen 25 per cent in a year fuelled by pupils smuggling mobile phones into exam halls (file photo) The figures, which cover England, also revealed that penalties for teachers and school staff more than doubled from 360 in 2016 to 895 last year. The biggest reason was for maladministration of exams, followed by giving improper assistance to candidates. Suzanne O'Farrell, assessment specialist at the Association Of School And College Leaders, said: 'It is disappointing there has been an increase. However, the vast majority of people follow the rules correctly.' Data from exams regulator Ofqual showed 2,715 penalties were issued to youngsters for breaking rules during their A-level and GCSE exams last summer (file photo) Ofqual said the 2,715 penalties issued to students, up from 2,180 the year before, represent just 0.015 per cent of exam entrants. Malpractice covers anything that could 'undermine the integrity of an exam', according to Ofqual. This includes issues such as students attempting to communicate with each other while sitting a paper, or failure by staff to comply with exam board instructions. The most common penalty handed out to students was a loss of marks, the statistics show. The most common penalty meted out to staff for malpractice was a written warning. Last month, Ofqual said exam safeguards should be 'strengthened' in its review of rules allowing teachers to set question papers. In a report, published in the wake of exam leak allegations, the watchdog said cheating is rare but can be 'deeply damaging' to public confidence when it happens. A man has been arrested over the fatal stabbing of an Australian man while he was in Sweden. A 25-year-old man is in custody over the alleged attack on Kai Foley, 30, in Gotherburg days before Christmas, according to Expressen. Swedish authorities believe Mr Foley, who moved to Sweden six months ago, did not know the suspect. A man has been arrested over the fatal stabbing of an Australian man Kai Foley (pictured) A 25-year-old man is in custody over the alleged attack on Mr Foley (pictured) in Gotherburg on December 20, 2017 Prosecutor Niklas Hogden told the local publication a short interrogation took place and further interrogation will happen at the weekend with the suspect's lawyer. Mr Foley was found fighting for life at Odins Square on December 20 in the early hours of the morning before dying in hospital, according to ABC News. The 30-year-old, who studied nursing in Melbourne, moved to Sweden to be with his girlfriend and has no criminal background. Police commissioner Ben Wahlin said investigators were confused to why Mr Foley was targeted because they was 'absolutely nothing' to suggest he would be a victim of such crime, according to the NT News. Devastated family members and friends have mourned the shock death of the former disability support worker. 'Taking timeout to remember a truly great guy tragically taken from us in Sweden last week ... you were an amazing carer, a gentle giant and a fun guy to be around. RIP,' one person wrote. Swedish authorities believe Mr Foley, (pictured) who moved to Sweden six months ago to be with his girlfriend, did not know the suspect Mr Foley was found stabbed in Odins Square in Gothenberg, Sweden (pictured) before he was rushed to hospital where he later died 'Kai's family and many friends are devastated at the loss of a very special, beautiful, fine young man,' a relative said in a statement. 'A private memorial service for Kai's family and friends will be held in the coming weeks. Details will be posted on Kai's FB page.' Friend Kira Kosh also took to social media to pay tribute to Mr Foley. 'My heart is so so sad for his family and his Swedish girl friend he was living with,' she said. 'Never forget your smile, you ate like a horse and loved hip hop more then anyone I have ever met. You were the most gentle giant.' When was the last time you used a disposable wipe? It might have been to take off make-up, polish your reading glasses, wipe a childs grubby hands, or clean the kitchen floor. We reach for a wipe without a second thought so much so that the global market for them is estimated to be worth in excess of 12.5 billion. After all, theyre handy, not too expensive and much less faff than using a cloth that you then have to wash. And we get through staggering numbers of the things. Nice-Pak, one of the worlds largest producers of wet wipes, churns out more than 670 million packs a year in Europe everything from cosmetic and baby wipes to moist toilet tissue and household cleaning wipes. Each pack will contain anything from ten to 100 wipes, so were talking billions of them. Modern menace: Claire Coleman with some of the many wet wipes on the market But few of us stop to think about where they come from, or where they end up once weve used them. Theyre binned or flushed and forgotten about and that is a serious problem. Most wipes arent designed to be flushed but nonetheless, consumers chuck baby wipes, cosmetic wipes and others down the loo, with awful consequences. Because what users may not realise or ever stop to think about is that many wipes contain plastic, often in the form of polyester. This means they do not break down easily and can become a serious menace to the environment after weve disposed of them. The problems start in the sewer system. A report from Water UK showed disposable wipes were responsible for 93 per cent of the material causing blockages. Wet wipes do not break down as quickly as toilet paper, Thames Waters website explains. They lurk in pipes and merge with fat to create huge, rock hard fatbergs. A fatberg is a disgusting mass that gathers in a sewer wipes are a key component, along with congealed cooking fat that has been poured down sinks. Last year, one weighing the same as 11 double-decker buses blocked a section of an East London sewer, presenting a very real risk that the streets could be flooded with raw sewage. But while the Whitechapel fatberg, which took a team of workmen three weeks to break up, might have been one of the largest, its by no means the only one. There are around 300,000 sewer blockages every year, costing the country an estimated 100 million. And when flushed wipes make it out of sewers and into the sea, things get even worse. In the past decade weve seen a 700 per cent rise in wipes washed up on beaches, says Dr Laura Foster, head of pollution at the Marine Conservation Society (MCS). Just like the toxic plastic microbeads the Daily Mail campaigned to ban, plastic wipes may be eaten by marine life and enter the food chain. London's biggest ever fatberg was found in Whitechapel last year. It was longer than Tower Bridge and consisted mostly of wet wipes Whether broken down into microparticles of plastic that plankton consume at the bottom of the food chain, or mistaken for food by larger sea creatures, this means theres every likelihood that plastics are ending up on our plates. Plastics have been found in mussels destined for human consumption, in the guts of fish and in the tissues of other marine animals. And as a growing body of research suggests some types of plastics ingested by humans could be responsible for everything from weight gain to breast cancer, this is a serious concern. Many of the wipe companies we spoke to were at pains to point out they are working to educate consumers about not flushing wipes. Since January 2017, EDANA [the industry body that represents non-woven textiles] has been promoting the use of a Do Not Flush symbol on the front of packaging to help stop non-flushable baby wipes, cosmetic wipes and household wipes being flushed down Britains toilets, says Marines Lagemaat, the organisations scientific and technical affairs director. The above wet wipes are not biodegradable. Usually liquid alternatives are more environmentally friendly EDANA members and retailers are being encouraged to adopt the front-of-pack Do Not Flush logo on non-flushable wipes by October 2018. But while binning wipes is better, its far from ideal. They ultimately end up in landfill which wouldnt be a problem if they rotted down, like kitchen towels, but because most are polyester, they dont. As a rule, cotton takes between one and five months to decompose, while polyester takes 200 to 500 years. Rockline, a company that has been producing wipes since the Seventies, says on its website that wipes can be made from a number of different materials, including polyester, wood pulp, viscose and cotton, a number of which are often blended together. Wood pulp, viscose and cotton do decompose in landfill, so why do brands insist on using polyester? The answer is predictable its cheap. So how did we become so dependent on these moist rectangles of material? The man credited with producing the wet wipe was an American who in 1958 trademarked the first Wet-Nap. In 1963, Wet-Nap became a supplier to KFC, where the individually wrapped damp sheets were described as a folded finger bowl. By the late Seventies, baby wipes had hit the market and the number of uses weve found for them has ballooned from there. These days, whether you want to polish the car dashboard, remove nail polish, or even deodorise your dog, theres a wipe that can do it. So, if you want the convenience of a wipe, can you at least opt for an environmentally friendly one that doesnt contain polyester? Put simply, the answer is no. Most packs tell you what wipes are soaked in, but they almost never reveal what the wipes are made of and they dont have to. The Trading Standards Institute says if a textile is considered to be disposable, the manufacturer is under no legal obligation to disclose the information. We decided to ask the manufacturers of a number of wipes about their ecological credentials and discovered some more environment-friendly alternatives: No one is happier to see the back of 2017 than Prince Charles a year when he was virtually written out of the royal script as his sons marked the 20th anniversary of Princess Dianas death and paid lavish tribute to their mother. As numerous TV documentaries either ignored the Prince of Waless part in the tragedy or reduced it to that of villain of the piece, a series of bruising opinion polls showed his popularity was flagging. One revealed that only one-third of Britons believe the Prince had been beneficial for the Monarchy down from nearly two-thirds four years earlier. A quarter believed that Charles had had a negative impact on the Royal Family, compared with a sixth in 2013. Fewer than one in ten thought his influence very positive. In contrast, almost half of those polled considered that Prince William had had a very positive influence on the monarchy. Harry was garlanded with praise for his recent guest editorship of Radio 4s Today programme, where his interviewees included his father and Barack Obama How crucial, therefore, 2018 will be for the Prince of Wales. Yet while undoubtedly relieved that interest in Diana will drift away for now, Charles knows that he will not have the stage and the spotlight to himself. Prince Harrys wedding to Meghan Markle in May, the arrival of William and Kates third child in April, and the 65th anniversary of the Queens coronation in June will all be significant and hugely popular royal events. In November, Prince Charles has his own landmark his 70th birthday. And had things turned out differently, it might have been Charles rather than his younger son who would have been beginning the New Year basking in the goodwill of the public. Harry was garlanded with praise for his recent guest editorship of Radio 4s Today programme, where his interviewees included his father and Barack Obama. History may well note his decision to participate in BBC Radios flagship current affairs programme as the moment that Harry finally shed what is left of his playboy prince reputation. It is unlikely, though, to record the events preceding it. Friends say Charles was disappointed to miss out on the three-hour news show which would have presented him with a significant national audience to highlight his pet projects The origins of Harrys appearance go back to early last summer when he received an invitation to be one of several celebrity guests who edit the programme between Christmas and New Year. I can reveal that when he did not immediately commit to the project, Today executives turned instead to Prince Charles, who readily agreed. However, mindful perhaps of his sensitive relationship with his sons, Charles insisted that Harry was kept informed about what was going on. Quite what happened next is unclear, but abruptly Harrys diary became freer and he accepted the Today offer, leaving his father no option but to stand aside. Friends say Charles was disappointed to miss out. The three-hour morning news show would have presented him with a significant national audience to highlight his pet projects. And this may go some way to explain why Harry chose to include an at times preachy interview with his father about climate change and the environment. However, their encounter was far more revealing and intriguing for the light it shone on the relationship between father and son. Harry included an interview with his father about climate change but the encounter was more revealing for the light it shone on the relationship between father and son Along with a liberal exchange of terms of endearment Pa, Dear boy, Darling boy what emerged was a depth of affection thats all too rarely seen between Charles and his younger son. Charles has always worried more about Harry than William; and, of course, has at times been troubled more by him, too. But ever since Dianas death, their relationship has been stronger than that between him and William. William has always been more independent of Charless influence and has modelled himself far more on his grandmother than his father. Friends say William will never be a meddling prince in the mould of Prince Charles. At the height of the Diana commemorations, it was Harry rather than William who offered his father some public acknowledgement. Recalling the aftermath of their mothers death in a TV interview, he praised Charles for his support. One of the hardest things for a parent to have to do is to tell your children that the other parent has died, he said. But he was there for us. And he tried to do his best to make sure that we were protected and looked after. While undoubtedly relieved that interest in Diana will drift away for now, Charles knows that he will not have the stage and the spotlight to himself What also became clear as Charles and Harry discussed the merits of sustainability and the dangers of a throwaway society during their Today encounter was that at least some of what the Prince of Wales has been talking about for so many years had been absorbed by his son. For years, Charles has grumbled in a jokey yet semi-serious way that his sons take no notice of their father. Its the kind of complaint that many a father has made about his children. However, what has upset Charles is that his sons do not show much enthusiasm for his passions and campaigns. If they do show interest, it was murmured that it was done without much grace. One issue that rankled particularly was that having arranged briefings for William on the internal workings of the Duchy of Cornwall, which he will one day inherit, William never bothered to discuss them with his father afterwards. His charities and foundations are a sore point, too. In November, Prince Charles has his own landmark his 70th birthday. He readily agreed to the Today project but insisted that Harry be kept informed Charles always hoped that one of his sons would have wanted to take on one of his organisations, such as the Princes Trust, but theres always been a reluctance, says one of the Princes circle. This week, it was disclosed that Charles was stepping back from some of his charitable work as he devotes more time to supporting and standing in for the Queen. Now would be the perfect moment for William or Harry to step forward. But so far neither has. Instead, they will concentrate on their own charitable interests, from conservation in Africa to the Heads Together mental health campaign. One area where they may be agreement, I understand, is on the scourge of knife crime. Prince Charles is keen for one or both of his sons to be a focus for a campaign to tackle the issue of stabbings. (In London alone last year, 80 people were killed.) These are certainly changing times. This year, the Royal Family will reach something of a watershed a tipping of the balance from the old to the new. The Queen will turn 92 and Philip 97. This year, the Royal Family will reach something of a watershed a tipping of the balance from the old to the new. The Queen will turn 92 and Philip 97 There has been talk in palace circles that, should she live to 95, the Queen would pass the baton to Charles, making him Prince Regent although never abdicating. Whether that happens or not, the passing of responsibility is already taking place. When Charles travels abroad, he is there on his mothers authority as she no longer makes long-haul flights. There is also the presence of a new royal bride to consider. Some observers say that Harrys salute to his father in that TV interview in the summer was an early sign of the influence of Meghan Markle. Like Harry the product of a broken home, Meghan has remained on good terms with both her parents. She is also said to have warmed to the eccentricities of her future father-in-law. Prince Harrys wedding to Meghan Markle (pictured) in May and the arrival of William and Kates third child in April will be significant and hugely popular royal events This is not the only manifestation of the Meghan effect. Kate and William holding hands in public on the walk to church on Christmas Day was another, as are formal Palace bulletins referring to Meghan as Ms Markle a modern title that would once not have been used. Trivial, yes, but they are significant changes. For Charles, however, the real challenge in 2018 will be to reach the kind of understanding with William that he has with Harry. Bound by tragedy, the brothers have always been the closest of siblings generating worldwide admiration for their efforts to honour their late mother and promote the causes she supported. The question in the year ahead is will they show that same commitment in supporting their father? Advertisement As Boston digs out from Thursday's blizzard that dumped over a foot of snow and led to its worst flooding in 40 years, it was faced with another weather headache - single-digit temperatures that created rivers of ice water and trapped a number of cars. Images from Boston on Friday show cars stuck in frozen floodwaters that reach up to the hoods in some cases. Some car owners tried to prepare for the storm by lifting their windshield wipers and opening their trunks so that they wouldn't be buried under snow and frozen. But it is unlikely they anticipated that the cars would be done in by floodwaters. One amateur video filmed in Revere, Massachusetts, the coastal city just north of Boston, showed a large sheet of ice covering the street. According to The Boston Globe, about 20 residents needed to be evacuated from their homes. Some of them were rescued by high-water vehicles deployed by the National Guard. As Boston digs out from Thursday's blizzard that dumped over a foot of snow and led to its worst flooding in 40 years, it was faced with another weather headache - single-digit temperatures that created rivers of ice water and trapped a number of cars One amateur video filmed in Revere, Massachusetts, the coastal city just north of Boston, showed a large sheet of ice covering the street According to The Boston Globe , about 20 residents needed to be evacuated from their homes. Some of them were rescued by high-water vehicles deployed by the National Guard Overnight, the low temperature in Boston could reach -1, with wind chills of -35 in some places Sixty cars were damaged after high tides flooded the parking lot of a high school in Gloucester, The Boston Globe reported. The frigid temperatures - Boston's high was only 15 degrees on Friday - will continue to blanket the area for the next 48 hours. Overnight, the low temperature could reach -1, with wind chills of -35 in some places. That's balmy compared to the -100 wind chill that can be felt on Mount Washington, the highest peak in the Northeast United States. The winter storm has claimed the lives of nearly two dozen Americans, according to the New York Daily News. In Virginia, a nine-year-old girl who was sledding while visiting relatives was struck and killed by a pickup truck. Also in Virginia, a 75-year-old man was hit and killed by a snowplow while clearing snow from parking lots. According to the National Weather Service, Boston broke the record for the highest ever recorded tide on Thursday. Benjamin Sipprell, a meteorologist in Boston for the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration, told the Daily Beast that the flooding was a result of the blizzard hitting at high tide, and the high tide being higher than usual due to Wednesday's supermoon. A supermoon is a full moon that occurs when the moon is closest to Earth in its orbit. This happens about four to six times a year. Boston suffered its worst flooding in 40 years on Thursday as the city was hit by Winter Storm Grayson. Above, a car driving through floodwaters in the suburb of Lynn Experts say that a reason the flooding was so bad was because the storm hit at high tide, which was higher than usual due to Wednesday's supermoon (seen above in Wells, England) A wave crashes over homes on Lighthouse Rd. in Scituate, Massachusetts on Thursday as a massive winter storm begins to bear down on the region Boston experienced historic flooding on Thursday, after a 'bomb cyclone' winter storm hit the Northeast, causing travel chaos across the region, but officials have predicted that the aftermath may be deadlier than the storm The tides are caused by the moon's orbit, and are at their highest during full moons. Supermoons bring them even higher. 'Normal tides in Boston are between 9 and 10 feet,' Sipprell explained. 'When we get tides, we get some that go up to 12 feet or more. We were forecasting 12.1 feet with this one, but with the surge, it got bumped up to 15 feet. 'It's definitely historic.' It ended up being a disastrous combination when Winter Storm Grayson hit the city right at high ride - flooding the Seaport district in waist deep freezing water. It was the first time that the city had seen such flooding since the blizzard of 1978. The situation was even worse in the coastal towns of Plum Island and Scituate. While most people have kept their eyes on Winter Storm Grayson, the National Weather Service has predicted 'life-threatening' cold overnight Friday and Saturday for much of the Northeast. Above, a car in floodwaters in Boston on Thursday In the next 24 hours, the Northeast will be sent into a deep freeze that could cause roads and streets to be covered with a sheet of snow and ice for days. Above, more cars in floodwaters in Boston on Thursday A woman watches as ocean waves overtop the seawall during a winter snow storm in the Boston suburb of Lynn, Massachusetts on Thursday Firefighter Justin Plaza pulls a rescued motorist to dry land, in Boston, Massachusetts on Thursday The floodwaters were thigh-deep on this stretch of road in Boston on Thursday Firefighter's on dry land help man out of zodiac boat, in Boston, Massachusetts on Thursday The intense flooding (left) trapped some Boston residents inside buildings. Meanwhile one video showed the moment a garbage bin was knocked over as trash was washed down the street by floodwaters in Boston On Plum Island, the high tide washed out a road connecting the barrier island to the town of Newburyport and residents had to be rescued by a National Guard high-water vehicle. In Scituate, a town on Boston's South Shore, waves crashed over beachside homes However, he says the biggest component of all in the flooding was the storm itself. 'The storm was the biggest thing of all,' he noted. 'The combination of the Arctic air mass surging south and the subtropical air mass going north [along with] the massive deepening low [pressure] means that we were going to deal with coastal flooding.' There was also another component that others were blaming the flooding on - global warming. The Boston Fire Department shared an image on Twitter of crew members saving a man whose car was floating in the ice water 'Firefighters come to the rescue of an adult male trapped by rising water,' the dept. tweeted. 'The firefighters bringing the driver to safety. Please avoid these dangerously high waters.' The first responders were then seen carrying the man (pictured) to safety Boston firefighters work at the scene of flooding from Boston Harbor on Long Wharf in Boston on Thursday Boston firefighters wade through a street flooded from tidal surge during Storm Grayson in Boston, Massachusetts, U.S., January 4, 2018 One Boston resident shared a Snapchat video of someone kayaking through their icy street with a kayak. The video was captioned: 'Cai has fled the scene via kyak' Boston Mayor Marty Walsh was quick to blame climate change. 'If anyone wants to question global warming, just see where the flood zones are. Those zones didn't flood 30 years ago,' he said Thursday. And some exerts agree. Richard Alley, a sociologist at Penn State, told the Daily Beast that the sea level has been rising because of 'human-caused warming'. 'Most of the high water in Boston and elsewhere along the East Coast is from the wind, but a little bit of extra flooding can be traced to the ocean starting out higher that it was in the past,' he said. Additionally, warmer seas cause more powerful storms. Now that the storm has passed, the worst isn't even over for Boston yet. The storm has been followed by a blast of Arctic Air that's expect to keep temperatures well below freezing this weekend. That means that if the flooding isn't cleaned up fast, it could freeze over and cause even more of a problem in the coming days. The Weather Channel on-camera meteorologist Jim Cantore stands at the Sandy Bay Yacht club as he reports on severe weather in Rockport, Massachusetts Lighthouse Road in Scituate, Massachusetts begins to flood as a massive winter storm begins to bear down on the region on Thursday Above, another view of water crashing over homes in Scituate, Massachusetts on Thursday On Plum Island, Massachusetts (left and right), residents were evacuated when a road connecting the island to Newburyport washed out. Residents were evacuated with a National Guard high-water vehicle There was also significant flooding around the Plum Island Beachcoma Da Thi Hoang and Searidang Pa wait at Logan International Airport, after successfully flying in from Los Angeles only to find their bus to Middlebury, Vermont was cancelled, during a winter snow storm in Boston on Thursday White-out conditions are seen in Hull, Massachusetts on Thursday. Hull is located on narrow peninsula that extends into Boston Harbor and often bares the brunt of winter storms that hit the area Deep sea fishing and scallop boats docked at the Fish pier in Boston, Massachusetts on Thursday A news crew readies for a live shot in Copley square in Boston, Massachusetts on Thursday Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, January 6) Thousands of human rights victims under the rule of former President Ferdinand Marcos are again denied of the $2-billion (P100-billion) compensation they have been asking from the government. The Court of Appeals in its January 3 decision junked the martial law victims' motion for reconsideration on their claim, for lack of merit. "This court finds no new or substantial matter that would warrant a reversal or modification of our July 7, 2017 decision," the ruling read. In its July 7, 2017 decision, the Court of Appeals said the 1995 ruling of a U.S. Hawaii District Court awarding nearly $2 billion in damages to 10,000 victims of human rights abuses under the Marcos' regime cannot be enforced in the Philippines. It was the same ruling of the Makati Regional Trial Court in 2013, which said the "Hawaii District Court had no jurisdiction over the claim." Meanwhile, the government is working on awarding compensation to claimants using the $10 billion in Marcos ill-gotten wealth awarded by the Swiss Federal Supreme Court in 1997. This was the money transferred to the Philippine treasury by the Swiss Federal Court in 2004, after the Supreme Court here ordered the forfeiture of the Marcos family's Swiss deposits in 2003. The Human Rights Victims Claims Board (HRVCB), the body in charge of the reparations, on Friday released new names of approved claimants, including the dates when they will receive their compensation. The Marcos family allegedly plundered an estimated $10 billion (roughly P500 billion) during their two-decade regime. In an exclusive interview with CNN Philippines in November 2016, Presidential Commission on Good Government (PCGG) Acting chairperson Reynold Munsayac said there were 282 pending cases against the Marcos family and cronies. Related: Martial law victims push for faster recovery of Marcos wealth, including missing paintings A record number of violent criminals including 19 murderers are on the run after breaking parole conditions. More than 1,500 convicted offenders are at large after being released from jail on licence. Incredibly, the Ministry of Justice initially rebuffed requests to identify the escaped killers, claiming it would breach their privacy even though the information could help trace them. Justice Secretary David Lidington overturned the decision and published the list of murderers But following an outcry, Justice Secretary David Lidington overturned the decision which had been taken without his knowledge and published a list of escaped murderers. The fugitives include Robert Hamilton, 64, who has been at large for a total of more than 30 years after absconding twice. He was given a life sentence in 1972 for battering a man to death. But he managed to flee Sudbury open prison in Derbyshire in 1983, and remained on the run for 17 years until his recapture in southern France following a newspaper tip-off. He was returned to jail, but absconded again in 2003 after being released on licence from Wormwood Scrubs in London. Of the 19 murderers, Michael Ahearne, 60, has been missing the longest, disappearing in November 1984. Vincent King, 77, has been a fugitive since 1997. Officials have named 17 of the 19 missing murderers. One identity is being kept secret because police say the publicity will jeopardise an ongoing operation. Another cannot be identified because of an issue with a victim. A total of 1,584 prisoners were at large at the end of September after breaking their parole conditions, according to figures published by the MoJ. Liberal Democrat home affairs spokesman Ed Davey said the names should never have been kept secret as it was an issue of public safety The figure has increased 62 per cent from 976 in 2012. The count includes two killers convicted of manslaughter, 55 rapists and other sex offenders and 221 who were serving time for violent crimes. There were 145 robbers, 216 burglars, 215 thieves, 210 fraudsters and 293 drug dealers still at large. Liberal Democrat home affairs spokesman Sir Ed Davey said the refusal to release the identities of the most dangerous fugitives was ludicrous. He added: This is an issue of public safety. The cuts this Government has inflicted on our police and prison officers have undoubtedly contributed to this fiasco. Their stunning incompetence is handing violent criminals a get-out-of-jail-free card. The deadly fugitives DANIEL WHITEHEAD Daniel Whitehead absconded in 2016 Jailed for life in 2004 after stabbing 24-year-old Christian Smith to death with an ornamental sword in Oldham. He absconded in April 2016. ROBERT HAMILTON Handed a life sentence in 1972 for battering a gay man to death. Escaped from Sudbury open prison in 1983 and found in France in 2000. Fled a second time in 2003 after being released on licence from HMP Wormwood Scrubs. Now 64. MEWA SINGH NAGI Jailed for murdering his brother-in-law Malkit Singh in 1968 in Huddersfield. He disappeared in August 2006. GLENN WATHALL Convicted of beating his partner to death on Christmas Day in 1999. He went missing in November 2015. Advertisement David Spencer, of the Centre for Crime Prevention think-tank, said: The sharp increase in recent years indicates how police priorities seem to have shifted further and further away from keeping people safe from convicted felons. In these circumstances, privacy considerations should play second fiddle to getting these murders, rapists, and violent offenders off the streets and behind bars without delay. Rachel Almeida, of the charity Victim Support, said: The figures highlighted have the potential to leave victims and the general public feeling unsafe. Murderers are released on a licence that lasts for the rest of their life, while other offenders are on licences until the end of their sentence. About two thirds of the missing prisoners were recalled to prison for failing to keep in touch with probation officials. Others failed to comply with the terms of their licence, did not live at their specified address, committed a new crime, travelled abroad or failed drug or alcohol tests. Officials claimed there was a blanket ban on releasing the missing criminals identities because it would be unfair to give out their own personal data. The National Offender Management Service said prisoners had a clear and strong expectation that their data would not be disclosed. Doing otherwise would breach the 1998 Data Protection Act, according to a spokesman. The MoJ said offenders have been successfully returned to custody in more than 99 per cent of cases after being recalled. A spokesman said: We would urge anyone with information on the whereabouts of each of these offenders to contact the police so they can be put back behind bars immediately. Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has clearly been enjoying his festive break, having been spotted swimming at the beach in recent days. And while the nation's leader may be away from the political grounds of Canberra, it seems local politics have found him in Bondi. Having spent Friday morning swimming at the iconic beach, Mr Turnbull was later greeted by a man with a peculiar question about police horses. Scroll down for video Malcolm Turnbull was greeted by a man at Bondi Beach on Friday, who had a peculiar question about police horses The man approached the Prime Minister while he was chatting to a group of people to explain the defecation of police horses on Bondi beach The man, who is unknown, approached the Prime Minister while he was chatting to a group of people to explain the defecation of police horses on Bondi beach. Wearing nothing but a bumbag over a pair of red budgy smugglers, the man seemed upset at the situation. 'Stop police horses coming here,' the man can be heard saying on video. 'It's an abuse to our beach.' Wearing nothing but a bumbag over a pair of red budgy smugglers, the man seemed upset at the situation Mr Turnbull appears intrigued at the question and lets the man have his time Mr Turnbull appears to take the impromptu question time in his stride, smiling as he tells the man: 'Surely the horses swim between the flags.' 'Doesn't matter but they s**t on the sand, they s**t on the promenade,' the man replies. While the group are all smiles, the beachgoer appears to be worked up about the matter. The man is eventually asked to politely leave with a security guard, turning away from the group The man's friend is left to shake Mr Turnbull's hand and also thanks him for his time Mr Turnbull can be heard saying: 'You know, that issue has never been raised with me before' 'You love the beach and it's a disrespect to all of us,' he continues. The man is eventually asked to politely leave with a security guard, while his friend shakes Mr Turnbull's hand and thanks him for his time. A very confused-looking Prime Minister is left to talk with the rest of the group, telling them: 'You know, that issue has never been raised with me before.' Daily Mail Australia has contacted the Prime Minister's office for comment. The start of 2018 has signaled positive change for the Sydney housing crisis as the rise in listings shifts the city from a seller's market to a buyer's. The Daily Telegraph reported on Saturday that an 'avalanche' of homes will flood the market between January and June as people attempt to sell before their properties before they decrease too much in value. An increase in the number of houses for sale coupled with a lower demand from investors could mean that 2018 is the year to break into the housing market. The start of 2018 has signaled an end to the Sydney housing crisis as homes flood the market The median house price is Sydney has tumbled to $859,000 - a drop of 2.1 per cent in 3 months Compared to the same period last year, there has been a 21.3 per cent increase in the number of listings, sending the median house price tumbling to $859,000 instead of $1 million. Furthermost, the median price is expected to drop a further five per cent in the next two years - a welcome change considering that the typical value of a home skyrocketed 70 per cent between 2012 and 2017. The change in the market as also brought about a change in the mindsets of homeowners, according to SQM Research director Louis Christopher. 'Before, homeowners wanted to buy their next home before selling their current one so they aren't locked out of the market,' he said. 'Now the fear is that if they buy first and can't sell at the price they want they'll be short-changed.' SQM Research director Louis Christopher noted a huge change the mindsets of homeowners Among those tipped to sell are families looking to downgrade but had 'delayed' the decision Mr Christopher added that there would be no price collapse because population growth is strong, the economy is 'good' and the demand for houses remains as strong as ever. Meanwhile, Realestate.com.au chief economist Nerida Conisbee said that a 'calmer' market will be beneficial to first home buyers and those looking to upgrade. Among those tipped to sell are families looking to downgrade who may have 'delayed' the decision to buy a new property in recent years but will now have to the chance to do so. Whether they are saving a cat from a tree or ducklings from a drain, it's all in a days work for a firefighter. Eight little ducklings made for a very cute rescue after a group of neighbours and firefighters helped save the curious swimmers. The tiny quackers were found in a Gold Coast drain but with the help of some pool scoop nets, they weren't down there long. Scroll down for video Eight little ducklings made for a very cute rescue (pictured) after a group of neighbours and firefighters helped save the curious swimmers The tiny quackers were found in a Gold Coast drain (pictured) but with the help of some pool scoop nets, they weren't down there long With the help of some concerned neighbours, the Robina firefighters scooped the ducklings into a laundry basket. The cute rescue was captured on camera with a crowd of onlookers, including a number of intrigued children, eagerly watching on. 'It's not all what it's quacked up to be,' one person can be heard saying. The little duckling's parents weren't far away, following closely behind as they were carried in a laundry basket. 'We like doing community service like this and with good outcomes everybody's happy,' firefighter Graeme Stoner told Nine News. The duck family were released in a safer spot at a nearby waterway, bringing smiles to locals faces. The storm cancelled more than 5,000 flights in and out of the US Thursday and sent temperatures dipping to a high of just 19F in the North East Friday Flyers took to Twitter and told DailyMail.com they waited up to three hours on planes after landing and faced further delays in reclaiming their luggage Airline passengers continued to face delays Friday night at New York's JFK Airport in the aftermath of Thursday's 'bomb cyclone' snow storm Travel chaos continued on Friday evening in the aftermath of the 'bomb cyclone' with passengers at New York's JFK Airport stuck on the runway for up to three hours after landing. East Coasters were dealing with a deadly dip in temperatures Friday just a day after a winter storm walloped the region with up to 18 inches of snow Thursday. Passengers told DailyMail.com that after facing delays from the huge snowstorm which cancelled more than 5,000 flights in and out of the US Thursday, once they finally thought they had reached their destinations they had more setbacks. Teacher Jessica Holden who was returning to New York on a Thomas Cook flight from Manchester in the UK said: 'The flight was due to land at 1.55pm, it touched down at 4pm but we were sat on tarmac until 6pm. 'I waited for baggage, then at 7.30pmish they said 'Oh sorry, because the plane went into the wrong terminal we can't bring it in'. There was nothing since. It's now 11pm and we've just been told we won't get our baggage tonight. People are getting angry. I just want to go home.' Scroll down for video Passengers are seen above waiting for their baggage at JFK on Friday evening after being held on planes after landing for up to three hours Passenger Gemma Bond took this photo at JFK on Friday night as she was stuck on a plane for nearly three hours after landing Crews can be seen trying the clear the snow from the runway in this photo snapped by flyer Gemma Bond on Friday night Passengers wait for their luggage at baggage claim in New York's JFK Airport on Friday evening Gemma Bond, who is from the UK and visiting NYC for a vacation, said: 'After my flight being cancelled due to JFK's closure I was very lucky to get on a later flight today which had us land at JFK at 5.50pm local time, you could see the airport and runways had masses of back log and that this wasn't going to be a quick exit. 'After 25 minutes we were informed it could be another 50 minutes it was actually another two hours plus.' Others took to Twitter. Michael Giurgea tweeted: '@JetBlue Been on Flight 915 for over 2 hours and now we're being told that there are over 50 planes ahead of us!! Does that make any sense? Get us out of here. Another 3 hours is unacceptable #ridiculous #jfk #JetBlue #furious.' JetBlue responded to his tweet and said: 'I know it's a long frustrating wait. Hang in there! We'll have you on your way as soon as we can.' Curt Hill tweeted: 'Flying to JFK was easy. Getting to a gate well.... landed 90 min ago and still waiting. #JFK #DeltaAirlines.' Colin Offland added: 'JFChaos. Im hearing it might be 2 hours until we can disembark and twitters talking about 2 more in baggage. #JFK challenging #Ringway and #CDG as worlds worst airport.' Michael Giurgea was also stuck at JFK and tweeted out above. JetBlue responded to him saying 'hang in there' And Janelle with the handle @writergirlinnyc wrote: 'Landed at #JFK via @emirates 2 hours ago, but still haven't reached my gate. Why? JGK's been reduced to 1 runway.....wtf? Know it was a blizzard bit srsly guys, a bit excessive #waiting.' At 6.53pm Friday Jessica French tweeted: 'I am trapped on @jetblue flight 915 from #JFK to SFO. We have been sitting on the plane since 3.45pm. We were told there are 50 planes ahead of us to take off and there is NO estimated time of departure. We were not given water until 2 hours in... Take us back to the gate!' Frustrated passengers trapped on planes at New York's JFK Airport on Friday took to Twitter, seen above JFK closed Thursday at 11am when the storm hit and reopened on Friday at 7am. Other passengers took to Twitter frustrated that their flights were still delayed Friday evening. Kamara tweeted: 'Our flight is delayed and they're making us wait 8 hours in the airport for the next flight without giving us another ticket. I'm losing my mind.' More passengers took to Twitter above saying that their flights out of JFK were delayed Friday evening Temperatures reached only a high of 19F in the region Friday - making it even colder than when the storm hit on Thursday. And it will remain cold throughout the weekend, with highs of 16 degrees expected on Saturday and 21 degrees on Sunday. It will feel as low as minus 15 degrees from Philly to Beantown on Friday, while residents of states like Maryland and Virginia shiver from temps ranging from 10 degrees to 15 degrees. NORTHEAST TEMPERATURE FORECAST FOR THE WEEKEND CITY FRi SAT SUN NYC 14 /5 11 /0 18 /16 PHILADELPHIA 17 /6 16 /0 19 /15 BOSTON 14 /-1 8 /-5 15 /11 DC 19 /8 20 /7 27 /20 PORTLAND 12 /-6 5 /-10 13 /8 The storm began two days ago in the Gulf of Mexico and first struck the Florida Panhandle. By Thursday it was wreaking havoc as blizzard warnings and states of emergency went into effect along the Eastern Seaboard. Wind gusts hit more than 70 mph in places and some areas saw as much as 18 inches of snow. The storm caused school and business closings, airline and rail service cancellations or reductions and thousands of utilities outages, many of them restored quickly. Some ferry services even had to be shut down along the Canadian coast. In the South, the winter weather forced portable toilets to be put in place outside Mississippi's Capitol after pipes burst and it caused iguanas to become sluggish and topple from trees in South Florida. Residents of southeast Georgia were treated to a rare half foot of snow. A satellite image showed the extent of the storm which closed down much of the East Coast Friday and flyers were still feeling the aftermath Friday night A Southwest Airlines airplane navigates a snowy and icy Logan International Airport in Boston, Massachusetts, Friday A young father has allegedly been killed by an Indian student driving on an international licence. John Wilson, 30, died after a crash involving his sedan and an Isuzu delivery truck driven by Hari Bommareddy, 24, in Newbury, Victoria on Thursday morning. Mr Bommareddy allegedly veered onto the wrong side of the road on Greendale-Trentham Road about 7.45am, according to The Courier. A young father has allegedly been killed by an Indian student driving on an international licence John Wilson, 30, died after a crash involving his sedan and an Isuzu delivery truck driven by Hari Bommareddy, 24, in Newbury, Victoria on Thursday morning. Mr Wilson died at the scene having just left his home in Fern Hill. His fiance and two-year-old child arrived shortly after the fatal crash and were comforted by police. Geelong resident Mr Bommareddy was granted conditional bail at the Ballarat Magistrates' Court on Friday. Victoria Police have alleged Mr Bommareddy said Mr Wilson was on driving on the wrong side of the road and caused the collision. Detective Leading Senior Constable Matthew Hunt told the court evidence from the scene refuted that. 'Evidence shows [Mr Wilson] has braked heavily prior to impact, leaving a skid mark that was up against the outside fog line for the south-bound traffic,' he said. Mr Wilson died at the scene having just left his home in Fern Hill Mr Bommareddy told police he was awake and driving at the time of the crash and had an international driver's licence from India. His bail conditions specify that he surrender his passport, not leave Victoria, not drive a motor vehicle and to report to police three times a week. The court heard Mr Bommareddy was on a student visa studying engineering management at Deakin University. He will appear before Bendigo Magistrates' Court on May 16 charged with dangerous driving causing death. Advertisement Thousands of car enthusiasts have flocked to Australia's capital city to celebrate the annual Summernats festival on the weekend. Canberra was flooded with people from all over the country as they descended on the city to watch revved up cars take to the streets for the yearly horsepower party. The festival, which runs from January 4 - 7, brings car enthusiasts and their polished supercharged machines to Exhibition Park in Canberra for a weekend of burnouts and music. Thousands of car enthusiasts have flocked to Australia's capital city to celebrate the annual Summernats festival on the weekend Race girls pose with a Rare Spare car, sponsors of Summernats, as thousands descend on the capital city for the festival The festival, which runs from January 4 - 7, brings car enthusiasts and their polished supercharged machines to Canberra's Exhibition Park Day one kicked off on Friday with a last chance shootout to enter the burnouts competition, sending fans wild as turbocharged cars covered them in smoke and soot. Australian hip-hop group Thundamentals wowed crowds on Friday night as well, getting festival goers ready for a weekend of burnouts, music and tattoos. Plenty were happy to add some new ink at the car show, with the event launching the first Summernats Body Art Nationals Awards. Australia's top 'street machine' will be awarded to one lucky winner at the end of the festival, as well as champion of the burnout battle. Despite the heat, many were still keen to watch tyres burn as drivers gave their best shot at the burnout competition Dressed down in singlets and bras, many women made the most of the sunny day to capture a selfie or two With a stockpile of beers, the owner of this ute is sure to be having a fantastic time cooling off at the Summernats festival The sweltering heat appeared to be too much for one fan, who took to parading around with a T-shirt, bum bag and not much else Festival goers were sure to be melting on Saturday however, with temperatures in Canberra expected to reach 36C and climb to 38C on Sunday. Described by some as the 'Bathurst of burnouts', Summernats is a streetmachine festival started by renowned local rev-head Chic Henry in 1988. More than 1,800 cars take part in the annual festival supported by hundreds of thousands of car enthusiasts. Festival goers were dressed in a collection of clothes, ranging from muscle T-shirts and short shorts to barely anything as the temperature climbed in the afternoon. Despite the heat, many were still keen to watch tyres burn as drivers gave their best shot at the burnout competition. Justine Mott (pictured) is the only female driver in the masters Summernats burnout competition in Canberra Australia's top 'street machine' will be awarded to one lucky winner at the end of the festival, as well as champion of the burnout battle The annual festival brings together car enthusiasts from across the nation to celebrate all things muscle and supercharged Covered in soot and no doubt melting in the heat, this bunch of friends appeared to be in good spirits at the festival A startling video has emerged of a young man damaging a woman's car in a parking lot before almost being run over. Dashcam footage from a parked car shows a woman driving a grey Madza, pulling up and then reversing backwards. After the car comes to a stop, a man dressed in hoodie, tracksuit pants and running shoes jogs up to the vehicle and punches the rear-view mirror before turning away. Scroll down for video A startling video has emerged of a young man damaging a woman's car in a parking station But seemingly eager to catch the thug, the woman accelerates and drives towards the man, who responds by kicking the car again. As his foot makes contact with the rear view mirror a second time, it snaps off the car and dangles by its wires as the car starts to move. The woman then opens her door as the car rolls forward towards the vandal, resulting in a collision with the parked car and the man running away. A motorist claiming to be the car's owner spoke out in the comments section of the YouTube video. They said the police later handed over the woman's details but that she never responded to his insurance company. 'Need David Attenborough to narrate this one, the feral Aussie bogan in its natural habitat,' wrote another amused commenter. Dashcam footage from a parked car shows a woman driving a Mazda, pulling up and reversing Six volunteer firefighters including the fire chief and the operations captain in Virginia are accused of gang raping a 17-year-old and posting video of it to Snapchat. The investigation into the firefighters with the Strasburg Fire Department began in April. On Tuesday police charged Nathan Hirschberg, 26, Andrew Key, 24, Dale King, 36, Bradly Marlin, 21, Christopher Pangle, 32 and Fabian Sosa, 25, with contributing to the delinquency of a minor. King is the Fire Chief, while Pangle is the department's operations captain. The firefighters face up to 12 months in jail, and, or a fine of $2,500 on the misdemeanor charge. Scroll down for video Strasburg Fire Department's operations chief Christopher Pangle (left) and volunteer firefighter Nathan S. Hirschberg (right) were both charged with contributing to the delinquency of a minor Strasburg Fire Department volunteers Andrew S. Key and Fabian J. Sosa were also charged The investigation started when a concerned citizen alerted the mayor of Strasburg to the existence of a video that allegedly showed a 'gang rape' of a 17-year-old, according to local Fox5. The Virginia State Police took over the case. Investigators with the say the acts happened in three different locations- with at least one of those occurring at the Strasburg firehouse. At least one of the alleged incidents happened at the Strasburg Firehouse (pictured) They add that screen shots from the alleged video show the teen 'highly intoxicated' and intimidated by all of the suspects. Meanwhile the unidentified teen says sex with at least one of the men was non-consensual. The case will be held in Shenandoah Juvenile Court, and will not be open to the public. The accused woman is likely to be charged with causing grievous bodily harm Over 22 per cent of her chest and back was burned by boiling water from a kettle Trudi Lenon, 43, was taken to hospital with severe burns after the brutal attack Convicted murderer of autistic teen boy attacked behind bars on New Year's Day A female prisoner accused of attacking convicted murderer Trudi Lenon is 'likely' to be charged next week with causing grievous bodily harm. 'Fetish killer' Lenon was taken to Fiona Stanley Hospital suffering severe burns to 22 per cent of her chest and back after she was doused with boiling water from a kettle on New Year's Day. It is understood that guards inside Bandyup Women's Prison intervened and helped Lenon before the ambulance arrived. She will be in hospital for several days. According to Perth Now, police have yet to interview the accused woman. Convicted murderer Trudi Lenon was taken to hospital with severe burns after being attacked Trudi Lenon was convicted of the murder of Aaron Pajich (left) alongside Jemma Lilley (right) The 43-year-old was convicted in November 2016 for stabbing and killing autistic teenage Aaron Pajich in Perth in 2016 She was charged alongside her accomplice Jemma Lilley, 26, for killing Aaron to 'satisfy a twisted death fetish'. The 18-year-old's body was found in the backyard of the Orelia house which Lenon and Lilley shared in July 2016. Lenon insisted that she was only an accessory in the murder of Mr Pajich, who had been described as having high functioning autism, claiming Lilley was the real killer. Lilley's motive for murder was reportedly that it was her 'life's ambition' to kill someone by the time she was aged 25, a West Australian Supreme Court jury was told on in October. Sharon Pajich, mother of Aaron, leaves the court in Western Australia after the guilty verdict Lilley was reportedly so 'full of herself and euphoric' after committing the murder, that she could not help boasting about killing someone to one of her colleagues. She also left incriminating voice messages to her 'obsequious and sycophantic' fellow murderer Lenon, talking about how excited she was experiencing things 'she had not felt before'. The 18-year-old's body was found in a shallow grave and covered with concrete and tiles on June 13 last year. Lilley was reportedly so 'euphoric' after killing Aaron (pictured) that she boasted to a friend Veronica Desmond, Aaron's stepmother, leaves court after Lilley and Lenon were found guilty Evidence of Lilley and Lenon's guilt could be found in a series of phone messages, where they were discussing killing someone while referring to each other by their bizarre names SOS and Corvina. SOS was the name of a serial killer in a book Lilley had written while Corvina was the name Lenon used as a submissive participant in the bondage scene. Lenon is in a stable condition at Fiona Stanley Hospital in Perth's south. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, January 5) Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) board member Sandra Cam has filed a police blotter with the Mandaluyong City Police claiming threats against her life. In a press conference, Cam showed a picture of a man who, according to her staff, entered her office together with PCSO General Manager Alexander Balutan and a few others who threatened to bomb her office. Cam recently exposed the alleged lavish Christmas party of the PCSO, where she claimed cost about 9 million. She also said the Senate is already eyeing an investigation into the lavish spending. Cam also mentioned the recent disagreement between her and the PCSO's top management over the 1.3 billion budget cut from the agency's charity fund for 2018. Following her expose, the PCSO director said Balutan issued a memo preventing the release of documents without his approval. Since then, Cam has requested for a list of hospitals provided with "guarantee letters" in favor of patients seeking medical assistance, but until now she claims to have not received any document. Cam said she will not stop unless President Rodrigo Duterte tells her to. She also denied the allegations that gaming tycoon Atong Ang has influence over her initiative to probe small town lotteries, saying they are friends, but Ang has nothing to do with her exposes. CNN Philippines is trying to reach Balutan, who has yet to give a statement as of posting. Christmas party expose CNN Philippines obtained a copy of a PCSO memorandum signed by Balutan, indicating cash advances for the agency's Christmas party amounting to more than 9 million. According to the 2017 invitation, the party was held at a 5-star hotel in Mandaluyong City on December 19. Most of the allocation went to the Raffle and Prizes committee, costing 3.7 million, while the Food, Venue, and Refreshments committee was allotted 3.3 million. The Presentation committee received 600,000. The company also spent hundreds of thousands on the physical arrangement, grocery baskets, and corporate giveaways, while 31,000 was spent on the thanksgiving Mass, and 300,000 was for contingency. However, the 9 million cash advance is a few millions lower than the proposed budget for the party as seen in another document obtained by CNN Philippines. The original proposal amounted to 14.4 million, which was eventually reduced to 11.1 million. "Whether it's 6 million, 10 million, 14 million, still that's a big amount of money na dapat hindi natin tinatapon sa Christmas party. Maraming nangagailangan ng tulong ng PCSO," Cam said. [Translation: Whether it's 6 million, 10 million, 14 million, that's a big amount of money that should not have been spent on the Christmas party. Many people need the help of PCSO.] Sources from the agency said it was not that first time it spent a huge amount of money for a Christmas Party, with some even saying the 2017 Christmas party cost relatively less compared to previous years. President Donald Trump repeated his attacks on author Michael Wolff and sloppy Steve Bannon with a late-night tweet on Friday. The president denounced Wolff, the author of Fire and Fury: Inside the Trump White House, a scathing new book that contains embarrassing claims about the 45th commander in chief. Among the claims made by Wolff in the book are that the president is mentally unfit for the job and that he has trouble taking in new information, which is a possible result of either dyslexia or him being 'semi-literate.' Trump on Friday blasted Wolff as a total loser who made up stories in order to sell this really boring and untruthful book. President Donald Trump repeated his attacks on author Michael Wolff (right) and sloppy Steve Bannon (left) with a late-night tweet on Friday The presidents tweet was a response to a tweet put out by the official Republican Party Twitter account which uses quotes from other journalists to call into question Wolff's credibility Trump also takes a verbal jab at sloppy Steve Bannon, tweeting that he cried when he got fired and begged for his job. Now Sloppy Steve has been dumped like a dog by almost everyone, Trump tweeted. Too bad! The presidents tweet was a response to a tweet put out by the official Republican Party Twitter account. The GOPs Twitter handle posted an image of Wolff, saying the reviews are in. Trump has re-branded his estranged former adviser Bannon as 'Sloppy Steve' It then lists a number of quotes made about Wolff by journalists who have questioned his credibility. Wolff has been accused in years past of fabricating details in books and misrepresenting events. Wolff is the author of Fire and Fury: Inside the Trump White House, a scathing new book that contains embarrassing claims about the 45th commander in chief Bannon, a former Trump strategist and campaign CEO, joined an exclusive club Thursday night, earning the derogatory nickname 'Sloppy Steve' from Trump. Shortly after initial claims from the book were published, the president on Tuesday tweeted that the political gossip tome is 'full of lies, misrepresentations and sources that dont exist.' 'Look at this guys past and watch what happens to him and Sloppy Steve!' Bannon is known for dressing 'like an unmade bed and doesn't care,' a close associate told DailyMail.com on Friday, layering two polos on top of each other. He eschewed suits and other business attire outside the White House when he worked for the president. Wolff describes Bannon's typical attire as a 'disheveled blazer' and 'signature pairing of two shirts and military fatigues.' Trump famously labeled his presidential rivals with vicious nicknames. Sen. Ted Cruz became 'Lyin Ted'; the low-statured Sen. Marco Rubio was 'Liddle Marco'; Hillary Clinton became 'Crooked Hillary' as the then-candidate harped on her classified email scandal. Bannon is often unshaven and typically wears army fatigues instead of suits The former White House chief strategist dresses 'like an unmade bed,' a close associate told DailyMail.com on Friday, 'and doesn't care' The president has firmly decided on a nasty nickname for Bannon, tweeting twice already about 'Sloppy Steve' Trump has repeatedly called Sen. Elizabeth Warren, a liberal Democrat, 'Pocahontas,' a dig at her unproven claim to have American Indian ancestry. And after a choked-up Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer wept while slamming Trump's travel ban in 2017, the president stamped him as 'Cryin Chuck.' More recently, the president has rebranded North Korean dictator Kim Jong-Un as 'Rocket Man' over his nuclear ambitions, using the insult during speeches to the United Nations and South Korea's national assembly. Recipients of the Trump nickname treatment during the 2016 Republican presidential primary season included (L-R) 'Lyin Ted' Cruz, 'Liddle Marco' Rubio and 'Low-energy Jeb' Bush (clockwise from top left) Trump called Hillary Clinton 'Crooked Hillary' because of her classified email scandal and coined 'Crazy Bernie' to describe Bernie Sanders' democratic socialism; he mocked Chuck Schumer as 'Cryin Chuck' after a weepy press conference, and has ridiculed Elizabeth Warren as 'Pocahontas' because she claims to be part American Indian Trump cemented the newest sobriquet after financiers Robert and Rebekah Mercer cut Bannon off and stopped funding his political exploits 'Bekah' Mercer is also a part owner of Breitbart News, the conservative website where Bannon serves as executive chairman and de facto executive editor. 'The Mercer Family recently dumped the leaker known as Sloppy Steve Bannon. Smart!' Trump tweeted. 'I support President Trump and the platform upon which he was elected,' Mercer said Thursday in a statement. 'My family and I have not communicated with Steve Bannon in many months and have provided no financial support to his political agenda, nor do we support his recent actions and statements.' The Mercers were principally driven away after Republican Roy Moore, whom Bannon backed, lost a U.S. Senate seat in the deep-red state of Alabama. Robert Mercer and his daughter Rebekah, prominent conservative donors, have cut off Bannon and won't contribute to any more of his political exploits Bannon, shown stumping for failed Alabama U.S. Senate candidate Roy Moore last month, is generally a stranger to business attire But Wolff's book may have been the final straw for the conservative donors, who initially back Ted Cruz's White House candidacy but put $5 million into Trump's campaign when the political winds shifted. With the publication of Wolff's book, Bannon has been recast as a serial leaker, among the most active dirt-disher in the Trump White House's early months. White House press secretary Sarah Sanders said this week that 'close to 95 per cent' of Wolff's interactions with presidential aides came about because Bannon asked for them. Two enormous snakes weighing more than 15 kilograms have been seized from a Brisbane house after a public tip-off. Queensland Police searched the house in Dutton Park and found the two huge pythons on Friday. The olive python was almost three metres long while the albino python was almost two metres long. Two enormous snakes weighing more than 15 kilograms have been seized from a Brisbane house after a public tip-off (one python pictured) The olive python (pictured) was found in Dutton Park house and was almost three metres long The albino python (pictured) was almost two metres long and was put into the care of RSPCA 'This little fella was rescued during the full-scale sssssearch of an East Brisbane home yesterday afternoon,' Queensland Police wrote on Facebook. Taking three officers to hold the olive python, the snakes were put into the care of the RSPCA. Police also found an improvised taser, knuckledusters and drug utensils on the property. A 41-year-old East Brisbane man was given a Notice to Appear for restriction on keeping or using a taken protected animal, possessing dangerous drugs, possessing drug utensils and unlawful possession of weapons. Plus-size Australian fashion retailer Maggie T has become the latest victim to the country's retail downturn, entering into administration on Wednesday. The company was believed to have been struggling to pay debts in the lead-up to Christmas and appointed administrators this week, the Sydney Morning Herald reports. Since the announcement, the brand has slashed the prices of their clothing in online sales. Plus-size Australian fashion retailer Maggie T has entered in administration this week Maggie T Corporation was developed to celebrate Australian model and Gold Logie winner Maggie Tabberer (pictured) Customers can now save up to 70 per cent online and 30 per cent in store as the company reduces their prices. Administrators from DW Advisory are set to hold a meeting for creditors on Friday to discuss the future of the company. Maggie T lists 28 stores across most parts of the country, with many in Sydney and Melbourne. The stores, which stock women's fashion from sizes 12 to 24, are believed to still be operating. Maggie T Corporation was developed to celebrate Australian model and Gold Logie winner Maggie Tabberer. Since the announcement, the brand has slashed the prices of their clothing in online sales While she is a brand ambassador, Ms Tabberer is not a director or shareholder in Maggie T Corporation Pty Ltd. The company's administration follows the collapse of high end handbag retailer Oroton in November. Ms Tabberer, who celebrated her 80th birthday last year, has been advocating fashion for fuller-figured women for decades. She claimed she has reached out to the company but has not received a reply yet Sally, 22, used lotion The Fox Tan but said she ended up with red skin and blisters A New South Wales woman claims she was sunburned after using tanning lotion The quest for the perfect summer tan took a nasty turn for one woman who says she's been burned by a tanning lotion, even though she used SPF50 sunscreen. Sally, 22, packed her bags for Evans Head on Wednesday to enjoy some surf and sun on the northern New South Wales Coast when she decided to buy 'The Fox Tan' after a recommendation from a friend. The tanning lotion, which retails for $60, claims that it is 'activated by repeat UV exposure', and directs users to apply it to their skin before sitting in the sun. Sally, 22, is still in 'incredible pain' after being badly burnt by a tanning lotion called 'The Fox' Sally applied The Fox Tan (left) to her untanned skin (right) and left it on for about 45 minutes 'It advertises that you get minimal UV exposure to tan quickly with their product and its recommended to use some sunscreen with it,' Sally told Daily Mail Australia on Saturday. 'But I followed the instructions AND I also wore SPF50 sunscreen and that didnt happen for me at all.' She planned to use The Fox Tan once on each side of her body, and then continue with regular sunscreen: 'I just wanted the product to speed things up a bit without getting fried like what those reef oils do.' After less than 45 minutes in the sun on a 27C day, Sally was delighted to notice tan lines developing on her body, and decided that she'd had enough sun for the product to work. After less than 45 minutes, Sally found that her skin had turned the brown colour she wanted Retiring to the shade for a break from the heat and some water, she started to notice that her skin was no longer brown. 'The whole front of me turned cherry-red in less than four hours,' Sally said, adding that she has burst blood vessels on her legs and large blisters all over her body. 'Even though I was constantly spraying Aloe Vera, I had that feeling like I was standing too close to a fire but couldnt cool down.' 'The first night it was so painful, I couldnt even sleep under the sheet and blanket because it heated my skin up further,' she said. Sally's pharmacist gave her burn dressings and antiseptic spray, and personally believes the almond oil in the lotion could have caused the burns, The pharmacist advised her that her skin needs to be cool in order for it to heal and that there was nothing else to be done. Even with SPF50 sunscreen, she has barely been able to go outside for three days, and says that even changing her clothes is painful. 'The first night it was so painful, I couldnt even sleep under the sheet,' Sally said of her burn 'Im just really disappointed,' Sally admitted, adding that if her injuries had been any worse she would have been 'really mad'. 'I am an avid fake tanner, I've never used a solarium in my life and I used a different product in February last year and did not have this reaction. 'That product was an oil ... then for the second time I gave the same technique a go with a different product and the burning and blisters then occurred. 'I'm sleeping terribly because of the blisters [and] my skin will be out of action now for weeks - I still can't go to the gym or even hug people.' Three days later, her skin is still bright red and it hurts to do simple tasks like changing clothes She also worries for other people, and wants to stop them from having the same painful experience that was inflicted upon her - and recommends that people stick to getting a tan that comes solely from a bottle. Sally reached out to The Fox Tan company via their Instagram page. They issued an apology and a refund, and assured customers that Sally's case was incredily unnusual. 'The Fox Tan has been on the market for 2+ years with hundreds of thousands of satisfied users globally, and this is one of the few occasions that weve had a disgruntled consumer,' a spokesperson told Daily Mail Australia. 'We take great pride in our products and take all customer feedback seriously.' The father of one the two kidnapped girls from Texas says he was previously concerned about the how man, who is been charged in the kidnapping, was behaving around his daughter. Greg Griffith, whose 14-year-old daughter Lilianas Griffith was kidnapped along with her half sister Luluvioletta Bandera-Magret, was relieved the girls were found, but he says the alleged kidnapper was 'acting like a pedophile' around his daughter they were allegedly snatched. 'He was not mentally right,' Griffith told KVUE about Terry Allen Miles, 44, who was placed under arrest following a frantic nationwide search for the girls. Miles is also a person of interest in the girls' mother, Tonya Bates' death. Terry Allen Miles, 44, (left) was arrested in a remote area of southern Colorado Wednesday and is charged with kidnapping the girls, and is a person of interest in their mother's murder. Greg Griffith (right) the 14-year-old's father said he was acting like a 'pedophile' around his daughter Lilianas Griffith, 14, and Luluvioletta Bandera-magret, seven, (right) were found in Trinidad, Colorado after they were abducted from their home in Round Rock, Texas allegedly by Terry Allen Miles (left). Miles was also found and is in custody The girls' mother has been identified as 44-year-old Tonya Bates. Her cause of death has not yet been revealed 'Something was not quite right, but I had no idea he had so much wrong' the 14-year-old's father said. And, he says, the relationship Miles had with his daughter was troubling, and found it had crossed the line. Griffith told the Statesman that Miles had first met his daughter around July 4, while she was staying with her father in Louisiana. Miles was doing housework at Griffith's home. 'I had to run him off,' he told KVUE. 'As soon as he met her, he couldn't leave her alone.' However, he was shocked to learn that Miles followed his daughter to her home in Round Rock, Texas and began living with the girls and their mother- as a roommate. 'I just could not believe he was down there and I knew exactly why he was there,' said Griffith. 'He was stalking [my daughter].' Griffith tried to tell his daughter that Miles could be dangerous, but he says, she got upset at him. 'She said I was treating Terry like (expletive), and that she really liked Terry and wasn't going to let me tell her who her friends were,' Griffith said. Miles was captured after a deputy in Las Animas County spotted his gray 2007 Hyundai Accent However, he never expected their mother to turn up dead, and the girls to be kidnapped. 'It was the worst thing,' he said. He says he is thankful the girls are safe. 'I don't want her to be discouraged in herself,' Griffitth said. 'Especially with her mom passing on like that. I don't want her thinking that it's her fault that happened ... I'm here for her anytime she wants and has a place for her to recuperate.' The girls are currently in foster care in Texas, as the state determines whats best for their well being. A petition by Child Protective Services filed Thursday seeks to terminate parental rights, according to the Statesman. The petition alleges Griffith knowingly allowed his daughter to remain in conditions that were dangerous to her physical or emotional well-being. The seven-year-old's father is homeless, according to the petition, and could not be located. The girls were recovered safely some 700 miles from their Texas home and taken to a hospital to be checked for injuries. Law enforcement had been looking for Miles as a person of interest after the girls' mother, Tonya Bates, 44, was found dead in their Round Rock home on December 30. Miles sent a text message to his own mother saying that he had 'left with the kids and came home to something bad' adding that 'Tonya was involved in some bad stuff' and 'these guys are crazy Mexicans'. Miles and the girls were spotted on December 30 on surveillance video at a store in Trinidad A spokesman for the U.S. Attorney's office in Denver, where Miles made his first appearance in court Thursday afternoon, said he waived his right to a preliminary hearing in Colorado and consented to being transported to Texas. Spokesman Jeff Dorschner said Miles reserved his right to have a preliminary hearing and detention hearing when he arrives in Texas. Co-workers first alerted police in Round Rock to ask that they check on Bates when she did not show up for work that Saturday. An officer found Bates dead from apparent blunt force trauma. An affidavit submitted by an FBI special agent seeking kidnapping charges against Miles says police contacted Bates' family, who told them Bates' daughters lived with her and she had a roommate, who they identified as Miles. Police issued an Amber Alert for the girls, noting they could be with Miles and could be driving in Bates' car, which was also missing from her home. Special Agent Sean Mullen wrote in the affidavit that Miles' mother had received a text message from him about 1 a.m. Saturday using one of the daughters' cellphones, mentioning 'crazy Mexicans.' Police believe Bates and Miles were roommates Law enforcement officials tracked the girls' phones, finding one in the woods near a Wal-Mart in Round Rock. Surveillance footage from the store showed Miles buying camping gear, including a 10-person tent, rope and tarps, then leaving in a vehicle that matched Bates' car. The other daughter's phone showed a location near two cell towers in New Mexico on January 1. A license plate reader also captured a picture of the car travelling toward Colorado. Law enforcement officers in several Colorado cities and counties checked hotels in the area after receiving multiple reports of sightings. Deputy Chief Jay Harrison of the Trinidad Police Department in Colorado said Miles may have been camping near Stonewall. He said deputies and officers had been looking for Miles in the remote area near the Sangre de Cristo Mountains about 24 miles west of Trinidad, Colorado, Wednesday evening. After he was spotted, authorities said he began to drive erratically. Lilianas Griffith (left) and Luluvioletta Bandera-magret will be placed in the care of child protective services before they are returned home to Texas Miles has a long criminal past and was arrested at least seven times between 2006 and 2015, including for porn involving a juvenile. The case is still being investigated After more deputies arrived, Harrison said they were able to pull over Miles and take him into custody without any problems. Meanwhile, it has also been revealed that Miles is still a person of interest in the 2014 homicide of the mother of a woman in Louisiana he was dating and living with at the time. According to Louisiana court records, Miles is on probation from a 2015 domestic violence conviction and a 2014 conviction for possession of stolen goods. Calcasieu Parish Sheriff Tony Mancuso told the Austin American-Statesman that Miles had a history of domestic violence arrests and convictions. He was convicted two other times in 2009 and 2011 on domestic violence charges. Mancuso said Miles is still a person of interest in the 2014 homicide of the mother of a woman he was dating and living with at the time. He was also charged with second-degree attempted murder for trying to suffocate a woman he was dating in 2011 and allegedly staging a suicide scene. The 2011 charges were dropped when that woman killed herself before she could testify. 'He will live with a woman until she's had enough, then he beats up on her and moves on and finds another victim,' Mancuso said. Miles was also convicted twice in California with of injuring a spouse or cohabitant, in 1995 and 2002. A man ended up in hospital after a taxi allegedly dragged him down the streets of Sydney early Saturday morning. NSW Police said the 30-year-old man got into an argument with a taxi driver. The man attempted to hail a taxi at the intersection of Park and George streets at about 1.20am but the driver allegedly declined the fare. A man ended up in hospital after a taxi allegedly dragged him down the streets of Sydney early Saturday morning (stock image) The man attempted to hail a taxi at about 1.20am but the driver allegedly declined the fare and dragged him to Druitt and Sussex streets (pictured) where he fell to the ground 'The would-be passenger reportedly reached into the cab as the driver accelerated away,' NSW Police wrote in a statement. The 30-year-old was then allegedly dragged about 100 metres to the intersection of Druitt and Sussex streets before he fell to the ground. The taxi driver reportedly left the scene, leaving the man unconscious on the ground. Passers-by helped the man until emergency services arrived at the scene. The man suffered injuries to the head and was taken to Sydney Eye Hospital. Police are encouraging anyone with information to contact Day Street Police Station or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000. Search warrants that were recently returned shed further light on the grisly murder of a Virginia couple that is believed to have been committed by their daughter's neo-Nazi boyfriend. Nicholas Giampa is accused of murdering Buckley Kuhn-Fricker, 43, and Scott Fricker, 48, in their home in Reston, Virginia, at 5am on December 22. Investigators found bullet holes, cartridge cases, a knife and a hammer in the home along with blood stains in multiple locations, the Washington Post reports. Nicholas Giampa is the teenager accused of murdering his girlfriend's parents on December 22 by shooting them in their home after they told their daughter to break up with him over neo-Nazi tweets they say he posted Buckley Kuhn-Fricker, 43, and Scott Fricker, 48, died in their home on December 22 after being shot at around 5am Courtesy: WJLA Ammunition was found in the accused's home, according to another search warrant. Other search warrants appear to confirm the version of events that has been established in the sordid crime. One also states that Kuhn-Fricker had had contact with the family of the accused. Giampa, 17, allegedly murdered his girlfriend's parents after they convinced her to break up with him over his neo-Nazi views. It came days after Ms. Kuhn-Fricker reported a Twitter account she believed was his to the school he attended with her daughter. The account belongs to a Kevin Gallo who tweets under the handle @doctorpepper35. It was revealed on Thursday as Giampa remained in hospital. He shot himself after allegedly murdering the girl's parents and remains in hospital with a brain injury. Stock photos show cartridge cases (left) and a hammer (right), two items found in the home Giampo is said to have tweeted under the name Kevin Gallo to repost and share pro-Nazi content online. It was posts such as this one which Ms. Kuhn-Fricker reported to the school he attended before she was shot dead Police have charged the teenager, who remains in hospital after shooting himself at the scene, with murder but have not released his name. However, The Huffington Post spoke with friends of the Fricker family who gave his name. They linked him to the Twitter account by an email address which was used for both Giampa's Facebook page and the Kevin Gallo account. Among its memes and photographs he retweeted is one of Adolf Hitler in which he appeared dressed in a cape. The accompanying caption read: 'If not all heroes wear capes, explain this to me.' Two months before allegedly shooting dead his girlfriend's parents, Giampa mowed a giant swastika into the grass of a community field in Lorton, Virginia, where he lives. Residents told his parents about it instead of the police. On Twitter, @doctorpepper35 most often retweeted anti-semitic posts. He shared content which denied parts of the Holocaust and said the biggest tragedy of WWII was the death of Hitler's dog. Huhn-Fricker was alerted to the posts on her daughter's phone and was horrified. She pleaded with her daughter to break up with the boy and wrote an email to their school alerting them to the harmful content. In that email, she called the boy a 'monster' who was 'spreading hate'. Other posts he shared questioned the Holocaust. All of the content was violently derogatory towards Jews Under the Kevin Gallo Twitter account, Giampa also retweeted this image depicting a girl drawing a swastika. Two months before the Frickers' killing, he mowed a swastika into grass of a community field in Lorton, Virginia, according to residents According to friends and relatives, Ms Kuhn-Fricker had been trying to split her daughter and Giampa up for months. She eventually listened to her and dumped the boy a few days before her mother's death Her daughter, who DailyMail.com is not naming, followed her advice and broke off their romance after an intervention from her mother and grandmother days before the shooting, according to friends. On the morning of their deaths, the Frickers had several other people in their home. The family had gathered there for Christmas. The couple woke up to sounds coming from their daughter's room and went inside to find Giampa there. It is not clear where he got his weapon from or if he ever intended to harm the teenage girl. After arguing, he allegedly shot both of her parents and then himself. He survived and was taken to hospital where, according to a relative, he is suffering a brain injury. One of the search warrants states: 'The suspect was observed in a verbal confrontation with the homeowners, one search warrant reads.' It continues: 'The confrontation turned violent and the suspect shot and killed the homeowners.' The boy was described by friends and neighbors of the family as 'troubled'. It is not known what other interaction he ha had with the police if any at all. After the swastika incident in October, residents took it upon themselves to re-mow the grass themselves. Giampa's family have not commented since the Frickers' deaths. Scott and Buckley Fricker with their daughter and 10-year-old son. He was in the front yard when police arrived at their home on December 22, according to charging documents Firefighters are battling an out-of-control blaze that is threatening a number of suburban homes. The bushfire has already damaged at least one house in Carrum Downs in southeast Melbourne. Residents have been ordered to leave their homes although a late-afternoon wind change has come through and fire crews are combating the blaze. In Melbourne's west an out-of-control grassfire is travelling in a northerly direction towards Eynesbury township, and residents have been asked to leave. Scroll down for video Residents have been ordered to leave their homes, with a wind change expected in the next 30 minutes that could impact homes in nearby streets Firefighters are battling an out-of-control blaze that is threatening a number of suburban homes One of two firefighting helicopters fighting the fire drops water at Carrum Downs in Melbourne 'Don't wait, leaving now is the safest option - conditions may change and get worse very quickly,' Vic Emergency warned residents of Carrum Downs, Frankston North, Langwarrin and Skye. 'Emergency Services may not be able to help you if you decide to stay.' The fire broke out on Blue Wren Rise in Carrum Downs at about 2.40pm, and thirty crews of firefighters were sent in response. The bushfire is now travelling in a south-easterly direction towards Lexton Drive. Two fire helicopters were ordered to the scene and water-bombed the blaze from the air, joined by fire crews on the ground. Residents should remember to take pets, mobile phone and medications, and travel to the home of family or friends that are away from the warning area. A fire helicopter was on the scene water-bombing from the air, joined by fire crews on the ground A man is seen watering a rooftop at Carrum Downs in Melbourne despite residents being warned to leave 'Don't wait, leaving now is the safest option - conditions may change and get worse very quickly,' Vic Emergency warned A bushfire breaks out of control near the Peninsula link Freeway in Carrum Downs, Melbourne The cause of the fire is yet to be determined, according to CFA Assistant Chief Officer Trevor Owens, The Herald Sun reported. The fire damaged 10 hectares of land, one home, four sheds and fencing, and over 300 firefighters were involved in combating the blaze. 'It traveled several kilometres in the first hour. A lot of embers were being thrown up in front of the fire which caused a lot of concern,' he said. 'Firefighters have made a tremendous effort to get in top of what has been a difficult day of extreme heat, low humidity and strong northerly winds. It was a very very good outcome.' This map shows the area where residents have been ordered to leave after a bushfire threatened homes A bushfire burns houses in Flora Park Way, Carrum Downs in Melbourne A man is seen watering a rooftop at Carrum Downs in Melbourne, Saturday, January 6 They are asked to keep the roads clear so emergency services can respond, not return to their homes if they are away, and to monitor conditions for changes in the situation. 'If you are currently driving slow down and turn on your headlights; smoke will make it difficult to see,' said Vic Emergency. A total fire ban is in place across Victoria until midnight. Sunday is expected to be much cooler. In South Australia's southeast a local farmer reported a 'wall of flames' as an extremely dangerous bushfire raged out of control through scrub and grassland. Burnt out land is seen at Carrum Downs in Melbourne after a bushfire ravaged the area Damage is seen to a home on Darnley Drive at Carrum Downs by Saturday's out-of-control bushfire Resident Ray O'Halloran looks at the damage done to his motor home bus during a bushfire in Carrum Downs The bushfire has already damaged at least one house in Carrum Downs, southeast Melbourne An emergency warning was issued on Saturday afternoon for the Sherwood, Brimbago, Lowan Vale, McCallum and Senior areas near the South Australian-Victorian border. 'If you are in this area you are in danger. There is a risk to your life and property,' the CFS said. 'Take shelter inside a solid building. Do not leave or enter this area in a vehicle or on foot. It is too late to leave and the roads will not be safe.' A local resident posted photos of a huge blaze sweeping through Sherwood, South Australia Images posted on Twitter showed trees and grass on fire while a video shows thick smoke blanketing paddocks, significantly reducing visibility Local farmer Robyn Verrall (pictured) said her husband was fighting the blaze which was about 20 kilometres from their property when it broke out By 3pm the blaze had burnt through more than 4000 hectares and remained a threat to farm buildings and equipment. The CFS said more than 70 firefighters had been deployed to the area and the blaze was also being attacked by four water bombers. Local farmer Robyn Verrall said her husband was fighting the blaze which was about 20 kilometres from their property when it broke out. Residents stand along McClelland Drive, Skye as a fire burns in the bushland behind their homes in Melbourne Images she posted on Twitter showed trees and grass on fire while a video shows thick smoke blanketing paddocks, significantly reducing visibility. 'At (the) fire scene, it's a wall of flames,' Ms Verrall said. Police said the blaze closed the Dukes Highway at one stage but it had since reopened. However, police said the Ngarkat Highway, between Bordertown and Pinnaroo is closed, along with Emu Flat Road. Local residents posted pictures of the blaze threatening homes at Carrum Vale, Melbourne A man is seen watering a rooftop at Carrum Downs in Melbourne, Saturday, January 6 Two water-bombing helicopters were ordered to the scene to protect threatened properties The southeast blaze came amid soaring temperatures and catastrophic fire conditions in SA's Mt Lofty Ranges, and upper and lower southeast. The state's 12 other districts were either severe or extreme, with authorities considering the conditions as the worst in several years. Other fires were also burning in SA but the CFS said those at Happy Valley, Penfield and McLaren Vale had been contained. Other incidents on Saturday included the failure of the Alert SA smartphone app designed to warn residents of emergency situations. The operators of the app said the issues were being investigated as a 'critical priority'. Adelaide had a top of 42.3C just after 1pm but by 3.30pm the mercury had dipped to about 35C as a cool change continued to move across the state. CFS crews refill their trucks while they attend a fire at Southern Waste Resource Co near McLaren Vale, South Australia Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has come under fire following a mid December photo op with a freed Taliban hostage who was was arrested last week on charges including assault, sexual assault and forcible confinement. The Canadian Joshua Boyle, who was recently freed from captivity in Afghanistan along with his wife and and three children quietly met with Trudeau on December 18. The meeting was not on leader's schedule, and his office has not responded to a growing chorus of questions about whether or not the family was vetted before being brought in for the meeting and if the he knew about the pending charges. Phil Gurski, a former analyst for the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS), told CBC News, said the fact that Boyle decided to take his pregnant wife backpacking in Afghanistan in 2012 in itself should have given enough pause before the prime minister accepted the meeting inside the Parliament Hill office. Joshua Boyle and his family met with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in the leader's office last month, the meeting was not on the leader's schedule A Canadian court on Wednesday postponed a bail hearing for Boyle, who is seen above in a court sketch showing him wearing an orange jumpsuit while he appeared via video link in an Ottawa courtroom A Twitter account named 'The Boyle Family' posted photos of Boyle, his wife, and their three children inside what appears to be the prime minister's Parliament Hill office, has sparked questions to if Trudeau had any inkling about the charges the Joshua Boyle is facing 'What was the actual motive, shall we say, behind this whole trip in the first place?' Gurski said, noting there are many, safer places for an American woman, and a Canadian man to travel to. 'Somebody in the PMO should have said: 'Is this really the kind of person that we want?'' 'I can't fault him for wanting to welcome back Canadians who have been through these types of experiences and I respect that, but in this particular case we knew that there were issues surrounding this particular situation,' Gurski added. In a statement, Trudeau's office said the meeting was arranged at the request of the family and that the prime minister would always agree to meet freed Canadian hostages. Joshua Boyle, who was recently freed from captivity after years of being held hostage in Afghanistan, has been arrested and faces 15 charges including sexual assault A Twitter account named 'The Boyle Family' with the handle @BoylesVsWorld posted photos of Boyle, his wife, and their three children inside what appears to be the prime minister's Parliament Hill office. The discussion of the hostage-taking was the main purpose of the meeting with the Boyles, a government official told www.metronews.ca. The Prime Minister's office said they wouldn't comment on the charges due to the ongoing investigation. In September, Trudeau said he couldn't imagine what the family went through. In a separate tweet Boyle revealed he had met Trudeau previously, back in 2006 before he had left for Afghanistan. He did not elaborate on the purpose of the meeting. On Wednesday a Canadian court postponed Boyle's bail hearing after he was arrested January 30. He is facing a total of 15 criminal charges including assault, sexual assault and forcible confinement. When the family returned to Canada with three children born in captivity, Boyle said a fourth child had been murdered and his spouse raped after their capture by the Taliban-allied Haqqani network. The Taliban denied the accusations of rape and murder. Boyle, 34, appeared in an Ottawa courtroom on Wednesday via video link dressed in an orange prison jumpsuit. He confirmed his name, but did not enter a plea to the charges. He is due to appear again in court on January 8. The court imposed a publication ban that prevents media from reporting on information that could identify any victims or witnesses. The ban also prohibits reporting on the details of the bail hearing. The charges include eight counts of assault, two counts of sexual assault, two counts of forcible confinement and one count of uttering death threats. Boyle has retained the services of Lawrence Greenspon, one of Canada's leading criminal defense lawyers. 'Mr. Boyle is presumed innocent of all charges. He has no criminal record and has never been in trouble with the police,' Greenspon said in an e-mailed statement. 'As Mr. Boyle has only just been charged, we are waiting to receive more information about these allegations so that we can respond to them appropriately in court,' Greenspon said. Authorities said the charges include eight counts of assault, two accounts of sexual assault and two counts of unlawful confinement. Boyle was reportedly charged with one count of causing someone to 'take a noxious thing, namely Trazodone' He declined to comment further. A sign attached to the door of the Boyle apartment in Ottawa said family members would not be speaking to the media and requested privacy. The Canadian Broadcasting Corp posted a picture of the notice on its website. Boyle, of Canada, his American wife Caitlan, and their three children were rescued in October in Pakistan, five years after the couple was abducted by a Taliban-linked militant group while on a backpacking trip in neighboring Afghanistan. Boyle was reportedly charged with one count of causing someone to 'take a noxious thing, namely Trazodone,' an antidepressant, court documents indicated Tuesday. There is also a charge of uttering a death threat and a charge of misleading a police officer. The purported acts allegedly occurred between October 14 - the day after the family returned to Canada - and December 30. The misleading the police charge stems from an incident on December 30 where Boyle called police to report someone being suicidal and missing. He allegedly concocted the story to 'divert suspicion from himself'. A judge granted lawyer Ninetta Caparelli's request for adjournment until Monday so the defense can work on a bail plan. A day after they were rescued, Boyle told the AP in October that his wife, Caitlan (pictured) had been hospitalized in Ottawa, but did not specify why she was taken to the hospital In a statement to the Toronto Star, Boyle's wife (left) wrote: 'I can't speak about the specific charges, but I can say that ultimately it is the strain and trauma he was forced to endure for so many years and the effects that that had on his mental state that is most culpable for this' Ottawa police declined comment. In a statement to the Toronto Star, Boyle's wife wrote: 'I can't speak about the specific charges, but I can say that ultimately it is the strain and trauma he was forced to endure for so many years and the effects that that had on his mental state that is most culpable for this.' 'Obviously, he is responsible for his own actions,' she added, 'but it is with compassion and forgiveness that I say I hope help and healing can be found for him. As to the rest of us, myself and the children, we are healthy and holding up as well as we can.' When the family returned to Canada in October, they briefly stayed with Boyle's parents in Smith's Falls, Ontario, but have since moved to an apartment in Ottowa. According to reports, Caitlin's parents have traveled from the U.S. to support her and her children. Boyle told the AP in October that his wife had been hospitalized in Ottawa, but did not specify why she was taken to the hospital. He took a picture of her in her hospital bed and emailed it to the AP. Boyle and his wife were abducted in 2012 by a Taliban-linked militant group while on a backpacking trip in Afghanistan The parents of Caitlan, who is from Stewartstown, Pennsylvania, said after the rescue that they were elated she had been freed, but they also expressed anger at their son-in law for taking their pregnant daughter to Afghanistan. They are pictured while still in captivity Pakistani troops rescued the family in an operation October 11 aimed at their captors from the Taliban-linked Haqqani group He also told the AP that he and his wife decided to have children even while held captive because they always planned to have a big family. 'We're sitting as hostages with a lot of time on our hands,' Boyle said. 'We always wanted as many as possible, and we didn't want to waste time. Cait's in her 30s, the clock is ticking.' Boyle said then that their three children, two boys were four and two years old and their baby gilr was 'somewhere around 6 months'. 'Honestly we've always planned to have a family of 5, 10, 12 children... We're Irish, haha,' he wrote in an email in October. The parents of Caitlan Boyle, who is from Stewartstown, Pennsylvania, said after the rescue that they were elated she had been freed, but they also expressed anger at their son-in law for taking their pregnant daughter to Afghanistan. The Pakistanis caught the Haqqani fighters at some point after they had moved with their captives across the border from Afghanistan Pakistan's Foreign Ministry said the operation was based on a tip from US intelligence. Boyle is pictured with one of his children at their family home in Smith Falls, Ontario, Canada Pakistani troops rescued the family in an operation October 11 aimed at their captors, the Taliban-linked Haqqani group. The Pakistanis caught the Haqqani fighters at some point after they had moved with their captives across the border from Afghanistan. Caitlan said that they were being moved in a car when they came under fire and were rescued by the Pakistani forces. Boyle said he was hit by shrapnel in the incident and that the last thing he heard his captors say was 'kill the hostages'. Pakistan's Foreign Ministry said the operation was based on a tip from US intelligence. Boyle was once briefly married to Zaynab Khadr, the older sister of former Guantanamo Bay detainee Omar Khadr and the daughter of a senior al-Qaida financier who had contacts with Osama bin Laden. The Canadian-born Omar Khadr was 15 when he was captured by US troops following a firefight and was taken to the US detention center at Guantanamo Bay. Officials had discounted any link between that background and Boyle's capture, with one describing it in 2014 as a 'horrible coincidence'. Seven Australian tourists are lucky to be alive after they were caught up in a deadly hot air balloon crash in Egypt. Six women and one man from Australia were inside the basket which was floating up the southern Egyptian city of Luxor when it crash landed, killing one and injuring 12 others. Among the passengers were Melbourne couple Montanna Leveque, 20, and her 21-year-old boyfriend River Kano, Newcastle woman Zoe Drinkwater, 22, Illawarra woman Vanessa Condran, Melbourne woman Adele Jayde, 24-year-old Emma Forster and 54-year-old woman Morgan Adams. Scroll down for video Among the surviving passengers was Melbourne couple Montanna Leveque, 20, (right) and her 21-year-old boyfriend River Kano (left) Montanna Leveque (pictured) was on an Egyptian holiday with her boyfriend when the pair were caught up in the deadly crash and luckily survived Several of the young Australian tourists were together in the ancient city of Luxor on a TopDeck trip. Ms Condran, from Lake Illawarra, near Wollongong in NSW, confirmed she is okay following the joy flight crash and survived with only a few scratches. 'I am alright - a few bumps and bruises. And probably will never set foot in another hot air balloon ever again,' she said. 'I feel lucky to have walked out of this traumatic experience, a scary freak accident.' Melbourne woman Adele Jayde also took to social media to inform friends and family that she had been caught up in the crash. 'I am extremely thankful and blessed that myself and my travel companions on this tour all managed to come out of it alive, with only minor injuries, as others in the basket with us werent so lucky,' she said. Newcastle woman Zoe Drinkwater, 22, (pictured) was also aboard the hot air balloon when it crashed Illawarra woman Vanessa Condran (pictured) said she is lucky to be alive after the freak accident Melbourne woman Adele Jayde (pictured) also took to social media to inform friends and family that she had been caught up in the crash 'I am also extremely grateful for the friends weve made on this tour for being absolutely wonderful and looking after one another. Also thankful for Topdeck and our tour leader for being amazing and helpful throughout the whole ordeal.' Ms Leveque, Mr Kano and Ms Condran had posted holiday pictures of their trip to Egypt only days before the freak accident. Twelve holidaymakers were rushed to Luxor International Hospital with minor injuries but one man, a South African tourist, suffered critical head injuries and died in hospital, ABC reports. The injured tourists hailed from around the world, including Australia, Africa, Argentina, Brazil and France. It remains unknown if the Australian tourists will return home early from their holiday due to the crash. Bad weather conditions are thought to have caused the incident on Friday, which forced the balloon off course above the city's historic temples and tombs. 'I am alright - a few bumps and bruises. And probably will never set foot in another hot air balloon ever again,' Ms Condran (pictured) said Ms Drinkwater (pictured) was enjoying her Egyptian getaway when she miraculously survived the crash unscathed Mr Kano, 21, (pictured) spent New Year's in Egypt with Ms Leveque when they were involved in the crash Horrifying photos show the aftermath of the crash, with the empty basket and the deflated balloon sprawled across the sand. The company which owned the doomed hot air balloon is Sindbad Balloons, which was rated as 'excellent' online by TripAdvisor. The tourists would have paid between $120 (79) and $15 (99) for the 45 minute flight. Sharif Wadie, the assistant health minister in charge of emergency services, said there were no other casualties but did not elaborate on the extent of the passengers' injuries. It is not the first time there have been other incidents involving hot air balloons over Luxor. In 2013, 19 foreign tourists were killed when their balloon caught fire. The crash, which happened on Friday, is thought to have been caused by bad weather conditions which blew the balloon off course (Balloon pictured) The injured are said to be from Africa, Argentina, Brazil, France and Australia. They have been transferred to Luxor International hospital, according to local media Brits Joe Bampton, 40, and Yvonne Rennie were among the 19 tourists killed during an early morning flight over Luxor when their balloon caught fire and exploded after it hit a power line. British resident Suzanna Gyetvai, 34, the girlfriend of Mr Bampton, also died in the blaze which killed 19 tourists. Nine desperate passengers trapped in the blazing balloon basket tried to escape by leaping 300ft to the sugar cane fields below. Rescuers arrived to find bodies strewn across the ground and the incinerated remains of the balloon lying in a charred heap. While in 2016, Egypt temporarily halted balloon flights after 22 Chinese tourists suffered minor injuries in a crash-landing. Sharif Wadie, the assistant health minister in charge of emergency services, said there were no other casualties but did not elaborate on the extent of the passengers' injuries Since then, balloon rides have been monitored by cameras and banned from flying above 2,000m (6,562ft). Tourists often take early morning hot air balloon rides over the city and the ancient Egyptian temples and relics in neighbouring areas. One of the main attractions is the Karnak temple, which dates back thousands of years. The hot air balloons also offer views of the Valley of the Kings, where pharaonic nobility were buried. Cebu City (CNN Philippines, January 6) Authorities said the fire that hit the Metro Department Store in Ayala Center Cebu on Friday may take more two or more days to put out. Firefighters are still trying to put out the blaze that started around 9:30 p.m. on Friday. They are still unable to enter the building to determine the cause of the fire. As of 5 p.m. on Saturday, flames and thick smog were still seen coming out of the building. The blaze broke out at the the third floor toy stockroom, causing the fourth floor to collapse, the store's management said. At 8:45 a.m. on Saturday, the Cebu City Fire Department has declared Task Force Bravo, the second highest alarm level. Throughout the day, it reached the highest alarm, Task Force Alpha, which means all fire stations were called to respond. The local government warned residents against fumes from the ongoing fire. "Everyone living or staying near Cebu Business Park, who have cardiovascular problem, is advised to temporarily evacuate or transfer to safer area due to heavy hazardous or toxic fumes from the ongoing fire at Metro Gaisano Ayala," said the Cebu City Disaster Management Office. Authorities said the haze has reached areas two kilometers away from Ayala Center Cebu, with patients at the nearby Perpetual Succour hospital needing to wear surgical masks. The Metro Department Store and Ayala Center are located in Cebu Business Park, which is owned by the Cebu Holdings Inc., an affiliate of Ayala Land Inc. Authorities said the fire is contained within the department store and has not spread to other areas in the business subdivision. Meanwhile, the mall management said all customers and personnel were safely evacuated when the fire broke out. They were gathered at the open parking area of the mall and other portions of the Cebu Business Park. Most of them were unable to get their belongings from the locker room as they were asked to immediately evacuate. Customers and late-night moviegoers were also asked to leave right away. Cebu City disaster management chief Nagiel Banacia said the sprinkler system of the department store did not work when the fire broke out. This is a developing story. Please refresh page for updates. Advertisement More than a million people are expected to attend the annual Hwacheon Sancheoneo Ice Festival in South Korea, which for the next three weeks will attract huge international interest. One of the more bizarre spectacles at the fish-centered get-together is the sight of local people eating fish such as trout raw and uncooked. Hwacheon County is one of the coldest places in South Korea during the winter but becomes a place of celebration at this time of year, Yonhapnews reported. The town covers a 560-square-miles area but its 27,000 residents are only able to live in seven percent of it because so much of the land is taken by rivers and mountains. The area is also famous for being the scene of fierce battles during the 1950-53 Korean War, at that time making the county home to more military personnel than residents. The festival has also become renowned for people drilling holes through thick ice to fish and for its scantily-clad swimmers braving the freezing waters. In total there are more than 60 programs to enjoy at the festival including sports, games and cultural experiences. Gotcha! A boy reacts after catching a trout with his bare hands during an event promoting the Ice Festival in Hwacheon A boy shouts after catching a trout during a trout catching contest in Hwacheon Fishermen are not afraid to brave the cold in pursuit of their prey Fish including trout (above) are a major part of South Korean cuisine and the festival features various novel ways to pursue them Thousands of anglers fish through holes created in the surface of the town's frozen river - about 170 tons of trout are released into the frozen Hwacheon river during the festival The anglers have to get their line through several inches of thick ice A participant bites a trout he caught with his bare hands during a trout catching contest at a pool in Hwacheon Hefty property taxes and uncertainty over the economy is forcing the prices of upmarket family homes to collapse, new research has found. Nearly half of the homes for sale between 1million and 2million in London have reduced their asking prices, with the average price cut a whopping 142,000 - but even reaching up for 900,000 in some cases. A third of all sellers in Britain reduced the asking price of their houses last year, the highest amount since the 2012 recession. Sellers of houses which fall outside the super-prime properties in Central London are being hit hardest and having to compromise the most on their original asking price. Estimates suggest there are around 500,000 of these homes across the country, mostly in London and the South East, with 15,000 for sale. Houses in this band are being forced to drop the original asking price by an average of 10 per cent, with the national average price drop being 3.1 per cent. Nearly half of the homes for sale between 1million and 2million in London have reduced their asking prices, with the average price cut a whopping 142,000 (stock image) Property experts claim that sellers are being forced to make unprecedented cuts in order to secure a sale. Henry Pryor, a property analyst and buying agent, told The Times: 'This section of the market is now being driven by debt, death and divorce. People who have lost a spouse, got an unexpected tax bill or need to cash in a legacy are the sellers.' He claimed that buyers feel the condition in the market, including Brexit uncertainty, mean they feel they can get a good deal even if they wait. Mr Pryor added: 'Then there is the issue of stamp duty, which is particularly painful for buyers in this category. they don't have the silly money of oligarchs to afford it. The result is that sellers are having to cut prices very aggressively to do a deal.' Former Chancellor George Osborne increased stamp duty for homes worth more than 1million in 2014. This has been blamed on prices cuts, as the buyer of a home worth 1.6million are paying more than 100,000 in taxes. Property experts claim that sellers are being forced to make unprecedented cuts in order to secure a sale (stock image) Data by property analysts Lonres show 47.6 per cent of London homes worth 1million to 2million cut their price, at an average of nearly 10 per cent. Just five years ago, only a quarter of homes in this band dropped their price. Research has shown that only a quarter of homes worth less than 250,000 have had their prices cut. Property website Rightmove said 31 per cent of properties for sale reduced their price on average by 3.1 per cent. There is also a shortage of homes for sale across the country, with the number of properties listed per agent has fallen from 60 to 34 in five years. The squeeze is mostly felt in London, although Surrey and other commuter areas are also feeling the pinch. Yet in the north of England and Scotland, prices of prime and country homes are still rising. Charlie Ellingworth, a buying agent at Property vision, said: 'These homes are still relatively cheap. A small home in London will buy you a very grand house in large parts of the country.' Jeremy Hunt's promotion could be delayed during next week's cabinet reshuffle over the worsening crisis in the NHS. Theresa May wants the Health Secretary to take on the role of de facto deputy prime minister following Damian Green's resignation last month. But it is understood the Prime Minister will spend the weekend considering whether or not to keep in his current role until spring instead of moving him as part of a cabinet reshuffle designed to refresh the government. Familiar faces in the Cabinet Philip Hammond, the Chancellor, Amber Rudd, the Home Secretary, Boris Johnson, the Foreign Secretary, and David Davis, the Brexit Secretary, are all expected to remain in their posts to avoid 'destabalising' the government, according to The Daily Telegraph. Theresa May wants the Health Secretary to take on the role of de facto deputy prime minister following Damian Green's resignation last month Mr Hunt apologised to NHS patients who had their operations delayed. The crisis impacting the Health Service is expected to deepen due to freezing weather and flu Philip Hammond, the Chancellor, Amber Rudd, the Home Secretary, Boris Johnson, the Foreign Secretary, and David Davis, the Brexit Secretary, are all expected to remain in their posts Mrs May can not delay the move much longer as Mr Green was chairman of nine Cabinet sub-committees. It comes after health officials said the crisis in the NHS could deepen, with freezing temperatures expected over this weekend and a flu epidemic declared across the Channel. 'Everyone is expecting Jeremy to get Damian Green's job, but it would look bad to replace the Health Secretary in the middle of an NHS emergency,' a senior cabinet source told The Daily Telegraph. The Prime Minister's chief of staff, Gavin Barwell, is understood to have succeeded in a debate in favour of promoting younger MPs 'There is a debate going on about whether she could reshuffle other posts and somehow delay Jeremy's promotion, perhaps by announcing he has got the job but saying he won't start for another few weeks.' The Prime Minister's chief of staff, Gavin Barwell, is understood to have succeeded in a debate in favour of promoting younger MPs, after worried aides said that it could lead to a backlash among sacked minsters. The Health Secretary is set to be the biggest winner in the reshuffle, while Sir Patrick McLoughlin, the party chairman, will leave the Cabinet to make way for new faces. The Education Secretary, Justine Greening, is expected to be demoted along with Business Secretary Greg Clark. The Education Secretary, Justine Greening (left), is expected to be demoted along with Business Secretary Greg Clark (right) Immigration Minister Brandon Lewis is expected to replace Sir Patrick, while James Cleverly, Mr Lewis' Parliamentary Private Secretary, set to take on the role of deputy chairman The Health Secretary is set to be the biggest winner in the reshuffle, while Sir Patrick McLoughlin, the party chairman (pictured), will leave the Cabinet to make way for new faces Others who will be expecting a call include climate change minister Claire Perry (left), justice minister, Dominic Raab (centre), and Anne Milton (right), a former nurse who could replace Mr Hunt. Immigration Minister Brandon Lewis is expected to replace Sir Patrick, while James Cleverly, Mr Lewis' Parliamentary Private Secretary, set to take on the role of deputy chairman. Others who will be expecting a call include climate change minister Claire Perry, justice minister, Dominic Raab, and Anne Milton, a former nurse who could replace Mr Hunt. But calls for Brexit-supporting Jacob Rees-Mogg to be appointed to a cabinet role are likely to be ignored because he has never held a ministerial post before. A Labor MP has been slammed for comparing Liberal politicians to Nazi war criminal Hermann Goering. Paul Edbrooke, State Member for Frankston, Melbourne, posted Goering's photo along with a quote on Twitter on Friday night. Captioned: 'Just sayin',' the tweet appears to have been a response to Liberal MPs' criticism of the government over the city's African gang crime wave. A Labor MP (pictured) has been slammed for comparing Liberal politicians to Nazi war criminal Hermann Goering Paul Edbrooke, State Member for Frankston, Melbourne, posted Goering's (pictured) photo along with a quote on Twitter on Friday night Captioned: 'Just sayin',' the tweet (pictured) appears to have been a response to Liberal MPs' criticism of the government over the city's African gang crime wave 'The people can always be brought to the bidding of the leaders tell them they are being attacked, and denounce the peacemakers for lack of patriotism and exposing the country to danger,' the quote read. Mr Edbrooke was soon under fire from Liberal MPs Tim Smith and Chris Crewther, and from the Anti-Defamation Commission. Mr Smith said Mr Edbrooke should be ashamed of himself for quoting a Nazi in a law and order debate, The Herald Sun reported. 'He's been to Israel so he knows just how deeply offensive, provocative and simply grubby it is to use a quote from a Nazi war criminal in a domestic Australian debate regarding African youth crime gangs,' he said. 'So on the first Shabbat for 2018 this despicable foul mouth grub who is the member for Frankston quotes Nazi war criminal Herman Goering,'[sic] he wrote on Twitter. 'The gutless foul mouth grub [Paul Edbrooke] has taken down his despicable tweet quoting Herman Goering but here it is forever,'[sic] he tweeted a short time later. Mr Edbrooke was soon under fire from Liberal MPs Tim Smith and Chris Crewther, and from the Anti-Defamation Commission Mr Crewther was equally scathing, writing: 'Frankston Labor MP [Paul Edbrooke] comparing Liberal Fed Govt and State Opp to Nazis. Shocking.' Mr Crewther was equally scathing, writing: 'Frankston Labor MP [Paul Edbrooke] comparing Liberal Fed Govt and State Opp to Nazis. Shocking.' Anti-Defamation Commission chairman Dr Dvir Abramovich told Daily Mail Australia the tweet was insensitive and insulting to the victims of the Nazis. 'There is no comparison between Hermann Goering's evil tactics ... and the Turnbull government or the Victorian Opposition,' he said. 'In a month when we commemorate International Holocaust Remembrance Day, this inappropriate quote and analogy is an insult to the victims, the survivors, and to those diggers who sacrificed their lives in the battle to defeat Nazi Germany. Mr Edbrooke (pictured), who has since deleted the tweet, admitted he should not have tweeted the image 'We call on Mr Edbrooke to apologise and to pledge to never again use the Holocaust so as to demonise those who disagree with him.' Mr Edbrooke, who has since deleted the post, admitted he should not have tweeted the image. 'I apologise to all people who have been offended,' he said. Victoria's Labor government has been attacked in recent days by opposition MPs and the Federal Government over rampant African gang crime in Melbourne. Goering, Adolf Hitler's second-in-command, committed suicide after being found guilty of war crimes and crimes against humanity at the Nuremberg Trials. Daily Mail Australia contacted Mr Edbrooke for comment. Two men delighted with their raffle winning were determined to get it home themselves. Thammarat Thumphat and Ritti Kiatmongkol, who live in Sisaket in Thailand, took home their prize of an enormous fridge via their motorbike. They both went to a party on Thursday night with some friends, where they paid 20 Thai bahts (45 pence) to buy the raffle tickets. Thammarat Thumphat and Ritti Kiatmongkol placed the fridge between them to take it home from the party where they won it Balancing act: Both men and the fridge managed to get home safely after the party they had attended The men were chosen as the mystery prize winner as their tickets were pulled out of a hat, and the huge purple fridge was given to them. However, the new owners were then faced with getting their fridgehome. Unfortunately, the gigantic appliance would not fit inside a taxi, so they decided to take matters in their own hands and carried it home themselves. The unbelievable footage shows Thammarat holding onto the refrigerator while Ritti drives the motorcycle. The men, from Sisaket in Thailand, went to the Red Cross foundation party night with friends and won the mystery prize, which turned out to be a fridge Pramote Boonta, a friend of the raffle winners, said: 'Five of us all went to the Red Cross foundation for a party night and we bought a pair of tickets each to share. 'We were happy when we won but didn't know how to take home the fridge. I suggested a taxi, but the fridge was too big. 'Then we decided to go back on our motorcycles like you can see in the pictures.' Both Thammarat and Ritti got home safely with their new fridge. Russia and Iran have both strongly criticized the U.S. for calling a meeting of the U.N. Security Council on Friday to discuss recent protests in Iran which have killed at least 21 people. Russia's envoy Vassily Nebenzia said involving the Council was wrong because what was happening in Iran was an 'internal affair' which undermined the reputation of the U.N.'s top body. Mr Nebenzia argued that if American logic on the issue was to be followed, a Security Council meeting should also have been convened after the 2014 killing of an unarmed black teenager by a white police officer in Ferguson, Missouri. Russian Ambassador to the United Nations Vasily Nebenzya, left, speaks to American Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley before Friday's Security Council meeting on Iran Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif was scathing of the US move to convene the meeting on twitter U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Nikki Haley said the emergency session put Iran on notice that 'the world will be watching' its actions The anti-government protests began at the end of December, fueled by spiraling food prices and soaring unemployment Thousands of Iranians took part in pro-government rallies in several cities earlier this week in a state-sponsored show of force aimed at countering the outpouring of dissent Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif wrote on Twitter after the meeting that the Security Council 'rebuffed the U.S.' naked attempt to hijack its mandate.' He said the majority on the Council emphasized the need to fully implement the 2015 nuclear deal and to refrain from interfering in the affairs of other countries. 'Another FP (foreign policy) blunder for the Trump administration,' he wrote. The Iranian envoy at the meeting, Gholamali Khoshroo, said that the U.S. had 'lost every shred of moral, political and legal authority and credibility in the eyes of the whole world'. France was also critical of the move to convene the meeting, pointing out that any interference in Iran's affairs would be counter-productive. Ambassador Francois Delattre said that while the recent protests were of concern, they hardly undermined international peace and security. Mr Delattre said the international community should instead concentrate on fully implementing the nuclear agreement with Iran - which the Trump administration has refused to endorse. But U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Nikki Haley said the emergency session put Iran on notice that 'the world will be watching' its actions. Her call for the emergency meeting surprised Security Council members and she had to overcome Russian opposition to get it - the U.S. required the backing of at last nine of the Council's 15 members for it to have gone ahead. Ms Haley said that her country stood 'unapologetically with those in Iran who seek freedom for themselves, prosperity for their families and dignity for their nation'. She said that 'no dishonest attempt to call the protesters puppets of foreign powers' would deter the US from speaking out. Protests began in Mashhad, Iran's second largest city, on 28 December and spread to several other cities and towns. The demonstrations were triggered by a rise in food prices and soaring unemployment. Some demonstrators even called for the government's overthrow. Hundreds of people were arrested in addition to those killed. Large pro-government rallies have been held in response, with officials blaming the anti-government unrest on foreign meddling. Iran's state TV on Saturday showed government supporters again rallying throughout the day. An elderly woman with dementia and limited English who was allegedly taken from her Melbourne nursing home by a stranger has been found by police. Dimitra Pavlopoulou, 97, was wheeled out of her Inverness Street, Clarinda, nursing home about 12pm Saturday and put in a car, Victoria police said. Her wheelchair was left behind and camera's didn't record the pair's direction of travel, officers said. An elderly woman (pictured is Dimitra Pavlopoulou) who has dementia and limited English was allegedly been taken from her Melbourne nursing home by a stranger Police released a CCTV image of the woman they want to speak to in connection to Ms Pavlopoulou's disappearance (pictured) Police released a CCTV image of the woman they wanted to speak to in connection to Ms Pavlopoulou's disappearance. The woman is believed to be unknown to the elderly woman or her family. Ms Pavlopoulou, who is very frail and can't walk by herself, was found by police offciers at a Cheltenham address about 9.30pm. The 97-year-old has been taken to the hospital as a precaution, officers said. A 51-year-old woman was arrested and is being interviewed by police. Advertisement Thousands of car enthusiasts dismissed the scorching heat and chose flames and burnouts over air conditioning during the annual Summernats car festival. The searing 38C temperatures in Canberra did nothing to deter rev-heads from across Australia from flocking to the nation's capital to indulge in the yearly horsepower party. Despite sweltering through an unusually hot weekend, crowds of car fans delighted in watching the supercharged machines blow hot exhaust and emit flames around the track at the Exhibition Park in Canberra. Scroll down for video The searing 38C temperatures in Canberra did nothing to deter rev-heads from across Australia from flocking to the nation's capital to indulge in the yearly horsepower party Despite sweltering through an unusually hot weekend, crowds of car fans delighted in watching the supercharged machines blow hot exhaust and emit flames around the track at the Exhibition Park in Canberra The festival, which runs from January 4-7, saw 50,000 people pass through the gates for the wildly popular car appreciation event. It was so hot that Summernats organiser Andy Lopez urged car enthusiasts to go easy on the alcohol. 'Take it easy, don't drink too much,' he told reporters on Saturday, and reminded patrons there was free water available on site. While the mercury reached searing heights, Sunday is set to be even hotter with a max of 39C predicted. The festival, which runs from January 4-7, saw 50,000 people pass through the gates for the wildly popular car appreciation event It was so hot that Summernats organiser Andy Lopez urged car enthusiasts to go easy on the alcohol (Burnout pictured) 'Take it easy, don't drink too much,' he told reporters on Saturday, and reminded patrons there was free water available on site While the mercury reached searing heights, Sunday is set to be even hotter with a max of 39C predicted Straw hats, impressive mullets and tattoo sleeves appeared to be the sartorial theme of the four-day event in a true Australian fashion. Sunburnt festival-goers found ways to cool down with ice-cold drinks and sprays from a hose as the sun beat down on them. Day one kicked off on Friday with a last chance shootout to enter the burnouts competition, sending fans wild as turbocharged cars covered them in smoke and soot. Sunburnt festival-goers found ways to cool down with ice-cold drinks and sprays from a hose as the sun beat down on them Thousands of car enthusiasts have flocked to Australia's capital city to celebrate the annual Summernats festival on the weekend Race girls pose with a Rare Spare car, sponsors of Summernats, as thousands descend on the capital city for the festival The festival, which runs from January 4 - 7, brings car enthusiasts and their polished supercharged machines to Canberra's Exhibition Park Australian hip-hop group Thundamentals wowed crowds on Friday night as well, getting festival goers ready for a weekend of burnouts, music and tattoos. Plenty were happy to add some new ink at the car show, with the event launching the first Summernats Body Art Nationals Awards. Australia's top 'street machine' will be awarded to one lucky winner at the end of the festival, as well as champion of the burnout battle. Despite the heat, many were still keen to watch tyres burn as drivers gave their best shot at the burnout competition Dressed down in singlets and bras, many women made the most of the sunny day to capture a selfie or two The sweltering heat appeared to be too much for one fan, who took to parading around with a T-shirt, bum bag and not much else Australia's top 'street machine' will be awarded to one lucky winner at the end of the festival, as well as champion of the burnout battle Private tents were set up for patrons to get their tattoos at this year's festival, as one woman prepares to see her Elvis inking Described by some as the 'Bathurst of burnouts', Summernats is a streetmachine festival started by renowned local rev-head Chic Henry in 1988. More than 1,800 cars take part in the annual festival supported by hundreds of thousands of car enthusiasts. Despite the heat, many were still keen to watch tyres burn as drivers gave their best shot at the burnout competition. Advertisement The latest festival trends were on full display at the wildly popular music event FOMO, which kicked off its 2018 series in Brisbane. Thousands of revellers descended on outdoor venue Riverstage on Saturday wearing everything from glitter body suits and fishnet stocking to tassels and combat boots. The music-hungry festival-goers indulged in acts from American rappers RL Grime and Post Malone, Australian band Kite String Tangle and electronic artists Sza and Stooki Sound. The latest festival trends were on full display at the wildly popular music event FOMO, which kicked off its 2018 series in Brisbane Thousands of revellers descended on outdoor venue Riverstage on Saturday wearing everything from glitter body suits and fishnet stocking to tassels and combat boots Queensland festival lovers will certainly give the rest of the country a run for its money as revellers celebrated the beginning of the Australia-wide music event. A major sartorial theme of the festival was once again mountains of glitter, with female attendees wearing futuristic body suits and painting their skin in gorgeous sparkles. Several women opted for sparkling leotards paired with chunky combat boots as they danced to the sounds of their favourite musical acts. Others arrived wearing skin-baring outfits such as skimpy shorts and skirts in a bid to beat the heat at the outdoor festival. The music-hungry festival-goers indulged in acts from American rappers RL Grime and Post Malone, Australian band Kite String Tangle and electronic artists Sza and Stooki Sound Queensland festival lovers will certainly give the rest of the country a run for its money as revellers celebrated the beginning of the Australia-wide music event A major sartorial theme of the festival was once again mountains of glitter, which female attendees wearing futuristic body suits and painting their skin in gorgeous sparkles Several women opted for sparkling leotards paired with chunky combat boots as they danced to the sounds of their favourite musical acts This woman looked glamorous as she wore a leotard and a long sheer skirt, while her friend wore glitter on her chest and a similar black leotard Others arrived wearing skin-baring outfits such as skimpy shorts and skirts in a bid to beat the heat at the outdoor festival One woman stood out from the crowd in a metallic silver ensemble and thigh-high combat boots. Another decided on an all-black outfit paired with fishnet stockings as she enjoyed the festival with a male friend. The fashion choices of the male guests, however, were limited to muscle t-shirts and shorts while the women took centre stage in the outfit department. Festival-goers wore an array of different outfits, like the woman pictured above who opted for cut-out jeans and a sparkling bralette, while the woman pictured right played it low-key with a band t-shirt Revellers danced to the festival tunes and enjoyed a sunny day of music at the Brisbane outdoor event Revellers opted for shorts and t-shirts as the basked in the hot sun at the over-18 event in Brisbane male attendees bucked the trend and wore matching flamingo-printed shirts and shorts The fashion choices of the male guests, however, were limited to muscle t-shirts and shorts while the women took centre stage in the outfit department This man appeared to be having the time of his life dancing despite sporting what seemed to be a bandaged foot Attendees converged at the stage during the 10-hour festival to watch the global music acts perform during the day. Throngs of people swayed and danced in the crowd while police officers stood close by in case the fun got out of hand at the over-18 event. Unlike many other festivals, FOMO promises all acts perform on the one stage so revellers don't miss out on their favourite artists due to clashes. Attendees converged at the stage during the 10-hour festival to watch the global music acts perform during the day Throngs of people swayed and danced in the crowd while police officers stood close by in case the fun got out of hand at the over-18 event Unlike many other festivals, FOMO promises all acts perform on the one stage so revellers don't miss out on their favourite artists due to clashes Some women wore fishnet stockings with leotards and combat boots as they danced during the 10-hour festival Crowds enjoyed the popular music acts who all performed on the one stage at the Brisbane showground Stalls were on-hand at the event to paint body glitter on revellers who didn't have the time to do so at home The FOMO festival saw musical acts from around the globe perform at the outdoor event on Saturday Female attendees wore interesting ensembles with outfits ranging from glitter leotards to fishnet stockings The FOMO festivals, which are now held annually across Australia, sold out quickly when tickets went on sale last year. A major appeal for the music event was the line-up addition of rapper Post Malone, who has grown in popularity in the past year. FOMO will arrive in Adelaide on Sunday January 7, followed by January 11 in Melbourne and January 13 in Sydney's Parramatta Park. The FOMO festivals, which are now held annually across Australia, sold out quickly when tickets went on sale last year A major appeal for the music event was the line-up addition of rapper Post Malone, who has grown in popularity in the past year Revellers took a break from dancing to lie on the grass and recover as the musical acts performed to the crowds A nationwide kidnap alert was triggered in France on Saturday after a father illegally snatched his seriously ill baby from hospital. The child - identified as Tizio - was taken from the Purpan Hospital, in the South West city of Toulouse, between 6.30pm and 7pm on Friday night. Tizio, who is two months old, 'requires immediate care and could die if this care is not given,' said a spokesman for local prosecutors. The alert means that all of France is now on the lookout for the abducted two-month-old The child was taken from the Purpan Hospital, in the south-west city of Toulouse While the whole of France is now technically mobilised, there are also fears that the baby may have been taken to a neighbouring country, such as Britain. South-west France is full of expat British people and they are all being asked to keep an eye out. The prosecutors spokesman described Tizio's father as aged 33 and 'tall, slim, and with a long brown beard and brown-to-black curly hair'. The man - who has not been named - was last seen driving a white Peugeot 307 registered in the Ariege department of France. Tizio was dressed in a light blue, woolen costume. The kidnap alert system was set up in France in 2006, and has been triggered more than 20 times since then. It leads to information being broadcast on at least 50 outlets, including online, on TV and on the radio. The idea is to mobilise the entire population into looking for the abductor and the child. It can only be launched by a prosecutor when there is clear evidence that a kidnapping has taken place, and not just a disappearance. Anybody who catches sight of Tizio or his father in France is asked to call 0800 36 32 68, or send an email to alerte.enlevement@interieur.gouv.fr Uh-oh! It could be you, or it could be us, but there's no page here. An Australian woman has been arrested at Phnom Penh International Airport with almost two kilograms of heroin allegedly stashed in her luggage. Cambodia's General Department of Immigration says on its official Facebook page that 1,814 grams of heroin were found embedded in the side of Ve Thi Tran's suitcase in several different packages. An immigration official at Phnom Penh airport, who declined to be named as he is not authorised to comment, said the 37-year-old was preparing to return to Australia via Hong Kong when she was arrested as she was checking in at the airport on Saturday. An Australian woman (pictured is Ve Thi Tran) has been arrested at Phnom Penh International Airport with almost two kilograms of heroin allegedly stashed in her luggage The 37-year-old was preparing to return to Australia via Hong Kong when she was arrested as she was checking in at the airport on Saturday (pictured is Tran's Australian passport) Cambodia's General Department of Immigration says on its official Facebook page that 1,814 grams of heroin were found embedded in the side of Ve Thi Tran's suitcase (pictured) The heroin was discovered in several different packages (pictured) It followed a tip-off from the Australian Federal Police, which worked with the Cambodian Immigration Department to arrest her. Tran is being questioned by the anti-transnational crimes squad of the general commissariat of the national Police. An Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade spokesperson told the Sydney Morning Herald it is aware Tran is being detained in Phnom Penh. 'We stand ready to offer consular assistance in accordance with the Consular Services Charter,' the spokesperson said. Tran's arrest is followed a tip-off from the Australian Federal Police, which worked with the Cambodian Immigration Department A woman mauled by a coral reef fish after 10 seconds in the water has required a skin graft for the gruesome wound. Julie Pochet, from Port Douglas in tropical far north Queensland, had just dived into the water at a local beach on November 26 when a fish bumped into her ribs. When the fish swam towards her she reached her hand out to touch it and it attacked, taking a chunk out of her hand. A woman mauled by a coral reef fish after 10 seconds in the water has required a skin graft for the gruesome wound (pictured) Julie Pochet, from Port Douglas in tropical far north Queensland, had just dived into the water at a local beach on November 26 when a fish bumped into her ribs (pictured is a Green Titan triggerfish) 'I jumped out of the water and went to the tap to rinse it,' she told The Cairns Post. 'I asked a tourist who offered to ring the ambulance, to run to the restaurant to get pepper an old cook's trick to stop the blood from flowing out.' She then drove herself to Mossman Hospital, but the bite was so severe - damaging her nerve endings - she ended up getting a skin graft from Cairns Hospital. Ms Pochet was wearing a coral swimsuit at the time and thinks the fish may have confused her with live coral. When the fish swam towards her she reached her hand out to touch it and it attacked, taking a chunk out of her hand (pictured is Anzac Park Beach) The 39-year-old described the creature as a dark-coloured fish that looked like a wrasse and was the size of a parrotfish. Professor David Bellwood, a coral fish expert from James Cook University, suspects the fish was either a triggerfish or a puffer fish. Both species are known to bite humans, and are common in tropical shallow waters such as those where Ms Pochet was swimming. Triggerfish are named for their ability to lock their first dorsal spine with their second dorsal spine. They are aggressive in defending their nests, and have strong jaws and sharp teeth used for crushing shells. President Trump defended his mental health again at a press conference on Saturday, saying his Ivy League education, television fame and 2016 election win are proof he is more than competent to run the country. Responding to claims in Michael Wolff's new book Fire and Fury that White House insiders worry he is suffering mental decline, the president fired back and said he was never interviewed for it - hours after declaring himself a 'very stable genius' on Twitter. 'It's a disgrace that he can do something like this,' said Trump said of Wolff, who he called a 'fraud' as he attacked the libel laws in the United States at a Camp David press conference attended by GOP leaders. Not happy: Trump (pictured at Camp David with the Republican leadership) attacked Fire and Fury author Michael Wolff for his book that alleges the president's White House is in disarray A steely Trump dubbed Michael Wollf a fraud and said that he never gave an interview to the New York City journalist 'Libel laws are very weak in this country. If they were stronger, hopefully, you would not have something like that happen,' said Trump who had defended his intelligence just moments before. 'Only because I went to the best colleges, I was an excellent student, came out and made billions and billions of dollars and became one of the top business people, went to television and was a tremendous success, as I am sure you all know and ran for president first time and won.' 'And then this guy who doesn't know me, doesn't know me at all. Who said he interviewed me for three hours in the White House, it didn't exist, it's in his imagination.' 'He was never in the Oval Office,' said the president who blamed 'Sloppy' Steve Bannon for bringing him into the White House. Trump then dubbed the biography 'a work of fiction'. Earlier on Saturday, Wolff, who is a contributor to the Hollywood Reporter, gave that publication a follow up interview on Saturday in which he said he knew Trump was apoplectic with rage over the book. 'I hear that the president is very angry, or, let me be precise: I hear that he is truly bouncing off the walls,' said Wolff to the magazine. Talking about the now-infamous dinner-party attended by former Fox CEO Roger Ailes, Steve Bannon and Hollywood Reporter co-owner Janice Min, Wolff said he recalled they ate clams and Arctic char. Revealing that 100 percent of Trump's inner circle believe the president to be 'hopeless', Wolff also claimed that he got such unfettered access to the West Wing because essentially no one knew who he was because they don't read, especially Trump. 'People tell him what's in an article that's what Hope Hicks does and she probably told him it was great. It's easier if he thinks it's great,' said Wolff. This came hours after Wolff declared in a BBC interview that his instant New York Times bestseller would prove the catalyst for the end of the Trump administration, which has not yet completed one year in office. President Donald Trump repeated his attacks on author Michael Wolff (right, out in NYC on Friday) and 'sloppy' Steve Bannon Striking back: Donald Trump launched off a series of early morning tweets on Saturday Anger: The president was defending himself against claims that he is unfit to be in the Oval Office Boasts: Trump declared himself to be a genius in his series of posts - and attacked favorite target Hillary Clinton too The controversial journalist told the Today program, 'I think one of the interesting effects of the book so far is a very clear emperor-has-no-clothes effect.' This was followed by one of Trump's now-traditional Saturday morning barrage of tweets - claiming that he is fit to be president and not just smart, but a 'genius... and a very stable genius at that!' Hours before this, Wolff told the BBC's Today program: 'The story that I have told seems to present this presidency in a way that it says he can't do his job. 'Suddenly everywhere people are going, 'Oh my God, it's true, he has no clothes.' He said the book was making people realise what the president was like. When asked about what impact he expected the book would have, he said: 'We will end this presidency now.' The journalist's book - 'Fire and Fury' has already shot to the top of the New York Times bestseller's list and portrays Trump as an imbecile who never believed he would win the 2016 election. The book also severely questions the president's ability to carry out his job and casts aspersions on his mental acuity amid suggestions from White House sources he might be losing his mind. Under fire: President Donald Trump departs for Camp David from the White House in Washington on Friday afternoon The fallout sparked Trump onto Twitter to defend his mental fitness and boast about his intelligence. It's his latest pushback against a book that portrays him as a leader who doesn't understand the weight of the presidency. In the book, former aide Steve Bannon questions Trump's competence. Trump's was having none of it. He wrote that critics are 'taking out the old Ronald Reagan playbook and screaming mental stability and intelligence.' Trump modestly added, 'my two greatest assets have been mental stability and being, like, really smart.' Furthermore Trump opined that he was a successful businessman to reality TV star to president on his first try 'would qualify as not smart, but genius .... and a very stable genius at that!' Another target: Trump aimed an attack on Brian Ross - who erroneously reported that the president had nefariously ordered Michael Flynn to contact the Russians During the course of his 15-minute interview with the BBC, Wollf repeated many of his previous claims about Trump, his White House and defended his book from claims of inaccuracy. 'Everyone went into election night expecting not to win. It would have been a victory to have kept their loss (to Hillary) to under six points,' said Wolff to the BBC. 'It was only around 8.15pm (on election night in 2016) that the trends started to really go the other way and come to terms with the fact that they were going to win. 'And by all reports the person most shocked by this was Trump's wife Melania, who certainly didn't want to be First Lady. Second to her it was Trump himself who appeared to be white as a ghost.' Denying Trump's claim that he was given zero access and that the book was completely false, Wolff claimed he spent months in the West Wing, literally sitting on a sofa watching the West Wing and definitely got tacit permission from the president. 'I went the time honored fashion and I spoke to everyone who is as close to the action as possible who will talk to you. And you often grant them the veil of anonymity,' said Wolff. 'I got the president to say 'If not welcome, here, come in', then he certainly seemed to shrug his shoulders and say 'yea, if that's what you want to do then fine.' Revealing that Trump's tantrums and volcanic temper are as much bemusing as intimidating, Wolff said that the White House resembled a side-show at times. 'One of the things about Donald Trump is that everything he does is Trumpian and that is one of the amusing things and one of the disconcerting things,' said Wolff to the BBC. 'It is theatric - he screams, he is yelling. What starts out as a schtick turns into vein popping rage. 'Every person in the White House describes him as child-like. That the president is in some way like a child. Sometimes it's an 11-year-old, sometimes its a six-year-old and sometimes it's a two-year-old. It's his need for immediate gratification.' Worryingly, Wolff claims that despite entering the White House on a swell of euphoria - at least from his base - Trump does not have the faith of his cabinet anymore. 'All the senior staff have come to the conclusion over eight months that something was unbelievably amiss here - this was more peculiar than they ever imagined it could be and that in the end they had to look at Donald Trump and say, 'No, this man can't function in this job.' said Wolff. 'He may have been elected president but that does not turn him into president.' Discussing the most shocking claim in Wolff's book - that of the president's mental health, Wolff said that it is not for him to say, but West Wing insiders are worried. 'Is he experiencing fundamental physical and mental issues?' said Wolff. 'All I can say is that it's a subject discussed in the White House and it is a subject of concern because his repetitions have been so frequent that people around him are saying, 'Oh my God, what are we going to do?' The Saturday-morning tweet-barrage defending his own mental competency launched by Trump followed two other posts, one praising news the country's African-American unemployment rate had fallen to its lowest rate on record. The presidents tweet was a response to a tweet put out by the official Republican Party Twitter account which uses quotes from other journalists to call into question Wolff's credibility He then attacked ABC reporter Brian Ross, who has returned to the network after a month-long suspension for reporting in error that Trump had ordered his former national security adviser Michael Flynn to collude with the Russians. Trump said that Ross should have lost his job over his error. These tweets followed last night's further attack on Steven Bannon in which he accused his former Chief Strategist of crying when he lost his job. Hitting out at 'sloppy Steve Bannon,' tweeting that he 'cried when he got fired and begged for his job.' 'Now Sloppy Steve has been dumped like a dog by almost everyone,' Trump tweeted. 'Too bad!' The president's tweet was a response to a tweet put out by the official Republican Party Twitter account. Difficult years: Michael Wolff's biography also made the claim that Trump has been 'chronically' unfaithful to his wife Melania The GOP's Twitter handle posted an image of Wolff, saying 'the reviews are in.' It then lists a number of quotes made about Wolff by journalists who have questioned his credibility. Wolff has been accused in years past of fabricating details in books and misrepresenting events. Bannon joined an exclusive club Thursday night, earning the derogatory nickname 'Sloppy Steve' from Trump. Shortly after initial claims from the book were published, the president on Tuesday tweeted that the political gossip tome is 'full of lies, misrepresentations and sources that don't exist.' 'Look at this guy's past and watch what happens to him and Sloppy Steve!' The former White House chief strategist dresses 'like an unmade bed,' a close associate told DailyMail.com on Friday, 'and doesn't care' Bannon is known for dressing 'like an unmade bed and doesn't care,' a close associate told DailyMail.com on Friday, layering two polos on top of each other. He eschewed suits and other business attire outside the White House when he worked for the president. Wolff describes Bannon's typical attire as a 'disheveled blazer' and 'signature pairing of two shirts and military fatigues.' Sources claim Trump's closest allies questioned his suitability for office and view him as a 'child'. Trump's lawyers made threats of legal action and tried to stop Henry Holt & Co from publishing the critical book which the president has dismissed as full of lies. Trump, 71, attacked Wolff and former top aide Steve Bannon, who was quoted in the book, on Twitter on Friday night. Wolff is the author of 'Fire and Fury: Inside the Trump White House' He wrote: 'Michael Wolff is a total loser who made up stories in order to sell this really boring and untruthful book. 'He used Sloppy Steve Bannon, who cried when he got fired and begged for his job. 'Now Sloppy Steve has been dumped like a dog by almost everyone. Too bad!' The book claims Bannon called a meeting involving the president's son, Donald Trump Jnr, and son-in-law, Jared Kushner, with a Russian lawyer during the 2016 presidential campaign 'treasonous'. The meeting is being probed as part of an investigation into possible collision between Trump's presidential election campaign and Russia. After the comments attributed to Bannon were made public, Trump said his former strategist had 'lost his mind'. Trump's lawyer has said that legal action is 'imminent' against Bannon. Advertisement Temperatures tonight could plummet to a staggeringly low -15C (5F) in parts of rural Scotland as arctic conditions sweep across Britain. Met Office forecasters say arctic air from the north, combined with clear and calm conditions overnight, form the 'perfect ingredients' for a bitterly-cold night ahead. The mercury will plunge in parts of rural Scotland, says the Met Office, making it colder than parts of Siberia as an area of high pressure in the west draws in cold, arctic air. Forecaster Alex Burkill told MailOnline: 'It's going to be very cold indeed. Calm conditions could see it get as cold as -14C (6.8F) or -15C (5F) in parts of rural Scotland a harsh frost is likely.' A woman wraps up warm as she walks through the streets of London where the temperature is dropping Londoners and tourists are wrapping up warm ahead of a cold snap that will see freezing arctic air plunge down across Britain Parts of Northern England, Wales and Scotland are also expected to endure bitingly-cold temperatures especially where these is still lying snow The Met Office has issued yellow weather warnings for ice in parts of Northern England and Scotland ahead of the cold snap arriving Met Office forecasters say arctic air from the north, combined with clear and calm conditions overnight, form the 'perfect ingredients' for a bitterly-cold night ahead Met Office forecasters say arctic air from the north, combined with clear and calm conditions overnight, form the 'perfect ingredients' for a bitterly-cold night ahead. Pictured: Seaham Harbour in County Durham this morning The mercury will plunge in parts of rural Scotland, says the Met Office, making it colder than parts of Siberia as an area of The mercury will plunge in parts of rural Scotland, says the Met Office, making it colder than parts of Siberia as an area of high pressure in the west draws in cold, arctic air. Pictured: Seaham Harbour, County Durham this morning A black Toyota RAV4 ended up on its roof following a two-car collision in Horseheath, Cambridgeshire where temperatures remain in the low singles Britons will wake up to a cold morning tomorrow, too but it the day ahead is looking to be a 'fine' one, added the forecaster Parts of Northern England, Wales and Scotland are also expected to endure bitingly-cold temperatures especially where these is still lying snow. Britons will wake up to a cold morning tomorrow, too but it the day ahead is looking to be a 'fine' one, added the forecaster. 'There will be a lot of sunshine about and, for most, it will be a very sunny but cold winter's day,' said Alex. 'Temperatures will perhaps feel a little bit colder than today - around 7C (44.6F) in the south and 2C (35.6F) to 3C (37.4F) in the north - but some places could be around freezing. Cars are left stranded after flooding from Storm Eleanor left London into disarray. Two men are pictured observing the chaos In the aftermath of Storm Eleanor thousands of homes remain without power and a clean-up operation is under way after widespread flooding in parts of the country. A man is pictured wading past his car after the Thames burst its banks in London Cars are pictured sitting in floodwater after the River Thames burst its banks at high tide in west London yesterday Floods to the big chill: Powrthcawl in South Wales is pictured being battered by huge waves as Storm Eleanor runs its course After Storm Eleanor battered the UK this week, this weekend brings an Arctic blast with ice cold temperatures and frost The Met Office also issued weather warning for ice affecting North East England and parts of Scotland from 5pm tonight through to 10am tomorrow, highlighting that there is a 'chance that injuries could occur from slips and falls on icy surfaces'. It comes as NHS England urge people to stock up on medicines, check on vulnerable or elderly neighbours and get the flu jab, after winter pressures put strain on the health service. Unseasonably cold weather will rise back to around average again for most of the UK on Monday and into the working week. Forecaster Alex Burkill said the weather will become more 'unsettled' around Wednesday and through the second half of the week. Bitter Arctic air and sharp frosts are to hit Britain over the weekend and into next week as the country prepares to wrap up warm. Snow fell on a cottage near Carrshield in Northumberland yesterday A gritter spreads salt along a road in Northumberland this morning. Storm Eleanor has now passed but forecasters are warning of an Arctic blast about to hit the UK Temperatures could plunge to as low as -12C as Britain braces for a big chill. Snow fell in County Durham today Across the country, day time should see sunshine. But as the nights draw in temperatures will plunge to well below freezing Federal prosecutors' hopes for a retrial in the case of Cliven Bundy will be answered on Monday. Bundy is a Nevada cattle rancher who the feds say conspired against the government with his sons following a decades-long dispute over unpaid grazing fees. It came to a head in 2014 in a days-long standoff which saw Bundy and his friends arm themselves against a team of snipers and federal agents. Bundy, 71, was arrested two years later when his sons, Ammon and Ryan, were caught in a second, unrelated standoff in Oregon. The charges against them include conspiracy, assault on a federal officer and using a firearm in a violent crime The case finally went to trial last October but the prosecution's failure to hand over key evidence which could have helped the defense led to a mistrial. Cliven Bundy, 71, remains behind bars awaiting a judge's decision on Monday on whether or not prosecutors will be able to retry him for conspiracy and assault. He is shown on his Nevada ranch in May 2014, days after the famous government standoff which made him a hero among cattle ranchers The evidence included memos and surveillance footage which critics say proved the government was heavy handed and overzealous in its pursuit of Bundy's cattle. It also shows that he did not want a violent confrontation and feared for his life as the FBI enlisted snipers on his property, his lawyers say. Prosecutors did not share the evidence which broke the Brady rule, a trial mandate which means the state or government must turn over all evidence which can exonerate the defense. As a result of the breach, Judge Gloria Navarro declared a mistrial on January 20. Ammon and Ryan were allowed out of jail on house arrest as a result. Cliven, their father, was given the same luxury but refused it, staying in prison instead on principal. On Monday, Judge Navarro will decide to dismiss the case with or without prejudice. If she dismisses it without prejudice, federal prosecutors can retry and they are likely to. Prosecutors have already vowed to seek a new trial. 'The Brady violations found by the court are regrettable and benefit no one. 'But because the government neither flagrantly violated nor recklessly disregarded its obligations, the appropriate remedy for such violations is a new trial,' Nevada's Acting U.S. Attorney Steven Myhre said last month.; Bundy's adult sons Ammon (left) and Ryan (right) are accused alongside him. They were granted house arrest in November last year pending the trial and are shown above in December leaving court after the mistrial was declared. Their father chose to remain behind bars The case revolves around a 2014 standoff between FBI agents and agents from the Bureau of Land Management near the Bundy property in Bunkerville, Nevada. Bundy had been refusing to pay grazing fees for years and when the government came to round up his cattle, he and his friends responded by blocking them and arming themsleves Legal experts told Fox News it was impossible to predict what she would decide but they lamented the prosecution's blunder in the first place. 'In this case the failures to comply with Brady were exquisite, extraordinary. The judge exercised tremendous patience,' Judge Andrew Napolitano said. The evidence they failed to turn over included a memo from the Bureau of Land Management which expressed concern for its heavy-handed response to the issue. The dispute stems back to Bundy's refusal to renew his grazing permit with the BLM in 1993. They changed the rules to limit his herd of 150 cattle and he did not believe it was their right to do so. For 20 years, he ignored their orders telling him to renew the permit and let his cattle graze where they had been before. The Bundys were supported by local protesters and militiamen who used their horses in the standoff. The government claims its agents feared for their lives and that the men were violent - something they deny and which evidence that the prosecution did not turn over to the defense purportedly proved Among the crucial arguments is that the government put snipers in place near the Bundy property during the standoff. The government said they did so in response to the armed militiamen - Bundy says the snipers were there before they took arms Finally in April 2014, they instigated a round up of unauthorized cattle. For years, they had been serving Bundy with legal letters and notices which he ignored. When BLM agents arrived to herd up the animals, they were met with resistance from Bundy's sons and supporters. Judge Gloria Navarro declared a mistrial last month and will decide on Monday if prosecutors can retry the case A few days into the operation, one of Bundy's sons was shot with a stun gun. Militia men, including Ryan Payne, then joined their efforts. The government claims that in response to their bolstered group, they implemented snipers to protect them. During the trial, however, the defense argued that there was evidence to show the snipers were there beforehand, supporting Bundy's argument that he and his friends armed themselves to protect themselves against what they thought was the government's strengthening operation. Other evidence includes an FBI threat assessment which said the Bundys were not likely to resort to violence. Eventually, on April 12, BLM canceled the operation citing security fears for employees and the cattle were released. Ryan Bundy (who suffered facial nerve damage and paralysis as a child in a car accident) is shown above last month leaving court. He and his brother maintain that the prosecution has always acted unfairly against them and that the government was overzealous with its response to their standoff In January 2016, Ammon and Ryan were arrested after another, unrelated standoff in Oregon. Their father was arrested when he flew to Portland to see them. Judge Navarro rebuked the prosecution for not disclosing the evidence from the 2014 standoff when she made her decision last month. 'The court does regrettably believe a mistrial in this case is the most suitable and only remedy,' she said. Ammon and Ryan Bundy walked victoriously out of jail last year not long before the mistrial was declared. In December, US Attorney General Jeff Sessions launched an investigation into Nevada's prosecutors' office. The attorney leading the Bundy case was Steven Myhre. Myhre was brought on as Acting US Attorney in Nevada after following the resignation of Obama-era US Attorney Daniel Bogden in March. Myhre was replaced two days ago by a Texas prosecutor. Dayle Elieson is now the Acting US Attorney for Nevada and Myhre has returned to his role as as first assistant U.S. attorney. President Donald Trump hit back at claims of mental instability calling himself a 'very stable genius' and 'like, really smart.' In a series of tweets on Saturday morning, Trump went on the defensive against questions raised by a new book that painted a chaotic and dysfunctional picture of his campaign and the early months of his presidency. 'Actually, throughout my life, my two greatest assets have been mental stability and being, like, really smart,' Trump tweeted. President Donald Trump (pictured, Friday) hit back at claims of mental instability calling himself a 'very stable genius' and 'like, really smart' In a series of tweets on Saturday, Trump went on the defensive against questions raised by a new book that painted a chaotic and dysfunctional picture of his campaign and early months of his presidency The commander-in-chief added that although doubts about his mental capacity have been frequently raised by his critics, he proved them wrong with his 'successful' career in television and business and his stunning victory in the 2016 election. 'I think that would qualify as not smart, but genius....and a very stable genius at that!' he said Questions surrounding Trump's competence for office intensified following the release of 'Fire and Fury: Inside the Trump White House' by Michael Wolff, which included shocking claims, including doubts among Trump's senior aides about his mental fitness in the role of 'leader of the free world'. White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders faced questions three days in a row about Trump's mental health and his ability to serve as commander-in-chief. Sanders said that what 'is really mentally unstable is people that don't see the positive impact that this president is having on the country.' 'It's absolutely outrageous to make these types of accusations and it's simply untrue, and it's sad that people are going and making these desperate attempts to attack the president,' she said on 'Fox & Friends.' Following this, Trump slammed Democrats and the media on the allegations his campaign colluded with Russia during the presidential election, calling them a 'total hoax' Questions surrounding Trump's competence for office intensified following the release of 'Fire and Fury: Inside the Trump White House' by Michael Wolff, which included shocking claims, including doubts among Trump's senior aides about his mental fitness in the role of 'leader of the free world' The White House has pushed back vocally against Wolff's book, with Trump himself denying that the author had West Wing access or was present for interviews with Trump In addition, Trump slammed Democrats and the media on the allegations his campaign colluded with Russia during the presidential election, calling them a 'total hoax'. 'Now that Russian collusion, after one year of intense study, has proven to be a total hoax on the American public, the Democrats and their lapdogs, the Fake News Mainstream Media, are taking out the old Ronald Reagan playbook and screaming mental stability and intelligence,' he wrote. This claim comes one day after GOP senators recommended that the author behind a controversial, unverified dossier linking Trump to Russia face a criminal investigation. The White House has pushed back vocally against Wolff's book, with Trump himself denying that the author had West Wing access or was present for interviews with Trump. 'Michael Wolff is a total loser who made up stories in order to sell this really boring and untruthful book. He used Sloppy Steve Bannon, who cried when he got fired and begged for his job. Now Sloppy Steve has been dumped like a dog by almost everyone. Too bad!' the president tweeted Saturday. An Australian father has been found dead in his hotel room in Bali of what police believe was a heart attack. The 36-year-old from Perth had complained of feeling ill on Friday evening, and had gone out on Saturday morning before returning to his Kuta hotel room. About 1pm on Saturday the man's Balinese girlfriend asked staff to call a doctor to their room at the Matahari Bungalows. An Australian father has been found dead in his hotel room in Bali of what police believe was a heart attack (pictured is a room at the hotel) The 36-year-old from Perth had complained of feeling ill on Friday evening, and had gone out on Saturday morning before returning to his Kuta hotel room (pictured is the hotel) Staff found the man face down on the bed unconscious, and when the doctor arrived he declared the man dead of a heart attack, The Herald Sun reported. Kuta Police chief, I Nyoman Wirajaya said an investigation had been conducted and police had found the room to be neat. 'We do not find any violence or crime in this case. The doctor alleged that the victim died because of a heart attack,' he said. About 1pm on Saturday the man's Balinese girlfriend asked staff to call a doctor to their room at the Matahari Bungalows (pictured is the Kuta Art Market) He said the man had consumed alcohol on Saturday night, gotten a headache and taken a panadol before going to sleep. The couple had been to the Kuta Art Market in the morning before returning to the hotel when he felt pain in his stomach and went to bed. They had been together for three months, and the man's girlfriend said he was sick, but he told her he was tired from work. Police said the man's body was taken to Sanglah morgue awaiting instructions from local and Australian authorities concerning an autopsy. Hundreds of demonstrators burnt the US flag and images of Donald Trump in protest at Washington's decision to suspend $255million of security aid to Pakistan. Trump tweeted calling Pakistan liars and cheaters, provoking mass fury in the South Asian country. The US had at the same time announced plans to withhold aid to Islamabad, the Pakistani capital. Hundreds of demonstrators, pictured, burnt the US flag and images of Donald Trump in protest at Washington's decision to suspend security aid to Pakistan Violent scenes erupted at the Peshawar military cantonment yesterday as Pakistanis demonstrated again Trump's decision. The United States announced on Thursday that Washington would suspend national security assistance to Pakistan, claiming Islamabad was not taking the militant threat seriously enough. 'Today we can confirm that we are suspending security assistance only to Pakistan at this time,' State Department Spokesperson Heather Nauert announced at a press briefing. 'Pakistan has the ability to get this money back in the future, but they have to take decisive action.' Protesters also gathered to rail against the US president in the Pakistani port or Karachi on Tuesday, reports Fars News. The crowd burned effigies of Trump along with his portrait and US flags. Marching through the streets, they carried placards and banners which read, 'No more Trump!' Trump tweeted calling Pakistan liars and cheaters, provoking mass fury (pictured) in the South Asian country The US had at the same time announced plans to withhold aid to Islamabad, the Pakistani capital One protestor called Trump's declatation demeaning adding that Pakistanis had spent billions of rupees on the war on terror and in the fight against ISIS. Others suggested that US aid was not as significant to the country as Washington thought Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif hit back at the US, stressing that the Donald Trump administration has used Islamabad as a 'whipping boy'. The United States announced on Thursday that Washington would suspend national security assistance to Pakistan, claiming Islamabad was not taking the terrorism threat seriously enough Asif said on Friday that Pakistan no longer thinks of the US as an ally after the behavior of the Trump administration. 'We do not have any alliance' with the US, Asif stated curtly, adding 'This is not how allies behave.' This follows comments on Wednesday where the minister said history had taught his country not to 'blindly' trust the US. One protestor called Trump's declatation demeaning adding that Pakistanis had spent billions of rupees on the war on terror and in the fight against ISIS. 'We considered your enemy as our own, we filled the Guantanamo Bay, we served you with such enthusiasm that we left our country in electricity and gas shortages,' he said. 'We tried to please you at the expense of our economy. We provided tens of thousands of visas as a result of which Black Water networks spread across our country.' Former Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif also waded in, announcing his country should end dependence on US aid. Sharif described Trump's tweet 'non-serious' and 'regrettable'. Violent scenes erupted at the Peshawar military cantonment (pictured) yesterday as Pakistanis demonstrated again Trump's decision The White House confirmed The United States has suspended its 255million military aid package to Pakistan for now. The fate of the package, it said, would depend on Pakistan's future response to domestic terrorism. Pakistan also summoned the US ambassador in Islamabad, David Hale, to a meeting at the Foreign Ministry after high level consultations between Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi and civil and military leaders. Almost two months have passed since John Ibrahim's loyal bodyguard Semi 'Tongan Sam' was shot in the back, but police are yet to make a single arrest. The 59-year-old was gunned down at John's mother home in Price Street, Merrylands in Sydney's west on November 17. Tongan Sam was hit at the same address where John's cousin Sam Sayour and Aisha Mehajer were married the next day. Scroll down for video Almost two months have passed since John Ibrahim's loyal bodyguard Semi 'Tongan Sam' (pictured, second left, with Daniel Ibrahim, left, and John Ibrahim, second right) was shot in the back, but police are yet to make a single arrest Tongan Sam was hit at the same address where John's cousin Sam Sayour (pictured, right) and Aisha Mehajer (pictured, left) were married the next day The shooting took place at John Ibrahim's mother's home, pictured here being searched by police in August He was released from hospital 11 days later but refused to break the code of silence and speak to investigators. With at least three uncooperative witnesses, police are struggling to make headway in the case, which may never be solved, The Daily Telegraph reported. The 59-year-old (pictured, centre, with Sam Ibrahim, left, and lawyer Stephen Alexander, right) was gunned down at John's mother home in Price Street, Merrylands in Sydney's west on November 17 Tongan Sam (pictured, right, with Sam Ibrahim) was released from hospital 11 days later but refused to break the code of silence and speak to investigators One such theory, since discredited, suggested the shooting was the result of a dispute between the two high profile families over the dowry. The bride's brother's absence from the ceremony fuelled more speculation, but since then another Ibrahim cousin and Mehajer sister have tied the knot. Mouhamed Tajjour announced his engagement to Sanaa Mehajer on Christmas Eve and the pair married two days later in a lavish ceremony. Mouhamed Tajjour announced his engagement to Sanaa Mehajer on Christmas Eve in 2017 The first wedding went ahead without a hitch, however, and Mehajer has since made glowing comments about his brothers-in-law. 'Then there was "Sam", who I clashed heads with over three times with,' said Mehajer last week. 'But when push came to shove, he proved to be even better then I ever have imagined! He turned out to be a true man and took me by surprise.' Mouhamed Tajjour (pictured, right) announced his engagement to Sanaa Mehajer (pictured, left) on Christmas Eve and the pair married two days later in a lavish ceremony It is unclear whether Mehajer was talking about his brother-in-law Sam Sayour, Tongan Sam, John's brother Sam Ibrahim, or another man with the same name. With police appearing to have hit a dead end, John Ibrahim may feel vindicated over comments made in the past about investigations into the shootings of his brothers. 'Even if the cops did stumble across the person responsible for Fadi's shooting, there'd be no charges laid,' he wrote in his memoir, Last King of the Cross. Passengers aboard a luxury cruise liner returning from the Caribbean say they are lucky to be alive after their ship was nearly demolished by a ferocious winter storm. Recounting their harrowing experience was the Ross family, of Stony Brook, New York, who spoke with CBS News on Friday. 'I thought I'd never be in a situation where I would say that's the scariest moment of my life,' said Karoline Ross. 'This was the worst moment of my life.' A 4,000 passenger cruise ship called The Norwegian Breakaway sailed earlier this week to the Bahamas The vessel sailed right into the 'bomb cyclone,' a fierce winter storm that has battered the East Coast n an initially statement released Friday, Norwegian Cruise Line made no mention of the harrowing experience (pictured: water leaking into the Norwegian Breakaway during storm) Ross said that 21 members of her family boarded the 'Norwegian Breakaway,' a 4,000 passenger cruise ship, that set sail to the Bahamas. Ross said they were headed to the Caribbean island to celebrate the family patriarch's 80th birthday. But little did they know that their dream getaway would soon turn into a nightmare as the vessel sailed right into the ominous sounding 'bomb cyclone,' a fierce winter storm that has battered the East Coast all week, as they returned home. They later released an apology to passengers, saying that weather conditions were stronger than expected (Pictured: Hallways flooding aboard the Norwegian Breakaway) Ross said that over a 'traumatic' two day period, the cruise liner suffered a colossal battering by ocean swells that at time rose up to 30 feet. 'When you're on a boat in the middle of the ocean and water is pouring down the stairs, you're thinking 'this is not going to end well,' Karoline said. 'Our room was full on two inches of water. The elevator shafts were dripping water everywhere,' Del said. As water began seeping through the ceilings and flooding the deck, a wave of panic and seasickness gripped passengers, some taking to social media to document their horrific experience. 'There were people crying, everyone was throwing up. it was a nightmare,' said Olivia Ross. 'It was so tilted I was shaking.' 'I'm completely traumatized. I'll never go on any type of boat again in my life after this,' fellow passenger Emma Franzese told CBS New York once the ship docked. 'I was holding on for dear life. I honestly wasn't sure we were going to make it through the night. The boat was tilted like crazy,' said passenger Conor Vogt. 'Everything fell off our shelf, glasses broke in the middle of the night. There was no announcement made,' passenger Luisa Franzese said. One passenger said that over a 'traumatic' two day period, the cruise liner suffered a colossal battering by ocean swells that at time rose up to 30 feet In an initially statement released Friday, Norwegian Cruise Line made no mention of the harrowing experience passengers say left them badly shaken (Pictured: passenger Luisa Franzese) As water began seeping through the ceilings and flooding the deck, a wave of panic and seasickness gripped passengers In an initial statement released Friday, Norwegian Cruise Line made no mention of the harrowing experience passengers say left them badly shaken, only apologizing for an unexpected delay in the company's next embarkment. 'Due to winter storm Grayson, Norwegian Breakaway will have a delayed arrival into New York today,' the statement reads. 'As a result, Norwegian Breakaway's 14 day cruise that was originally scheduled to depart on January 5, will now depart on Saturday, January 6, at 3pm.' The company later released another statement, apologizing to those aboard the Norwegian Breakaway for the 'stronger than expected weather conditions' that contributed to their 'discomfort.' 'During the early morning hours of January 4, Norwegian Breakaway encountered stronger than forecasted weather conditions due to winter storm Grayson during the trip's return to New York from the Bahamas. All guests and crew are safe. We sincerely apologize to our guests for these stronger than expected weather conditions and any resulting discomfort they may have experienced.' After returning back to land, the Ross family said that they plan to ask the company for a full refund, along with answers to their many questions. ''(The captain) took all our lives in his hands, and we were really in a bad spot. It was really horrible,' Karoline said. 'If they knew the storm was coming in, they should've already just taken us back,' fellow passenger Barbara Stevenson-Felder told CBS News. 'We'd rather get home a day early than have to go through something like this.' The company later released another statement, apologizing to those aboard the Norwegian Breakaway (pictured) for the 'stronger than expected weather conditions' Initial Statement by Norwegian Cruise Lines 'Due to winter storm Grayson, Norwegian Breakaway will have a delayed arrival into New York today. As a result, Norwegian Breakaway's 14 day cruise that was originally scheduled to depart on January 5, will now depart on Saturday, January 6, at 3 p.m. Due to the ship's late arrival today, and the ongoing weather situation, embarking guests are encouraged to arrive to the pier on Saturday morning. All guests must be onboard by 1 p.m. on January 6. Guests unable to adjust their travel are welcome to board on Friday evening between 6 p.m. and 10 p.m. The ship will now sail a slightly adjusted itinerary, which will be communicated to guests onboard. All guests will receive a refund of one day of their cruise fare, in the form of an onboard credit. We sincerely thank our guests for their understanding of this unexpected change due to the weather and apologize to our guests for any disruption to their schedule,' the statement said. Advertisement President Donald Trump took aim at ABC News' chief investigative reporter, Brian Ross, after his return to the network following his suspension. 'Brian Ross, the reporter who made a fraudulent live newscast about me that drove the Stock Market down 350 points (billions of dollars), was suspended for a month but is now back at ABC NEWS in a lower capacity,' Trump wrote on Saturday morning. 'He is no longer allowed to report on Trump. Should have been fired!' the president added. ABC News was forced to issue a correction after Ross reported incorrectly on live television that ousted national security adviser Michael Flynn would testify that Trump had ordered him to make contact with Russians about foreign policy while Trump was still a candidate. The report spread quickly before it was corrected, and stocks plunged shortly after. Ross was subsequently suspended for four weeks without pay. Sources told CNN that Ross will still have the title of 'chief investigative correspondent' but he will be focusing on 'long-term projects'. SCROLL DOWN FOR VIDEO President Donald Trump took aim at ABC News's chief investigative reporter, Brian Ross, after his return to the network following his suspension, saying he should have been fired (pictured) Ross (pictured, July 2016) was subsequently suspended for four weeks without pay following an incorrect report on ousted national security adviser Michael Flynn He reported incorrectly on live television that Flynn would testify that Trump had ordered him to make contact with Russians about foreign policy while Trump was still a candidate (Pictured, Flynn and Trump at a rally in Colorado, October 2016) ABC News president James Goldston announced at an editorial meeting on Friday that Ross would be reassigned to ABC News' outside production house, Lincoln Square Productions, starting Monday. Lincoln Square Productions is separate from the rest of ABC News and creates unscripted programming for ABC and cable channels such as Discovery Life and Investigation Discovery. Ross, who arrived at ABC in 1994, will work with his longtime producer Rhonda Schwartz and still appear on both '20/20' and 'Nightline' as needed, a source close to the situation told Fox News. However an insider said he would 'never be on ABC air again'. The source speculated that the correspondent was handed a sinecure while his contract winds down. Goldston also told staffers last month that Ross would never again be allowed to cover President Trump. ABC News has steered increasingly away from investigations in recent years and does not have another dedicated investigative correspondent. The blunder gave President Donald Trump further ammunition in his continuous 'fake news' assault on the media For his part, Ross wrote on Twitter that his job 'is to hold people accountable ABC News president James Goldston (right) also told staffers last month that Ross (left) would never again be allowed to cover President Trump and that he didn't think he had ever felt more rage and frustration as he did after the botched report was revealed Trump (pictured, Thursday) congratulated ABC on suspending Ross but continued an assault on the media for reporting 'fake news' After ABC was forced to retract the report, Goldston said in a staff call that that he didn't think he had ever felt more rage and frustration as he did after the botched report was revealed. 'I don't even know how many times we've talked about this, how many times we have talked about the need to get it right,' he said in a staff call, acceding to CNN. 'That how we have to be right and not first. About how in this particular moment, with the stakes as high as these stakes are right now, we cannot afford to get it wrong.' The blunder gave President Donald Trump further ammunition in his continuous 'fake news' assault on the media. He tweeted after the suspension: 'Congratulations to @ABC News for suspending Brian Ross for his horrendously inaccurate and dishonest report on the Russia, Russia, Russia Witch Hunt. More Networks and 'papers' should do the same with their Fake News!' For his part, Ross wrote on Twitter that his job 'is to hold people accountable' and noted, 'That's why I agree with being held accountable myself.' An end may be in sight to the sickening practice in India of sending low caste people into sewers to unblock drains that are clogged up with faeces. A group of entrepreneurial engineering students from the southern state of Kerala are developing a robot to do the grim job instead, hindustantimes.com reported. It says that the Kerala Water Authority has already placed orders for 50 robots, which are known as Bandicoots. Rights groups have for decades being lobbying the government to end 'manual scavenging' Manual scavenging is almost invariably done by low-caste communities and usually kills several people each year Activists say tens of thousands of low caste people are involved in the demeaning and degrading work The scientists claim their robot can manage three workers' three-hour schedule in 30 minutes The young engineers have formed a startup to market their invention which is called Genrobotics. They have already received a patent for the robot from India, and will soon get a world patent applicable in 150 countries. Rights groups have for decades being lobbying the government to end 'manual scavenging' - a job which is almost invariably done by low-caste communities and which usually kills several people each year. The practice is banned by law in India, but it in reality it is rampant - activists say tens of thousands are involved in this demeaning and degrading work which adds to the prejudice and abuse low caste people frequently experience. According to one estimate more than 1,200 people died from manual scavenging related activities between 2014 and 2016 in India. Scavengers have only their bare hands to do the drain cleaning The start-up claims the Bandicoot is the technical solution to end this 'depraved social malaise'. Genrobotics says it has big plans to go global, but only after fixing one the country's most depressing and most nagging problems. Mechanical engineer Vimal Govind, 24, the CEO of Genrobotics told the Hindustan Times that he has put the project together in collaboration with nine classmates at the MES Engineering College in Kuttipuram. 'We developed the first prototype in six months,' he said. Initially they struggled to find financial backing for the project, but now they say money is pouring in from different sources. The manufacturing cost of the machine is about $5,000. It weighs 176 pounds but the main operating part that goes into the sewage hole is much lighter. A wire-carrying camera goes inside the sewage hole and beams pictures of the problem to a screen on the surface. The robot then dismantles itself from the main machine and goes into the hole with tools such as a shovel or a jet pipe to clean the system. The scientists claim their robot can manage three workers' three-hour schedule in 30 minutes. Advertisement In a rare outing, former Spanish King Juan Carlos was seen at Epiphany Day celebrations just days after complaining bitterly, and publicly, about feeling sidelined by the royal family. Fresh from his 80th birthday celebrations, the disgruntled monarch made a comeback appearing in full military garb alongside his son, Queen Letizia and his wife Sofia at the royal palace in Madrid. Current King Felipe VI paid homage to his father during the ceremony in an apparent attempt to placate the unhappy former ruler. Helping hand: In a rare outing, former Spanish King Juan Carlos (pictured left) was seen at Epiphany Day celebrations just days after complaining bitterly, and publicly, about feeling sidelined by the royal family Four years ago, the same ceremony had been torture for Juan Carlos, physically weakened after health issues and tainted by scandal. 'He made mistakes in his speech, lost track of what he was saying, offering a pathetic spectacle,' said Jose Apezarena, Felipe VI's biographer. That was when he asked for preparations to be made for his abdication, he said. Later that year in June, he stepped down in favour of his son and became 'king emeritus,' a title he hates according to the press. Fresh from his 80th birthday celebrations, the disgruntled monarch made a comeback alongside his son (pictured left) appearing in full military garb alongside his son, Queen Letizia (pictured left) and his wife Sofia at the royal palace in Madrid 'It wasn't what he wanted as he had repeatedly said he would be king until he died,' said Penafiel. Juan Carlos had met Spain's army, navy and airforce chiefs at a traditional military ceremony held at the start of every year. The show of unity comes at a trying time for Spain after the wealthy Catalan region attempted to break away - and where 47 per cent of voters want to live in an independent, monarchy-free republic. The show of unity comes at a trying time for Spain after the wealthy Catalan region attempted to break away - and where 47 per cent of voters want to live in an independent, monarchy-free republic The Catalonian furor has also put Juan Carlos back in the spotlight. Carlos was credited for leading Spain to democracy after decades of dictatorship under Francisco Franco. But he was forced to abdicate in 2014 after nearly 40 years on the throne after a series of scandals rocked his public image. The next generation of Spanish royals have proved more popular, especially Queen Letizia - often said to be the country's answer to Kate Middleton. The furor has also put Juan Carlos (pictured with Queen Letizia) back in the spotlight. Carlos was credited for leading Spain to democracy after decades of dictatorship under Francisco Franco Felipe congratulated his father on turning 80 on Friday. Here former King Juan Carlos greets guests beside his son as they arrive for Epiphany Day Felipe congratulated his father on turning 80 on Friday, drawing a smile from the elderly former monarch, who now walks with a stick. 'Congratulations your majesty and thank you also for so many years of loyal service to Spain,' he said, as Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy and his defence and interior ministers looked on. Widely lauded for his negotiating skills, political acumen and his role in defusing an attempted coup in 1981, Juan Carlos fell from grace during Spain's economic crisis as his lavish lifestyle drew anger. Widely lauded for his negotiating skills, political acumen and his role in defusing an attempted coup in 1981, Juan Carlos fell from grace during Spain's economic crisis as his lavish lifestyle drew anger When he took the throne, Felipe VI, who turns 50 at the end of the month, kept his distance in a bid to restore the image of the monarchy. But now with this appearance he has reentered the spotlight. Here he is seen with wife Sofia and Queen Letizia greeting guests Adding fuel to fire, his daughter Princess Cristina and her husband Inaki Urdangarin were embroiled in a corruption and tax fraud investigation, with the latter since found guilty of siphoning off millions to fund a lavish lifestyle. Cristina was acquitted. When he took the throne, Felipe VI, who turns 50 at the end of the month, kept his distance in a bid to restore the image of the monarchy. In June, Juan Carlos was notably absent from an event marking 40 years since the first democratic elections after Francisco Franco's dictatorship, despite having been widely credited for enabling the vote to take place. That, according to Felipe VI's biographer and other royal affairs experts, angered and hurt him. Juan Carlos was notably absent from an event marking 40 years since the first democratic elections after Francisco Franco's dictatorship. That, according to Felipe VI's biographer, angered and hurt him 'It was thanks to him that there was an exemplary transition from a dictatorship to a full democracy,' said Jaime Penafiel, a royal affairs journalist. 'He made it known that if they humiliated him again, he would go and celebrate his 80th abroad.' So it was that on Saturday, Juan Carlos and Sofia accompanied Felipe VI and Queen Letizia to the ceremony for the first time. Defence Minister Maria Dolores de Cospedal credited Juan Carlos for building a 'democratic and modern Spain... from the basis of reconciliation, harmony and peaceful cohabitation'. The former king allegedly threatened to celebrate his 80th birthday abroad is he was humiliated once again Diving ace Tom Daley, pictured, is seen posing on the bed he now shares with his husband in the images Olympic diver Tom Daley is facing new anguish after naked selfies of him in the bed he now shares with his husband were leaked online. One of the images shows the 23-year-old athlete lying in bed looking into the camera with his Olympic ring on his finger - while in a second he is seen in an erotic pose. He is seen alone in the pictures which were taken in the bedroom he now shares with husband Dustin Lance Black, 43, in Southwark, south London. They appear to have been originally sent using the Snapchat app which automatically deletes images seconds after they have been viewed. But an unscrupulous user could have secretly taken a screenshot without the athlete knowing. At the top of the screen, the letters 'TD' can be seen in an apparent reference to his name. The athlete has instructed lawyers to send 'take-down' notices to websites hosting the pictures after they were uploaded to a US website and shared on Twitter. A close friend told MailOnline: 'The pictures are from 2016, way before Tom and Lance were married. 'They are from a time where they split for a few months, which they have both talked about previously -but they reunited.' Less than a year ago Daley confessed to having an online tryst with another man during a secret relationship break in 2016. It is thought that the images were taken in that period. Footage of the diving ace stripping for online sex emerged prompting him to confess a number of online relationships to his then-fiance Dustin. He admitted to being on a seven-month 'break' from his then boyfriend as the pair were tied up with demanding work commitments. During this time he messaged another man and send explicit pictures and video over social media - before eventually getting married in May last year. Tom Daley is pictured in his bed where the pictures were taken. MailOnline is not publishing the images In the pictures Daley is seen alone in the bedroom he now shares with husband Dustin Lance Black, 43, in Southwark, south London. The couple are pictured together at a launch party in November last year At the time the Olympic bronze medallist then said his relationship with Dustin was stronger than ever. He added: 'It was the distance. It's not like I actually met up with anyone. 'I'm 22 years old, and if you talk to someone through social media it is what it is. It was nothing more than that. We never physically met. 'But in the modern world this is what can happen things are more accessible online, and distributed, and they spread like wildfire.' Daley reportedly made contact with a Liverpudlian male fan just months after he announced his engagement to Dustin. Just days ago Tom shared this 'throwback' picture of himself and husband Dustin Lance Black on their honeymoon last year He told the 23-year-old stranger he was 'fit' in a private Instagram message before passing on his mobile number. According to The Sun, he repeatedly messaged the man asking him to come and visit in London over an 11-month exchange, as well as sending him explicit videos and pictures via Snapchat. Daley met his Oscar-winning screenwriter fiance in March 2013, at a dinner in LA. As well as being a screenwriter, Dustin Lance Black is a director, film and TV producer and an LGBT rights activist. The escort accused of extorting former New York Governor Eliot Spitzer for $400,000 has released a recording she says is of him threatening to kill her. Svetlana Travis Zakharova, 27, was charged with extorting Spitzer, 58, who she said she had a long-term relationship with after a 2016 bust-up at The Plaza Hotel during which she said he tried to choke her. Zakharova denied extorting him but pleaded guilty to stealing from another lover to for rent money last year. She has always argued that Spitzer ought to have been arrested for assault after their Plaza fight. On Saturday, The New York Post published a recording of a phone call she provided them in which a man is heard telling her: 'You're going to die a slow and painful death you f****** b****'. Former escort Svetlana Travis Zakharova, 27, released a 2016 recording on Saturday which she claims is of disgraced former New York governor Eliot Spitzer threatening her life She claims it is of Spitzer and that it demonstrates his violent streak. In a statement to DailyMail.com, Spitzer's lawyer refused to say whether or not it was his in the recording. 'This is a woman who has been extorting and threatening Mr. Spitzer and his family for years. The record in her criminal case speaks for itself,' he said. Zakharova was charged with extorting Spitzer for $400,000 by threatening to take their relationship public. She is pictured in court in 2017 Zakharova alleges that the phone call took place in February 2016, shortly after the incident at The Plaza. It is not clear who initiated the call but the recording begins with her saying: 'You never helped me, you ruined my life.' In response, the man fires back: 'You f**king bitch! You piece of s**t. And then you f**king destroyed my life! the man exploded. 'You know whats going to happen to you? Youre going to be f**king dead. 'Youre going to die a slow painful death and your family is going to look at you and laugh because youre a f**king bitch.' Spitzer and the woman were found inside a suite at The Plaza Hotel on February 13, 2016. She had called 911 from the bathroom on her cell phone, claiming they had been fighting. When police arrived, he answered the door, said all was fine and she was nowhere to be seen. Zakharova worked as a prostitute in New York City after coming to America from Russia as a teenager They went back not long afterwards and saw broken glass and blood spatter on the floor inside. Zakharova was then found injured in the bathroom. Her version of what happened changed several times during police questioning. At first, she claimed he had choked her after she refused her sexual advances, alleging that he said: 'What am I paying you for?' In another story, she said he was angry because she'd told him of her plans to go back to her native Russia and called her a 'whore'. He was never charged and she left the country but five months later, he sued her claiming she was ruining his life by trying to extort him. He claimed that their relationship was not a business one, that they were dating, but that he had given her money to keep their liaisons quiet. Spitzer wanted to keep them secret, he said, because of his use of prostitutes in the past which led him to resign in 2008. Their civil case was settled but the NYPD investigated and arrested Zakharova afterwards. Spitzer, showna bove with girlfriend Roxana Girand, has not commented on the recording In February 2016, the NYPD responded to a 911 call at The Plaza Hotel where Zakharova and Spitzer were staying and had had a fight. They photographed this evidence which included a sex toy, condoms, massage oil and a leather leash which the woman says Spitzer liked to be walked around on In October last year, she accepted a plea deal which saw her plead guilty to petit larceny for stealing from another ex-lover to get rent money. The deal meant that she would not have to serve time for extorting Spitzer but it also stopped her from being able to speak publicly about it. In November, her lawyers filed a motion to lift that ban. As part of it, she was able to describe his alleged fetish for being walked around on all fours while wearing a leather leash. 'The fact that Spitzer was paying young girls to insert sex toys into his anal cavity and walk him around the floor on all fours with a leash is conduct that he made a conscious choice to engage in. 'If these facts are embarrassing to Spitzer and his family then shame on Spitzer for engaging in the conduct in the first place and shame on the Bronx DA for catering to Spitzer by trying to suppress [Zakharovas] right to free speech,' her lawyer said. Zakharova was sentenced to three months in jail but was released on time served, having already spent a year behind bars. In 2008, Spitzer resigned after it was revealed he had spent $10,000 on prostitutes from the agency Emperors VIP. Eagle-eyed chocolate fans have discovered a sneaky way to find out if they've got a special edition white chocolate Creme Egg, without even taking off the wrapper. The limited edition goodies were revealed by Cadbury's last week with 350 to 400 white chocolate eggs hidden in normal Creme Egg wrappers. Lucky buyers could be in with a chance of winning up to 2,000 and, thanks to a sneaky find, can now tell if they've got the special egg by just looking at the ingredients list. The limited edition white chocolate Creme Eggs were revealed by Cadbury's last week with 350 to 400 white chocolate eggs hidden in normal wrappers The list, on the back of every Creme Egg, usually includes milk chocolate as an ingredient. However, the special version replaces the milk chocolate with white chocolate, according to Metro. This one key change is a tell-tale clue to work out if you're Creme Egg is a special one - and you don't even have to take off the wrapper. The special promotion, which delighted fans, is reminiscent of Willy Wonka and his five golden tickets hidden in chocolate bars in the Roald Dahl book Charlie and the Chocolate factory. The news of the trick will be a relief to supermarkets and shoppers all over the country after Creme Eggs everywhere were hit by eager hunters. Shoppers took to Twitter to share photos of Creme Eggs that had been opened and then put back in the hunt for the elusive white eggs. The new trick will come as a relief to shoppers and supermarkets with customers opening Creme Egg wrappers and returning them to the shelves Shoppers have been tweeting images of rewrapped Creme Eggs and accusing shoppers and staff of unwrapping the chocolate and putting them back on the shelf Scott Bartlett tweeted saying the competition was causing 'unwrapped and unwanted' Creme Eggs Ryan Reeves, from Essex, tweeted a picture of pile of tampered with eggs and said '@sainsburys The search for a white chocolate creme egg has gone to your employees heads clearly'. Another shopper found unwrapped Creme Eggs in a Tesco Express in Essex. 'I opened one of the other boxes that was stacked in the store and they were the same. I can't see how that could have been done by shoppers!' he told The Sun. Another user tweeted: 'This white creme egg thing just means every single creme egg has been unwrapped and touched by some randoms in tesco' Every white egg will be worth at least 100, according to Cadbury. One of the eggs on sale at a Co-op supermarket will be worth 2,000, while 33 will be worth 1,000 and the rest 100. There are 500 million Creme Eggs produced a year and about 333 million of those are sold in the UK, meaning shoppers will have about a 1 in 850,000 chance of winning a prize. Paul Lang said he initially thought there was a production problem with the Creme Eggs, but later realised it was due to people searching for the 2000 prize Shoppers across the country have shared pictures of the Creme Eggs on social media, saying people are unwrapping sweets in the store in the hope of winning a white chocolate treat Kate Flood noticed on New Year's Day that people had already unwrapped the Creme Eggs in a shop in the hope to win 1000 Hoping to bring some cash into the New Year. One Twitter user noticed that all the Creme Eggs were unwrapped in one shop Freelance writer Paul Lang tweeted a picture of some unwrapped Creme Eggs saying at first he thought there was a production problem, but he's since realised they were unwrapped due to the confectioner's competition. On New Year's Day, Kate Flood from Manchester tweeted a picture of Creme Eggs saying 'Shout out to the person whose first life choice of 2018 was to stand in the middle of the shop and unwrap all the Creme Eggs to find a prize'. Tasmin Dawes tweeted: 'Every single creme egg in the co-op clearly already been opened and re wrapped.... somethings telling me this definitely isnt a white one' Trainee Pilot Josh Slesser, from Newcastle tweeted at Cadbury to express his disappointment at the apparent wrapping and unwrapping of the chocolate eggs Another eagle-eyed shopper spotted unwrapped chocolate in a branch of co-op. Tasmin Dawes tweeted: 'Every single creme egg in the co-op clearly already been opened and re wrapped.... somethings telling me this definitely isnt a white one'. Trainee Pilot Josh Slesser, from Newcastle tweeted at Cadbury to express his disappointment too. 'Well not only do these look smaller, I see people have already started unwrapping the foil to look for the white creme eggs' he said. The white chocolate Creme Egg will have the same gooey fondant yolk centre as the classic Creme Eggs, but will have a white chocolate shell instead of a milk chocolate one. They are available to find in stores now until April 1. Two brothers took pretending to be wizards to the next level, by incorporating fireworks. The foolhardy pair, in Asuncion, Paraguay, shouted spells at each other as they fired the small fireworks. The fireworks they were holding simulated wands. The pair shot fireworks at each other while shouting spells in a bizarre stunt in Paraguay's capital In the majority astounding clip, only one brother can be seen shooting the fireworks, with the other 'wizard' out of the camera's shot until the end. The brother, who is not wearing a shirt despite being shot at, deftly avoids the sparks being fired at him. At one point, one of the blasts reaches him, but he does not appear to be hurt and continues firing at his opponent. The brother, who is not wearing a shirt despite being shot at, deftly avoids the sparks being fired at him Eventually, the man on camera appears to surrender as his firework runs out. He ducks for cover as his brother runs to corner him. One brother said: 'In the video, my brother and I with shots of fireworks [sic] that symbolize a wizarding duel of the Harry Potter movies.' President Donald Trump allegedly considered his son-in-law and senior adviser Jared Kushner for the position of secretary of state. In Michael Wolff's new book, 'Fire and Fury: Inside Trump's White House', he writes that the president and then-new Chief of Staff John Kelly had a meeting during which the four star general hoped to discuss how to encourage Kushner and Ivanka Trump's departure from the White House. However, Kelly quickly learned that Trump was 'delighted with all aspects of their performance' and had even higher aspirations for Kushner. President Donald Trump allegedly considered his son-in-law and senior adviser Jared Kushner potentially becoming secretary of state (Pictured, Trump and Kushner, December 2017) In Michael Wolff's new book, 'Fire and Fury: Inside Trump's White House', he writes that General John Kelly (pictured) was hoping to encourage Kushner and Ivanka Trump's departure from the White House but soon learned that Trump was 'delighted' with their performance 'General Kelly had Jared and Ivanka on his agenda - how the president saw their role; what he thought was working and not working about it; how he envisioned it going forward. It was all intended to be a politic way of opening a discussion about getting them out,' Wolff wrote. 'But the president was, Kelly soon learned, delighted with all aspects of their performance in the West Wing. Maybe at some point Jared would become secretary of state - that was the only change the president seemed to foresee. 'The most Kelly could do was to get the president to acknowledge that the couple should be part of a greater organizational discipline in the West Wing and should not so readily jump in the line.' Kelly reportedly had been seeking changes and to institute order in a White House that was seemingly chaos under his predecessor, Reince Preibus, and wanted to control access to Trump and his office. It seems Kelly was able to succeed late last year. A report indicated both Kushner and Ivanka's roles had diminished in the White House despite their lofty titles. The roles of Ivanka and Kushner has long been a point of tension in the current administration. According to Wolff, conservative pundit Ann Coulter told Trump when he was president-elect that he could not simply hire his children. The roles of Ivanka and Kushner (left) in the White House has long been a point of tension in the current administration. According to Wolff, conservative pundit Ann Coulter told Trump (right) when he was president-elect that he could not simply hire his children 'Nobody is apparently telling you this. But you can't. You just can't hire your children,' Coulter told Trump (Pictured, Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner with their son, Theodore, December 2017) 'Nobody is apparently telling you this,' Coulter said. 'But you can't. You just can't hire your children.' Speaking to the BBC in London on Saturday, Wolff declared that his instant New York Times bestseller would prove the catalyst for the end of the Trump administration, which has not yet completed one year in office The Trump Organization has long been a family affair for Trump, who turned over the day-to-day running of his companies to his sons, Donald Trump Jr and Eric Trump, upon assuming the presidency. Additionally, the relationship between the president and current Secretary of State Rex Tillerson has been contentious. In November, Trump said 'we'll see' if Tillerson lasts his full first term. Tillerson has insisted he isn't leaving. Speaking to the BBC in London on Saturday, Wolff declared that his instant New York Times bestseller would prove the catalyst for the end of the Trump administration, which has not yet completed one year in office. The controversial journalist told the Today program: 'I think one of the interesting effects of the book so far is a very clear emperor-has-no-clothes effect.' This comes as the president fired-off one of his now-traditional Saturday morning barrage of tweets - claiming that he is fit to be president and not just smart, but a 'genius.. and a very stable genius at that!' Trump, 71, attacked Wolff and former top aide Steve Bannon, who was quoted in the book, on Twitter on Friday night The presidents tweet was a response to a tweet put out by the official Republican Party Twitter account which uses quotes from other journalists to call into question Wolff's credibility Trump, 71, attacked Wolff and former top aide Steve Bannon, who was quoted in the book, on Twitter on Friday night. He wrote: 'Michael Wolff is a total loser who made up stories in order to sell this really boring and untruthful book. 'He used Sloppy Steve Bannon, who cried when he got fired and begged for his job. 'Now Sloppy Steve has been dumped like a dog by almost everyone. Too bad!' The book claims Bannon called a meeting involving the president's son, Donald Trump Jr, and Jared Kushner, with a Russian lawyer during the 2016 presidential campaign 'treasonous'. A young boy who was saved from a filthy house with his four other siblings 'blamed himself' for the break-up of his family, a court has heard. Police found out about the appalling conditions the children were living in after a school flagged up their absences. They then arrived at the address in Liverpool, Merseyside, to find the shocking state of the property. The parents were spared jail at Liverpool Crown Court after the judge heard about the mother's horrific upbringing, including being raped as a child, while the court heard about how the father was 'overwhelmed' with the situation. Services found out about the appalling conditions the children were living in after a school flagged up their absences One of the children told his new carers that he 'blamed himself' for being separated from the rest of his family because he said he 'should have gone to school', the court heard. The defendants, who have not been named to protect the identity of the children, will 'never care for their children again' are admitting to five counts of child neglect. Gerald Baxter, prosecuting, said the family took a 'long time to gain access' to the house but that the police eventually gained entry to the property. He continued: 'The officers found rather shocking conditions inside the house beginning with the hallway... 'They noted in particular there were a number of bags of rubbish which were strewn around the house, while all over the floor there were soiled nappies, some of which appeared to have been trodden in. 'There was also a strong smell of stale urine.' He added that the living room in the property north of the city was devoid of furniture, and that while there was no food in the fridge, the chest freezer was 'well stocked' with food. The children, aged as young as two, were in nappies while the oldest, of primary school age, was roaming around house in just a pair of underpants. There was a strong smell of urine in the house as authorities walked into the property Used nappies, some which looked like they had been trodden in, were left scattered around the property The mother was said to be suffering from depression and struggled to complete housework. She also told the court that one of her children had suffered with diarrhoea, which was one of the reasons why he had been kept off school. All the children were taken to a hospital in Liverpool, where doctors found no signs of deliberately inflicted injuries. The visit to the Alder Hey Hospital revealed that some of the children had 'developmental delay' while others had behavioural issues and autism. Julian Linskill, representing the mother in her 20s, said; 'She has, in my submission, not resolved these problems satisfactorily.' He also revealed that two close family members passed way just days before the offences. Ken Heckle, representing the father, admitted the father should have sought help to deal with the problem at hand. Passing sentence, Judge Robert Warnock said the case was extremely 'serious'. Empty bin bags and rubbish were left on the floor There was a sink full of dirty dishes which officers found when they entered the property He added: 'The fact is, for different reasons, each of you failed properly, or indeed at all, on some occasions to care for these five children. 'The circumstances in which the police found these children were, as you have both acknowledged, disgraceful... 'The consequences have been dire, not for you, but for the children.. They will now not be raised within the family household, and that is a direct consequence of your neglect.' The pair managed to avoid jail due to lack of previous convictions, mental health difficulties and that the offences were due to neglect rather than malice, Judge Warnock said. The pair were sentenced to eight months behind bars, suspended for a year and a half, and made to complete 150 hours of unpaid work. They were also ordered to carry out 30 rehabilitation activity days with the Probation Service. Up to 10 hospitals in rebel-held areas of Syria have been mercilessly subjected to air or artillery attacks over the past 10 days, aid workers say, representing the most intense bombardment of medical facilities for a year. At the same time at least 17 civilians were killed in Syrian government and Russian air strikes in eastern Ghouta, near Damascus, on Saturday, monitors said. Eastern Ghouta is one of the last remaining opposition strongholds in the country, and is the target of near-daily air raids. No effort has been made to spare the most vulnerable in the air strikes, aid workers say At least 64 percent of attacks on civilians have been blamed on the Syrian military A wounded man is carried following an air strike on the rebel-held town of Erbin in Eastern Ghouta near Damascus on January 2, 2018 A Syrian child who was wounded in bombardment of the rebel-held town of Misraba receives treatment in the nearby town of Douma late on January 3 The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said Saturday's strikes also hit the Hammuriyeh district, killing 12 civilians including two children. The Syrian government and Russia military have have repeatedly denied they are targeting civilian areas. But aid agencies said medical centres were hit in the most recent air strikes, including a maternity hospital in Maarrat al-Numan, in Idlib province, which was reported to have been targeted at least three times in four days. Meanwhile an AFP reporter in Hammuriyeh saw residential buildings with their facades blown open, collapsing into streets strewn with rubble. Residents including members of the White Helmets rescue group rushed to help the wounded. The Eastern Ghouta region near Damascus has been razed to the ground in the raids More than 340,000 people have been killed in Syria and millions displaced since the conflict began in March 2011 One man held a crying boy in his arms, while another carried the apparently lifeless body of a child through the streets. Observatory head Rami Abdel Rahman said Syrian and Russian aircraft had 'continued their intense bombardment of Eastern Ghouta, targeting several residential areas'. He said those killed also included two people in the district of Madira and three in Erbin, adding that 35 people were also wounded in the three areas. At the start of the week, a coalition of rebels and jihadists including a former Al-Qaeda affiliate surrounded the only regime base in Eastern Ghouta, which lies east of Damascus and has been under a crippling regime siege since 2013. The blockade caused serious food and medicine shortages for the enclave's estimated 400,000 inhabitants. More than 340,000 people have been killed in Syria and millions displaced since the conflict began in March 2011 with anti-government protest. Since the start of the Syrian conflict, about 485 medical facilities have been hit by military airstrikes, resulting in the deaths of about healthcare workers, estimates provided by Syria Deeply say. Rights workers say this is a clear breach of the Geneva Convention, which classifies the targeting of hospitals and healthcare workers as a war crime. At least 64 percent of these attacks were carried out by the Syrian military, with the rest committed by Russian forces, non-state groups or unknown attackers. 'The constant bombardment and the destruction of fundamental health services leaves many people suffering serious complications or dying as a result of illnesses that could otherwise be successfully treated.,' Syria Deeply said. 'Even giving birth can be life-threatening.' Posting this because the same four questions keep coming up on Facebook and elsewhere: What distilleries should I go to? (There are only 6 on the island) What bottles should I bring back? Where should I buy rum? Where should I drink? Before getting to the answers to the above, if learning about Jamaican rums is your thing, start here with the Jamaican Rum Distillery Cheat Sheet. Rick Steves, I am not. This is wallet-reference card level stuff, below. Distilleries anyone can visit Be aware that Jamaica is a big island. Dont harbor expectations that you can hit all the distilleries in a day. The distilleries are clustered together in a few spots. Use that to your advantage. Distilleries you need an industry connection to visit There are no public tours at these distilleries. Use your industry connections if youve gotem. Thats all I will say on the subject. Long Pond Part of National Rums of Jamaica Clarendon Part of National Rums of Jamaica Distilleries you arent getting into If you manage to get in to New Yarmouth, owned by Campari/Wray & Nephew, we need to talk. What should I bring back? If youre any sort of rum hound from a country like the U.S., the UK, France, etc you probably already have decent access to the main product lines, e.g. Appleton. Contrary to popular belief, you wont find a whole lot of rare bottles in Jamaica. Nor will you find abundance of aged Hampden or Long Pond in the local rum shop. Most of the really good stuff is exported. The locals arent drinking Duncan Taylor Long Pond 17 year. It is what it is. The Edwin Charley Proprietors Collection is a nice thing to grab. Limited number of bottles made. Four very different rums, in unique bottles. In the U.S., Monymusk is slowing filtering in. Compare/contrast their lineup with the Appleton lineup. May be worth picking up. Sure, you may find more white Overproof rums that youve never seen before. Pickem up if you want. But know theyre from one of the big four distillery groups. If ultra-funk is your thing, and you dont have Rum Fire or Charleys J.B. in your home market, grab them. Where should I buy rum? Jamaica has no shortage of rum bars, something like 20,000, but most are simple, roadside enterprises. On our trip, we didnt find any amazing liquor stores holding a bounty of rare, exotic bottles to make a rum wonks heart go pitter patter. The distilleries with gift shops (Hampden and Appleton) had their regular product lineup. Little or nothing more than that. Dont expect tons of distillery-only bottlings. The best place we found to stock up on rums in Jamaica was actually a warehouse store: Mega Mart, in Kingston. Good selection, and Edwin Charley to boot. My Jamaican-residing rum brother adds: Mega Mart also has a location in Montego Bay, but other chain supermarkets with decent selection are Hi-Lo, Loshusan, General Foods (in Kingston) or Progressive Supermarkets. These are pretty much across the island. Youll also find a decent selection in duty free at the airport, as you depart. But that may or may not be a viable option, depending on if your flight home has layovers, or other circumstances. Martin buying all the Edwin Charley at Mega Mart Mega Mart in Kingston Where should I drink? Well, there are the aforementioned rum bars. But if youre looking for craft cocktails or amazing Tiki, youll have a tough swim upstream. Sure, hotels and restaurants have bars, but Jamaica (as well as other Caribbean islands) is not known as a hotbed of advanced mixology. Set your expectations accordingly and youll have a good experience. Ting & Wray (Ting soda and Wray & Nephew Overproof) is a common drink on the island. At our hotel, our WIRSPA group upgraded to Ting and Appleton 12 certainly was delightful given the surroundings. A nurse with a staff parking permit has been given 5,500 in fines while she helps save patients' lives because there aren't enough spaces. Victoria Slayford, 38, works 12 and a half hour shifts as paedeatric nurse at Croydon University Hospital in south London. But while she's inside working, she claims parking wardens have issued her with over 80 tickets for 'being in the wrong space' - despite having a staff permit. The single mother, of south east London, says she lives in fear of the hospital's private parking firm Empark taking her to court. Victoria Slayford (pictured), 38, works 12 and a half hour shifts as paedeatric nurse at Croydon University Hospital in south London She told the Daily Mirror: 'Most of the fines are because I had to work late and stay with a patient. 'It's incredible we have to go through this when we're trying to do our job and save lives.' Ms Slayford told the newspaper there are a limited number of staff spaces at the hospital, meaning the bays are often full by the time she gets to work. She said she often drives around the car park for 45 minutes looking for a space, and is eventually forced to park in the public parking spaces - which cost 15 a day. Despite paying 10 for a staff permit, she is regularly slapped with fines for being in non-staff bays. She has even attached a note to her car window saying: 'Really sorry, please do not fine me, call me on this number as there is nowhere to park'. The nurse claims all 'nearly all' of her colleagues have suffered parking fines. But while she's inside working, she claims parking wardens have issued her with over 80 tickets for 'being in the wrong space' She lives half an hour away from the hospital and cannot use public transport to get there as she finishes work after hours. Earlier this week a doctor at Croydon University Hospital tweeted to say he had finished a 'night shift from hell' to find wardens in the car park trying to fine people. Dr Paul Robinson wrote: 'Guy in a jacket making money for Empark as I finish my night shift from hell. 10 tickets so far and counting. I am wholly disgusted #hospitalparking.' A spokesman for Croydon Health Services NHS Trust told MailOnline: 'We are a busy hospital and our dedicated staff work unsociable hours to care for people 24-hours-a-day. 'We try very hard to make sure our parking is fair for all, with several car parks at Croydon University Hospital - some of which designated for patients and visitors, and others set aside for staff. 'However, like many NHS trusts within urban areas, at peak times demand can exceed the number of car spaces available. 'Parking wardens will only ticket cars that have stayed over their allotted time. If any patient or staff feels they have been ticketed unfairly, we offer the chance to appeal details of which are clearly marked on the back of the ticket.' The single mother (pictured), of south east London, says she lives in fear of the hospital's private parking firm Empark taking her to court MailOnline has approached Empark for comment. There has been wide condemnation of hospital parking charges, with patient support groups claiming they are a 'tax on the sick'. It was revealed last week that hospitals across England made a record 175million in parking charges last year, despite the Government trying to crack down on them. The Freedom of Information request responses revealed 1million had been made in parking fines. The Royal Surrey County Hospital in Guilford charged the highest fees - 4 an hour. Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt has previously admitted the fees were 'unfair'. In 2014, he introduced guidelines urging NHS trusts to offer free or reduced parking for cancer patients, the disabled, relatives and staff. But the rules were not legally binding and many trusts chose to ignore them, because the fees are an important source of income. A petition lobbying the Government to scrap hospital parking charges has gathered over 34,000 signatures. Saudi authorities have detained 11 princes after they protested at royal palace in Riyad against austerity measures including having to pay their own utility bills. Saudi Arabia has introduced reforms including cutting subsidies, introducing value added tax (VAT) and cutting perks to royal family members in a bid to deal with a huge budget deficit caused by falling oil prices. The princes had gathered on Thursday at Qasr al-Hokm palace demanding the cancellation of a recent decree that halted state payment of water and electricity bills for royal family members and seeking compensation for a death sentence implemented in 2016 against one of their cousins, Prince Turki bin Saud al-Kabir. The guards who arrested the princes were from a unit comprising more than 5,000 members linked to Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (pictured) Part of the Ritz-Carlton in Riyadh was converted into a prison for royals and officials rounded up as part of a crack-down on corruption Footage emerged of the detained royals sleeping on the floor of the hotel 'Despite being informed that their demands are not lawful, the 11 princes refused to leave the area, disrupting public peace and order. Members of the security services stepped in to restore order and the princes were arrested,' the public prosecutor's statement said, without identifying the princes. 'Following their arrest, they have been charged on a number of counts in relation to these offences. They are detained at Al-Hayer prison south of the capital pending their trial.' News website Sabq earlier identified the leader of the group of princes by the initials SAS. The Saud al-Kabir branch of the House of Saud descends from a cousin of the late King Abdulaziz, who founded the modern kingdom. The meteoric rise of 32-year-old Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the kings favoured son, and his ambitious, sometimes aggressive, policies have caused rare tensions within the royal family, which for decades favoured rule by consensus. Dozens of princes, high officials and senior businessmen were rounded up in November in a crackdown on graft that has boosted Mohammeds power. They have been held at the five-star Ritz-Carlton hotel in Riyadh while government officials negotiate financial settlements, asking them to hand over assets and cash in return for their freedom. The round up followed a meticulously planned palace coup in June through which Mohammed ousted his elder cousin Prince Mohammed bin Nayef as heir to the throne. Last year, Saudi Arabia announced the round-up of former senior officials including royals, which has strengthened heir to the Saudi throne, Prince Mohammed bin Salman Michael Diebold, 40, was arrested on Friday in Leechburg, Pennsylvania A married, one-armed police chief who became a local hero after losing his arm in a fireworks accident has been arrested for trying to solicit sex from a 14-year-old girl on a messaging where he called himself 'Kutecop4U'. Leechburg Police Chief Michael Diebold was taken into custody on Friday in the Pennsylvania town where he is a beloved community leader. He was arrested at a Sheetz gas station where he'd arranged to meet the girl. Prosecutors say he contacted an undercover agent who was posing as a 14-year-old girl through the app Kik and arranged to meet up with her for sex. He is charged with two felonies - unlawful contact with a minor and criminal attempt to commit involuntary deviate sexual intercourse - and is being held in county jail on a bond of $500,000. Prosecutors say Diebold, 40, sent the agent lewd photographs of himself and explicit material under the pretense that he was speaking to a teenage girl. The agent began speaking to him by responding to an ad posted by the man. It read: 'Dominate male police officer seeks fun, discreet, sub playmate-m4w,' according to the criminal complaint against Diebold. The listing read: 'I am a dom male that is also employed as a full time police officer. I hope that does not scare you off. I am white, straight, good looking, clean, d/d free, mentally stable and fun. In June, Diebold became a local hero after losing his arm in a fireworks accident and marrying his high school sweetheart two weeks later Diebold is pictured with his wife Danielle on their wedding day in June last year 'I can also host or travel. I do have pics to share and I am very discreet. 'I am looking for a female sub for ongoing play sessions. I do not have a set type of woman so any age, race or status may email me. I respect any and all limits and you do not need to be experienced. I hope to hear from someone soon. KIK=kutecop4you's.' It is not clear when the pair began speaking. In June, Diebold lost part of his arm in a fireworks explosion in the town. Two weeks later, he married his partner in a ceremony that was well-attended and widely reported in local media. The pair had welcomed their baby son not long beforehand. According to local station WTAE, Diebold admitted his wrongdoing in custody and told officers his life was 'totally over'. He is due to appear in court for a preliminary hearing later this month. Attorney Aaron Filler, who formerly represented de la Huerta, filed the lawsuit on Friday in Los Angeles A lawyer who represented actress Paz de la Huerta has filed a lawsuit against Harvey Weinstein and an attorney, alleging they coordinated in a scheme to get the actress to drop her rape complaint against the movie mogul. Attorney Aaron Filler, who formerly represented de la Huerta, filed the lawsuit on Friday in Los Angeles against Weinstein, his company and attorney Michael Rubin. Rubin, a former New York prosecutor turned defense attorney, is a 'specialist in the criminal defense of rapists', the suit claims. But Rubin, posing as a 'victims rights advocate', contacted de la Huerta in a nefarious attempt to gain access to and expose her medical records and convince her to drop her rape allegations against Weinstein, the suit claims. A lawyer who represented actress Paz de la Huerta (left) has filed a lawsuit against Harvey Weinstein (right) and a former New York prosecutor, alleging they coordinated in a scheme to get the actress to drop her sexual misconduct complaint against the movie mogul Rubin initiated contact with de la Huerta after she came forward in a November 3 interview with Vanity Fair, alleging that Weinstein raped her twice, according to the suit. De la Huerta said that the sexual assaults occurred in 2010 in New York, within New York's statute of limitation for first degree rape. Prosecutors have said they are considering bringing charges, but not have yet been filed. The complain alleges that Rubin approached de la Huerta, insisted she keep their communications secret, and urged her the immediately drop Filler and his firm as her attorneys in the matter. 'After this series of efforts to damage and humiliate De La Huerta, Rubin informed her, on November 12, she had no case and should withdraw her allegations against Weinstein,' the lawsuit states. De la Huerta said that the sexual assaults occurred in 2010 in New York, within New York's statute of limitation for first degree rape Rubin denied the allegations and said that Filler is just upset he lost a client. 'I never met Harvey Weinstein in my life,' he said. Rubin said his intentions in reaching out to the actress were to help de la Huerta get Weinstein arrested. Weinstein spokeswoman Holly Baird said in an email to The Associated Press on Saturday that it's 'insanity' to suggest that Weinstein 'had any involvement.' More than 80 women have come forward to accuse Weinstein of sexual misconduct, but he has yet to face criminal charges in any of the cases. Weinstein and his team reportedly provided a list of names to former Mossad agents and other Israeli intelligence agencies to gather intelligence about his accusers. Rhiannon Clifford-Powell, 15, was found dead at her family home in Kendal, Cumbria yesterday A teenager who once met the Duchess of Cambridge at a scout camp has been found dead at her family home. Rhiannon Clifford-Powell, 15, was pronounced dead at her home yesterday afternoon. Police said they are investigating the circumstances of the teenager's death which they are not treating as suspicious. Ms Clifford-Powell met the Duchess of Cambridge in March 2013 at a scout camp as the royal made her first ever official visit to Cumbria. Speaking to the Westmorland Gazette at the time, Ms Clifford-Powell, who was ten, said: 'I was really excited when I found out Kate was coming and I was bursting to tell everyone but I had to keep it a secret. 'I did not know what to expect but she was really nice and friendly.' Following the teenager's death at her home in Kendal, her family said: 'It is with our deepest sadness that we inform you of the passing of our daughter, Rhiannon Clifford-Powell. 'Our two families are in bits. We are struggling to come to terms with this. 'We wish Rhiannon to be remembered as a talented violinist, artist, explorer scout, sea cadet and the bright, caring and kind soul she was. The eldest to a sister and five brothers, she is the love of our lives. 'She has left two devastated families. Please leave us to grieve in peace.' Police confirmed the Coroner has been informed and an inquest into the cause of the teenager's death will be held in due course. Former cadaver dealer Arthur Rathburn (pictured) stored human body parts inside a 'filthy' Detroit warehouse, a federal agent testified in court on Friday A former cadaver dealer stored human body parts inside a 'filthy' Detroit warehouse where they were preserved in makeshift containers including paint cans and beer coolers, a federal officer testified in court on Friday. FBI agent Leslie Larsen added that she and her colleagues found human remains frozen together inside Arthur Rathburn's refrigerator, next to ingredients for sandwiches, The Detroit Free Press reported. Rathburn, 64, is currently facing 13 federal charges, including wire fraud, transport of hazardous material and making false statements. Rathburn is also charged with defrauding customers by selling them body parts infected with hepatitis and HIV. Investigators said that they found the body parts along with fetuses inside the warehouse during a December 2013 raid. Rathburn is pictured at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, Michigan, U.S. in November 1988 Investigators said that they found the body parts along with fetuses inside the warehouse (pictured) during a December 2013 raid 'We seized human remains, documents and tools,' Larsen told the Detroit courtroom. The fetuses, which appear to have been in their second trimester, were submerged in a liquid that included human brain tissue. How Rathburn acquired the fetuses and what he intended to do with them still remians unclear. Arthur Rathburn (pictured), 64, is currently facing 13 federal charges, including wire fraud, transport of hazardous material and making false statements Rathburns lawyers did not respond to requests for comment, and neither the indictment nor other documents made public in his case mention the fetuses. Rathburn, along with his ex-wife, Elizabeth, were accused of fraud after they were caught selling infected body parts through their company, International Biological Inc. Elizabeth, however, turned government witness after pleading guilty to one charge of fraud and now is a witness in the case. Authorities first became suspicious of Rathburn when U.S. Customs agents seized a severed head he was transporting from Tel Aviv to Chicago. The head was infected with sepsis, U.S. Attorney John Neal said during court, and was packed in a trash bag filled with fluids, which failed to meet shipping standards. Rathburns lawyer, James Howarth, urged the jury to focus on the documents in the case, not gruesome photographs. He said that Rathburns ex-wife is 'most responsible' for any wrongdoing. 'This case is so sensitive because the nature of the evidence is going to make us all cringe, make us all uneasy,' Howarth told the jury. 'Theres nothing particularly pretty about a deceased body that has been separated into parts, but I would hope no one would have bad feelings toward Mr. Rathburn because of that.' The fetuses, which appear to have been in their second trimester, were submerged in a liquid that included human brain tissue The buying and selling of cadavers and other body parts - with the exception of organs used in transplants - is legal and virtually unregulated in America Rathburn allegedly lied about the liquid, claiming it was mouth wash, and that he had embalmed the head, Neal said. The buying and selling of cadavers and other body parts - with the exception of organs used in transplants - is legal and virtually unregulated in America. But trading in fetal tissue violates U.S. law. Such brokers take cadavers donated to science, dismember them and sell them for parts, typically for use in medical research and education. The multimillion-dollar industry has been built largely on the poor, who donate their bodies in return for a free cremation of leftover body parts. In most states, including Michigan, public health authorities are not required to regularly inspect body broker facilities. As a result, its impossible to know whether body brokers who deal in adult donors are acquiring and profiting from fetuses. Game of Thrones star Kit Harington has been caught on video getting kicked out of a New York City bar after a dispute around the pool table. The video, shot Friday night in Barfly, a cozy dive bar in the otherwise upscale Gramercy Park neighborhood, shows the actor who plays Jon Snow arguing with bouncers and patrons. The context of the dispute is unclear, but 31-year-old Harington appears at points to be attempting to locate his coat and belongings in a manner disruptive to the other revelers. His leading-man charm didn't appear to impress one young lady, who tartly tells him 'Say excuse me' as he tries to jostle past her. Kit Harington as Jon Snow is seen with Emilia Clarke as Daenerys Targaryen in Game of Thrones. The show's stars are among the highest paid in television Harington leans over the pool table in the crowded neighborhood pub and yells unintelligibly. Bouncers and patrons are seen reeling him back as he struggles The bar has only one pool table, squeezed into cramped quarters outside the restrooms. According to one eyewitness, Harington was booted out of the bar and left, but then came back in and had to be physically dragged out into the cold by bouncers, TMZ reported. Representatives for Harington did not immediately respond to a message seeking comment. In September, London-native Harington announced his engagement to Game of Thrones co-stare Rose Leslie. Harington, along with his top billed co-stars on Game of Thrones, is among the highest paid actors on television. Harington was seen conferring with this mystery man, who seems to be a member of his party The mystery man points the way to the door as Harington looks reluctantly out into the cold Kit Harington and his fiancee Rose Leslie are seen in July attending the season seven premiere of Game Of Thrones at Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles He and the other leading cast members make $500,000 per episode, according to a report this summer from Variety. He reportedly snapped up a 1.75million home with Leslie, 30, in East Anglia late last year. The couple met on set of the hit HBO show when she appeared as wildling Ygritte. They were previously believed to be on the house hunt in New York, but instead settled on a medieval 15th century timber home in the English countryside. It is unclear what Harington was doing in New York at the time of the bar incident. A shameless thief stole 4,000 from her 87-year-old grandmother who suffers from dementia to fund a trip to Disneyland Paris. Kathryn Kent, 28 posted pictures of her holiday online which caused her family to become suspicious and question how she was able to afford it. They later found that Kent, from Burton in Derby, had paid for the trip by stealing money from her grandmother's bank account. She also attempted to take her grandmother to a solicitor to change her will so that she could inherit her money, Derby Crown Court heard. Kathryn Kent (pictured), 28 who stole 4,000 from her dementia suffering grandmother has been spared jail and handed a 12-month suspended sentence Although the defendant was spared jail after admitting the theft the judge handed her a 12-month suspended sentence. Recorder Adrian Reynolds told her: 'You have stooped about as low as you can get stealing from your own grandmother who is suffering from dementia. 'I hope you are thoroughly ashamed of yourself? 'There are probably a number of people that think I should send you to prison but I am not going to. Kent stole the money so she could afford a trip to Disneyland Paris but was caught out when her family asked where she got the cash from 'It is apparent to me that you have your problems and you are struggling. If I send you to prison that will not help you and I strongly suspect that your grandmother would not want that either. 'It was a dreadful wrong that you carried out and you know that.' Kent had previously lived with her grandmother and had access to her bank account so that she could take money out to pay for living essentials - not pay for holidays, the Derby Telegraph reports. However at the time of the theft Kent's grandmother was living with another family member, Katrina Wilson, prosecuting told the court. Miss Wilson said: 'The theft itself took place on September 19, 2016. 'It was discovered that 4,000 had been withdrawn from the victim's bank account and this defendant had gone on holiday to Disneyland Paris. 'She posted pictures on social media and they (Kent's family) questioned how she was able to afford to do that. Derby Crown Court (pictured) heard that Kent had previously been living with her grandmother and had been given access to her bank account under the proviso that she would get money out for living essentials 'It was also discovered that she had arranged to take her to a solicitor to write a new will but that has been overturned by a new will.' Miss Wilson said the theft had caused Kent's grandmother 'a high degree of emotional distress at the abuse of trust'. In a victim impact statement she said: 'I am very upset at what's happened and simply want my money back.' Kent was arrested and later pleaded guilty to one count of theft. Elisabeth Evans, mitigating, said her client had no previous convictions and had never been in trouble with the police before. She said: 'At the time of the offence she was living an emotionally unstable lifestyle and was in a controlling relationship. 'As a result of this she suffered a mental breakdown. She is on medication for anxiety and depression.' Recorder Reynolds asked Miss Evans: 'Does she accept that some of the money was used to fund the holiday to Disneyland?' She replied: 'She does, your honour, and she is keen to pay her grandmother back.' At 16, he was already known as the golden hippy, a hard-drinking, cocaine-snorting, rebel who resented his familys vast oil wealth. Then in July 1973, disaster struck. John Paul Getty III was snatched from the streets of Rome by the Calabrian mafia, the Ndrangheta. Now, director Ridley Scotts new film All The Money In The World has captured the extraordinary drama as, month after month, Gettys tightfisted grandfather refused to pay the 2.1 million ransom... until the richest man in the world was sent a crudely severed ear. Here, in his own harrowing words, is John Pauls story, as told to author Charles Fox for his book, Kidnapped. John Paul starts his account with a moment that shocked the world... I tried to be tough. I imagined the pain and tried to think of a way to make it easier. I think three days passed before they said, Were going to do it tonight, but they didnt. The following day, they washed and disinfected me. Piccolo, one of my captors, promised: Three days after the ear is cut off, we swear to release you. They told me it would happen at 7pm. I waited. Nothing happened. At about 4am on October 21, they cooked me four steaks. They said, This is to help you. I ate them all. At about 7am, I heard them come in. They said: OK. Its now. John Paul Getty II - his right ear missing - after being freed by his kidnappers in December, 1973. He is played in the film by Charlie Plummer, right They told me to blindfold myself and sit on the chopping block. I was petrified. There were about seven people in the room. I heard the clink of the surgical things. Piccolo said: Prepare the cotton and that red stuff iodine. I said: Can I have a handkerchief? I rolled it up and put it in my mouth like a gag. I said: Is it going to hurt? and Piccolo said: Of course its going to hurt. I said: Do it. Quickly. He rested the razor on my ear. There was a sound like ripping paper. It was done in two strokes. The noise was the worst thing. Theres a limit to pain. If you prepare yourself, you can withstand it. It was 3am in Rome on July 10, 1973. They were starting to close the cafes as I walked through the streets to Piazza Navona wearing my disco clothes tight jeans, a T-shirt with glitter and boots with a broken heel. I bought a newspaper and some cigarettes and walked on. I was drunk and hot. My head was swimming and it was difficult to carry on. Sometimes I leaned out and touched the wall. All the time I was looking at the stone face of a boy on a white marble fountain under the light at the end of the street. He was staring back at me and I swear he smiled. As he did, I realised a car was stopping alongside me. These men were coming out of it. They grabbed me and wrestled me to the floor behind the front seats. The car took off. They drove for an hour in silence. Then the guy in front, the passenger, leaned over the seat and looked down at me. He asked, Who are you? I said, Paul Getty and instantly realised my mistake. I slept as we drove south for hours. I didnt realise at all what was going on. I remember the drive and voices talking to each other. I would have never dreamed it was real. When I woke, the car had stopped and it was getting light. I heard them talking. Then I was blindfolded and carried out on to the grass. Beneath the blindfold, I saw an Arab-looking guy half beard, brown face and a cigar whom I later called Piccolo, the little guy. A guy told me in a thick Arab accent: Now the food comes. I thought: It must be Arab guerrillas. I was sure it was political; that they wanted the money. Then I thought it might be communists. Or maybe fascists. I didnt know who it was. Then I realised these men had nothing and wanted everything. They had nothing to do but kidnap people. Real grandfather: Oil baron John Paul Getty was said to be the richest man in history when his grandson was snatched I lay there for an interminable amount of time until the next night came when they moved me again, still blindfolded. They walked one on either side of me on rough ground. They made me march in circles and then theyd get me in the car and drive me a half mile and then Id get out again and Id walk again in circles. We walked all night. I dont think they knew where they wanted to take me. They had caught me and they werent ready and were getting things together. We walked again that night, in and out of the car, just like the previous night. I went to sleep again at four in the morning. The next night, they took me through pouring rain to a hut. One of them dried me off, another gave me some clothes and another made a fire on the dirt floor. They made some pasta. Thats when they took the blindfold off for the first time. I had to sit looking at the wall so I couldnt see them. Piccolo brought me paper and a ballpoint pen. He dictated a letter: Dear Mother, Since Monday, I have been in the hands of the kidnappers. I beg you, do not put my life in danger. Please stay away from the police. Do not think that this is a game that I have set up. Try to put yourself in contact with my kidnappers. P.S. If you delay, my kidnappers will cut off a finger and send it to you. Do not involve the police because otherwise they will kill me. I love you. A few days earlier, Id had a fight with my mother. I came home stoned and told her: I am addicted to coke. She began to cry. Id been hanging out with gangsters in Rome people who never slept. Coke, coke, coke. We had machine guns. We were starting to get into big drug deals. In some ways it was even romantic. Then two guys who said they worked for Air France walked in. I always thought our gang leader was a big guy, but when these guys came in, he bowed down. These Air France guys said to me: Why dont we kidnap you? I was ready to do it out of economic necessity when you get into coke youll do anything to have it. But after a while I changed my mind and began to avoid the gangsters but the idea was in the air. July 23 If you dont do as they say, dear Mother, it will mean that you want me dead. If one of them is taken, the others have orders to kill me. Take the autostrada to Palermo... the money should be in sacks... If you dont follow these instructions, it will mean my life. My family did not answer, which caused some consternation. Gradually, everyone got paranoid. They started being mean to me. They were scared of one another. I got the feeling the chief was around. It was fine to be with one alone, but as soon as it was two, theyd show off who could be the meanest: The chief wanted to blow your brains out and throw you in the water. After that, I really didnt care. I tried to irritate them, turn up the radio when they were talking, that sort of thing. August 16 Dear Mother and Father, I have been with my kidnappers a month. The waiting is terrible. Will my family pay or will I be killed? See they dont kill me. I am so young, not even 17. What they are asking for now is 5 million. You have 20 days. PS: After that it will be difficult for you to see me alive. When the nights cooled, they said we would have to go farther down the mountain. We left in the morning and walked the whole day to a cave so small I had to lie on my side. It was terrifying. They said, This is going to be your final resting place. All we have to do is bury you right here. Yet the famously stingy billionaire - portrayed with remarkable accuracy by Christopher Plummer, after disgraced Kevin Spacey was edited out of the completed film, resisted paying the ransom for five months They covered the entrance with leaves and told me they would shoot me if I walked out. Every other day they would bring me hot food, like spaghetti, which was a real treat. I would spend hours eating it and save some for later. There was friction between all the guys. They had come to really despise me. They took my radio and Piccolo told me: Please try to escape. We can use that as an excuse to kill you. On October 5, a letter from the kidnappers was published in the Rome newspaper Il Messaggero. It seemed a terrible conclusion was imminent: The Getty family has 15 days to find the money for Pauls release. At the end of this period, a letter will be sent containing an ear with a lock of hair from Paul. After which, if they dont bring the money, Paul will be killed. We moved down the hill to a house that looked, inside, like a castle. The floor was dirt. There was a window with shutters, a bed with a little Madonna picture over it and a chopping block specked with blood. They said: We have to get some medical things together. They kept delaying: Tomorrow, tomorrow... We can wait more if you want, but eventually I said: Lets do it. I thought it was the only way to get out of there. After they cut my ear off, there was no pain until they put alcohol on the wound oh Jesus. Then they bandaged me and gave me anti-tetanus and penicillin shots. In about half an hour, I began to bleed. I was scared. After about five hours of continuous bleeding, I had to lie down, I couldnt move. Then they started to get scared. They gave me about six shots an hour of penicillin I found out later Im allergic to it. The kidnapped teenager was effectively saved by his penniless mother Gail, left played, again with uncanny likeness, by Michelle Williams So much blood and gooeyness, it was in my hair, all over my body, down my back. If I touched my ear the bleeding started again. The bandage, my body, the bed, everything was completely red. There were rats eating the blood and on my bandages. The bleeding stopped after about a day and a half when they gave me a coagulant shot. By the third day, I was sure I was going to die. However, on that day I started to eat. For what seemed like an age, nothing happened (the letter containing the ear and a threat that other body parts would follow took 28 days to arrive because of an Italian postal strike). Finally, on December 10, they came and said: We spoke to them. Weve come to an agreement. My family had agreed to pay 1.6 billion lire in small, used notes. It was about 7pm on December 14 and they had dressed me up in clean shirt and trousers for Italians, you have to be presentable when you go home. It was snowing. There was a cliff in front of us and they made me walk for three hours wearing a ski mask so I couldnt see anything. Five or six of them came to say goodbye. They put me in a car and drove me for around for seven hours. The hills were full of police, but they were more organised: the car would go for a mile, then it would stop and we would meet another car. Then they would talk and that car checks ahead with us following. By this point they had the money, but were scared to die. They had families and had been paid next to nothing. Maybe $7,000. The one who wasnt driving said, Dont talk, or well cut your tongue out. Eventually, they stopped. It was cold and dark, the early hours of the morning. There were enormous blocks of ice on the side of the autostrada. They let me out and gave me blankets and a pack of cigarettes. One said: Theres a guy watching, so dont turn around; wait ten minutes, take off your mask. Your mother will be here in a few hours. I heard their car start, the shifting of gears as it moved away. It was a strange feeling, like a huge weight taken off... I took the mask off. It was over. John Paul Getty III never truly recovered from his ordeal. Addicted to heroin and cocaine, he took an overdose in 1981 which left him paralysed, almost blind and confined to a wheelchair. He died at his Buckinghamshire home in 2011, aged 54. From Kidnapped: The Tragic Life Of J Paul Getty III, by Charles Fox. 2018 by the author and reprinted by permission of Picador USA. The WannaCry 'hero' facing trial in the US accused of creating a separate malware was coerced into an alleged confession while intoxicated and sleep-deprived, his lawyers have claimed. Marcus Hutchins, 23, was arrested at a Las Vegas airport as he prepared to fly back home to Ilfracombe, Devon, after attending a hacking convention. Prosecutors claimed the cybersecurity researcher admitted during interrogation that he created and sold the Kronos malware, which harvests bank details. Marcus Hutchins, 23, is due to stand trial in the US accused of creating malware that harvests bank details. His lawyers claim a confession was coerced Marcus Hutchins prevented more than 100,000 computers across the globe from being infected with the WannaCry virus (pictured) in May But his lawyers argued in a document filed in court in on Friday that he had likely been subject to surveillance leading up to his arrest in August and therefore agents 'knew he was exhausted and intoxicated at the time'. 'The defence intends to argue that the government coerced Mr Hutchins, who was sleep-deprived and intoxicated, to talk,' they added. 'As such, his decision to speak with the agents was not knowing, intelligent, and made in full awareness of the nature of the right given up and the consequences of giving up that right, as the law requires.' The legal team also argued that if he was not read his rights he may have wrongly believed his silence could be used against him, as it could be in the UK's legal system. Hutchins was arrested at a Las Vegas airport as he prepared to fly back home to Ilfracombe, Devon, after attending a hacking convention Hutchins has pleaded not guilty to all the charges against him and last month Tom Bossert, Donald Trump's homeland security adviser, praised him for finding the 'kill-switch' that scuppered the WannaCry attack that crippled the NHS and spread to 150 countries in May. Blame for the malware has been levelled at North Korea by both the UK and the US. Hutchins, who is currently on bail in Los Angeles where has worked for a computer security firm, denied six counts of creating and distributing the banking trojan between July 2014 and July 2015. A date for his trial in Wisconsin has not been set. President Donald Trump said he's open to talking to North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, and is hoping some good can come from upcoming talks between the Koreas. Trump, answering questions from reporters at the presidential retreat at Camp David, Maryland, expressed a willingness to talk to Kim - who he's referred to as 'Rocket Man' but not without preconditions. 'Sure, I always believe in talking,' Trump said in response to a question about whether he'd speak with Kim. 'Absolutely, I would do that,' he said, stressing he would also 'be very firm.' President Donald Trump (pictured, Friday) aid he's open to talking to North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, and is hoping some good can come from upcoming talks between the Koreas North Korea agreed on Friday to hold official talks with South Korea next week. The two countries agreed to discuss cooperation on the upcoming Olympics in South Korea, as well as other issues, in rare talks set to begin Tuesday (Pictured, Kim Jong-un, Monday) North Korea agreed on Friday to hold official talks with South Korea next week, the first in more than two years and hours after Washington and Seoul delayed a military exercise amid a standoff over Pyongyang's nuclear and missile programs. North and South Korea have agreed to discuss cooperation on the upcoming Olympics in South Korea, as well as other issues, in rare talks set to begin Tuesday. Trump suggested the talks might lead to an easing of tensions and took credit for the diplomatic breakthrough, saying it was a result of his steady pressure. 'Look, right now they're talking Olympics. It's a start, it's big start. If I weren't involved they wouldn't be talking at all right now,' the president said, adding that if 'something can come out of those talks that would be a great thing for all of humanity'. North Korea agreed on Friday to hold official talks with South Korea next week, the first in more than two years. Trump (pictured, Friday) took credit for the diplomatic breakthrough, saying it was a result of his steady pressure Trump said Kim (pictured, July 2017) - who's threatened the US with a nuclear attack - 'knows I'm not messing around, not even a little bit, not even one percent' He said Kim - who's threatened the US with a nuclear attack - 'knows I'm not messing around, not even a little bit, not even one percent.' Kim and Trump have engaged in an unprecedented war of words for months. Trump has referred to Kim as 'little rocket man,' 'short and fat' and a 'madman,' and threatened to wipe Kim and his country off the face of the earth if they attack the US or its allies. Kim has responded in kind, calling Trump a 'mentally deranged dotard (senile person),' saying he deserved the death penalty, and vowing to annihilate the US if it attacks North Korea. The heroes of one of the most crucial campaigns of the Second World War could finally be recognised for their sacrifices. A memorial is being planned in honour of the 50,000 Allied serviceman and merchant sailors who lost their lives in the Battle of the Atlantic. The struggle to protect the convoys bringing vital supplies from the USA to Europe was the longest campaign of the conflict, and Winston Churchill said it was the dominating factor on which the wars outcome depended. A memorial is being planned in honour of the 50,000 Allied serviceman and merchant sailors who lost their lives in the Battle of the Atlantic. Pictured: A depth charge blasting a u-boat Tomorrow an appeal will be launched to raise 2.5 million to fund a 15-ton bronze sculpture on the waterfront in Liverpool, where Allied commanders of the battle were based. The campaigns chairman Vice Admiral Mike Gretton whose father Vice Admiral Sir Peter Gretton served during the battle said the memorial would be chance to correct an oversight, 73 years after the last skirmishes. He said: Despite the immense significance of the Battle of the Atlantic, it does not have a dedicated national memorial in Britain. We believe that, as the veterans leave us, it is vital that we create a fitting memorial to the lion-hearted men and women who served. The statue is being designed by Paul Day, who previously created the Battle of Britain Monument on the Thames Embankment. U-Boat crew member rescued by an Allied ship during the Battle of the Atlantic in World War Two His new sculpture will remember those on both sides of the conflict, including the many German U-boat submariners who died. Alec Owen, 93, who served in the Navys convoy escorts, told The Mail on Sunday that the memorial was crucial. Recalling one sinking, he said: I can still see those people we left in the water. Its difficult to explain the atrocities and what we went through. I feel a memorial must be created to help us communicate what happened, so that our stories are not forgotten. For more details of the project, visit battleoftheatlantic.org. A decorated British soldier who fought alongside Prince Harry in Afghanistan is believed to have killed himself after complaining to colleagues about the treatment he was receiving for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. Married Warrant Officer Nathan Hunt, 39, was found dead last week after confiding to Royal Engineers colleagues that he was struggling to cope with the effects of battlefield trauma. He also described the care provided to him by the Army as useless. The father-of-one protected Prince Harry when they belonged to a British Army desert reconnaissance unit. Warrant Officer Hunts highly dangerous role was to identify roadside bombs encountered by the elite force as they crossed Helmand Province on secret missions to ambush the Taliban. Prince Harry, fifth right, pictured with his battle group in Helmand Province, Afghanistan in March 2008, with Warrant Officer Nathan Hunt, circled, who took his own life last week and Corporal James Dunsby, extreme right, who died on an SAS selection course in 2013 Prince Harry served alongside Warrant Officer Nathan Hunt, 39 in 2008 while on a tour of duty in Afghanistan. Prince Harry spent two-and-a-half months in the deadly Helmand Province After the nerve-racking tour in 2008, WO Hunt was awarded a Mention in Dispatches for his courage and professionalism. But the role also took its toll on WO Hunt, who was diagnosed with a combat stress condition caused by his frontline experiences. Last night, Buckingham Palace confirmed that Prince Harry had written a private letter of condolence to WO Hunts family. The Prince is committed to improving standards of mental healthcare for troops and last year launched a new 2 million project to help traumatised veterans. But last night WO Hunts former colleagues accused the Ministry of Defence of letting him down. One said: Nathan was a cracking bloke who saved a lot of lives in Afghanistan. He fought the demons in his head for years but it seems they won in the end. He said recently at a get-together for veterans that the care he was receiving for his condition was useless and he was thinking of getting out of the Army. How many troops are going to die back in UK from the mental scars of fighting in Afghanistan and Iraq before the MoD takes this problem seriously? When asked whether WO Hunt whose most recent Army role was as an instructor had lodged an official complaint about his treatment, the MoD said it did not comment on individual cases. An Army spokesman added: Our thoughts are with his family at this difficult time. The circumstances of his death are currently being investigated and it would be inappropriate to comment further. Prince Harry, pictured here on a 50cal machine gun, wrote a personal note to WO Hunt's family after he was informed of his former comrade's tragic death We take the mental health of the Armed Forces community extremely seriously and work tirelessly to ensure troops and veterans receive the care they deserve. WO Hunts family declined to comment last night. Disturbingly, the number of troops suffering from conditions such as PTSD has nearly doubled in the past ten years. In 2007, just 1.8 per cent of regular soldiers were diagnosed with mental health conditions triggered by battlefield experiences. Last year, the figure had jumped to 3.2 per cent around 2,500 troops yet defence officials have refused to acknowledge the problem is getting worse. Instead, the MoD attributes the rise to the successful effect of campaigns to reduce stigma, resulting in an increase in mental health awareness. Soldiers diagnosed with mental illnesses are offered psychiatric treatment, drugs and, for the most serious cases, residential care. Since 1995, more than 400 serving personnel are believed to have committed suicide. The Mail on Sunday understands that WO Hunts condition had been a significant factor in his separation last year from his wife Elaine, 41, from Barnard Castle, County Durham. His former colleagues have pledged to raise funds to support the couples young daughter. The exact circumstances of WO Hunts death remained unclear last night but his body was discovered at an address in his home city of Lincoln on January 2. An inquest is expected to open later this month. WO Hunts death is the second tragedy to hit Prince Harrys desert squad. Corporal James Dunsby, 31, belonged to the same unit. He died after collapsing during a Special Air Service selection march in the Brecon Beacons in 2013. An investigation found that Ohio's Cleveland Clinic kept a surgeon accused of raping patients on staff while reaching a confidential settlement, which allowed him to move to another hospital without any warnings. In 2008 and 2009, two women accused colorectal surgeon Ryan Williams of anally raping them while they were his patients. One of the women, Lachelle Duncan, sued Williams and the renowned Cleveland Clinic after she alleged that Williams anally raped her during a rectal exam in 2008. She received a confidential settlement, according to USA Today. An investigation found that Cleveland Clinic reached a confidential settlement with a patient who accused a doctor of anally raping her. The doctor was kept on staff. A year later, the doctor allegedly anally raped another patient In 2009, Kristin Fehr went to see Williams to remove a hemorrhoid. She claims that Williams gave her two pills and told her to take the pills immediately, leaving her groggy and hazy during and after the treatment. In 2014, she said she started to experience flashbacks of having been sexually assaulted by Williams. Fehr told USA Today that she assumed she was the first and only victim and reported what she said happened to her to the Cleveland Clinic's ombudsman, assuming that if the hospital was aware of the accusations against Williams, they would fire him. Instead, she said that she started seeing a PR campaign positively promoting Williams through promotional videos and online articles. Fehr then went to the police, where she was accidentally given a poorly redacted version of Duncan's report. In October 2014 - the same month that Fehr filed her complaint with the Clinic's omudsman - Duncan's reports was 'ordered expunged by a common pleas court judge, according to authorities. According to USA Today, the police reports for both Duncan and Fehr's experiences with Williams were similar, even though the two women have never spoken with each other. Williams was not criminally prosecuted in Duncan's case. Two women claimed that colorectal surgeon Ryan Williams allegedly anally raped them. He denies their claims In the summer of 2017, Williams left the Cleveland Clinic and for a job at Ohio State University (OSU) Wexner Medical Center in Columbus, Ohio. According to a spokesperson for the Cleveland Clinic, Williams left the hospital for reasons that were not related to the sexual assault allegations made by Duncan and Fehr. However, when questioned by USA Today, a spokesperson at Wexner Medical Center said that the hospital was unaware of an allegations made against Williams, but would look into the charges. The next morning, Williams was put on paid administrative leave and no longer seeing patients. Washington plaintiffs' attorney Patrick Malone told USA Today that, in confidential settlements, hospitals are known to take over doctors' liability as a method of preventing medical negligence claims from appearing in the National Practitioners Data Bank, which hospitals check prior to hiring doctors. Lawyer Michael Shroge, who used to be an associate general counsel at the Cleveland Clinic, said that laws passed in Ohio over the last 20 years have led to some of the United State's broadest 'protections affording confidentiality.' He also noted that these days, major health care systems are keen to protect their brand over the health of their patients. Gag clauses in confidential settlements are thought by some to be problematic because they compromise patients' health and safety since 'these things never happen on one occasion,' Malone told USA Today. He advocates that at least part of the settlement should be made public to ensure that what happens to one patient won't happen to another down the line. In contrast to Ohio, South Carolina is said to have some of the strictest laws governing confidential settlements and California bars confidential settlements in cases involving felonies, such as sexual assault. New Jersey is expected to see legislation that would would ban confidential settlements in litigation including medical malpractice cases that would led to the covering up of a 'public hazard.' And, the recently passed tax bill includes a provision that erases a corporation's ability to write off attorney fees and settlement payments in cases of sexual harassment or abuse if a nondisclosure agreement is involved. Since Ohio's statue of limitations for medical malpractice or rape is one year, Fehr is no longer able to sue Williams or the hospital over her claims, but she decided to go public with her allegations due to concern that Williams still has his medical license. Fehr said that the Cleveland Clinic 'went to great lengths to cover it up and there was just no way for someone to be warned, to know what could happen.' As a result, 'it almost encourages these kinds of crimes,' she said. Williams told USA Today that he 'vehemently' denies Duncan and Fehr's allegations and that they have impacted both his work and home life. Millions of pounds earmarked for the battle against cancer are being diverted by drugs firms towards preparations for a hard Brexit, MPs have been told. If Britain leaves the EU without a deal in place covering their sector, the pharmaceutical companies will have to reregister and repackage thousands of medicines and conform to a welter of fresh regulations. With just 14 months until Britain formally leaves the EU, the companies say they need to build contingency funds in case negotiations with Brussels break down without a deal in place. Millions of pounds earmarked for the battle against cancer are being diverted by drugs firms towards preparations for a hard Brexit, MPs have been told (file photo) Now members of the Commons Health Committee have been told no-deal contingency money is being diverted from vital work developing new lifesaving drugs. Phil Thomson, president of global affairs for drugs giant GlaxoSmithKline, told the committee his company had more than 1,700 products that would be directly affected by Brexit and had set aside 70 million to prepare for new testing and regulation systems and updating every drugs pack. Mr Thomson said: Obviously, that money could be put behind clinical trials. I can tell you we have a cancer portfolio we are trying to invest in, into which that money should be going, to develop the next generation of cancer medicines. 'That is something we are wrestling with internally. Tory MP Sarah Wollaston chaired a committee that was told drug companies were being kept in the dark by the Government over the effect on their business The committee, chaired by Tory MP Sarah Wollaston, was also told by Mr Thomson that drug companies were being kept in the dark by the Government over the effect on their business. He said: We have been working to get to understand what the true position is. The earlier we can get clarity on a transition process, the better. And in the event of a hard Brexit, we need to be putting in plans to make sure we can manage supply and there is no disruption. He added: The costs, I am afraid, are going to be incurred. All I would say to you is that we are going to do everything we can to minimise disruption. Theresa May was last night engulfed in a row over obscene tweets sent by her controversial new university tsar casting a huge shadow over her imminent Cabinet reshuffle. The Prime Minister last night voiced her distaste for a string of sexist and obscene tweets sent by Toby Young whose position on the new Office For Students watchdog was put into deeper jeopardy as it was revealed that he posted a sick sexual joke about starving children on Comic Relief. The campaigners misogynistic Twitter messages threaten to undermine Mrs Mays attempts to rebrand the Tories as a women-friendly Party with the expected promotion of several female MPs to the Cabinet tomorrow. Theresa May was last night engulfed in a row over obscene tweets sent by her controversial new university tsar casting a huge shadow over her imminent Cabinet reshuffle The Prime Minister is under growing pressure to scrap Mr Youngs appointment after two senior female Conservative MPs said his position was now untenable. It was further revealed yesterday that Mr Young a close friend of Cabinet Ministers Boris Johnson and Michael Gove was a self-confessed pornography addict who had watched thousands of adult films. But his tweet joking about masturbating over scenes of starving African children in a BBC Comic Relief segment fronted by Simon Cowell may prove the final straw. Former Education Secretary Nicky Morgan said: In continuing to defend Mr Young when the Party needs to appeal to women and young people, we risk alienating those we need to re-engage with to win the next Election. Fellow Tory MP Sarah Wollaston, chairman of the Commons Health Select Committee, added: I feel deeply uncomfortable about someone who says things like this being appointed to a high profile public role. Last night there were signs that Mr Young was in danger of losing support from Mrs May and other senior Ministers, despite Mr Johnson leading a defiant rearguard action to save him. A Downing Street source said: Toby Young has a great record in setting up free schools. MP Sarah Wollaston, chairman of the Commons Health Select Committee, said she was 'deeply uncomfortable' about Mr Young being promoted to such a high profile public role However, the Prime Minister was not aware of these tweets when she appointed him and, like most people, sees them as distasteful. Now he has a public role, any repeat of those kinds of comments would be clearly incompatible with that position. The message is seen as a clear warning to Mr Young, a former journalist, that if further damaging information comes to light, he is likely to lose his new job. The tweet that threatens to end Mr Youngs appointment stems from 2009, when Cowell was filmed in Kenya with children scavenging from a rubbish dump to survive. The pop mogul called it hell on Earth. A female Twitter user tweeted she had gone through 5 boxes of Kleenex watching the harrowing scenes. Minutes later, just after midnight, Young tweeted a sarcastic and sick response, saying: Me Too, I havnt [sic] w***** so much in ages. Mr Young told The Mail on Sunday last night he had no recollection of posting the tweet. He said he had been a provocative journalist for 30 years, whose stock in trade was saying controversial, sometimes outrageous things so it was no surprise people were able to dredge up material to embarrass him. All the offending messages date back at least five years and most much longer. Mr Young insisted he was a changed man, saying: Im a more serious person now. Former Education Secretary Nicky Morgan said Mr Young's appointment risked alienating voters He spent three months in Kenya in 2013 to help a friend who was trying to establish a primary school and added: Ive helped set up four free schools and have been running a charity for more than a year, helping other people set up schools. If anyone who has said anything offensive on Twitter was to be banned from public life, it would become even more homogenous and anaemic than it is at present, said Mr Young. But Ms Morgan disagreed, saying Mr Young seemed determined to live up to the title of his comedic memoir, How To Lose Friends And Alienate People. She said: More seriously, many people will find it hard to understand how someone who expresses the kind of views in Mr Youngs tweets can be appointed to a body responsible for universities. There must be someone else better suited to the position. Ms Wollaston added: Initially, I thought this was a confected explosion of rage against Toby from people opposed to him for political reasons over free schools. But it is increasingly clear that someone did not do due diligence when they appointed him to this post. His Trump-esque tweets are wholly inappropriate. Conservative MP Jacob Rees-Mogg said: These tweets are revolting and impossible to defend. But I am a huge admirer of Mr Youngs pioneering work in free schools and do not believe he is unsuitable to work with young people in universities. Labour Equalities Spokesman Dawn Butler said: To mock children in desperate need with a sexually explicit joke is truly beyond the pale. The spotlight should also turn on his chief defender Boris Johnson whose own misogynistic fantasies make him unfit for high office. But there is no sign that Boris or his brother, Universities Minister Jo who announced Mr Youngs appointment are to withdraw their support. A source close to the Foreign Secretary said he stood by his view that there had been a ridiculous outcry against Mr Young who would bring independence, rigour and caustic wit to the university post and was the ideal man for the job. It is understood Jo Johnson is also continuing to back Mr Young. However, it is less certain if other senior Tory figures will continue to rally round. Environment Secretary Mr Gove hailed Mr Young last week for working night and day to provide great state schools for children of every background. But asked yesterday if Mr Gove still endorsed Mr Young, a source close to the Environment Secretary declined to comment. Mr Young has tried to stop further revelations about his past behaviour by deleting almost 50,000 tweets from his account. The row over Mr Young comes two weeks after Mrs May was forced to sack her Deputy Prime Minister, Damian Green, for allegedly lying about pornography on his Commons computer. When teacher Kato Harris was accused of raping a pupil, ex-Crown Prosecution Service boss Alison Levitt was said by a judge to have put 'enormous pressure' on police and her former employers for him to be prosecuted, despite a paucity of evidence. Yet last month 18 months after the teacher was cleared by a jury in just 15 minutes Ms Levitt raised concerns over the police's policy of automatically believing rape complainants. And last night, Mr Harris branded Ms Levitt 'completely hypocritical' over the comments she made following the collapse of two high-profile rape cases. Ms Levitt, former principal legal adviser to the Director of Public Prosecutions, warned on Radio 4's Today programme that a 'rigid mind-set' could lead the police to miss or even disregard significant material that could clear rape-case defendants. When teacher Kato Harris (pictured) was accused of raping a pupil, ex-Crown Prosecution Service boss Alison Levitt was said by a judge to have put 'enormous pressure' on police and her former employers for him to be prosecuted, despite a paucity of evidence Mr Harris said: 'These points, in regard to the police's handling of rape suspects, are entirely fair. But it is beyond belief and completely hypocritical to hear Alison Levitt making them. 'As legal adviser to the family of the pupil accusing me, she did everything she could to ensure I ended up in court on charges, even though it was clear there was no supporting evidence and no realistic chance of conviction. According to the judge, she subjected the police and the CPS to enormous pressure. 'Where was Ms Levitt's sense of fairness to both complainant and accused then? 'She appears to have very sound principles about justice for defendants. Those principles evaporated quickly when she was paid to put them to one side. Her opinions on sex offences are worthless.' But a month ago, 18 months on, Ms Levitt (pictured) raised concerns over the police's policy of automatically believing rape complainants, leading Harris to brand her a 'hypocrite' Ms Levitt's comments follow a judge ruling last year that the QC and ex-Scotland Yard deputy assistant commissioner Sue Akers both employed by the pupil's parents through top law firm Mishcon de Reya placed 'enormous pressure' on the CPS and police to pursue the conviction of Mr Harris. Despite warnings from police that the case was flimsy, Ms Levitt demanded detectives contact every pupil Mr Harris had ever taught in his career and pressed officers to seize his computer. The judge said he was 'at a loss' to see how the CPS decided there was 'sufficient evidence to provide a realistic prospect of conviction' and that the decision to prosecute Mr Harris was 'an unnecessary or improper act'. Despite their actions, the judge added that there was nothing to suggest those acting for the complainant's parents acted improperly or that their actions prevented the police and CPS from conducting a proper inquiry. Mishcon, at which Ms Levitt is a partner, declined to comment on Mr Harris's comments. Travellers arriving at Britain's biggest airport are being forced to endure queues of up to two-and-a-half hours at passport control. A leaked report seen by The Mail on Sunday reveals that the Border Force at Heathrow broke their waiting-time targets more than 100 times on a single day last month. Border Force bosses are understood to have written to the Home Office to explain the shambles. It comes after The Mail on Sunday revealed last week that the under-staffed Force is recruiting a 'Dad's Army' of volunteers to monitor smaller ports. The agency's agreed service standards are to clear European Economic Area (EEA) passengers within 25 minutes and non-EEA passengers within 45 minutes 95 per cent of the time. A leaked report seen by The Mail on Sunday reveals that the Border Force at Heathrow (pictured) broke their waiting-time targets more than 100 times on a single day last month But figures from the report for December 29 show that targets were missed on 101 occasions when queue times were checked every 15 minutes throughout the day. In 17 cases, queue times for non-EEA travellers exceeded 85 minutes and twice surpassed that time for EEA passengers. The longest queue time was 150 minutes at Terminal 4 for non-EEA. It means some passengers arriving on flights from Amsterdam could have waited nearly twice as long in a queue as they spent in the air. Last night, Lucy Moreton, of the ISU union for borders, immigration and customs staff, said: 'It's not uncommon to fail to meet queuing-time targets at Heathrow because of the huge staffing pressures.' A Home Office spokesman said: 'The security of our border is paramount, which is why 100 per cent of passengers are checked.' A Heathrow spokesman said: 'We have been working with Border Force on improving waiting times.' The Chinese have quietly taken control of a 5 billion, London-based company that stores vast amounts of highly sensitive data, sparking fears for Britains national security. Politicians and experts last night called for the security services to investigate the 100 million share swoop over the New Year that gave Chinese investors majority control over Global Switch, Europes largest data centre operator. The Australian government has already said it will to move files from its Department of Defence out of a Global Switch site in Sydney, due to concerns that Communist officials in Beijing could access military secrets. But security expert Professor Anthony Glees accused the UK Government of failing to take this threat as seriously as it should, adding that Ministers were so obsessed with attracting foreign investment that they risked throwing national security to the four winds. The Chinese have quietly taken control of a 5 billion, London-based company Global Switch that stores vast amounts of highly sensitive data which has sparked fears over UK national security Conservative MP Nigel Evans also questioned the deal. If other countries like Australia have had deep concerns, then why is it we dont? he said. A group of Chinese investors operating as a consortium called Elegant Jubilee increased its stake to 51 per cent in the company in discreet dealings between Christmas and the New Year. The power-grab went almost unnoticed because most people were on holiday. The Chinese have been investing heavily in UK infrastructure over the past few years, including Hinkley Point nuclear power station and National Grid gas pipelines. Elegant Jubilee was put together by Li Qiang, the founder of Chinese data centre firm Daily-Tech, and is led by Jiangsu Sha Steel Group, Chinas largest private steel-maker. They say they are independent investors with no links to the Chinese state. The Chinese have been investing heavily in UK infrastructure over the past few years However, Prof Glees said: The Chinese Communist Party has a finger in every single significant pie. He added that control of Global Switch could give China very easy access to vast quantities of Western data. Were there to be a conflict between us at some point, the Chinese would be extremely well-placed not just to shut down our energy supplies but to use our own data against us, he said. Labour MP Dan Jarvis, a former paratrooper who sits on the Joint Committee on the National Security Strategy, said: We would never countenance replacing the Royal Marine Fleet Protection Group that guards our nuclear weapons with a foreign-owned security company. This includes Hinkley Point nuclear power station and National Grid gas pipelines Yet we seem happy to entrust our intellectual property to another country. This is muddled thinking. Previously, Global Switch was controlled by the Reuben brothers, property tycoons David and Simon, whose 14 billion fortune puts them among the richest men in Britain. They own the other 49 per cent of the company. They sold a 2.4 billion stake to the Chinese investors behind Elegant Jubilee in December 2016, provoking the Australian governments move. Global Switch was founded in 1998 by Andy Ruhan, a Birmingham-based property and telecoms mogul. It is now one of Britains biggest private companies with 11 warehouses around the world, including two in Londons financial district of Canary Wharf. It stores huge amounts of confidential data for banks, governments and companies, including BT. Global Switch said the Reuben brothers would continue to control the business jointly with their Chinese investors. A Global Switch spokesman described the company as a property firm and said it had no access to any customer data stored in its facilities, and a security agreement restricted investors access to data centres. A spokesman for the Department of Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy said the deal was a commercial matter. Universities could face legal action if they allow student zealots to ban speakers from campuses just because they dislike their views. The Equalities and Human Rights Commission is drawing up tough new guidance telling university bosses to crack down on undergraduates who restrict free speech. It is understood the commission will consider backing banned speakers if they sue vice-chancellors for allowing activists to bar them from addressing student unions or organisations. Cardiff University students are pictured trying to stop a speech by feminist Germaine Greer Rebecca Hilsenrath, the commissions chief executive, said the clampdown was needed to combat a growing culture of snowflake students stifling open debate. Curbs on free speech on campuses would create a generation of students who cant challenge opinions or think for themselves, she claimed. The move comes after: High-profile figures including feminist Germaine Greer and gay rights campaigner Peter Tatchell faced attempts to no-platform them the term used when students formally bar speakers or withdraw their invitations after protests against their views. Undergraduates at Oxford demanded that a statue of Cecil Rhodes be removed because of his imperialism, and Professor Nigel Biggar was pilloried for suggesting that the Empire was not all bad. Universities introduced trigger warnings and safe spaces to shield over-sensitive students from views and language they might find upsetting, and student unions have even banned the wearing of sombreros because it is racist. The news also follows the creation by Universities Minister Jo Johnson of the Office for Students, a new regulatory body that has the power to fine or deregister universities that fail to protect free speech. The commission, which was set up to police the last Labour Governments Equalities Act 2006, will tell universities later this month that they are legally obliged to uphold freedom of expression that does not promote extremism or hate speech. It will publish more specific guidelines on the contentious issue of no-platforming by April after consulting the National Union of Students, the Office for Students and the umbrella organisation Universities UK. Rebecca Hilsenrath says universities are restricting honest and constructive debate A survey conducted last year found that free speech had been restricted at more than 90 per cent of British universities. In 2016 alone, speakers were barred from events at more than 20 colleges because of fears their views might upset minorities. Ms Hilsenrath said: Universities are an ideal space for people to formulate, express, defend and hone their theories about the world. But if these theories are to be developed into valid arguments, they need to be appropriately challenged. By restricting honest, constructive and open debates about subjects which others may find difficult or uncomfortable to digest, universities risk stifling future generations and allowing unpleasant theories to spread unopposed. Just because we dont like their opinions does not mean they are not entitled to have them. Left-wing feminist Linda Bellos was recently invited to speak to a student organisation in Cambridge but had her invitation withdrawn after complaints over her views on transgender campaigners. She said: We should be getting students to understand why they should be challenging ideas rather than excluding them. But I am not sure a government diktat is the best way to achieve that. Saudi Arabia has laid the groundwork for momentous social and economic changes that will take place this year, defying its conservative reputation for slow, cautious reforms. King Salman and his ambitious 32-year-old son and heir, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, have upended decades of royal family protocol, social norms and traditional ways of doing business. They bet instead on a young generation of Saudis hungry for change and a Saudi public fed up with corruption and government bureaucracy. Saudi Arabia will begin issuing driving licences to women this year There is also a need to cut a budget deficit of at 195 billion riyals ($50 billion) caused by collapsing oil prices. The world's biggest oil exporter had previously been able to rely on income from it to spend lavishly to maintain its population's standard of living and subsidise the extravagant spending of its royal princes. The clam down on corruption that has seen 200 officials detained, including one of King Abdullah's sons, former National Guard chief Prince Miteb bin Abdullah. He was released last month after agreeing to pay back the government $1 billion. The conservative kingdom hosted Comic Con events here thousands of fans dressed up in their favorite action-hero costume Hand-in-hand with economic reforms, the Kingdom is bringing about social changes. A ban on women driving has been lifted and there are plans to begin issuing licenses to women, even allowing them to drive motorcycles. This year women will also be allowed to attend sporting matches in national stadiums, where they were previously banned. Movie theaters, shut down in the 1980s during a wave of ultraconservatism, are returning to the Kingdom. Rapper Nelly performing in Saudi Arabia, one of many entertainers who made it to the country Previously, Saudis could stream movies online, watch them on satellite TV or travel to neighboring countries like Bahrain and the UAE. This past year, rapper Nelly and two Games of Thrones stars came to Saudi Arabia for the first time. John Travolta also visited the Kingdom, meeting with fans and talking to them about the US film industry. Saudi Arabia also held two Comic Con events in major cities, where thousands of fans dressed up in their favorite action-hero costumes. Actors Julian Glover and Charles Dance, Grand Maester Pycelle and Tywin Lannister from HBO's 'Game of Thrones', made an appearance at one as rock music blared in the halls. Couples could in future get pregnant using skin cells instead of sperm and eggs, according to a fertility pioneer. Stephen Hillier, who helped set up one of Britain's earliest IVF units shortly after the birth of test tube baby Louise Brown, said it was already possible to create artificial egg and sperm cells. Giving the keynote speech at the conference of the British Fertility Society yesterday, he said scientific breakthroughs could make it feasible for a child to be born without the use of reproductive organs. Couples could in future get pregnant using skin cells instead of sperm and eggs, according to fertility pioneer Stephen Hillier He joked: 'Probably you will just need a couple of hairs, to pop them in an envelope, send them to Amazon and you will get a pre-loaded embryo transfer catheter back.' Three years ago scientists at Cambridge University said they could make a human egg from adult skin cells, paving the way for babies with two fathers or mothers. Speaking after his lecture Professor Hillier said it might not be necessary to use sperm or eggs to have a baby in the future. He added: 'The knowledge and all the research suggests that at some time in the future it will be possible.' The emeritus professor at the University of Edinburgh explained that he was joking about Amazon. Giving the keynote speech at the conference of the British Fertility Society yesterday, he said scientific breakthroughs could make it feasible for a child to be born without the use of reproductive organs But he added that animal experiments show you can make eggs or sperm from almost any cell in the body. He said there was no clear timescale for humans having babies using skin cells, and the scenario was 'pure speculation'. Dr Raj Mathur, a gynaecologist at St Mary's Hospital in Manchester, was speaking at the same event. He said: 'Creating a baby from skin cells may seem like science fiction but there was a time when IVF was considered science fiction too. This may be feasible one day.' Professor Hillier was giving the Bob Edwards memorial lecture, marking 40 years of IVF. Since the first fertility treatment, which did little to help men with sperm problems, babies are now born from frozen embryos and eggs harvested and stored by women to beat their biological clocks. Sperm can be injected directly into an egg to boost the chances of conceiving, while the embryo can be tested to avoid parents passing on genetic diseases such as cystic fibrosis. Speaking about the future, Professor Hillier said more fertility advances were in the pipeline, adding: 'You don't need gonads (ovaries and testes) to do IVF any more.' In the book The End of Sex and the Future of Human Reproduction, US professor Henry Greely claims couples could largely stop having sex for reproduction in 40 years. A new breakthrough in testing Einsteins spooky action at a distance could soon pave the way for ultra-secure quantum communication. Scientists have been investigating how pairs of photons can be used to form a link across great distances, in a phenomenon known as quantum entanglement. It could allow for networks that are essentially unhackable but, losing photons through absorption or scattering as they travel could threaten the security of the system. In new experiments, researchers have demonstrated how quantum teleportation could be used to overcome the problem, to reveal if the light particle has made it through or not, and exclude any failed links at the get go. Scroll down for video A breakthrough in testing Einsteins spooky action at a distance could pave the way for ultra-secure quantum communication. Scientists have been investigating how pairs of photons can be used to form a link across great distances, in quantum entanglement. Artist's impression WHAT IS QUANTUM ENTANGLEMENT? In quantum physics, entangled particles remain connected so that actions performed by one affects the behaviour of the other, even if they are separated by huge distances. This means if you measure, 'up' for the spin of one photon from an entangled pair, the spin of the other, measured an instant later, will be 'down' - even if the two are on opposite sides of the world. Entanglement takes place when a part of particles interact physically. For instance, a laser beam fired through a certain type of crystal can cause individual light particles to be split into pairs of entangled photons. The theory that so riled Einstein is also referred to as 'spooky action at a distance'. Einstein wasn't happy with theory, because it suggested that information could travel faster than light. Advertisement The new study from researchers at Griffith Universitys Centre for Quantum Dynamics in Australia demonstrates how pairs of photons, or particles of light, can be tested rigorously even in conditions that mimic those outside of the lab. Entangled photons create whats known as a quantum link. In this state, the actions of one affect the behaviour of the other even across great distances. And, when sent along a communication channel, these could make for secure networks. In order confirm that photons in different locations demonstrate whats known as quantum nonlocality, the researchers developed a demanding new test method using quantum teleportation. Failing the test means an eavesdropper might be infiltrating the network, said team leader Professor Geoff Pryde. As the length of quantum channel grows, less and less photons successfully pass through the link, because no material is perfectly transparent and absorption and scattering take their toll. This is a problem for existing quantum nonlocality verification techniques with photons. 'Every photon lost makes it easier for the eavesdropper to break the security by mimicking entanglement. The team selected photons that survived the high-loss channel, and teleported them to another clean quantum channel, according to first author Dr Morgan Weston. In new experiments, researchers have demonstrated how quantum teleportation could be used to overcome the problem, to reveal if the light particle has made it through or not, and exclude any failed links at the get go. Artist's impression To go through with the teleportation step, the researchers had to add additional high-quality photon pairs. These must be generated and detected with high efficiency, so they can compensate for losses. The researchers used photon source and detection technology co-developed with the US National Institute of Standards and Technology in Boulder, Colorado. QUANTUM TELEPORTATION How quantum teleportation works is complicated, but an analogy for the principle behind it may help. Let's say there are two people, Alice and Bob. Alice wants Bob to have a photon that's in the same 'state' as her photon, which we'll call photon P. For the sake of this analogy, we can pretend that the 'state' is a colour, and photon P is yellow. A third person named Charlie sends out two entangled photons, photon A to Alice and photon B to Bob, which behave as if they are part of the same whole. Both of these photons start out as blue. Alice's two photons, P, which is yellow, and A, which is blue, 'collide.' Alice measures the photons as they annihilate one another. This Nasa cartoon demonstrates the principle of quantum teleportation using an analogy. Alice wants Bob to have a photon that's in the same 'state' as her photon Although P and A are destroyed in the crash, P's yellow colour is preserved. Because photon A and photon B are entangled, the yellow colour is 'teleported' to B. But in order to get photon B to become yellow, as photon P originally was, Alice needs to send Bob two bits of information to B the 'classical' way - for example, by sending pulses of light over an optical fibre. When Alice measures the state of her photon, Bob's photon changes state as well, as if flipping a switch. But Bob cannot know how the switch flipped unless Alice sends him the bits of information classically. Bob does not know that his photon has changed to yellow without that additional information. Advertisement In the lab experiments, they tested channels with photon absorption equal to that of about 80 kilometers of telecommunications optical fiber. There, the chosen verification test, called quantum steering, could be done without any problem, said Weston. Our scheme records an additional signal that lets us know if the light particle has made it through the transmission channel. This means that the failed distribution events can be excluded up front, allowing the communication to be implemented securely even in the presence of very high loss. Snow-capped mountains seem to glide past as I wallow in a hot tub on deck. Then its a case of enjoying a five-course dinner in the restaurant, with seafood picked up at fishing villages that day. No, there is not a West-End-style stage show to finish the evening; instead I snuggle under a blanket on a sun-lounger to watch something even better the Northern Lights. My cruise on a small Hurtigruten ship pottering along Norways northern coast may not involve multiple swimming pools or tinkling casinos but thanks to this nightly performance its the match of any big ship from a major cruise line. Wonderland: A Hurtigruten ship makes its way through the majestic Norwegian fjords Take a 12-day trip before the end of March and Hurtigruten guarantees youll see the Northern Lights. If not, theyll give you another chance on a free seven-day cruise. I am on a shorter five-day trip, which starts at remote Kirkenes, next to Norways border with Russia, and finishes at the historic Viking port of Trondheim. Hurtigrutens fleet is a part of Norwegian history. For the past 120 years, it has operated like an Arctic bus service. Eleven ferries transport trucks, cars, freight and passengers between 34 ports north of Bergen. Depending on the size of each coastal settlement, ships stop for several hours or as little as five minutes. Hurtigruten passengers can get off anywhere and stay, then jump back on the next passing ship. In fact, Norway subsidises the service because it links outposts that would otherwise take all day to reach by road. I meet someone using it to go to a hospital appointment in the next town. Kick off: The first day-trip starts in Kirkenes, next to Norways border with Russia The rugged utilitarian ships used be a traditional butt of Norwegian jokes. Those who holidayed on these oily old freighters were surely mad, said locals. Hurtigruten was like a ferry. It stood for bad food and boring travel, one Norwegian tells me over dinner. He looks up from the fantastic fresh seafood and adds: Its not now. Is it because Norway is now such a rich country? No, its because British businessmen took over this Norwegian institution two years ago. They recognised the tourism potential of sailing these mountainous fjords, islands and inlets. My ship, the recently modernised Nordkapp, is a luxurious working vessel where a wealthy American couple might find themselves sitting next to a Scandinavian lorrydriver or fisherman on his way to market. LOCAL KNOWLEDGE Norway is planning the worlds first underwater tunnel buoyed by floats, shortening the 21-hour coastal drive to ten hours Advertisement Cabins are a little smaller than on a normal cruise liner, but still offer sumptuous beds, neat en-suites and big TVs. Public decks feature homely touches such as rocking chairs and sofas. The on-board shop sells thick Norwegian sweaters. By day, you can gaze at the scenery or jump into a boat for an unforgettable Arctic adventure. The new owners introduced 100 excursions, from husky sledding to snowmobiling. In summer there are options such as kayaking or giant king crab fishing. I take an exhilarating trip to the rocky headland our ship was named after. Nordkapp is Norways John o Groats, the last mainland before the North Pole. I cling on as my boat bounces across a black, icy sea to reach the cliffs of North Cape while spotting giant sea eagles, Europes largest birds of prey. Normally, I would be sceptical of Hurtigruten brochures wildly describing the route as the worlds most beautiful voyage. Then I take another open-boat excursion round the Lofoten Islands. We whizz through a narrow gap between sheer jagged cliffs to explore Trollfjord, one of the most glorious landscapes Ive ever seen. The brochures arent exaggerating. No holiday is complete without the animal adoption showdown, that moment when the children demand we take home some dog or cat they have found in the street and their cruel father says no. This, though, was the first time Ive had to refuse a turtle. I wasnt even aware that there were turtles in the Mediterranean until we came to Kalkan, in south-west Turkey. But to bump in to one, then swim with it for the best part of an hour, was just one of many surprises in a spot that manages to combine the dramatic beauty of the Amalfi coast and the bohemian charm of Ibiza at half the price of either. Lovely: The harbour in Kalkan has maintained much of its historic ambience Political upheavals may not have helped Turkeys image but, perversely, they mean there has never been a better time to head for a place like Kalkan. It started life as a (Greek) fishing village, but unlike, say, St Tropez, has managed to retain much of that original ambiance with steep streets meandering past whitewashed houses. A seafront cappuccino costs just 2, a beer 3, though what you really want is Turkish limonata. Throughout our stay, my children aged ten, eight and five ordered nothing but this fabulous lemonade. Why cant the rest of Europe serve this instead of Fanta? We booked through Simpson Travel. They suggested Korsan Suites, an enclave of villas and apartments perfect for families. We had a villa with three en-suites, two terraces staring out to sea and our own Jacuzzi, all inside a small bougainvillea-draped complex with a pool and restaurant. A vast breakfast and a nothings-too-much-trouble concierge service is included. Its a short walk down the hill to the centre of a town which claims to have more restaurants per person than anywhere in Turkey. Whats more, the Turkish lira is much kinder than the euro. With only a small public beach, people spend their days at beach clubs dotted around the bay. Much to like: The Hardman family were thrilled by the turtles they found on the beach in Kalkan Most run a free ferry shuttle from the harbour and provide loungers, umbrellas and towels for a modest fee. Easily the prettiest is the Villa Mahal, attached to a romantic boutique hotel perched on the rocks. If you want turtles for company, this is the place. Simpson also arranged a hire car through a local Kalkan firm. It really was painless with no queue and no arguing over a scratch on the hubcap. It meant we could explore inland, driving up to the hill village of Islamlar, famous for its trout. My trout went from river to plate in 20 minutes for the equivalent of 1. Kalkan is just a 20-minute drive round to Patara Beach, one of the longest in Europe. The only man-made structures along its eight miles of sand are a small cafe and the well-preserved ruins of a Roman town. Im ashamed to say we spent longer in the boutiques of Kalkan than the ruins of Patara. Despite my pleas for restraint, there was much buying of earrings, bracelets, bags and flip-flops. Still, we made it home without the turtle. You can eat like a king and then walk it off along some of the most heavenly pathways in all of Greece. The island, one of the triumphs of the Cyclades, has for years been a refuge for pleasure-seekers. My sister is one of them. She bought a 300-year-old peasant house ten years ago in the little village of Exambela, and Ive visited ever since. Only nine miles long and five miles wide, the island is a craggy outcrop with hilltop churches looking out over whitewashed villages and sandy beaches tucked away in exquisite coves. Tuck in: The Greek island of Sifnos has become something of a foodie haven Gold and silver mines made Sifnos one of the wealthiest Greek islands in ancient times, and today it retains an elite aura. Upper-crust Athenians and French tourists stroll the boutique-lined capital, Apollonia, yet the island remains relatively off the map to the British. Partly because its tricky to get to: you need to take a boat via Athens or Santorini and Sifnians like it that way a proposed airport a few years ago nearly caused a riot. But word is getting out. Recently its become a foodie haven appropriate given that Nikolaos Tselementes, who wrote the first proper Greek cookbook, was born here in 1878. Star quality: Scarlett Johansson was spotted last summer at a restaurant on Sifnos And Scarlett Johansson was spotted last summer at one of the more experimental restaurants, Omega3, a culinary flagship for the island. One dish, whitefish roe mousse, tastes like the light-as-air idea of what the gods had in mind for taramasalata before it became earth-bound in all-you-can-eat tavernas. One of a handful of Sifnos specialities, revithia, the islands equivalent of a roast, is a lemony chickpea soup cooked overnight before being scoffed on Sundays. Or theres thimarisio, a herby lamb stew so tender it feels like you could nudge it off the bone by the power of thought. Taverna Chrysopigi, on a sapphire-blue bay, offers a possibly unrivalled version. When not ascending culinary heights, there are plenty of real ones to climb. The island has extensive walking networks one route might take you to a mysterious Mycenaean acropolis atop a hill, another to a lonely swimming spot by an ancient silver mine, or yet another to the former capital, coastal Kastro. The authorities have recently waymarked all the paths so you can mosey onwards enjoying the landscape. Anna Graikou is my expert guide. A former chef, she swapped her fag habit at the stove for blue skies and less stress. We pass a peaceful little countryside chapel, and then a stand of wild carrot interspersed, Anna points out, with hemlock. Socrates poison, she remarks, deadpan. Along with striding the hills and cooking like angels, dropping casual references to ancient history is, you discover, a Sifnos habit. In her new BBC1 series Miriams Big American Adventure, the actress who played Professor Sprout in the Harry Potter films embarks on an epic road trip through the heartlands of middle America. This latest journey follows her appearance on The Real Marigold Hotel and, more recently, The Real Marigold Hotel On Tour which took her to China, Cuba, Florida and Japan. I lived in Santa Monica in California for 16 years but I knew that it didnt really represent the real America. With the election of President Trump, it is a very peculiar time in the States and I thought it would be interesting to see what it, and the people, were like now and to find out why President Trump was elected. Miriam inside a women's prison in Ohio, where she met some of the inmates. It was part of her new BBC1 show where she is taking a road trip across America My new three-part TV series is a road trip from Chicago to New Orleans, but its not really a travel programme, its more sociological. I see a lot of places that Id never been to before, but the programme is really about the people I meet. Its the opposite of Marigold which was really a travel programme. This time my favourite place was the inside of a jail! I realise that this series, coming hard on the heels of Marigold, means that Im on the TV quite a lot at the moment people are going to get very sick of me. Im technically an actor, but Ive done documentaries. One of my favourites was the programme I made 12 years ago about going around America in the footsteps of Charles Dickens. I also loved doing Marigold because I liked the people I was travelling with and, you know, you cant believe that youre being paid to go on holiday. I really enjoyed our time in India partly because we stayed there longer than the other places we visited. If I looked as if I wasnt enjoying China, it was because we didnt stay there long enough to visit the really interesting bits and get to know people, so that was probably the least successful visit, but I still enjoyed it very much. Miriam with a female biker in New Orleans. She travelled across the American heartlands for her tour Actually I just love travelling: its wonderful to meet people and learn new things. I now realise you need to get out and travel while you still can. As you get older, its less easy I dont walk as well as I used to, and I cant climb stairs very well, so the things I can do are somewhat limited now. We didnt travel much when I was a child, just to Glasgow and Broadstairs. My father was Scottish so we went there to see the family, and my mother had always gone to the Kent coast for her holidays and so we went there as well. What I liked about doing my Big American Adventure was that I was travelling with a purpose, and when you do this you always have an interesting trip. There were three highlights for me. One was going to a womens prison in Ohio and meeting the inmates and talking to them and working with them, actually cleaning toilets with them, and understanding something of the horror of drug addiction, which Ive never been familiar with before. Americas drug problem is an absolute epidemic. Meeting Zena Stevens, a black woman sheriff in Texas, was also a highlight: she was an electrifying personality. I really hope she will stand for President one day. She was extraordinary. Miriam's new three-part TV series is a road trip from Chicago, pictured, to New Orleans, but she describes it as a 'sociological programme' I also met an incredible female biker gang called the Caramel Curves in New Orleans. A lot of the places I visited are probably not the sort of places that people would think of visiting on a holiday to America. Yet, funnily enough, Dickens always went to the jails, workhouses and the mental homes. My next trip is to Australia where Im going for two months: I am an Australian citizen and I have a home there in Robertson, a little town in New South Wales where they made the movie Babe about the little pig. In the film I was the voice of Fly, the mother dog. I wanted to do that role because when I read the book, the very first line of Babe is: This is the tale of an unprejudiced heart. As soon as you hear those words, you know that something different and good is about to be unfolded before you. The place Id still love to visit is Africa. I dont really know anything about the vast continent but Ive adopted three elephants in Kenya and Id love to go to see them. The only thing that will slow me down is if I dont get offered work. But, at the moment, thats not the case, and you just keep going. Chris Soules is still facing felony charges after his fatal road accident last year. The Iowa farmer-turned-reality television star is fighting to avoid prison after driving his pickup into the back of a tractor and killing a neighbor in April. He lost a legal battle on Friday in the felony case against him when a judge dismissed his constitutional challenge to an Iowa law requiring the surviving driver in a fatal accident to remain at the scene until police arrive. Rejected: Chris Soules has lost his legal battle to have the felony case against him dismissed after his fatal road accident last year (pictured November 27) While the 36-year-old reported the accident, identified himself, waited for paramedics and even administered CPR himself, he left the scene before police arrived which is against the law in Iowa, and Iowa alone. Soules' attorneys say he vigorously disagrees with the judge's ruling and will ask the state's highest court, Iowa Supreme Court, to review it. Soules, who became known as 'Prince Farming' during his 2015 appearance on 'The Bachelor' and also appeared on 'The Bachelorette' and 'Dancing With The Stars,'now faces trial on January 18. Soules rear-ended a farm tractor driven by Kenneth Mosher on a rural northern Iowa road just after sunset on April 24. Mosher died soon after at a hospital. Crash: The Iowa farmer-turned-reality television star is fighting to avoid prison after driving his pickup into the back of a tractor and killing a neighbor in April The accident sent the tractor Mosher was driving and Soules' pickup into ditches on opposite sides of the road. Soules called 911 and identified himself, administered CPR to Mosher and remained at the scene until emergency personnel arrived. But before law enforcement could arrive, Soules was driven home. He was arrested at 1:16 the next morning at his home near Arlington, 12 miles northeast of the accident scene. Sheriff's reports indicate he declined to let officers into his house until after they obtained a search warrant. He was charged with failure to remain at the scene of a fatal accident, which carries a penalty of up to five years in prison. His attorneys claim Iowa's law violates the constitutional rights of citizens to be free from unreasonable searches and seizures and to avoid self-incrimination. Trouble: Soules, who became known as 'Prince Farming' during his 2015 appearance on 'The Bachelor' and also appeared on 'The Bachelorette' and 'Dancing With The Stars,'now faces trial on January 18 The law in question says, in part, 'a surviving driver shall promptly report the accident to law enforcement authorities, and shall immediately return to the scene of the accident or inform the law enforcement authorities where the surviving driver can be located.' Most states consider it a felony to leave the scene of an accident in which someone is injured or dies, but Iowa's law differs in that it has been interpreted to require the surviving driver to be present when law officers arrive. 'No other state has a comparable requirement,' Soules' attorneys said in court documents. A driver forced to meet face-to-face with police is exposed to interrogation and observation by officers and risk self-incrimination, his attorneys argued. State prosecutors contend the purpose of the law is to prevent drivers from evading liability for driving recklessly, driving while drunk or driving with a suspended or revoked license. Victim: Soules performed CPR on Kenneth Mosher (seen with family) after April's accident. Soules' lawyers said it was 'reasonable' for him to stop after blood came from Mosher's mouth 'The state submits the legislature foresaw that drunk drivers could flee the scene of a fatal crash precisely because they wanted to escape and sober up before confronting law enforcement officers who may detect telltale signs of intoxication,' prosecutors said in court documents. Initial court documents Buchanan County Attorney Shawn Harden filed in May said Soules was seen purchasing alcohol at a convenience store shortly before the accident. They allege he attempted 'to obfuscate the immediate facts and circumstances surrounding the accident, including a determination of his level of intoxication and an explanation of the empty and partially consumed open alcoholic beverages located in and around his vehicle ...' Had Soules been tested at the scene or soon after and found to have been legally drunk, a much more serious charge such as vehicular homicide could have been brought. It carries a prison sentence of as much as 25 years. Soules, 36, pleaded guilty to drunken driving in 2005 and was sentenced to one year of probation and a 60-day suspended jail sentence. In 2001, when he was 19, he twice pleaded guilty to underage possession of alcohol and also was fined for having an open container in a car. Location: While the 36-year-old reported the accident, identified himself, waited for paramedics and even administered CPR himself, he left the scene before police arrived which is against the law in Iowa, and Iowa alone The ruling Friday by Judge Andrea Dryer says Iowa's requirement to remain at the scene is not a seizure under the state or federal constitutions and it does not require the driver to divulge anything to police that would violate rights against self-incrimination. Soules became a television reality show celebrity after appearing on the ABC network's 'The Bachelorette' in 2014 and played the starring role in the network's 'The Bachelor' in 2015. He also was chosen to be one of 12 celebrity competitors on 'Dancing With The Stars' in that year but was eliminated during week eight of the competition, finishing fifth. One of Soules' attorneys, Brandon Brown, said in court documents that he may claim as a possible defense diminished capacity 'based upon his then-existing medical condition due to injuries sustained.' Brown did not provide an immediate response to the judge's ruling or indicate whether Soules would appeal to the Iowa Supreme Court but indicated a statement was planned for release Friday. Appeal: Soules' attorneys say he vigorously disagrees with the judge's ruling and will ask the state's highest court, Iowa Supreme Court, to review it Advertisement The past six months have had dramatic twists and turns for James Packer following his dramatic split from Grammy winning diva Mariah Carey. But the 50-year-old Australian casino mogul seems to have bounced back after recently enjoying the holiday season with his nearest and dearest at his jointly shared Aspen property, West Buttermilk Estate. The billionaire confirmed with the Sydney Morning Herald that he had enjoyed the 'best Christmas ever' and 'magical' time with his three children Indigo, nine, Jackson, seven, and Emmanuelle, five, their mother and his ex wife Erica Packer, whom he shares the estate with. Quality family time: James Packer has recently enjoyed the holiday season with his nearest and dearest at his Aspen property, West Buttermilk Estate, with his three children Indigo, 9, Jackson, 7 and Emmanuelle, 5, their mother and his ex wife Erica Packer The lavish property offers seven spacious bedrooms and seven bathrooms, enough to accommodate his kids, family and guests. The home also has a state-of-the-art kitchen with an island breakfast bench and solid timber cabinetry, a medieval-style dining room and a generously sized living room with ceiling-to-floor windows looking out to the scenic hills. But the home isn't without its luxurious features including a theatre room, bar, steam room, a games room with a Billiard table, a cosy library filled with a large collection of books and a fire place. Landscaped gardens: The billionaire, 50, confirmed with the Sydney Morning Herald that he had enjoyed the 'best Christmas ever' and 'magical' time with his family Lavish living: The lavish property offers seven spacious bedrooms and seven bathrooms, enough to accommodate his kids, family and guests Kitchen space: The home also has a state of the art kitchen with an island breakfast bench and solid timber cabinetry Spacious: West Buttermilk has a generously sized living room with ceiling to floor windows looking out to the scenic hills Stone masonry and iron chandeliers are present throughout the home giving it a stylishly antiquated feel. For outdoor entertaining, the house has beautifully landscaped front and backyards with a fire pit, a man-made rock formation waterfall and lake with views looking out to the picturesque mountain views. The former couple purchased the estate for over $20million according to the Sydney Morning Herald in 2013, the year they split up. The publication also reported that Erica recently met with James' new flame, New York-based socialite Kylie Lim, and it happy he has found love again since splitting up from Mariah Carey last October. It is also understood that he has even introduced his kids to the Canadian-born beauty. Indoor entertainment: But the home isn't without its luxurious features such as a games room with a Billiard table Details: Stone masonry and iron chandeliers are present throughout the home giving it a stylishly antiquated feel Nights in: The lavish property features a theatre room (pictured), bar and steam room Cosy: It also has a library filled with a large collection of books, a fire place and TV Outdoor entertainment: A man-made rock formation waterfall and lake with views looking out to the picturesque mountain views New flame: The publication also reported that Erica recently met with James' new flame, New York-based socialite Kylie Lim, and it happy he has found love again since splitting up from Mariah Carey last October. It is also understood that he has even introduced his kids to the Canadian-born beauty This is the first holiday Erica and James have spent together since their split in 2013. James also spent the holiday with his first wife: glamour-model-turned-sportswear-designer Jodhi Meares. He admitted to the publication: 'For better or worse, the two women who know me best are my best friends.' Last August, the luxurious property also played host to Erika's Midsummer Night's Dream themed 40th birthday bash. The former model's milestone occasion was attended by her friends Orlando Bloom, Lachlan and Sarah Murdoch. Fire pit: For outdoor entertaining, the house has beautifully landscaped front and backyards with a fire pit Stunning views: Outdoor dining is also an option for the Packers and their guests at West Buttermilk Scenery: Last August, the luxurious property also played host to Erika's Midsummer Night's Dream themed 40th birthday bash. The former model's milestone occasion was attended by her friends Orlando Bloom, Lachlan and Sarah Murdoch Masterchef: The Professionals judge and award-winning restaurateur Marcus Wareing, 47, makes a surprising admission he creates fine cuisine for a living but never eats proper meals at work himself. I wont sit down today and have a meal. No plate, no knife and fork. Ill put my whites on and wait for service to begin and have a nibble or two. Marcus Wareing, 47, makes a surprising admission he creates fine cuisine for a living but never eats proper meals at work himself I still dont have breakfast. Im terrible at breakfast. Fortunately he does manage to feed himself when hes at home. At weekends and holidays Ill have breakfast, lunch and dinner. Thats when I do have a routine. He blames a lack of eating for a breakdown earlier in his career. It was really the tiredness that hit home to me. It hurt like hell . . . to get out of bed. I wasnt burnt out but I was heading that way. My food intake was so weird. Actress Juliet Stevenson admits to a secret past as a shoplifter. Juliet, 61, recalls: I wandered out of Harrods with a pile of rare and expensive mushrooms and forgot to pay for them. I didnt mean to. Its my only shoplifting experience. It was about 25 years ago. I thought: Should I go back? and then I thought, Ah no, I think Harrods can afford it. They know about it now, Juliet! Nineties supermodel Helena Christensen has no desire to relinquish her catwalk queen status just yet. The Danish beauty, 49, impressed admirers this week by posting this snap online in which she shows off her wrinkle-free skin and slender figure in a pink bodice and black bra while suspending herself between banisters. The Danish beauty, 49, impressed admirers this week by posting this snap online Tell us your secret, pleaded one fan. Helena, who has a 17-year-old son by Walking Dead star Norman Reedus, recently revealed: Ive been using a lot of coconut oil, yellow turmeric masks and, after emptying the espresso machine, I put the coffee grinds into a bowl and place it in the shower so I can use them to wash my body. Kinks rocker in bust-up with BA Kinks guitarist Dave Davies is so in tune with his beloved Gibson guitar that he cant bear to be parted with it even in mid-air. So the Sunny Afternoon hit-maker kicked up a storm on a British Airways flight from London to New Jersey on New Years Eve, because the airlines staff refused to let him carry his delicate instrument on board. Kinks guitarist Dave Davies is so in tune with his beloved Gibson guitar that he cant bear to be parted with it even in mid-air The modish rocker, 70, has flown BA for decades, and has always been allowed to store his guitar in the cabin, by his side. But Davies has threatened to boycott his favourite airline, after BA staff charged him 69 to store his vintage Gibson guitar in the hold, where it risked being damaged. MENTIONING NO NAMES... Which Conservative statesman is giving his friends and family cause for concern on account of his copious drinking? Advertisement Im really shocked this is the first time they have not allowed me to store my guitar in the cabin, he says. Im so sick and tired of being treated like a second-class citizen because Im an artist. Next time, I might fly a different airline. Time for BA to face the music? Journalist Georgie Gardner is replacing Nine veteran Lisa Wilkinson on the Today show in 2018, alongside co-host Karl Stefanovic. And fans were treated to a sneak peek promo of the breakfast duo in action this week. In the short advertisement, Georgie and Karl look comfortable behind the desk as they read the news, share banter and introduce high-profile guests. Scroll down for video 'Make a fresh start to your day': Georgie Gardner and Karl Stefanovic debut as Today show hosts in SNEAK PEEK promo for Nine... after host Lisa Wilkinson's shock resignation Georgie opens the clip by announcing, 'It is a brand-new day! Morning, Karl', to which Karl responds: 'Morning, Georgie.' However, the duo soon break the fourth wall and begin conversing with their devoted viewers, with Karl saying good morning to a mother Karen in her kitchen. Karl also plays the hero, by warning Karen's son Jack, who is watching them on TV, that his toast was burning. He's so helpful! Karl also plays the hero, by warning Karen's son Jack, who is watching them on TV, that his toast was burning 'Here's your stop Tom': She also advises a distracted commuter watching her present the news on the bus to get off, before he misses his stop Georgie then delivers the news, and gives a personal shout out to Alex watching from his laptop. She also advises a distracted commuter watching her present the news on the bus to get off, before he misses his stop. The promo ends with a promo shot of the pair in their broadcast outfits, with the voiceover announcing: 'Make a fresh start to your day. Wake up with Georgie and Karl on Today.' The hosts will return to screens officially from January 22. 'Wake up with Georgie and Karl on Today': The hosts will return to screens officially from January 22 Meanwhile, Lisa Wilkinson has also starred in her own promos for The Project this week. She reportedly departed Channel Nine in October after network bosses refused to pay her the same salary as her Today co-host Karl Stefanovic. This week, the network revealed a first-look trailer of Lisa's debut, which pokes fun at the media hype surrounding her arrival. In addition to her role on The Project, Lisa will also become editor-in-chief of the new online platform, Ten Daily. Lisa is due to debut on The Project after Australia Day, despite the show returning on January 9. The Australian acting legend returned to his home-base in Los Angeles earlier this week, with wife Deborra-Lee Furness and their two children: Ava, 12, and Oscar, 17. And his return Down Under may come again sooner than expected, reports The Gold Coast Bulletin this week. According to a theme park executive for Village Roadshow, the Wolverine star discussed a desire to revisit Gold Coast's Movie World or Wet 'n' Wild. 'Would love to come back': Why Wolverine star Hugh Jackman could be set to return to the Gold Coast in 2018 Theme park executive Bikash Randhawa recently hosted the Greatest Showman actor, 48, at Sydney's Wet 'n' Wild and claims to have discussed Hugh's upcoming travel plans. 'He said he loves the Gold Coast and hopefully we'll be seeing him soon,' he said, hinting to a visit to one of the Village Roadshow Queensland theme parks. He added: 'Hugh said he hadn't been in a while but has been before and would love to come back.' 'He said he loves the Gold Coast and hopefully we'll be seeing him soon': Theme park executive Bikash Randhawa recently hosted the Greatest Showman actor, 48, at Sydney's Wet 'n' Wild and claims to have discussed Hugh's upcoming travel plans to visit one of the Village Roadshow Queensland theme parks Meanwhile, Hugh and his wife Deborra-lee enjoyed their time together in Australia, even climbing the iconic Sydney Harbour Bridge. The smitten duo were all smiles as sunny Sydney and the Opera House made for a picturesque backdrop. Walking a route many tourists have trodden before them, the high-profile couple made their way up 1300 steps to the bridge's summit. Taking their love to new heights! Hugh Jackman and Deborra-lee Furness scale the iconic Sydney Harbour Bridge on cute date together Dressed in the Bridge Climb uniform, both Hugh and Deborra-lee were in good spirits as they posed at the top. The couple brandished wide smiles as they embraced one another with a scenic surroundings encompassing them. What a view! Sydney and the Opera House made for a picturesque backdrop behind Hugh The Wolverine actor tied the knot with actress and producer Deborra-lee in 1996 and their love for one another has seemingly never wavered. Last year, Hugh appeared on UK talk show Lorraine and took the opportunity to rave about how much he loved her. 'I'm married to the greatest woman alive. She's amazing. We're best friends, and we share everything. She's smart,' the Australian actor gushed. 'We met on my first job when she was already a big star, I was a nobody. So we have shared everything, all the ups and downs, and always will.' 'I'm married to the greatest woman alive': Last year Hugh gushed about his 'best friend' and wife Deborra-lee during an interview on UK talk show Lorraine Tyson Mullane sparked speculation that his actress fiancee Pia Miller was pregnant after sharing a cryptic social media post on Friday. And the former Home and Away was positively glowing in a snap shared to her Instagram Story soon after. The 33-year-old shared a snap of herself soaking up the sun at Waikiki Beach in Hawaii, showing off her flawless complexion in the process. She's glowing! Former Home and Away star Pia Miller shares flawless selfie in Hawaii The brunette bombshell's long locks were left to cascade over her bikini-clad body, while a wide-brimmed hat protected her It's a been a big few months for Pia, who announced her engagement to entrepreneur Tyson in November. And fans got very excited on Friday when the genetically-blessed couple appeared to hint at another relationship milestone. Tyson shared an Instagram photo of himself and Pia, 33, on holiday in Hawaii - and used a rather cryptic caption to describe their year ahead. 'We have a few things in the pipeline...' Tyson shared a cryptic post featuring the couple, which many followers thought hinted that a baby was on the way 'We have a few things in the pipeline...' Tyson wrote, supposedly in reference to their beach destination. But their social media followers had different ideas, and soon began flooding the pair with messages of 'congratulations' and baby emojis. Meanwhile, one of Tyson's family members - and even Pia herself - remarked that his caption was 'clever'. 'Congratulations' Fans were quick to jump to conclusions after the cryptic post Smitten: Tyson and Pia announced their engagement in November last year 'Clever caption t bone x,' wrote Chelsea Mullane, with Pia replying: 'Haha! clever'. Daily Mail Australia has contacted Tyson and Pia for comment. Later in the day however, Tyson hosed down the rumours, commenting: 'No babies yet' and 'only step papa for now'. Pia - who has two sons from previous relationships, Isaiah and Lennox - confirmed her separation from ex-husband Brad Miller in October 2015. She revealed her relationship with Tyson on Valentine's Day the following year. He recently became a father-of-three, welcoming his newborn daughter into the world with wife Julia Carey in December. And getting used to having a newborn on his hands again, James Corden cut a tired figure as he stepped out in Beverly Hills, Los Angeles on Friday. The Late Late Show host, 39, appeared to be picking up part of his attire for the Golden Globes that are set to take place on Sunday, as he stopped by the shops with his trip proving to have been a success. Scroll down for video Struggles of a newborn? James Corden cut a tired figure as he stepped out in Beverly Hills, Los Angeles on Friday James was seen clutching onto a large circular shopping bag, as he made his way onto the streets while sporting a casual all-black ensemble. A far cry from his no doubt suited and booted appearance on Sunday, James stepped out clad in a dark crew-neck sweatshirt and complementing jeans, while sporting a pair of white trainers on his feet. Walking along with his hand in his pocket, James kept his head down as he stole a break away from juggling his busy working schedule with his parenting duties. His appearance in Beverly Hills comes just weeks after James had welcomed his third child with wife Julia. He was forced to drop out of his presenting role on The Late Late Show last minute and was filled in by his close pal and former One Direction star Harry Styles - who had announced James' baby joy just 30 minutes after Julia had given birth. Sweet: He recently became a father-of-three, welcoming his newborn daughter into the world with wife Julia Carey in December She and husband James are still yet to name their daughter, with James revealing during a later appearance on the US talk show that he had suggested calling their little girl Beyonce. The Gavin & Stacey actor revealed: 'After the baby was born, anyone who's been in this situation will know, we were both crying, I was crying my eyes out, my wife's crying her eyes out, the baby's crying. 'The doctor asked about her name and I don't know why I said it and I looked at the doctor and said, "We're going to call her Beyonce." My wife did not think that was funny. He claims a nurse actually believed him and had even started filling out the necessary paperwork, as he added: 'I had to go over to her and go, "Excuse me, there's only one Beyonce."' Success! And his spot of retail therapy appeared to be a success, as he emerged clutching onto a large shopping bag in one hand Dressed down: A far cry from his no doubt suited and booted appearance on Sunday, James stepped out clad in a dark crew-neck sweatshirt and complementing jeans, while sporting a pair of white trainers on his feet The baby's arrival had been 'a complete shock' to the couple as she wasn't due for another two weeks. James dished: 'We went to a routine check-up on Tuesday and suddenly the doctors turn to us and say, 'Oh no this is probably happening today and this baby could arrive in the next few hours... we were unprepared!' 'Seriously we were not expecting this baby to arrive for another couple of weeks. We didn't think this would happen and so this is absolutely true, we still haven't chosen a name for her yet. We don't know what we're going to call her.' Following his daughter's arrival, comedian James took to Twitter to praise his One Direction pal, and his lovely wife tweeting: 'Today we welcomed a beautiful baby daughter into the world. 'Both she and her mother are doing great. Thank you Harry for stepping in to host the show at 2 and a half hours notice! x x x.' James and Julia, who married in 2012, already share son Max, and daughter Carey, two. Braless Sophia Richie proved she needed no support on Friday. The 19-year-old did the grocery shopping all on her own, aside from a little assistance from boyfriend Scott Disick's bodyguard. The teenager was spotted picking up some bits and bobs at up market Bristol Farms in Calabasas. Scroll down for video Self-supported! Braless Sofia Richie wore a sheer top to hit the grocery store in Calabasas on Friday She wore a sheer black wrapped crop top opting against a bra pairing it with high-waisted blue jeans and white sneakers. She and her 34-year-old beau have just returned from their New Year's getaway to Aspen Colorado, where it was reported that Scott engaged in 'a jealousy-fueled fight' with Sofia's ex-boyfriend Lewis Hamilton, according to Page Six. The new report alleges the couple were party-hopping in Aspen and stopped by an event where Sofia's ex Lewis Hamilton was playing a $100,000 winner-takes-all billiards game with oil heir Brandon Davis. 'Sofia started talking to Lewis during the [pool] game,' a source told the publication. 'When Scott saw them talking, he went ballistic, crazy. He was very jealous. He insisted they leave the party immediately.' Cute: She looked perky in a sheer black wrapped crop top, pairing it with high-waisted blue jeans and white sneakers Elite: The teenager was spotted picking up some bits and bobs at up market Bristol Farms in Calabasas Formula One driver Hamilton was linked to the young model from January-May of 2017. However his lawyer denied the claims. 'Although Mr Hamilton was in Aspen for the holiday, there was no jealousy, no fight, and no issue; rather, as Ms. Richie has herself confirmed, there was a perfectly friendly, polite exchange and any claim to the contrary is simply false,' Hamilton's lawyer told the publication. A source told E! News Lewis and Sofia 'were never exclusive. Lewis thought she was a cool girl,' adding: 'Lewis and Sofia are still good friends. They are all adults.' 'Scott got frustrated that they ran into Lewis over the weekend, and that it was unexpected,' the insider continued. 'He doesn't like surprises and reacts aggressively in situations like that. This isn't the first time that Scott has lost it for a minute.' Helping hand: The 19-year-old did the grocery shopping all on her own, aside from a little assistance from boyfriend Scott Disick's bodyguard The source insisted that 'everything is fine between the two now.' 'They will get in small fights and are over it within a few minutes. Sofia is definitely a good match for him because she understands him and puts up with his behavior in moments like this,' according to E! News. Sofia and Scott made their relationship public in September while enjoying a romantic holiday in Miami, Florida, and have been linked together since May 2017. Scott shares co-parenting responsibilities of his three children with Kourtney Kardashian; Mason, eight, Penelope, five, and Reign, three. Is that you Kourtney? She and her 34-year-old beau have just returned from their New Year's getaway to Aspen Colorado They have been inseparable ever since confirming their relationship early last year. And proving just how close they are as a couple, Vogue Williams shared a very cheeky snap of her boyfriend Spencer Matthews photo-bombing her while completely naked. The Irish model, 32, was seen perfecting her pose for a glamorous mirror selfie, but her snap managed to catch the unclothed Made In Chelsea star in the background, prompting Vogue to amusingly caption her photo: 'Nudey nude nude.' Scroll down for video Cheeky: Proving just how close they are as a couple, Vogue Williams shared a very cheeky snap of her boyfriend Spencer Matthews photo-bombing her while completely naked Making sure to cover her beau's modesty, Vogue placed a flame emoji across Spencer's lower body, as he appeared a little taken aback to be caught on camera - having seemingly just got out of the show. Mischevious Vogue, however, clearly saw the moment as one for sharing on social media, adding a crying with laughter emoji alongside her caption. Despite her selfie being slightly overshadowed by the reality star, Vogue cut a glamorous figure in an all-black ensemble that she paired together with towering stiletto heels and a faux fur navy blue statement jacket. She and Spencer have returned to London after jetting overseas to spend Christmas together in Courchevel - a ski resort in the French Alps. It marked Vogue's return to skis for the first time following the injury to her knee she sustained while training for The Jump's final series in 2017. Festive break: She and Spencer have returned to London after jetting overseas to spend Christmas together in Courchevel - a ski resort in the French Alps She and Spencer had met on the show, which he later went on to win, but she was forced to pull out prior to it launching due to suffering a fall on the slopes. Clearly smitten, Vogue marked her first Christmas with Spencer while overseas with him and gushed: 'Heres to the first of many Christmass with you @spencermatthews,' while sharing a throwback holiday snap of the pair. She and Spencer then headed to Monaco to ring in the New Year, with Vogue once again taking the opportunity to share a smitten post about her other half. She said: 'Happy New Year! The highlight of my year was meeting my favourite person in the world 2017 was an amazing year and I hope 2018 is just as brilliant. Wishing health and happiness to you all .' Vogue and Spencer went public with their romance in March after meeting on The Jump. Sweet: Clearly smitten, Vogue marked her first Christmas with Spencer while overseas with him and gushed: 'Heres to the first of many Christmass with you @spencermatthews,' while sharing a throwback holiday snap of the pair They haven't been shy about flaunting their love for each other, with Spencer gushing on social media, 'never been happier in my life' while she reciprocated, 'at my happiest with this boy by my side.' Vogue revealed the secret to success with their relationship is that they never argue in a recent interview with The Sunday Mirror. She said: 'He is my best pal. I remember thinking we would be best friends forever. It is the first relationship where I don't have fights with people.' The duo are currently living together and their move came after Vogue denied reports she had moved into Spencer's Chelsea home. Speaking during an appearance on Loose Women, Vogue revealed the pair have bought a new house together. Loved-up: Vogue and Spencer went public with their romance in March and haven't been shy about flaunting their love for each other, with Spencer gushing on social media, 'never been happier in my life' She said: 'We moved in together last night. He arrived home at four in the morning from Greece and forced me to get up to have a glass of champagne to toast the new house. He didn't want me to move in to his house. 'He lives in a one-bed in Chelsea and I have a lot of clothes so that was never going to work. And I lived with two Irish boys so I think we've always wanted to have our own place so that's what we started looking at straight away.' Previously, Vogue was married to Westlife's Brian McFadden for three years before they parted ways in July 2015. Spencer, meanwhile, has dated a string of beauties including Louise Thompson, Stephanie Pratt, Vicky Pattison and Lauren Frazer-Hutton. She plays Patty in FX's anticipated TV series Pose, which airs later this year. And Kate Mara looked stunning as she walked on stage to join her colleagues on the Pose panel at the TCA Press Tour in Pasadena, California on Friday. The 34-year-old put her cleavage on display while sporting a sexy red jumpsuit teamed with nude heels. Red hot: Kate Mara looked stunning as she walked on stage to join her colleagues on the Pose panel at the TCA Press Tour in Pasadena, California on Friday Kate kept her golden ombre tresses in loose waves down by her shoulders, while accentuating her natural beauty with blush and eye shadow. The House Of Cards actress finished off her ensemble with a dainty rose-gold necklace and her wedding ring from husband Jamie Bell. She sat next to her co-star and on-screen husband Evan Peters, who looked sharp in a dark gray suit and white dress shirt. Also on the panel, sitting on Kate's other side, was Dawson's Creek alum James Van Der Beek who plays a financial kingpin named Matt. Stunning: The 34-year-old put her busty chest on display while sporting a sexy red cleavage-baring jumpsuit teamed with nude heels She's glowing: Kate kept her golden ombre tresses in loose waves down by her shoulders, while accentuating her natrual beauty with blush and eye shadow James looked studly as he showed off his toned biceps in a tight white shirt, which he teamed with gray trousers and brown oxfords. Pose screenwriter Brad Falchuk - who's currently dating Gwyneth Paltrow - joined the panel while rocking double denim. The 46-year-old Scream Queens writer accessorized his rugged look with a brown leather belt and matching leather shoes. Commanding the stage: James looked studly as he showed off his toned biceps in a tight white collard shirt, which he teamed with gray dress pants and brown oxfords Effortlessly fierce: Pose screenwriter Brad Falchuk - who's currently dating Gwyneth Paltrow - joined the panel while rocking double denim TV stars: In the new series, Kate and the American Horror Story actor portray a New Jersey couple named Patty and Stan, who discover the LGBT ballroom pageants of Manhattan In the new series, Kate and the American Horror Story actor portray a New Jersey couple named Patty and Stan, who discover the LGBT ballroom pageants of Manhattan circa 1987. 'Now is the time to tell this story about this group of people who are sadly more and more disenfranchised and cut off,' co-creator Ryan Murphy said - according to Variety. 'We wanted to celebrate them. They're part of our family. The timing of this show was very important.' Timely: 'Now is the time to tell this story about this group of people who are sadly more and more disenfranchised and cut off,' co-creator Ryan Murphy said - according to Variety She proudly declared that she will finally marry her fiance of two years, DJ Rukus, this year. But this time Shanina Shaik has lent her face to high-end boutique jewellery designer Jacquie Aiche, posing with over $20,000 worth of accessories. The 26-year-old took to Instagram on Friday to share a snap from what appears to be a behind-the-scenes post from the set of the photo shoot in Dubai, in the United Arab Emirates. All blinged up! Shanina Shaik has lent her face to high-end boutique jewelry designer Jacquie Aiche , posing with over $20,000 worth of accessories. She took to Instagram on Friday to share a behind the scenes post from the set of the photo shoot in Dubai In her candid snap, the Melbourne-born stunner showcased an extravagant display of necklaces, rings and other pieces as she posed seductively for the camera. The most expensive item she wore for the shoot was a $8,750 necklace that featured 15 small diamond pieces hanging from a yellow gold chain. On her hand she rocked what appeared to be a white opal petal stack ring worth $2,625 in addition to the six vintage style diamond waif rings, coming to a total of $5,040. Shanina also wore a long necklace with a rose quartz round potion bottle shaped gemstone with the look, despite it being out of frame, which is valued at $2,965. Loved up! This comes after she welcomed the New Year alongside her fiance of two years DJ Rukus at a star-studded bash in Singapore Dangling from her ears were a pair of $1,040 teardrop stud earrings from the collection. This comes after she welcomed the New Year alongside her American beau at a star-studded bash in Singapore and at one point she gushed: 'We getting married this year!' Taking to Instagram at the stroke of midnight, Shanina and DJ Ruckus, otherwise known as Greg Andrews, locked lips at the DJ booth at the opening of LAVO. 'We getting married this year': Shanina Shaik proudly declared that she will finally marry her fiance of two years DJ Rukus at a New Years bash in Singapore Smooches: The couple enjoyed a passionate embrace at the stroke of midnight at the star-studded event The exotic beauty, who is of Pakistani and Saudi Arabian heritage, partied alongside the likes of actor Jamie Foxx and his daughter Corinne. Shanina flashed her shapely pins in a thigh-skimming frock, that featured a floral print - paired with matching pointed-toe pumps. American hunk DJ Ruckus cut a festive figure in a red and white shirt paired with patriotic-themed pants. Busty: Shanina displayed her ample assets in a white figure-hugging frock Prior to the New Year's Eve countdown, Shanina could be seen downing shots as Whitney Houston's I Wanna Dance With Somebody blared in the background. The Melbourne-native no doubt had plenty to celebrate, ahead of her upcoming wedding to DJ Ruckus. 'We getting married this year 2018,' she gushed in an Instagram caption after the countdown. Diane Kruger looked absolutely besotted with her partner Norman Reedus as they hit the beach in Costa Rica during their vacation in honor of his 49th birthday this Saturday. The German 41-year-old paired a black halter bikini with a grey mini-skirt to go bodyboarding, while the Florida-born father-of-one sported a baggy wetsuit to go surfing on Tuesday. The former models returned to the Central American hotspot following their successful getaway together in August. Scroll down for video In honor of his 49th birthday this Saturday! Diane Kruger looked besotted with her partner Norman Reedus as they hit the beach in Costa Rica during their vacation (pictured Tuesday) Diane made sure to share a silhouetted selfie in her swimwear and pink sunglasses for her captive, combined 827K social media following. On Wednesday, Kruger (born Heidkruger) hit the beach with Norman and pals while clad in a white backless Moschino 'Mighty Mouse' one-piece and Daisy Dukes. Reedus carried a pizza box and bottle of booze while sporting classic Converse high-tops and a black souvenir T-shirt from the nearby Pura Vida Retreat & Spa. The SAG Award winner - who tagged the Walking Dead heartthrob in an 'infinite happiness' NYE post - met on the set of their film Sky in December 2015, but they only went public in March. Wave riders: The German 41-year-old paired a black halter bikini with a grey mini-skirt to go bodyboarding, while the Florida-born father-of-one sported a baggy wetsuit to go surfing Back on the beach: The former models returned to the Central American hotspot following their successful getaway together in August Blissed out: Diane made sure to share a silhouetted selfie in her swimwear and pink sunglasses for her captive, combined 827K social media following Also joining the acting couple in Costa Rica for ATV adventures were Diane's gal pals Fabienne Berthaud, CeCe Von Mallinckrodt, and Aimee Nash. Fabienne - who directed Kruger and Reedus in Sky - shared yet another silhouetted seaside bikini snap of the natural blonde posing in front of a sunset on Wednesday. The Tout nous separe stunner just admitted her 2016 split from her partner of a decade - Dawson's Creek alum Joshua Jackson - was 'a long time coming.' 'We broke up many months before we said we were broken up, so by the time I made that decision, it didn't feel like it was so urgent anymore. You don't break up overnight after ten years, you know what I mean?' Diane explained to Vulture on December 28. Sandy: On Wednesday, Kruger (born Heidkruger) hit the beach with Norman and pals while clad in a white backless Moschino 'Mighty Mouse' one-piece and Daisy Dukes Party: Reedus carried a pizza box and bottle of booze while sporting classic Converse high-tops and a black souvenir T-shirt from the nearby Pura Vida Retreat & Spa Went public in March: The SAG Award winner - who tagged the Walking Dead heartthrob in an 'infinite happiness' NYE post - met on the set of their film Sky in December 2015 Weee! Also joining the acting couple in Costa Rica for ATV adventures were Diane's gal pals Fabienne Berthaud (L), CeCe Von Mallinckrodt (R), and Aimee Nash 'Va va voom!' Fabienne - who directed Kruger and Reedus in Sky - shared yet another silhouetted seaside bikini snap of the natural blonde posing in front of a sunset on Wednesday 'It wasn't like an urgent, "Oh my god, I can't sleep at night" thing. Actually, it felt liberating because I didn't have to worry about that anymore, so I could immerse myself 100 percent into [my role on the German set of In the Fade]. Meanwhile, Norman's 18-year-old son Mingus spent the holidays with his ex-partner, nineties supermodel Helena Christensen. The talented twosome might finally make their official red carpet debut at this Sunday's Golden Globes or next Thursday's Critics' Choice Awards where they're both up for honors. 'It felt liberating!' The Tout nous separe stunner just admitted her 2016 split from her partner of a decade - Dawson's Creek alum Joshua Jackson - was 'a long time coming' (pictured in 2016) Mini-me: Meanwhile, Norman's 18-year-old son Mingus (L) spent the holidays with his ex-partner, nineties supermodel Helena Christensen (R) Both up for honors: The talented twosome might finally make their red carpet debut at this Sunday's Golden Globes or next Thursday's Critics' Choice Awards The Cannes best actress winner will support her In the Fade director Fatih Akin, who's up for best foreign language film honors at both the Globes and the CCAs. As for the Triple 9 actor, his motorcycle docuseries Ride with Norman Reedus scored a best unstructured reality series nomination at the CCAs. Fans can catch more of Reedus as beloved crossbow-armed biker Daryl Dixon in the eighth season of The Walking Dead, which resumes February 25 on AMC. Plays grieving Katja Sekerci: Diane will support her In the Fade director Fatih Akin, who's up for best foreign language film honors at both the Globes and the CCAs On set snap: As for the Triple 9 actor, his motorcycle docuseries Ride with Norman Reedus scored a best unstructured reality series nomination at the CCAs She's the AFL WAG and TV presenter with a body to die for. And while she was all rugged up during a recent holiday to Canada's snowfields, Rebecca Judd appeared to be enjoying her time back in the sun now that she's returned to Australia. The 34-year-old took to her Instagram Story on Saturday to flaunt her enviable figure in a skimpy multi-coloured bikini - her second swimwear outfit in two days. Another day, another bikini! In an Instagram shot posted to her account on Saturday, Rebecca Judd sizzled in VERY skimpy multi-coloured swimwear as she makes the most of the Australian sun following her snowy Canadian vacation The very skimpy crocheted Tasmin bikini top and bottoms - valued at $285 - showcased the star's lithe frame. Meanwhile, a wide-brimmed straw hat from Hatmaker by Jonathan Howard obscured her face from view. After returning from her Canadian Christmas holiday with her AFL-playing husband and four children, it didn't take long for Bec to acclimatise to an Australian summer, with the glamazon donning a skimpy bikini and heading straight to her pool. Taking to Instagram on Friday, the brunette beauty was barely off her flight before she changed into a black two-piece and enjoyed an afternoon of swimming at her luxurious Melbourne home. Her time in the sun! Following a holiday in snowy Canada, Bec didn't take long to acclimatise to an Australian summer, with the glamazon donning a skimpy bikini and heading straight to her pool Sizzling summer: She captioned an Instagram post: 'And we're baaaaaack ... Let's do this Summer' The mother-of-our captioning the image, 'And we're baaaaaack,' she posted, before adding, 'Let's do this Summer.' The bronzed beauty putting on a leggy display as she holds one of her twin boys, who appears to be playing with her sunglasses. In a separate Instagram story, Bec joined the chorus of other parents, who bemoan a long haul flight with her children. Gorgeous! Bec put on a cheeky display in a black bikini in the scorching heat Appearing slightly frazzled in a black-and-white striped top, the mother was nursing one of her tots in an aeroplane seat while holding a fluffy bunny. 'Longest flight eeeeeever,' she wrote. It's been a big couple of weeks for the Judd family, with Bec and Chris taking the brood overseas for a holiday and celebrating their seventh wedding anniversary. Long flight: Earlier in the day, Bec showed off her multi-tasking skills taking a selfie while nursing her son on the long haul flight back to Melbourne On New Years Eve, the couple posted a tribute to each other during enjoying a meal at luxurious Fairmont Chateau resort. 'Happy new year, happy 7 year wedding anniversary,' she started. 'Fab dinner at @fairmontwhistlr with friends and family tonight ...#notsureaboutthecostumes #thathat.' Seven years strong! Bec and hubby Chris celebrated their seventh wedding anniversary on New Years Eve with a luxurious meal at the Fairmont Chateau resort During the celebration, the beaming WAG cut a low-key figure in a pink fur coat atop an all-back ensemble. She wore minimal makeup with her locks swept up in a sleek ponytail and completed the look with a feather headband. Father-of-four Chris kept it casual in a denim shirt and grey sweater, paired with a white Fedora hat. She fell madly in love with handsome Matthew 'Matty J' Johnson on the most recent season of The Bachelor. But on Saturday, Bachelor winner Laura Byrne, 31, decided to take a solo stroll on Bondi Beach - swapping her main man for her three-legged rescue dog Buster. The brunette beauty attracted plenty of attention on the beach, as she and Buster navigated around beach-goers. Scorching! Bachelor winner Laura Byrne, 31, cut a casual figure as she hit Bondi Beach on Saturday amid scorching temperatures, with the trim television star showing off her incredible bikini body Flaunting her incredible abdominal muscles, the reality star wore a black bikini top paired with ripped denim cut-offs. Laura's slender arms and shapely legs were on full display in the barely-there bikini. The model completed her casual look with her hair in a messy bun and a pair of designer shades, and off-white flip flops. Brunette beauty: Laura looked relaxed and happy as she strolled around Bondi Beach Finding a spot? The reality television star walked along the golden sands of Bondi Beach on Saturday morning Attracting attention: Laura turned a number of heads as she strolled along the famous beach Beach body: Down-to-earth Laura tried to find a spot for herself and rescue dog Buster Beach buddy: The reality show star walked with her three-legged rescue dog, Buster Laura accessorised with a floral beach bag and clutched her gold iPhone in her hand. Meanwhile, mindful of the scorching near 30-degree day, the reality star opted for a beach umbrella to protect herself from the sun. At times, she also could be seen carrying a circular blue-and-white beach towel. Beach attire: The star showed off her toned tummy and slender legs in a black bikini top and a pair of ripped denim cut offs In shape: The model flaunted her toned legs and spiritual-style back tattoo before hitting the water The Bachelor star is well-known for her love of exercise, particularly taking Buster out for regular beach walks. Speaking to The Daily Telegraph, Laura admitted she found it challenging to not be able to stick to her normal regime, saying contestants gave up a lot of 'freedoms.' to be on the show. Matty, meanwhile added that he was grateful for finding love with Laura thanks to the reality series. 'I wanted to go on the show to meet someone who I thought I could spend the rest of my life with and I've found that, so it's just nice to be able to enjoy what we've got,' Matty told the publication. Bronzed: The model carried a beach umbrella and a circular beach towel while she walked along Bondi Beach Dog's life: Laura's dog, Buster, was clearly happy with the Bondi Beach walk Beach day: The model carried a blue and white beach tote She's one of the most celebrated names in comedy, coming off a major life change. Mindy Kaling was snapped running errands in Beverly Hills, California on Friday, less than a month after giving birth to her first baby, daughter Katherine Swati. The 38-year-old star of The Mindy Project kept a low profile as she wore dark black sunglasses, and had her black locks pulled back. Scroll below for video Inconspicuous: Mindy Kaling, 38, was snapped running errands in Beverly Hills, California on Friday, less than a month after giving birth to her first baby, a girl she named Katherine Swati She wore a black puff jacket over a green top with a black-and-white graphic across the chest, wearing black high water pants. Mindy, who appears in the upcoming Ocean's 8, wore black loafers and carried a black leather purse with a gold chain, accessorizing with dangling green earrings. Kaling, who played Kelly Kapoor on NBC's The Office, gave birth to her daughter December 15 in Los Angeles, choosing the child's middle name, Swati, in memory of her late mom Dr. Swati Chokalingam, who died in 2012 after battling pancreatic cancer. The Cambridge, Massachusetts native, whose full name is Vera Mindy Chokalingam, told NBC's Willie Geist last fall about her late mom's signature trait - keeping an open mind - that she most hopes her child inherits. Busy: The Mindy Project actress was on the move as she made her way through a parking garage 'My career choice was not something that she was familiar with and she was just so supportive of that,' Mindy said. 'If I could give that to my child, just that open-mindedness, I'd be so happy. In the chat, Mindy recalled how her late mom was 'incredibly fierce' and unconditionally 'devoted to' her offspring. She 'just loved us and really wanted us to be happy no matter what we did,' the Emmy-nominated performer said. Ensemble: Mindy (fourth from L) was part of the phalanx of stars who appeared in the Jay-Z video for Family Feud, directed by Ava DuVernay Shining star: The actress was snapped last September at a bash in LA for her show, The Mindy Project In the exchange, Kaling revealed to Geist how she viewed her parenting style. She said, 'I'd like to be the fun mom,' adding, 'I know I'm gonna be the dorky mom. So it could be kind of fun, too. I think that would be nice.' Kaling, who has not publicly named her child's father, joked that her newfound membership in the parenthood club opened doors for her to vent on others' shortcomings when it comes to raising their children. 'Its so easy to criticize parenting until youre a parent, so one of the nice things about becoming a parent is that Ill be able to openly criticize other parenting because I will have a child,' said the actress. Warmly remembered: Mindy, in part, named her daughter after her late mom Dr. Swati Chokalingam (above), who made a cameo on The Office (with Steve Carell) in 2006 Dakota Johnson was serving nineties retro realness while sipping on a smoothie from Earth Bar in West Hollywood on Friday. The 28-year-old actress - who relies on stylist Kate Young - looked leggy in a b&w patterned wrap dress, black cardigan, peep-toe shoes, and mirrored shades. The Fifty Shades Darker star recently returned from Colorado where she spent the holidays with her modern family in a cozy Aspen lodge. Scroll down for video Alabaster: Dakota Johnson was serving nineties retro realness while sipping on a smoothie from Earth Bar in West Hollywood on Friday Pale: The 28-year-old actress - who relies on stylist Kate Young - looked leggy in a b&w patterned wrap dress, black cardigan, peep-toe shoes, and mirrored shades Melanie Griffith shared a Polaroid of Dakota (with ex-husband #1 Don Johnson) rocking the mic alongside her 21-year-old daughter Stella (with ex-husband #3 Antonio Banderas) on autoharp. The 60-year-old Oscar nominee also posted a picture of her 32-year-old son Alexander (with ex-husband #2 Steven Bauer) and Don's 35-year-old son Jesse (with ex-partner Patti D'Arbanville). Miss Golden Globe 2006 - whose grandmother is Tippi Hedren - certainly has nepotism to thank for her acting career. Meanwhile, Johnson's boyfriend Chris Martin spent the holidays on the island of Antigua with ex-wife Gwyneth Paltrow and their daughter Apple, 13; and son Moses, 11. Fireside: The Fifty Shades Darker star recently returned from Colorado where she spent the holidays with her modern family in a cozy Aspen lodge Sibling band? Melanie Griffith shared a Polaroid of Dakota (with ex-husband #1 Don Johnson) rocking the mic alongside her 21-year-old daughter Stella (with ex-husband #3 Antonio Banderas) on autoharp 'Ever so wonderful!' The 60-year-old Oscar nominee also posted a picture of her 32-year-old son Alexander (R, with ex-husband #2 Steven Bauer) and Don's 35- year-old son Jesse (L, with ex-partner Patti D'Arbanville) US in The Hollywood Reporter #familyforever A post shared by MELANIE (@melanie_griffith57) on Dec 20, 2017 at 2:03pm PST 'Airborne!' Meanwhile, Johnson's boyfriend Chris Martin (R) spent the holidays on the island of Antigua with ex-wife Gwyneth Paltrow and their daughter Apple (L), 13; and son Moses, 11 Kaleidoscope: On Friday, Gossip Cop reported that the 40-year-old British belter and the Texas-born brunette have 'become somewhat serious' since first canoodling at Sushi Park in LA two months ago (pictured November 7) On Friday, Gossip Cop reported that the 40-year-old British belter and the Texas-born brunette have 'become somewhat serious' since first canoodling at Sushi Park in LA two months ago. The Coldplay frontman and his band will next compete for two trophies - pop vocal album and pop/duo group performance - at the Grammy Awards airing January 28 on CBS. The Time's Up activist will resume her role as bride-to-be Anastasia Steele a third time opposite Jamie Dornan in Fifty Shades Freed, which hits UK/US theaters February 9. Airing January 28 on CBS! The Coldplay frontman and his band will next compete for two trophies - pop vocal album and pop/duo group performance - at the Grammy Awards She's the TV personality who always manages to look glam whether she be gracing the small screen or the red carpet. And on Saturday, 52-year-old Sonia Kruger proved she has a body that's sure to be envied by women half her age as she posed in a bikini for an Instagram snap. The Voice host donned a blue and white bikini top teamed with navy bottoms as she flaunted her figure in a backyard kiddy pool with a hat obscuring her face. Scroll down for video The fountain of youth! Sonia Kruger, 52, defies her years as she poses in a barely-there bikini for saucy snap 'So glad we got the pool finished in time for summer,' she joked in the caption, adding hashtags '#nofilter' and "#vogueliving'. During an interview with Sophie Monk, 37, on Today Extra on last year, host Sonia revealed fans often confuse her for the younger star. 'You know what happened to me at the ARIAs? I got into an elevator as I was leaving and this guy in the elevator goes "Oh Sophie!" and And I went, 'Um, no Sonia,"' the morning show co-host said. But it appears Sonia isn't the only one to feel the force of a case of mistaken identity. Sophie also revealed she has the opposite problem, stating: 'Yeah I got Sonia, and I'm like, I'm not as smart as her.' Spot the difference! On Today Extra last year, Sonia Kruger (left) claimed she is often mistaken for fellow blonde TV star Sophie Monk (right) Double take! Sophie (pictured) revealed the reverse is also true, with people confusing her for Sonia as well Returning the complimentary comment, Sonia responded: 'Well I'm not as young as she is but I'll take it.' The Nine Network presenter also added she felt pressure to keep up appearance as Bachelorette fans were so invested in Sophie's love life. 'On occasion I've felt the need to pretend to be you,' Sonia explained, noting it was mainly when the hype for The Bachelorette was at an all-time high. 'I'm not as young as she is but I'll take it': Sonia said she takes the mistake as a compliment It comes after Sophie confirmed she would be hosting new Channel Nine reality series Love Island next year. Speaking to the Today show on Friday, Sophie 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. '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.' It looks like Ali Larter is beginning the year on a strong note. The 41-year-old actress was snapped in Beverly Hills, California Friday with her husband Hayes MacArthur looking stylish as she made her way through the well-heeled 90210. The Cherry Hill, New Jersey native wore a long-sleeved navy blue with a plunging neck with black leather pants and black slip-on shoes. She had her blonde mane parted on the right, accessorizing with a dark blue trench coat, black sunglasses and a black leather purse with a gold chain. Scroll below for video Happy together: Ali Larter, 41, was snapped in Beverly Hills, California Friday holding hands with her husband Hayes MacArthur, 40, looking stylish She was snapped walking hand-in-hand with MacArthur, who's been married to the Resident Evil regular for more than eight years. MacArthur, 40, an actor who's on the TBS series Angie Tribeca, wore a black ball cap with an ocean blue knit sweater with grey jeans and black sneakers. He sipped out of a water bottle as he walked with his spouse, who he shares two children with: son Theodore, seven and daughter Vivienne, two. Larter and her hubby are back in Southern California after ringing in the new year in the tropical locale of Cabo San Lucas, Mexico with their two children. While there, Larter shared a New Year's Day post in which she posed in a white bikini, and wrote that she's praying '2018 is filled with golden light,' and 'a beautiful year filled with peace and love.' Beaming: The Resident Evil actress left an establishment with a shopping bag in hand Fab fashion: The entertainer was decked out in winter style as she made her way through the well-heeled locale The Pitch actress added that she 'couldnt be happier to close 2017,' a year in which she said she felt 'there was a feeling of imminent disaster at every turn ... from the tumultuous times in our country, the natural disasters, and the overall state of unrest in the world.' Ali has past been outspoken in her support for the organization Planned Parenthood - and the efforts of President Donald Trump and his administration to strip it of funding. She lent her celebrity to a gathering in support of Planned Parenthood a year ago at the Philadelphia Action Forum. Fresh start: Larter took to Instagram on New Year's Day with a message of optimism toward the coming year Influential: Larter delivered an impassioned speech on behalf of Planned Parenthood in January of 2017 in Philadelphia Involved: Larter said that supporting Planned Parenthood is not a political issue, but rather one promoting health There, she opened up on why she feels 'its an essential part of health care for so many women in this country,' according to People. She told a crowd of 400 attendees, 'I am one of the one-in-five women that will use a Planned Parenthood health center in their lifetime,' emphasizing how helpful it is to those who employ its services. She stressed that no matter who's in charge, the efficacy of Planned Parenthood 'shouldnt be a political issue,' adding that 'it doesnt matter if youre a Republican, Democrat or Independent.' She's the Australian actress who just enjoyed a relaxing holiday Down Under over the Christmas period. But Nicole Kidman was back in Hollywood on Friday to celebrate at the 7th AACTA International Awards alongside fellow nomineeHugh Jackman and songstress Delta Goodrem. The 50-year-old scooped up Best Supporting Actress for her incredible roles in Lion and Top Of The Lake: China Girl. Scroll down for video Winners are grinners! Nicole Kidman scoops up Best Supporting Actress gongs at the AACTA Awards She accepted the gongs from film director Phillip Noyce, who gave her a warm hug on stage before she gave her speech. The 50-year-old looked right at home on the red carpet as she floated majestically before the press pit in a capped sleeve maxi dress. The pink number was a safe bet for Nicole, whose pale complexion works well with a softer tone. Winner! Speckles of red accentuated the otherwise fairy floss colouring, which she matched with her small clutch bag Winners are grinners! Nicole Kidman scoops up Best Supporting Actress gongs at the AACTA Awards wearing a pastel pink maxi dress Speckles of red accentuated the otherwise fairy floss colouring, which she matched with her small clutch bag. The mother-of-four kept her hair natural, lightly tousling the ends to add depth. Her incredible engagement ring was on full display and was paired with two thin silver bracelets. Glowing! The pink number was a safe bet for Nicole, whose pale complexion works well with a softer tone Speaking to Angela Bishop from Ten News Nicole admitted she almost didn't make the grand affair. 'I was determined to get here. I was snowed in while we were staying in Canada. We only got back two hours ago,' she admitted with a grin. She also managed to run into heart-throb Hugh Jackman, pulling him into a warm hug when he arrived. Ran into a familiar face: It was lucky she did attend though as she scooped up Best Supporting Actress for her incredible roles in Lion and Top Of The Lake: China Girl Friends! She also managed to run into heart-throb Hugh Jackman, pulling him into a warm hug when he arrived The pair will walk the carpet again in two days time as they gear up for the Golden Globes - the first one since Harvey Weinstein assault allegations came to light. Of the controversy, Nicole commented she would be doing her best to support those who have been impacted. 'A lot of it is based in helping each other. And feeling safe and being heard,' she told Ten News. They're two of Australia's biggest acting exports. And there is plenty of love between Nicole Kidman and Hugh Jackman, the longtime friends unable to hide their delight when they bumped into each other on Friday. The Hollywood heavyweights greeted each other with a warm hug as they arrived on the 7th AACTA International Awards red carpet on Los Angeles. A warm welcome! Nicole Kidman and Hugh Jackman greet each other with a friendly hug on the 7th AACTA International Awards red carpet Hugh and Nicole looked overjoyed to spot each other on the red carpet, smiling as they embraced each other warmly. Nicole was pretty in pink in a breezy floral dress which featured beaded detailing and cap sleeves. Meanwhile Hugh looked suave in a sharp black suit, which he paired with a striped tie. Happy: Hugh and Nicole looked overjoyed to spot each other on the red carpet, smiling as they embraced each other warmly How's things? After hugging, Hugh and Nicole could be seen chatting enthusiastically to each other After hugging, Hugh and Nicole could be seen chatting enthusiastically to each other. All smiles and arms around each other, the acting friends posed for photos together on the media wall. Inside the event Nicole scooped up two Best Supporting Actress gongs for Lion and Top Of The Lake: China Girl. Say cheese! All smiles and arms around each other, the acting friends posed for photos together on the media wall Starred together: Both appeared in the 2008 spectacular Australia directed by their friend Baz Luhrmann Besides being long time friends and supporters of the Australian film industry, Hugh and Nicole previously shared the silver screen together. Both appeared in the 2008 spectacular Australia, which was directed by their friend Baz Luhrmann. Hugh and Nicole are both back in the United States after celebrating Christmas with their families in Australia. Bachelorette star Jake Ellis' mother Robyn has died after a 25 year battle with cancer. On Saturday, the reality TV star revealed the devastating news on Instagram, penning a heartfelt tribute to his mum. Speaking with Daily Mail Australia, Jake also paid tribute to the woman he described as 'mine and my brothers hero, the strongest women Ive ever met'. 'Yesterday we lost our beautiful Mother': On Saturday, Bachelorette star Jake Ellis' revealed that his mother Robyn has tragically passed away following a 25 year battle with cancer Robyn was originally diagnosed with cancer when Jake was just six years old. She spent a decade clear of the disease, before it sadly returned. The mother-of-two passed away on Friday. 'Last year was definitely the hardest year for her and my family She held on in true Robyn Ellis style, she fought all the way until the very end', the TV star told Daily Mail Australia. He added that she was 'the biggest fighter Ive ever met'. 'The biggest fighter I've ever met': Jake paid tribute to his brave mother who fought cancer on-and-off since her son was just six years old 'Right now Ive got some of my closest friends and family at our house celebrating [her life and her strength], going through photos.' Robyn's cancer battle was made public during Jake's appearance on The Bachelorette in 2016, in which he placed third in the pursuit for the heart of newsreader Georgia Love. A prominent campaigner for cancer causes, Jake will continue to passionately support fundraising initiatives. Cancer campaigner: Jake, who took his mother to many fundraising events, said that raising awareness about the deadly disease 'will always be my passion' 'Since The Bachelorette, one of the biggest things I wanted to be a part of was [raising awareness for] Cancer Council and cancer charities,' Jake explained. 'Every event I ever did I took my mum along to. It is and will always be my passion'. Jake also revealed he received a 'beautiful message' of condolence from Georgia, whose own mother tragically passed away from cancer in 2016. He has also kept in close touch with her chosen suitor, Lee Elliot. 'Its been good to have that relationship [with Lee and Georgia]- Lee is one of my closest friends, and to be able to talk with Georgia has been really nice, and her message was really special,' Jake said. Fighting spirit: Jake told Daily Mail Australia that Robyn 'fought all the way until the very end' Lee shared his heartbreaking news on Instagram, posting a photo him and younger brother Luke with Robyn, revealing she had died on Friday. 'This is the hardest post Ive ever had to do.. Yesterday we lost our beautiful Mother after her 25 year battle with Cancer,' he wrote. 'Words will never describe the amazing woman that she was, she was our hero, the strongest and most special person in our lives and to the lives of many. 'Thank you everyone for the overwhelming support, means the world to myself and family. Forever I Love you, forever I miss you, forever in our hearts.' Sad news: 'This is the hardest post Ive ever had to do.. Yesterday we lost our beautiful Mother after her 25 year battle with Cancer,' he wrote. Heartbreak: Jake shot to fame on the 2016 season of The Bachelorette, where his close connection with his mum was featured on the show The reality TV star's post was met with a flood of well wishers paying tribute to Jake's mum. Last June, Jake and Robyn spoke with the Gold Coast Bulletin about her cancer battle. 'I remember mum had to be away from us for a long time. The smell of the hospital has always stayed with me,' Jake said. Series favourite: Jake placed third in his pursuit for newsreader, Georgia Love In the interview, Robyn revealed that she hid the extent of her breast cancer while Jake was filming The Bachelorette. 'I didnt tell him because I didnt want to worry him,' she said. 'I think mothers with cancer often do that sort of thing. They want to protect their families.' Tragic loss: Georgia's mum tragically died just days after The Bachelorette finale aired in 2016 The Brisbane-based star bonded with Georgia over both their family's health struggles, with the newsreader's mother Belinda also battling pancreatic cancer during filming. Georgia's mum tragically died just days after The Bachelorette finale aired in 2016. They raise their two children together, five-year-old Faith and three-year-old Aaron. But Michelle Heaton and Hugh Hanley took a night off parenting duties to enjoy some quality time together on a romantic date in London on Friday. The former Liberty X star, 38, showcased her svelte figure in an olive green bomber jacket and leggings as she cosied up to her dapper Irish businessman husband. Scroll down for video Heaton up their marriage! Giddy Michelle showed off her svelte figure in a bomber jacket as she stepped out for romantic date with her husband Hugh Hanley in London on Friday Personal trainer Michelle paraded her slender limbs in skintight PVC trousers, paired with sky-scraper high heels which added to her petite height of 5foot 3inches. Framing her face with her bouncy curls, the actress highlighted her eyes with a shade of pink shadow and she wore a shade of glossy lipstick. Michelle was giddy as she held hands with her handsome husband, proving the pair have remained as loved-up as ever since they first started dating in 2008. Dapper Hugh teased a glimpse of his muscular frame and chest hair when he left his black shirt unbuttoned at the top. She's got a fab figure: The former Liberty X star, 38, showcased her svelte figure in an olive green bomber jacket to catch the eye of her husband Looking good: Personal trainer Michelle paraded her slender limbs in skintight PVC trousers, paired with sky-scraper high heels which added to her petite height of 5foot 3inches The couple headed out to spend some time with their friends including Lee Latchford-Evans at Kibele restaurant in Marylebone. The pop princess pledged to spend the rest of her life with the businessman in a sun-drenched wedding in the Bahamas in July 2010. Michelle gave birth to her first child, daughter Faith, via emergency C-section to prevent going into labour after her waters broke two weeks early in January 2012. She welcomed little Aaron into the world via C-section after which she was left with a flap of skin in place of her scar which left her 'uncomfortable' in February 2014. Must be love: Michelle was giddy as she held hands with her incredibly handsome husband, proving the pair have remained close since they first started dating in 2008 It's a love story: The pop princess pledged to spend the rest of her life with the businessman in a sun-drenched wedding in the Bahamas in July 2010 In May 2017, the songstress appeared on Loose Women wearing a bikini to publicly display her hysterectomy and C-section scars for the first time. Michelle has undergone two C-sections, a double mastectomy, breast reconstructive surgery, a hysterectomy and oophorectomy. She also underwent extensive work as a preventive measure when she discovered she possessed a mutated BRCA2 gene causing a high risk of cancer. In good company! The couple headed out to spend some time with their friends including Steps star Lee Latchford-Evans (pictured) at Kibele restaurant in Marylebone Hunky man: Lee bundled up in a stylish grey coat when he headed out into the chilly London air after a charming evening out with friends Megan McKenna recreated Kim Kardashian's sizzling bed snap just six hours after the Keeping Up With The Kardashians star shared the picture on Instagram on Friday. The former TOWIE star drove her legion of two million followers wild when she imitated the curvy American reality television sensation- yet some fans hit out at her lack of originality and even branded the star 'an Asda' version of Kim. Megan paraded her incredibly slender figure as she left little to the imagination when she folded her legs in the same way the reality star did in her own saucy snap. Scroll down for video She's Keeping Up With The Kardashians! Megan McKenna recreated THAT Kim Kardashian bed snap six hours after the Keeping Up With The Kardashians star shared it on Instagram on Friday Eagle-eyed fans flooded the post with the striking similarities between the two bedroom pictures, with one fan leading the way: 'Love it. Who did it better tho?' (sic) The Only Way Is Essex star-turned-pop singer, Megan come under fire from online trolls for 'copying' the American businesswoman's picture. 'Why's she trying to be Kim doe?' A handful of fans remarked, 'Why try and copy Kim K. No one is original!' (sic) Others added: 'Just like Kim'; 'Trying to copy Kim loool'; 'KimKwannabe'; 'You're like Asda's Kim K'; 'hey hey Kim K'; 'Kim K copy cat?'; 'Tried to do the Kim Kardashian' as well as 'As if this isn't a copy of one of the Kardashians'. (sic) 'Tried to do the Kim Kardashian': The former TOWIE star drove her legion of two million followers wild when she imitated the curvy American reality television sensation MailOnline has contacted Megan's representatives for comment. Megan's loyal fans were quick to defend the TOWIE star for doing the 'same pose' as the Los Angeles born beauty while others remarked she was 'hotter than Kim'. Followers penned: 'Whats the big problem with someone doing the same pose as someone else?' 'To the females who put other females down. Who cares if Kim K did a similar photo to this? Great body so show it off. This girl is on.' 'Trying to copy Kim loool': Former The Only Way Is Essex beauty Megan come under fire from online trolls for 'copying' the American businesswoman's picture Famed for breaking the internet, Kim courted the attention of her 105million Instagram followers with her sexiest look of the year yet. The mother-of-two barely covered her modesty with her hands, which showed off plenty of underboob, when she went topless for the sizzling social media snap. Posing up a storm on her bed, the television personality proved to be more confident than ever as she flaunted her peachy derriere in skimpy briefs. 'What is the big problem with someone doing the same pose?' Megan's loyal fans were quick to defend the TOWIE star for doing the 'same pose' as the Los Angeles born beauty Kim has built up her confidence once again after she was left feeling insecure when pictures of her enviable asset emerged from her Mexican getaway with her sister Kourtney in the summer of 2017. Elsewhere, Megan is moving away from reality television as she has quit TOWIE while she focuses on her country singing career. In a shock statement released to The Sun, the ITVBe favourite said: 'Ive absolutely loved my time on, although this series has been emotionally draining so I need a break from all the drama and lies. 'My music is really important to me and I just want to focus as much of my time on that as possible but Id like to think I might return at some point. Id like to thank everyone at Lime Pictures and ITV for their ongoing support.' Sexy: Famed for breaking the internet, Kim courted the attention of her 105,000,000 Instagram followers with her sexiest look of the year yet They are two of the toughest actresses in Hollywood. And Ashley Judd, 49, looked thrilled to rub shoulders with Joan Collins, 84, at the Esquire and the Medavoys party in Beverley Hills on Friday night. The pair showed off their age-defying beauty as they posed for a snap at the celebratory Golden Globes bash. Scroll down for video Glam:Ashley Judd, 49, looked thrilled to rub shoulders with Joan Collins, 84, at the Esquire and the Medavoys party in Beverley Hills on Friday night Ashley oozed glamour in the monochrome dress, which accentuated her ample assets with a plunging neckline. Featuring billowing sleeves and dozens of ruffled flowers, the gown showcased her slim frame as she beamed for the camera. She complemented the look with a black clutch bag and added a boost to her height with suede court shoes. Cosying up to Joan, the Kiss The Girls actress beamed with happiness as she enhanced her youthful complexion with blush-swept cheeks and a glossy red lip, with her brunette locks swept into an elegant updo. Wow factor:Ashley oozed glamour in the monochrome dress, which accentuated her ample assets with a plunging neckline Speaking out: Last year, Ashley was the catalyst for exposing Harvey Weinstein's abuse allegations She finished off the look with a decadent diamond ring and small hoop earrings. Meanwhile, Joan looked every inch the Hollywood icon as she joined her husband Percy Gibson for the celebrations. The Dynasty actress showed off her slender physique in a silky black gown and red embellished blazer. She accessorized the glamorous ensemble with velvet gloves, a silver choker and diamond square earrings. Screen-star: Joan looked every inch the Hollywood icon in a silky black gown and navy velvet gloves Stylish: The Dynasty actress paired the dress with a red embellished blazer as she posed with her husband Percy Gibson Last year, Ashley was the catalyst for exposing Harvey Weinstein's abuse allegations. Judd detailed an incident involving the Hollywood mogul for The New York Times in their bombshell investigation into Weinstein's decades of alleged sexual harassment. Her claims sparked a tide of women to come forward with further sexual harassment allegations including Hollywood producer Elizabeth Karlsen and British actress Jessica Hynes. Joan also lifted the lid on the dark side of Hollywood during an appearance on This Morning back in October to discuss the prevalence of 'bad men' in the industry, who behaved inappropriately towards her in her youth. She revealed she was once 'harassed' by two megastars, and asked to pull down her top at an audition. Her romance with PR fashion guru Simon Motson has gone from strength-to-strength over the last two years. And Myleene Klass looked happier than ever as she jetted back into the UK with her hunky partner on Friday after a family holiday in the Seychelles with their children. The presenter, 39, cracked a radiant smile as she flashed her cleavage in a black V-neck top, which clung to her slim figure. Scroll down for video Beach break: Myleene Klass looked happier than ever as she jetted back into the UK with her hunky partner on Friday after a family holiday in the Seychelles with their children She paired the top with comfortable joggers and trainers and knotted a satin hoodie around her waist, as she sweetly hugged her two lookalike daughters Ava, 10, and Hero, six, who she shares with ex-husband Graham Quinn. Giving a superstar edge to her look, Myleene peeled on a pair of huge oversized sunglasses paired with delicate gold earrings and a necklace. Her caramel flecked brunette bob was styled sleek and straight and she wore a light dusting of make-up to enhance her pretty features. Her beau Simon matched his partner in an all-black ensemble as he wheeled a trolley of suitcases out behind Myleene with his son and daughter also part of the group. Family time: The presenter, 39, cracked a radiant smile as she flashed her cleavage in a black v-neck top, which clung to her slim figure while hugging her daughters Ava, 10, and Hero, six Chic: She paired the top with comfortable joggers and trainers and knotted a satin hoodie around her waist When Myleene went public in May, and the brunette later raved of their romance to the Daily Mirror: 'He is so hot. Its lovely. Im enjoying myself.' Her new found love comes after her failed marriage with bodyguard Graham Quinn, 41, who is the father to Hero and Ava. Graham walked out on her 34th birthday in April 2012 putting an end to their love, with their divorce finalised in 2013. Discussing her devastation, she admitted to Woman magazine: 'I thought I'd never smile or trust anyone ever again'. 'I felt so betrayed and so crushed. But I couldn't wallow in it. I said to my mum and dad, "I'm broken, but I will not sink."' She made a name for herself when she starred alongside Jamie Foxx and John Hamm in Baby Driver last year. And Eiza Gonzalez ensured all eyes were on her on Friday as she joined a slew of celebrities at the Esquire and the Medavoys pre-Golden Globes party in Beverley Hills. The 27-year-old actress put on an eye-popping display in a plunging green dress as she greeted a mystery man at the star-studded bash. Scroll down for video Stunner: Eiza Gonzalez ensured all eyes were on her on Friday as she joined a slew of celebrities at the Esquire and the Medavoys party in Beverley Hills The revealing gown highlighted her impressive bust and slim waist before the dress billowed out into a pleated a-line skirt. Eiza, who was previously linked to Liam Hemsworth in 2015, complemented her glitzy dress with a gold smoky eye and pink lip. The Mexican-born beauty let her brunette tresses cascade over her shoulders as she embraced the mystery man. MailOnline has contacted Eiza's representative for a comment. Glam: The 27-year-old actress put on an eye-popping display in a plunging green dress as she greeted a mystery man at the pre-Golden Globes party The Dusk Till Dawn actress was joined by Ashley Judd, 49, who oozed glamour in a monochrome dress, which accentuated her ample assets with a plunging neckline. Featuring billowing sleeves and dozens of ruffled flowers, Ashley's gown showcased her slim frame as she beamed for the camera. She complemented the look with a black clutch bag and added a boost to her height with suede court shoes. Cosying up to Joan Collins, the Kiss The Girls actress beamed with happiness as she enhanced her youthful complexion with blush-swept cheeks and a glossy red lip, with her brunette locks swept into an elegant updo. She finished off the look with a decadent diamond ring and small hoop earrings. Wow factor: Ashley oozed glamour in the monochrome dress, which accentuated her ample assets with a plunging neckline Slim: Featuring billowing sleeves and dozens of ruffled flowers, the gown showcased her slim frame as she beamed for the camera Star-studded: Ashley Judd looked thrilled to rub shoulders with Joan Collins at the party Meanwhile, Joan looked every inch the Hollywood icon as she joined her husband Percy Gibson for the celebrations. The Dynasty actress showed off her slender physique in a silky black gown and red embellished blazer. She accessorized the glamorous ensemble with velvet gloves, a silver choker and diamond square earrings. Screen-star: Joan looked every inch the Hollywood icon in a silky black gown and navy velvet gloves She's one of Australia's most successful actresses as well as a mother and wife. But Asher Keddie refuses to say she 'has it all', hitting out at the expression which claims women can juggle everything in life. The 43-year-old told InStyle Australia that 'no respect' is given to how complex women's lives can be and claiming to have it all sends a 'negative message'. 'Im not juggling it all brilliantly, Im doing my best': Offspring star Asher Keddie hits back at claims she 'has it all' as she manages motherhood with acting career 'Im not juggling it all brilliantly, Im doing my best,' Asher told the publication, according to The Daily Telegraph. The Offspring star argued that claiming to have it all was detrimental to other women. 'No respect (is) given to the complexity of (a womans life). Its just bulls**t. We shouldnt expect women to have it all and manage it all and I certainly dont want to be portrayed in that way I think its a very negative message to send women,' Asher said. 'We shouldnt expect women to have it all and manage it all and I certainly dont want to be portrayed in that way': Asher said it was a 'negative message' when it was claimed women could have it all Close family: The couple share a two-year-old son Valentino together and Asher is stepmum to Vincent's other son Luca (pictured) Despite her strong comments on juggling family with her career, Asher said she had found deep satisfaction in her marriage to Vincent Fantauzzo. The couple share a two-year-old son Valentino together and Asher is stepmum to Vincent's other son Luca. 'Were growing up as partners and artists and really starting to appreciate that we have a different perspective on things,' she told InStyle. Asher previously told Fairfax Media that she struggled to return to work on Offspring after having a child. 'Were growing up as partners and artists and really starting to appreciate that we have a different perspective on things': Asher said she had found deep satisfaction in her marriage to Vincent Fantauzzo 'Last year it was very difficult to go back to work and I really felt it, especially after spending 13 months at home all day with my baby,' she told the Sydney Morning Herald last August. 'But this year I've embraced it. I wouldn't be going back, and certainly not into a seventh series, if I didn't love it.' Famous for her role on the small screen as Nina Proudman, Asher will be appearing in cinemas this month in comedy film Swinging Safari. The retro flick also stars Guy Pearce, Kylie Minogue, Julian McMahon and Radha Mitchell. She's one of the world's original supermodels, shooting to fame in the 1990s alongside Cindy Crawford, Naomi Campbell and Claudia Schiffer. And nearly three decades on, Helena Christensen is still hot property. According to The Herald Sun, the 49-year-old is soon set to arrive in Australia, where she will be an international guest of honour at the Virgin Australia Melbourne Fashion Festival in March. Third time's a charm! Helena Christen is set to appear at the Virgin Australia Melbourne Fashion Festival in March, after having previously wowed crowds at the event twice before It'll be the third time Helena has appeared at the Fashion Festival, having last wowed crowds in 2011. She first headlined the event back in 1997. The Danish-born beauty has a close connection with Australia, having dated INXS frontman Michael Hutchence for four years back in the early 90s. Iconic couple: The Danish-born beauty has a close connection with Australia, having dated INXS frontman Michael Hutchence for four years back in the early 90s Emotional: In November, upon the 20th anniversary of the late rocker's death, Helena took to Instagram to pay tribute to her ex In November, upon the 20th anniversary of the late rocker's death, Helena took to Instagram to pay tribute to her ex. Beneath a picture of the star she emotionally wrote: 'What a special honor it is to have been one of the lucky few who got to know the sweet, curious, caring, smart and funny man you were on a personal level.' She added: 'We play INXS every summer when we're gathered under a dark violet summer sky, while cicadas chirp along and stories about you are shared, making us all smile and hug.' Icon: Helena is one of the world's original supermodels, shooting to fame in the 1990s alongside Cindy Crawford, Naomi Campbell, Claudia Schiffer and Carla Bruni (pictured all together in 2017) Helena now lives in New York, with her 17-year-old son Mingus, who she shares with ex Norman Reedus, of The Walking Dead fame. The celebrity duo were together for five years from 1998 to 2003 and now co-parent their boy, who was born in 1999. The brunette beauty is still firmly entrenched on the Hollywood A-List, having last year scored an invite to the star-studded wedding of talent manager Guy Oseary. Madonna, U2, Sasha Baron Cohen, Chris Rock, Matthew McConaughey and Dakota Johnson were among the other guests present at the ceremony. He has been happily in love with Phillipa Coan for two years but has kept their romance very private. And Jude Law, 45, looked delighted to have the psychologist on his arm as they attended the Annual Moet Moment Film Festival in West Hollywood on Friday. With awards season hot on their heels, the pair - who have not been seen together since July - made a stylish exit from the Pre-Golden Globes event in California. Scroll down for video Cute couple: Jude Law, 45, looked delighted to have girlfriend Phillipa Coan on his arm as they attended the Annual Moet Moment Film Festival in West Hollywood on Friday The British actor, who hails from London, highlighted his enviable frame in a slim-fit jumper and fitted trousers for the glitzy occasion. Hollywood hunk Jude, who will next appear on the big screen in November in the sequel to Fantastic Beasts, was in high spirits as he was joined by his girlfriend. Psychologist Phillipa paraded her sensational figure in skintight PVC trousers, worn with a bright white blazer to catch the eye with its striking contrast. Putting on Golden (Globes) appearance: Jude, who will next appear on screen in the sequel to Fantastic Beasts, was in high spirits as he was joined by his girlfriend The couple party hopped as they also made a glamorous appearance at The Post reception hosted by David O. Russell and Colleen Camp in Los Angeles, California. Jude rubbed shoulders with the star of Steven Spielberg's latest movie Tom Hanks at the star-studded event hosted in celebration of the 2018 flick. The Post tells the true story of why The Washington Post decided to publish the Pentagon Papers in 1971, which exposed the government's secret history of the Vietnam War, and its consequences. In Spielberg's movie, the country's first publisher Katharine Graham (Streep) and the newspaper editor Ben Bradlee (Hanks) lead the battle between journalists and the government. Chic and cheerful: Psychologist Phillipa paraded her sensational figure in skintight PVC trousers, worn with a bright white blazer to catch the eye with its striking contrast Phillipa has been mingling within Jude's Hollywood circles since they first started dating back in 2015. Despite accompanying him to A-list parties, Jude prides their romance on being a 'very private thing' that makes him 'very, very happy'. The Sherlock Holmes star told Modern Luxury magazine for the January 2017 edition: 'Shes mine and no one elses. Im very, very happy. A large part of that is the fact that shes a very private person. Social butterfly: The couple party hopped as they also made a glamorous appearance at The Post reception in Los Angeles, California where he rubbed shoulders with Tom Hanks 'And our relationship is a very private thing, and I think part of the fact it works so well is exactly because of that.' While he shares no offspring with his current girlfriend, Jude is the doting father to his five children from his former relationships. The Holiday star shares three children, two sons 21-year-old Rafferty and 15-year-old Rudy as well as 17-year-old daughter Iris, with his ex-wife Sadie Frost. The former flames, who met on the set of Shopping, were married in a romantic ceremony in September 1997 but they went onto divorce in October 2003. He moved his heartache on with his 2004 Alfie co-star Sienna Miller and they got engaged to on Christmas day but they went their separate ways in November 2006. Jude raises his fourth child Sophia, eight, with American model Samantha Burke whom he enjoyed a brief romance with. In late 2009, he returned to his ladylove Sienna and the couple spent Christmas together in Barbados with his kids before the split for good in February 2011. The Hollywood movie star also shares two-year-old daughter Ada with former flame Catherine Harding. She has landed a job in New York whilst he is relocating to Spain. Yet Gemma Collins, 36, and James 'Arg' Argent, 30, didn't let the prospect of long-distance love hamper their passion as the pair were spotted kissing in Marbella on Thursday. Looking positively smitten, the on/off couple - who found fame on TOWIE - did not seem to care who was watching as they stopped in the street in a steamy clinch. Scroll down for video Pucker up: Gemma Collins, 36, and James 'Arg' Argent, 30, didn't let the prospect of long-distance love hamper their passion as the pair were spotted kissing in Marbella on Thursday The pair were joined by Arg's best friend Elliott Wright and his new wife Sadie Stuart on the outing, who also seemed in good spirits on the outing. A representative for Gemma told MailOnline: 'They are good friends, but nothing more. Arg is relocating to Spain and Gemma agreed to help him find a home as she knows the area well.' MailOnline has contacted Arg's representative for comment. All over each other: Looking positively smitten, the on/off couple - who found fame on TOWIE - did not seem to care who was watching as they stopped in the street in a steamy clinch Long distance lovers? She has landed a job in New York whilst he is relocating to Spain Fun in the sun: The pair were joined by Arg's best friend Elliott Wright and his new wife Sadie Stuart on the outing, who also seemed in good spirits on the outing Getting the candy: Arg and Gemma were all over each other as they shared a smooch For the sun-soaked stroll, Gemma donned a black beaded kaftan that was adorned with silver embellishments. She teamed the garment with leggings, and sensibly swapped her typical towering heels for a pair of flip flops, while he accessorised with a woven beach bag. Wearing her golden locks loose and tousled, she boasted a rich tan and sported a pair of oversized sunglasses. Meanwhile, Arg kept things casual in a black fleece and shorts that he teamed with luminous green running trainers. Hug it out: The duo were very tactile as they also enjoyed a cuddle on their stroll Dressed to impress: For the sun-soaked stroll, Gemma donned a black beaded kaftan that was adorned with silver embellishments All-smiles: Gemma seemed in high spirits as she beamed broadly on the outing Leggy lady! She teamed the garment with leggings, and sensibly swapped her typical towering heels for a pair of flip flops, while he accessorised with a woven beach bag Blonde bombshell: Wearing her golden locks loose and tousled, she boasted a rich tan and sported a pair of oversized sunglasses Low-key look: Meanwhile, Arg kept things casual in a black fleece and shorts that he teamed with luminous green running trainers Confirming their romance with a kiss comes at an interesting time, as Gemma just revealed her plans to relocate to New York City. In an Instagram post on Friday, the CBB star wrote: ''So excited to finally tell you all I have landed first AMERICAN JOB so so excited NY CITY here I come #dreambig' (sic)'. She seems to be following in the footsteps of former co-star Mark Wright after he landed a job on US show Extra in sunny Los Angeles. Making moves: Confirming their romance with a kiss comes at an interesting time, as Gemma just revealed her plans to relocate to New York City Also on the go: Arg, meanwhile, is said to be relocating to Spain and is house hunting Loving life: The pair seem to be moving on from any problems they've faced in the past It has since been claimed that Gemma has landed a role on hit Netflix series, Orange Is The New Black. A source told The Sun: 'Gemma can't wait to get started. She is bursting with excitement and feels really proud to have landed the job. 'Her "Queen of Memays" tag has really paid off.' Sunny stroll: Arg and Gemma looked cosy as they walked together side by side All-smiles: The duo seemed in high spirits as they went on a stroll through Marbella Chatting away: The duo were seen deep in conversation with former TOWIE star Elliott Gemma teased fans as she shared an article about the rumours on her Instagram account on Friday and wrote: 'Thank you. It really is a big dream come true.' Gemma and Arg have enjoyed an on/off relationship since they first started dating in 2012. Yet Arg delighted TOWIE viewers by finally confessing his feelings for Gemma in the show's Christmas special. More hugs: Gemma and Arg kept stopping to shower each other with affection Feeling sleepy? Gemma was seen yawning as they strolled along the beachfront Quality time: Gemma was seen enjoying an animated chat with Elliott on the outing Getting up on stage in front of all his Essex pals, Arg, dressed as Santa, grabbed the microphone and said: 'I'm looking round the room there's one person who deserves a special shout out. And her name's GC. 'Gemma you're so lovely to me, you're always there for me whenever I need you and you make me laugh. You know what Gem, you think 'Arg he cares too much what people think.' 'I want to let you know no I don't give a f*** what anyone thinks. I f****ng love your candy.' He's been a staple of daytime telly alongside wife Ruth Langsford. And now This Morning host Eamonn Holmes, 58, appeared to be thinking of his next screen venture as he joked about a potential spin-off from the reality favourite Love Island. The TV personality was a guest on Friday's Celebrity Big Brother's Bit On The Side, when he dropped his idea for an OAP version of the hit summer show jokingly called 'Silver Surfers Island' Scroll down for video Spin-off? This Morning host Eamonn Holmes, 58, appeared to be thinking of his next screen venture as he joked about a potential spin-off from the reality favourite Love Island on Friday Sharing some banter with host Rylan Clark, who also shares the screen with Eamonn on This Morning, the Irish TV talent kicked off the joke with: 'As regards to me being asked to do Love Island next year...' The cheeky suggestion was quickly rebutted by Rylan who exclaimed: 'There is no way I would ever let you do that!' Unphased by Rylan's remark, Eamonn quickly batted back: 'No, but think if you had a couples' Love Island, if Ruth came on it and it would be like a Silver Surfers' Island, it could be, really!' OAP Island? The TV personality was a guest on Celebrity Big Brother's Bit On The Side, when he dropped his idea for an OAP version of the hit summer show jokingly called 'Silver Surfers Island' Not to be dismissed, Rylan amusingly quipped back: 'I would disembark myself from this family all together if that happened.' It wouldn't be a bad choice for the host to make, as Love Island turned out to be the surprise hit of the summer, winning celebrity fans including Liam Gallagher and Stormzy and turning the lucky couples who found romance into instant stars. After applications opened for the new series, 60,000 singletons put their names forward in an attempt to find romance in the famous villa. Silver surfer? Sharing some banter with host Rylan Clark, who also shares the screen with Eamonn on This Morning, the Irish TV talent kicked off the joke with: 'As regards to me being asked to do Love Island next year...' Racy reality TV: Love Island wouldn't be a bad choice for the host to make, as the show turned out to be the surprise hit of the summer, winning celebrity fans including Liam Gallagher and Stormzy and turning the lucky couples who found romance into instant stars This isn't the first time host Eamonn, who looked dapper in a professional blue shirt and jacket combo, has been close to a reality stardom, as he was reportedly offered a whopping 800,000 to appear on Celebrity Big Brother. According to the Mirror, Eamonn was approached by Channel Five bosses to star on the show, He, however, reportedly turned down the generous offer, telling producers he 'didn't need the money'. Romance: Bomb disposal expert Camilla and male model/deep thinker Jamie, 28 and 27, have endured their share of controversy after they were seen having a huge row in the street but are still blissfully happy together The veteran presenter was apparently high on producers list to join the show but refuses it each time of the offer is made. However, Eamonn was quick to deny the claims that he turned down the offer, telling the ITV This Morning viewers that 'The words you will never hear from my lips are: 'I don't need the money,'' He also admitted that wife Ruth wouldn't let him go on the controversial show, saying: 'She doesn't allow me to do it'. Their relationship continues to go from strength to strength. And Ben Affleck couldn't help but plant a kiss on his girlfriend Lindsay Shookus during a spot of shopping in Los Angeles on Friday. The 45-year-old Batman actor and the 37-year-old Saturday Night Live producer appeared relaxed as they browsed stores for a low-key date. Love birds: Ben Affleck and Lindsay Shookus packed on some PDA while the SNL producer held a pair of Christian Louboutin in her hands in Los Angeles on Friday Coffee date: Ben looked relaxed as he faced the misty day with Lindsay by his side Ben sported a casual look with a dark gray T-shirt, black denim jeans, and a black leather jacket. The father-of-three finished off his attire with brown oxfords and sunglasses that he hung off his shirt collar. Lindsay donned a chic look while strolling the streets in black denim, nude flats, and a gray long-sleeve shirt with bell-sleeves. The 37-year-old sported a make-up free look as she kept her blonde tresses down by her shoulders. Looking good: The 35-year-old Batman actor and the 37-year-old Saturday Night Live producer appeared relaxed as they browsed stores for a low-key date Coffee run: Ben sported a casual look with a dark gray T-shirt, black denim jeans, and a black leather jacket Out and about: The father-of-three finished off his attire with brown oxfords and sunglasses that he hung off his shirt collar The couple later headed inside a store where they perused the selection of designer shoe brands. Ben and Lindsay packed on some PDA while the SNL producer held a pair of Christian Louboutin in her hands. Ben later found multiple pairs of shoes he found keen, while holding them up and asking the seven-time Emmy nominee for her opinion. Shopping spree: The couple later headed inside a store where they perused the selection of designer shoe brands The perfect pair: Ben later found multiple pairs of shoes he found keen, while holding them up and asking the seven-time Emmy nominee for her opinion Meanwhile, Ben's ex-wife Jennifer Garner was seen getting in a workout across town. The estranged couple spent Christmas together with their children according to People. Ben and Jennifer are parents to daughters Violet, 12, and Seraphina, eight, and son Samuel, five. The former couple, who also spent Thanksgiving together with their kids, separated in June 2015 after 10 years of marriage. Life of luxury: Lindsay seemed to find multiple designer heels she wanted to buy She caught the attention of Justin Bieber in 2016 when the pair enjoyed a wet and wild skinny dipping session in Hawaii. And Australian bikini model Sahara Ray was up to her usual tricks this week, flaunting her figure in racy white lingerie on Instagram. The busty blonde, 24, shared a photo of herself in a ripped crop top and G-string as she soaked up the sun in Mexico. Scroll down for video White hot! Justin Bieber's rumoured fling Sahara Ray showcases her washboard abs in a VERY racy crop top and G-string in Mexico Showing off a golden tan, Sahara was pictured standing on a balcony, with her long blonde hair styled in beachy waves. Her G-string featured a provocative lightening bolt design. Sahara appeared to keep her makeup simple, including a matte nude lip and dewy foundation. Claim to fame: She caught the attention of Justin Bieber in 2016 when the pair enjoyed a wet and wild skinny dipping session in Hawaii Sahara is no stranger to sharing scantily-clad photos with her 1.3 million Instagram followers. The social butterfly was born in the Australian coastal town of Torquay, but was raised in Santa Cruz, California. She is the daughter of Australian big wave surfer Tony Ray. California girl: The social butterfly was born in the Australian coastal town of Torquay, but was raised in Santa Cruz, California Her own best advertisement! Sahara splits her time between working as a model and the owner of bikini brand Sahara Ray Swim Sahara splits her time between working as a model and being the owner of bikini brand Sahara Ray Swim. She found herself in the spotlight last year after she was spotted skinny dipping in Hawaii with Justin Bieber. The Australian's notoriety has increased in recent years thanks to her raunchy Instagram profile. 1. U.S. acceptance of coexistence as the only alternative to atomic war. 2. U.S. willingness to capitulate in preference to engaging in atomic war. 3. Develop the illusion that total disarmament of the United States would be a demonstration of moral strength. 4. Permit free trade between all nations regardless of Communist affiliation and regardless of whether or not items could be used for war. 5. Extension of long-term loans to Russia and Soviet satellites. 6. Provide American aid to all nations regardless of Communist domination. 7. Grant recognition of Red China. Admission of Red China to the U.N. 8. Set up East and West Germany as separate states in spite of Khrushchev's promise in 1955 to settle the German question by free elections under supervision of the U.N. 9. Prolong the conferences to ban atomic tests because the United States has agreed to suspend tests as long as negotiations are in progress. 10. Allow all Soviet satellites individual representation in the U.N. 11. Promote the U.N. as the only hope for mankind. If its charter is rewritten, demand that it be set up as a one-world government with its own independent armed forces. (Some Communist leaders believe the world can be taken over as easily by the U.N. as by Moscow. Sometimes these two centers compete with each other as they are now doing in the Congo.) 12. Resist any attempt to outlaw the Communist Party. 13. Do away with all loyalty oaths. 14. Continue giving Russia access to the U.S. Patent Office. 15. Capture one or both of the political parties in the United States. 16. Use technical decisions of the courts to weaken basic American institutions by claiming their activities violate civil rights. 17. Get control of the schools. Use them as transmission belts for socialism and current Communist propaganda. Soften the curriculum. Get control of teachers' associations. Put the party line in textbooks. 18. Gain control of all student newspapers. 19. Use student riots to foment public protests against programs or organizations which are under Communist attack. 20. Infiltrate the press. Get control of book-review assignments, editorial writing, policymaking positions. 21. Gain control of key positions in radio, TV, and motion pictures. 22. Continue discrediting American culture by degrading all forms of artistic expression. An American Communist cell was told to "eliminate all good sculpture from parks and buildings, substitute shapeless, awkward and meaningless forms." 23. Control art critics and directors of art museums. "Our plan is to promote ugliness, repulsive, meaningless art." 24. Eliminate all laws governing obscenity by calling them "censorship" and a violation of free speech and free press. 25. Break down cultural standards of morality by promoting pornography and obscenity in books, magazines, motion pictures, radio, and TV. 26. Present homosexuality, degeneracy and promiscuity as "normal, natural, healthy." 27. Infiltrate the churches and replace revealed religion with "social" religion. Discredit the Bible and emphasize the need for intellectual maturity which does not need a "religious crutch." 28. Eliminate prayer or any phase of religious expression in the schools on the ground that it violates the principle of "separation of church and state." 29. Discredit the American Constitution by calling it inadequate, old-fashioned, out of step with modern needs, a hindrance to cooperation between nations on a worldwide basis. 30. Discredit the American Founding Fathers. Present them as selfish aristocrats who had no concern for the "common man." 31. Belittle all forms of American culture and discourage the teaching of American history on the ground that it was only a minor part of the "big picture." Give more emphasis to Russian history since the Communists took over. 32. Support any socialist movement to give centralized control over any part of the culture--education, social agencies, welfare programs, mental health clinics, etc. 33. Eliminate all laws or procedures which interfere with the operation of the Communist apparatus. 34. Eliminate the House Committee on Un-American Activities. 35. Discredit and eventually dismantle the FBI. 36. Infiltrate and gain control of more unions. 37. Infiltrate and gain control of big business. 38. Transfer some of the powers of arrest from the police to social agencies. Treat all behavioral problems as psychiatric disorders which no one but psychiatrists can understand. 39. Dominate the psychiatric profession and use mental health laws as a means of gaining coercive control over those who oppose Communist goals. 40. Discredit the family as an institution. Encourage promiscuity and easy divorce. 41. Emphasize the need to raise children away from the negative influence of parents. Attribute prejudices, mental blocks and retarding of children to suppressive influence of parents. 42. Create the impression that violence and insurrection are legitimate aspects of the American tradition; that students and special-interest groups should rise up and use united force to solve economic, political or social problems. 43. Overthrow all colonial governments before native populations are ready for self-government. 44. Internationalize the Panama Canal. 45. Repeal the Connally reservation so the United States cannot prevent the World Court from seizing jurisdiction over nations and individuals alike. He rose to fame as a star of The Only Way is Essex, joining the cast in 2014, and becoming a show mainstay until his department in October last year. And Tommy Mallet wants to share his celebrity success with his fans, revealing plans to pen an autobiography about his rise to greatness. The 25-year-old star posted a snap of a closed book on Instagram, captioning the post with plans to send the book to fans for free if they feel 'useless' and 'talentless'. Scroll down for video New venture: TOWIE star Tommy Mallet, 25, has revealed plans to pen an autobiography, which he will send to fans who feel 'useless' and 'talentless' Tommy captioned the post: 'Eating my favourite chocolate bar since I was a kid thinking back to this crazy journey I've been on in my 25 years. 'I'm in the process of writing a book about me, not only talking about the Up I've been on the last few years with business and towie also the bad I went through for years before finding what i was destine for. 'I won't be selling it online I will be sending it to people personally for free. People who feel stuck, useless, talentless & have no one to talk to I send you this ting when it's finished... #HardWorkBeatsTalent.' (sic) Work in progress: Posting a snap of a closed book on Instagram, Tommy revealed he will write a book all about his road to greatness, and send it to fans for free Magnum Opus? Tommy also posted a snap of him working on his book on his Instagram stories Fans immediately rushed to praise the star for his kind gesture, with some immediately requesting a copy of the book. One wrote: 'I love this. Would so love to read this,' while another commented: 'I feel like I need this right now! All the best and well done you!' A third wrote: 'I've been watching your journey and would find it so fascinating!' As well as being a star of TOWIE, Tommy has also set up the Mallet Footwear company, and is the co-owner of Essex nightclub Circuit. Supportive: Fans rushed to comment that they would love to read the new book, with some requesting a copy already Happy life: After joining TOWIE in 2014, Tommy found love with Georgia Kousoulou, though the star reportedly has a 'bible' of ground rules to follow The hunk also found love during his reality TV stint with girlfriend Georgia Kousoulou, though the star recently revealed he has been given a 'bible' of rules to follow by the blonde beauty. Speaking on ITV's Lorraine last year, Georgia said: 'A few? I set out like two pages! I had to for my own benefit,' before Tommy added: 'It's a bible!' She continued: 'But didn't it help us? I think all girls going forward should have rules, it just helps relationships.' She's the Australian supermodel awaiting the birth of her second child. And on Friday, Nicole Trunfio flaunted her blossoming baby bump while on a shopping trip in Los Angeles. The 31-year-old catwalk queen was joined by her lively son Zion, who turns three later this month. That pregnancy glow! Australian supermodel Nicole Trunfio flaunted her blossoming baby bump on a shopping trip in Los Angeles with son Zion, two, on Friday The brunette beauty showed off her pregnancy figure in a tight black maxi dress. She added a splash of colour to the ensemble with a lightweight emerald green coat featuring a floral design. She finished off her look with black ankle boots, a tan handbag, and a pair of designer sunglasses. Effortlessly chic: Nicole, 31, turned the sidewalk into her own personal runway Carry me! Nicole was pictured holding her son Zion, who turns three this month Curvy: The catwalk queen showed off her pregnancy curves in a tight black dress Stylish: She finished off her look with black ankle boots, a tan handbag and a pair of sunglasses Nicole, who is married to American musician Gary Clark Jr., announced in October that the couple are expecting a girl. She recently spoke about her pregnancy in an interview with Mother Muse. 'We are currently awaiting the birth of our new daughter which will be any day now, possibly the same birthday as Zion which would be fun!' she said. Expecting: Nicole, who is married to American musician Gary Clark Jr., announced in October that the couple are expecting a girl Thirsty? Nicole enjoyed a take-away juice during the shopping trip 'We havent decided on a name for her yet, we think its very important to meet them first,' she added. Nicole also revealed she is currently working on a book about pregnancy and childbirth. The entrepreneur is believed to have had two baby showers recently, one in Texas and the other in Beverly Hills. 'We havent decided on a name for her yet, we think its very important to meet them first': Nicole and husband Gary Clark Jr. haven't picked a name for their baby girl yet Several celebrity friends joined her for the LA baby shower, with Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, Jessica Gomes and Renee Bargh in attendance. During her peak years as a model, Nicole worked with fashion powerhouses like Versace and Valentino. She also served as a mentor on the reality TV shows The Face Australia and Make Me a Supermodel. Saturday night's Hopman Cup final in Perth between Germany and Switzerland is fitting of Grand Slam deciders. The men's clash will feature world No.2 Roger Federer and No.4 Alexander Zverev, while the women's singles will pit together two former top 10 players, Belinda Bencic and Angelique Kerber. Of the quartet, only Zverev lost matches during this week's tournament, to in-form Belgian David Goffin and Australia's Thanasi Kokkinakis. Both countries won all three of their doubles clashes. With arguably the best ever male player waiting for him in the final, Zverev hit the practice court as soon as Germany had won the doubles against Australia to qualify for the play-off. "I didn't play my best yet," he said. "I felt I played today better than I did the past few days even though it is still far from perfect. "That's why I am going to practise now at 11.30(pm). I have to prepare the best I can against Roger. "He is someone who feels the ball well, no matter where he goes, or how much he practises." In the 30th edition of the event, both countries are chasing their third titles. Federer has been in ominous touch this tournament though, not even dropping a set in singles wins over Yuichi Sugita, Karen Khachanov, and world No.8 Jack Sock. World No.74 Bencic, who missed five months last year after undergoing wrist surgery, recorded wins over top-15 players Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova and CoCo Vandeweghe along the way to the final. Bencic has never dropped a set against former world No.1 Kerber, and leads the German 3-0 in head-to-head encounters. The battles between Federer and Zverev have been much closer. Zverev trails 3-2 in ATP battles, but it doesn't include his win over Federer at last year's Hopman Cup. That match went to to three tiebreak sets. Federer was just 19 when he won the Hopman Cup in 2001, alongside then world No.1 Martina Hingis. He narrowly missed out on making the final with Bencic last year, but now has the chance to add a second Hopman Cup crown to his bulging trophy cabinet. Bencic grew up idolising Federer, and said it would be special to win a title with the 19-time grand slam winner. "It would mean so much. It's a dream even playing here with Roger," Bencic said. "The players are taking it seriously. We would love to win. "Kerber is a top player. She always shows it. But I've got a good record against her." Volatile Czech third seed Barbora Strycova has been dumped from the ASB Classic, downed 6-0 2-6 2-6 by quarter-final foe Su-Wei Hsieh. Strycova - after a clinical first set in which she broke thrice and won at a canter - went to pieces in Auckland, grumbling as she lost game after game. The 31-year-old was trailing 2-5 in the third set - and just two points from defeat - against the Taiwanese Hsieh when the heavens opened on Saturday. Hsieh duly returned after a 15-minute delay to play out the match, and will now take on German second seed Julia Goerges in Saturday's semi-final. Earlier, the world No.14 Goerges shrugged off her own rain delay to beat Slovenian Polona Hercog 6-4 6-4 and progress to the final four. The rain halted the match for half an hour but didn't break Goerges' mental focus, as she dispatched her opponent in 90 minutes and smashed four aces. In the other quarter-finals on Saturday, top seed Caroline Wozniacki takes on Sofia Kenin and Agnieszka Radwanska plays Sachia Vickery. The women's singles schedule is heavily backlogged due to Thursday and Friday's Auckland downpours, which cancelled all play and pushed both the quarter-finals and semi-finals into Saturday. The final will now be held on Sunday. Weather also forced Classic organisers to push the women's doubles competition indoors on Friday, with both semi-finals taking place inside. In the doubles final, which will be held on Sunday, favourites Sara Errani and Bibiane Schoofs will take on Japanese duo Eri Hozumi and Miyu Kato. An emergency warning has been issued for a fire in western Victoria, with residents being told it is too late to leave. The warning has been issued for issued for Glenormiston North, Glenormiston South, Noorat, Noorat East, Kolora, all north of Warrnambool. "You are in danger, act now to protect yourself. It is too late to leave. The safest option is to take shelter indoors immediately. Do not get in the car and drive. It is safer to stay where you are," the warning reads. More than 100 artists have signed a pledge of support for Kiwi musician Lorde after she was criticised for deciding not to perform in Israel. The letter, published in The Guardian on Saturday, was signed by a range of people including film director Ken Loach, musicians Brian Eno and Roger Waters and actors Mark Ruffalo and John Cusack. "We write in support of Lorde, who made public her decision not to perform in Israel and has now been branded a 'bigot' in a full page advertisement in the Washington Post," it read. "We deplore the bullying tactics being used to defend injustice against Palestinians and to suppress an artist's freedom of conscience. We support Lorde's right to take a stand," the letter, written and promoted by Shmuley Boteach said. On Christmas Day Lorde cancelled a concert scheduled for Tel Aviv's 15,000-seat Convention Centre on June 5 after criticism from activists in the BDS (Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions) movement. Lorde said in a statement it was the right decision to cancel the show, Variety reported. NSW Police are searching for a taxi driver after a would-be passenger was allegedly dragged 100 metres along a Sydney street before being abandoned unconscious. Detectives say a 30-year-old man hailed the cab in the CBD after 1am on Saturday but the driver declined the fare. "The would-be passenger reportedly reached into the cab as the driver accelerated away and the man was dragged about 100m," a police spokesperson said in a statement. The victim was knocked unconscious and passers-by looked after him until emergency services arrived at the scene. The 30-year-old was subsequently taken to hospital where he was treated for head injuries. An Australian woman has been arrested at Phnom Penh International Airport with almost two kilograms of heroin stashed in her luggage. Cambodia's General Department of Immigration says on its official Facebook page that 1,814 grams of heroin were found embedded in the side of the Ve Thi Tran's suitcase in several different packages. An immigration official at Phnom Penh airport, who declined to be named as he is not authorised to comment, said the 37-year-old was preparing to return to Australia via Hong Kong when she was arrested as she was checking in at the airport on Saturday. It followed a tip-off from the Australian Federal Police, which worked with the Cambodian Immigration Department to arrest her. Tran is being questioned by the anti-transnational crimes squad general commissariat of the national Police. A 50-year-old man has been charged over an alleged hit and run that killed an 18-year-old woman in Alice Springs. Northern Territory Police on Saturday said they'd charged the man with hit and run causing death over the Thursday night incident on Gap Road. Detectives believe the man was driving a white Mitsubishi Triton ute with Queensland registration plates when he struck and killed the teenager. They're appealing for any witnesses to contact them. The 50-year-old is due to face court on Monday. While rubber burns on the race track, petrol heads will try to keep cool on the final day of the Summernats car festival. Canberra is set for a scorcher on Sunday with a predicted temperature of 39 degrees. Organiser Andy Lopez doesn't expect the heat to affect crowd numbers. "I think the heat's a factor in how people experience the event but Summernats only comes once a year so a hot (weekend) won't scare off anybody," he told reporters. He said there had been some incidents of people becoming dehydrated and requiring first aid. Mr Lopez urged visitors to stay well hydrated and go easy on the alcohol. The champions of the burnout competitions and showcase cars will be crowned on Sunday. Fire crews have spent the night blacking out a fire that severely damaged a Melbourne family's home. The fire at Carrum Downs started just after 3pm on Saturday and moved fast, putting the entire street of Darnley Drive at risk, CFA Assistant Chief Officer Trevor Owen told reporters. "It travelled very, very quickly and we had a few kilometres of a front within a matter of an hour that we had to be able to control," he said. "There were a lot of embers being thrown up which caused a lot of other fires that were progressing in front of the fire front." At the height of the fire, 50 fire appliances and more than 300 firefighters were battling the blaze. It was declared under control before 9pm. The fire in dense scrubland damaged one Darnley Drive home when embers got into an evaporative air conditioning unit. The house escaped total destruction but the family can't stay there, Mr Owen said. It also damaged sheds, fences and a motorhome. It's unclear how or where the fire started and that will be investigated. The fire was one of many sparked across the state as Victoria suffered through an extremely hot Saturday. At one stage a fire in the western Victorian town of Glenormiston was declared an emergency and residents were told it was too late to leave, but firefighters were quick to get it under control. Localities in western Victoria along the South Australian border have also been issue smoke alert from fires burning in the neighbouring state. England insist they won't be cooked come the start of their second innings in Sydney, even if they have to spend the first half of day four in the field. Temperatures are expected to reach 40 degrees on Sunday, and England could still be forced to field for at least half the day before they start their second innings after Australia went to stumps on Saturday at 4-479 with a lead of 133. England have already sent down 157 overs in Australia's first innings, adding more miles to the no doubt tired legs who have had to bowl more than 120 overs in at least one innings of all five Tests. But wicketkeeper Jonny Bairstow said it wouldn't be a concern for the tourists. "We did 180 overs in Perth, we've done 200 in Cape Town when it's been 35 degrees. We've done 30-plus degrees in Chennai and we did 200 overs there," Bairstow said. "It's not something you're adverse to when you follow the sun around doing a job you love. "You're going to be out in the field at some point for a period of time. Who knows, it might not be us that are out there are all day tomorrow." In comparison to the time spent in the field, England have managed to bat for 120 overs just once this series - a feat they may again need to achieve if they are to save the fifth and final Test. They'll also have to do it on an SCG pitch that appeared to be showing more signs of assistance for spinners Moeen Ali and Mason Crane on Saturday afternoon. But after putting on scores of at least 400 in India three times last summer, Bairstow said his side had the experience required to nullify the in-form Nathan Lyon. "We had challenges when we faced (Ravichandran) Ashwin and (Ravindra) Jadeja in India," Bairstow said. "We've got a guy at the top of the order (Alastair Cook) who batted for 12 and a half hours in Abu Dhabi against Pakistan over there. The amount of runs that he has got against spin. "There's different challenges (for Lyon) with (Joe) Rooty and (James) Vincey with the right-hander turning it in, there's not as much rough outside the right-hander's off stump. "They've played well and the pitch as a whole is still a very good pitch." World No.7 David Goffin wants to ride his wave of confidence all the way to a maiden semi-final appearance at this month's Australian Open. Goffin enjoyed a strong end to 2017, and he started 2018 on a bright note as well with Hopman Cup wins over world No.4 Alexander Zverev, Australian Thanasi Kokkinakis, and Canadian Vasek Pospisil. Belgium narrowly missed out on a spot in the final, but the mixed-teams tournament gave Goffin a strong preparation for the first major of the year. The Australian Open is shaping to be a wide open race in the men's field following a host of injury concerns to the world's best players. Three-time major winner Andy Murray (hip) and Kei Nishikori (wrist) have already pulled out, while Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, Stan Wawrinka, and Milos Raonic are under injury clouds. Goffin looms as a dark horse following a career-best year in 2017. The year ended with him spearheading Belgium's Davis Cup loss to France in the final. That defeat was by no means the fault of Goffin, who won his singles matches against Lucas Pouille and Jo-Wilfried Tsonga. Shortly before that, Goffin beat both Nadal and Federer on the way to reaching the decider of the ATP Finals in London. Now, Goffin has his eyes firmly fixed on grand slam success. The 27-year-old has only reached the quarter-final of a grand slam twice - at the Australian Open last year and the French Open in 2016. "This year, I want to go far. I want to go maybe one step further in the draw," Goffin said. "I only made the quarter-finals twice. "But the way is really long, and there's a lot of tough matches. You have to manage the fatigue and the weather. "I won a lot of matches in the last few months. I'm ready to go far. But it doesn't mean it will be there." Goffin will continue his Australian Open build-up at the January 9-12 Kooyong Classic in Melbourne. The bushfire emergency in South Australia's southeast has reduced as moderating weather conditions help fire crews get the upper hand. The Country Fire Service says the progress of the Sherwood fire has slowed with emergency warnings for locals replaced with a watch and act message. "Firefighters are still working to contain the fire, however, fire intensity and rate of spread has moderated," the CFS said. It said farm buildings and other assets could still be at risk and anyone who had left the area should not yet return. Earlier a fire crew battling then South Australia's southeast survived a frightening burnover in their truck as the fire raged, destroying two farm buildings and threatening homes. The crew was among more than 70 firefighters who battled the blaze which also posed a threat to properties at Brimbago, Lowan Vale, McCallum and Senior near the South Australian-Victorian border. By late on Saturday the blaze had destroyed more than 8000 hectares of scrub and farmland. At one stage local farmer Robyn Verrall reported a "wall of flames" as the fire burned out of control. Images she posted on Twitter showed trees and grass on fire while a video showed thick smoke blanketing paddocks, significantly reducing visibility. The southeast blaze came amid soaring temperatures and catastrophic fire conditions in SA's Mt Lofty Ranges, and upper and lower southeast. Those conditions moderated during the day with most of the state forecast to have much cooler weather on Sunday. The southeast blaze was also among about 40 incidents requiring CFS attention, including other fires at Happy Valley, Penfield and one at a rubbish dump at McLaren Vale where equipment valued at $1.5 million was lost. The Melbourne Stars are in freefall following a six-wicket Big Bash League derby loss to the Renegades. After coasting to the win with 13 balls to spare on Saturday night at the MCG, the Renegades went top with a 4-1 record and the Stars are bottom on 0-4. But Kevin Pietersen is typically defiant, saying the Stars are one big individual performance away from turning their season around. Pointing to the talent in their squad, Pietersen said it was not all doom and gloom. The Stars have made the finals in every BBL season, but the top four looks a long way off after Saturday night's comprehensive loss. "I've played in too many of these franchises over the years," Pietersen said. "Sometimes, you get on a roll winning and sometimes, you get on a roll losing. "It can change with one innings, it can change with one spell of bowling. "Somebody of the form and class that is in our dressing room can change a season around." Pietersen said the Stars must look at winning all six of their remaining matches and see where that leaves them. "I've never in my whole career stood back and said 'there's no hope'," he said. "I mean, I've been in the darkest times of my career and I've never, ever, ever not committed to trying to win. "This is no different - this is really important, to try to get what we can." He said there is always plenty of expectation on the Stars and they should embrace it. "I played with that expectation, the weight of expectation, every single time I batted, so it's something I enjoy, it's something I thrive on," he said. "It's about standing up and being counted. Pietersen scored 40 from 30 balls on Saturday night and Ben Dunk returned to form with a top score of 47. But the Stars lost their way when Pietersen was dismissed midway through the innings, ending his 71-run partnership with Dunk. Pietersen said he was annoyed when man of the match Mohammad Nabi dismissed him, adding he should have hit the ball for six. The Englishman, who announced this year would be his last, did not field after hurting his ankle while batting, but hopes to play in Tuesday's Adelaide Oval match against the Strikers. Emergency service workers stand near the site where a train crashed into truck on January 4, 2018, in Kroonstad, Free State Province, killing at least 12 people injuring about 180 A passenger train smashed into a truck at a level crossing in South Africa on Thursday, killing at least 18 people, injuring 254 and throwing several carriages off the rails. Flames ripped through the twisted wreckage and choking black smoke rose into the air as desperate passengers clambered out of the train travelling from Port Elizabeth to Johannesburg to escape the inferno. Tiaan Esterhuizen, who was travelling on the train as he returned from holiday, attempted to rescue three women who were trapped in a burning passenger wagon. "I saw around 12 cars on their side and one was already burning. We heard some women screaming when we came closer` so a few of us climbed over the cars," he told the Times LIVE news site. "Two of the women were sort of on top of each other. Another was further back. Her legs were trapped. One of the women was shouting that there was a baby inside also. "We searched but could not find the child... I am quite sure those women burned to death." - Truck driver blamed - Rescuers rushed to the scene to search for survivors and treat the injured. Officials warned the toll could rise as operations continued to clear the crash site. "Police are investigating. The truck driver was taking chances... that cost lots of lives," Transport Minister Joe Maswanganyi told reporters at the scene. Map of South Africa locating Kroonstad, where a train collided with a truck "The truck driver has been taken to hospital where we are going to do a blood test to verify if he was sober or not, or what was the problem." The Shosholoza Meyl rail company, which operates long-distance trains in South Africa, said the train collided with the truck at about 09:00 am (0700 GMT). It said the truck had made an "untimely" crossing of the tracks when it was hit by a train at high speed, between the towns of Hennenman and Kroonstad, 200 kilometres (125 miles) southwest of Johannesburg. One of the derailed carriages was the power generator behind the locomotive car. It caught fire and the flames spread rapidly. Shosholoza Meyl said there were 429 passengers on board. Mthuthuzeli Swartz, the acting chief executive of the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa's rail division confirmed that 18 people had been killed and 254 injured, adding that it would be "tragic and unexpected" for the death toll to increase further. "The pathologists who are here have given us the assurance they are convinced that the number of dead, 18, will be the final number," he told AFP adding that only 88 crash survivors remained in hospital. Maswanganyi said in a statement that an investigation to determine the circumstances of the crash had been launched. - Holiday travellers - Some victims were treated on a strip of grass beside the railway line while others were taken to hospital. Uninjured passengers waited on a nearby road, some of them carrying their luggage. The New Year is a busy period for transport in South Africa, with railways and roads carrying travellers returning to work after the holidays. Emergency service workers work at the site where a train crashed into truck on January 4, 2018, in Kroonstad, Free State Province In 2015, 15 people were killed in eastern South Africa when a mini-bus taxi fell from a bridge onto railway tracks and was hit by a train. In 2016-17, 495 people were killed on the country's railways according to the Railway Safety Regulator -- an increase of 8 percent on the previous year. Pakistani demonstrators protest US aid cuts in Lahore US President Donald Trump's decision to freeze aid to Pakistan could affect almost two billion dollars' worth of assistance, a senior administration official said on Friday -- substantially more than first thought. After an announcement designed to force Pakistan's military and intelligence apparatus to cut support for the Taliban and other Islamist groups, the official said that both US military assistance and Afghanistan coalition funding to Islamabad could be suspended. It is "approximately two billion worth of equipment and coalition support funding that is in play," the official said on condition of anonymity. After more than a decade of simmering US anger at links between Islamabad and the Taliban and the Haqqani network -- a Taliban affiliate -- President Donald Trump is trying to draw a line in the sand. On the hook is almost $1 billion of US military equipment that has allowed Pakistan access to advanced military technology, but also funding that is meant to pay Pakistan for helping get US and NATO materiel into Afghanistan. Analysts believe the United States is highly unlikely to freeze all that funding, which totals $1.9 billion, according to the source. US officials have already indicated that there could be "exemptions" for programs deemed vital to US national security -- likely including cash for keeping Pakistan's nuclear weapons safe. But nevertheless, the total figure of $1.9 billion is much higher than first indicated and is a signal of Washington's seriousness. The senior administration official said "all options are on the table" when it comes to further moves, including stripping Pakistan of its status as a "major non-NATO ally" or calling in vital IMF loans. The White House is demanding Pakistan crack down on Taliban elements and other groups that raise funds and take refuge in the border areas with Afghanistan. It believes that a Pakistani crackdown could be pivotal in deciding the outcome of the war in Afghanistan -- entering its 17th year -- by weakening the Taliban militarily and forcing the organization to the negotiating table. US officials believe that Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence agency and other military bodies have long helped fund and arm the Taliban for ideological reasons, but also to counter rising Indian influence in Afghanistan. Islamabad denies those allegations and has called Trump's decision to threaten funding "counterproductive." Pakistan's foreign ministry issued a cautious statement in which it said it was "engaged" with US officials and awaiting further details. Without referring to the decision directly, it warned that "arbitrary deadlines, unilateral pronouncements and shifting goalposts are counterproductive in addressing common threats." The announcement ignited some small protests in Pakistan on Friday, including in Chaman, one of the two main crossings on the border with Afghanistan where several hundred people gathered to chant anti-US slogans. US officials admit that Pakistan could make life difficult for Washington by closing land routes that are vital to supply US troops in Afghanistan. But, the official said, it was "difficult but not impossible" to find other ways to get equipment in. "Fire and Fury: Inside the Trump White House" by Michael Wolff, quickly sold out in bookstores in the US capital, with some even lining up at midnight to get their hands on it The following are excerpts from "Fire and Fury: Inside the Trump White House," an incendiary new book by Michael Wolff which was rushed into bookstores Friday after President Donald Trump failed to suppress it. The book quickly sold out in shops in the US capital, with some lining up at midnight to get their hands on the instant best-seller, dismissed by Trump as "phony" and "full of lies." Without addressing specifics, White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders said there were things in the book that were "completely untrue," while Trump denounced comments attributed to Steve Bannon, saying his former chief strategist had "lost his mind." - Team Trump: running to lose - "'We're all losers,' Trump would say. 'All our guys are terrible, nobody knows what they're doing.'" "'This thing,' he told the Mercers, 'is so fucked up'". Trump was reportedly addressing the family of Bob Mercer, the ultra-conservative billionaire sponsors who swung behind his campaign in its final months -- and who reiterated their support in the wake of Wolff's bombshell book. - The shock of election night - "When the unexpected trend -- Trump might actually win -- seemed confirmed, Don Jr. told a friend that his father, or DJT, as he called him, looked as if he had seen a ghost. Melania, to whom Donald Trump had made his solemn guarantee, was in tears -- and not of joy." "There was, in the space of little more than an hour, in Steve Bannon's not unamused observation, a befuddled Trump morphing into a disbelieving Trump and then into a horrified Trump. But still to come was the final transformation: Suddenly, Donald Trump became a man who believed that he deserved to be, and was wholly capable of being, the president of the United States." - Bannon on meeting with Russians - "'The three senior guys in the campaign,' an incredulous Bannon went on, 'thought it was a good idea to meet with a foreign government inside Trump Tower in the conference room on the 25th floor -- with no lawyers. 'They didn't have any lawyers. Even if you thought that this was not treasonous, or unpatriotic, or bad shit, and I happen to think it's all of that, you should have called the FBI immediately.'" Bannon was referring to Trump's son Donald Jr, son-in-law Jared Kushner and campaign manager Paul Manafort. - Learning the constitution - "Early in the campaign, in a Producers-worthy scene, (campaign aide) Sam Nunberg was sent to explain the Constitution to the candidate: 'I got as far as the Fourth Amendment before his finger is pulling down on his lip and his eyes are rolling back in his head.'" - George W. Bush on Trump's inaugural address - "That's some weird shit." - Trump's Putin obsession - "'What has he gotten himself into with the Russians?' pressed (the late Fox News chairman Roger) Ailes. 'Mostly,' said Bannon, 'he went to Russia and he thought he was going to meet Putin. But Putin couldn't give a shit about him. So he's kept trying.'" - Trump's Murdoch obsession - "'I'll call him,' said Ailes. 'But Trump would jump through hoops for Rupert. Like for Putin. Sucks up and shits down. I just worry about who's jerking whose chain.'" - Murdoch on Trump? - "'What a fucking idiot,' said Murdoch, shrugging, as he got off the phone" after talking immigration issues with Trump. - Too much to think about - "'I wouldn't give Donald too much to think about,' said an amused Ailes. Bannon snorted. 'Too much, too little-doesn't necessarily change things.'" - Trump fears being poisoned - "He had a longtime fear of being poisoned, one reason why he liked to eat at McDonald's -- nobody knew he was coming and the food was safely pre-made." - Flattery and Egyptian shoes - "Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, the Egyptian strongman, ably stroked the president and said, 'You are a unique personality that is capable of doing the impossible.' (To Sisi, Trump replied, 'Love your shoes. Boy, those shoes. Man....')" - 'Our man' in Saudi - "Within weeks of (Trump's Saudi) trip, MBS (Mohammed bin Salman), detaining MBN (Mohammed bin Nayef) quite in the dead of night, would force him to relinquish the Crown Prince title, which MBS would then assume for himself. Trump would tell friends that he and Jared had engineered a Saudi coup: 'We've put our man on top!'" - Ivanka's presidential ambitions - "Balancing risk against reward, both Jared and Ivanka decided to accept roles in the West Wing over the advice of almost everyone they knew. It was a joint decision by the couple, and, in some sense, a joint job. Between themselves, the two had made an earnest deal: If sometime in the future the opportunity arose, she'd be the one to run for president. The first woman president, Ivanka entertained, would not be Hillary Clinton; it would be Ivanka Trump." - Her brothers' presidential nicknames - "His sons, Don Jr. and Eric -- behind their backs known to Trump insiders as Uday and Qusay, after the sons of Saddam Hussein." - And the comb-over: explained by Ivanka - "She often described the mechanics behind it to friends: an absolutely clean pate -- a contained island after scalp-reduction surgery -- surrounded by a furry circle of hair around the sides and front, from which all ends are drawn up to meet in the center and then swept back and secured by a stiffening spray. The color, she would point out to comical effect, was from a product called Just for Men -- the longer it was left on, the darker it got. Impatience resulted in Trump's orange-blond hair color." Flashfloods and landslips claimed lives in Ngaliema, a hillside community in sprawling Kinshasa The morning light showed a scene of desolation as people in Ngaliema surveyed the wreckage of shanty homes swept away by killer floods and landslips. Among the 44 people who perished overnight Wednesday in Kinshasa, the capital of Democratic Republic of Congo, were a teenager, Brunelle, her sister Gladys, and Gladys' baby. Their home of makeshift yellowish clay bricks, located at the foot of a steep slope literally dissolved after the waters struck, neighbours said. "The emergency services came, but they arrived late, around 4:00 am," said a young man, Magloire, who said that he was the one who found the bodies. The disaster was one that could have been avoided -- the rainfall was indeed torrential but not exceptional, given this city's location in the heart of central tropical Africa. Women mourn the death of a family member following a landslide But mass fatalities were sadly predictable, given the triple contribution of poverty, uncontrolled development and over-population. Homes made of flimsy materials had been built illegally and without foundations in a place vulnerable to floods. "This is uncontrolled building," said Ruffin Abedi, deputy chief of Ngaliema district. "The regulations have stipulated for years that people shouldn't live there. But people settle there anyway, because they don't have the money to go elsewhere." A Chinese company had been contracted to install drainage on a road at the top of the slope, but the pipes were swept away by the rain, and lay among debris at the bottom, near a sofa -- the only visible sign of a home that once stood there. - Chaotic city - "The solution is to move people who live in flood-prone areas to places which are habitable," said Roger-Nestor Lubiku, former director-general of the Congo Geographic Institute (IGC). Aftermath of a landslide in Ngaliema district, which bore the brunt of Wednesday night's flooding Such things are easier said than done, in a city whose population size is little more than a good guess, and which lacks an accurate land registry. A common estimate is that the DRC capital has 10 million inhabitants, amounting to a rough doubling over less than 20 years, and accounting for possibly a seventh of the national population. Between 2000 and 2005 alone, the population rose from six million to 7.5 million, according to satellite pictures. A 2009 study in the Belgian Review of Cartography -- Belgium, the former colonial power, retains close ties with the DRC -- found that 30 percent of urban development had taken place on steep slopes with an incline of 15 percent, or more than one in seven. "These present a significant risk of erosion," it warned presciently. Three-quarters of homes in Kinshasa are slums which have no access to sanitation or electricity, Corneille Kanene, former head of UN-Habitat, said last year. The opposition blames the problem on poor governance and the flaws of the state. The proximity of these slums to wealthy areas is also a shock, and a reminder of DRC's deep inequalities. Ngaliema's ramshackle homes lie just a few hundred metres (yards) from the villas of Macampagne and a couple of kilometres (miles) from the tower blocks, embassies and mansions of Gombe. The Royal Standard flutters above Windsor Castle, where Britain's Prince Harry will marry his US actress girlfriend Meghan Markle in May In picturesque Windsor, in the shadow of the castle where Queen Elizabeth II spends her weekends, a dozen homeless people shelter from the cold in a jumble of blankets and cardboard boxes. But with less than five months to go until the May 19 wedding of her grandson Prince Harry and US actress Meghan Markle in the mediaeval castle's chapel, the local authority's bid to sweep the homeless off the streets has triggered indignation. Simon Dudley, the Conservative leader of the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead council, has urged the local Thames Valley Police force to take action against their "aggressive begging and intimidation". "A large number of adults that are begging in Windsor are not in fact homeless," he wrote in a letter, while those that were genuinely homeless had rejected secure accommodation in order to keep begging. "This is creating a concerning and hostile atmosphere for our residents and the seven million tourists who come to Windsor each year." The level of interest in Windsor, some 20 miles (35 kilometres) west of London, is "set to multiply" ahead of the royal wedding, he added. According to the business valuation consultancy Brand Finance, the event should draw hundreds of thousands of extra tourists to the town, normally home to just 30,000 people, in 2018. The British economy could be set to benefit to the tune of 500 million ($680 million, 565 million euros), they claimed. - Homeless by 'choice' - Dudley said the genuinely homeless, having rejected help, were on the streets by "voluntary choice". Sheltering from the wintry wind, Stephanie, who has been in the town centre for two years after suffering mental illness, insisted: "I don't choose to sit here." "Whatever people give me, they give me. I don't choose to ask for money to get given something to eat, like sandwiches," she told AFP. No caption The council's plans have been condemned by, among others, the Conservative MP for Maidenhead -- Prime Minister Theresa May. Murphy James, the Windsor Homeless Project manager, was all the more shocked by the proposed clampdown as Harry and his brother Prince William have long been involved in work with the homeless -- William having even slept rough by a bridge in London. "I am pretty sure they're as outraged by the comments that have been made as I am and many of the Windsor residents are," James told AFP in the church where the project offers hot meals, clothes and a shower. Regardless of the royal marriage, the authorities should pursue the reasons why people end up on the streets rather than the homeless themselves, he said. "It's a constant problem," he said. "We've always had between 12 and 15 people sleeping rough. The majority of those people don't beg." He claimed there was a lack of emergency accommodation in the town and deplored the state of the housing provided by the local authority -- often "infested with rats", he said. - 'A lovely day' - Many passers-by in Windsor barely take notice of its homeless population. Peggy Outhwaite said she was uncomfortable waiting for the bus while a homeless man took up residence in the bus shelter. Prince Harry and Meghan Markle show off her engagement ring while posing in the Sunken Garden at Kensington Palace in London "I don't think that they should be here," she said of the homeless. "This is a royal town and Harry should have his day -- and a lovely day at that," the pensioner told AFP. Derek Prime, who runs a souvenir shop already selling mugs and trinkets with Harry and his fiancee's faces on, doubted the council's claims to have proper accommodation in place. Dudley "really wants to come out here and spend a night on the street just to see what it's like," he said. Thames Valley Police commissioner Anthony Stansfeld, an elected official, is preparing a response to Dudley's letter. Last month, Dudley complained on Twitter of the "epidemic of rough sleeping and vagrancy" in the royal town. But the local police hit back on the social media network, saying: "Housing is the responsibility of the council but it is better that agencies work together so people don't become homeless." David Gressly, the UN's deputy special representative for the Democratic Republic of Congo, walks along the coffins of Tanzanian peacekeeperes killed in a December 7 attack in the Beni territory of North Kivu province, DR Congo The United Nations on Friday set up a special investigation of the attack that killed 15 UN peacekeepers in the Democratic Republic of Congo last month and wounded 43 others. The December 7 attack in the Beni territory of North Kivu province was one of the worst to target UN peacekeepers in recent history in the Democratic Republic of Congo. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres appointed Dmitry Titov, a Russian national who has worked in UN peacekeeping to lead the special investigation that will also look into other attacks against peacekeepers in that area, a UN statement said. "This special investigation will include a focus on the 7 December attack in Semuliki, in which 15 Tanzanian peacekeepers were killed, 43 wounded and one remains missing," it said. The United Nations has said the ambush of the peacekeeping base was carried out by suspected ADF rebels, a shadowy group dominated by hardline Ugandan Muslims that is one of several armed groups active in the North Kivu region. UN investigators will examine the circumstances surrounding the attacks, evaluate the response of the UN peacekeepers and make recommendations on how to prevent such violence, the UN said. Two military officers from Tanzania will take part in the investigation that will travel to the DR Congo later this month and to countries in the region. The attack was the bloodiest against MONUSCO, the UN force deployed in the DR Congo since 1999, and the worst against a UN force since the death of 24 Pakistani peacekeepers in Somalia in June 1993. DR Congo's huge eastern region has long been wracked by violence, but fighting between government soldiers and militia groups, as well as inter-ethnic clashes, has increased in 2017. North Kivu province, which borders Uganda and Rwanda, has seen a particular uptick in killings and kidnappings between rival ethnic groups. Since October 2014, the hardline ADF -- or Allied Democratic Forces -- has been accused by Kinshasa and the UN of killing more than 700 people in the Beni region, where last week's attack also took place. Uganda's defense ministry said in late December that it had launched air and artillery strikes against the ADF in DR Congo, killing over 100 of its fighters in a joint operation with the DR Congo's army. The allegations against Paul Haggis are the latest in a torrent of accusations made against powerful men that began with the fall of film mogul Harvey Weinstein in October Oscar-winning Canadian filmmaker Paul Haggis is now accused of sexual abuse by four women, according to an amended civil suit filed on Friday in New York. Haggis, who wrote and produced "Crash," and penned the screenplay for "Million Dollar Baby," is also known for his high-profile split almost a decade ago from the Church of Scientology. The allegations against him are the latest in a torrent of accusations made against powerful men that began with the fall of film mogul Harvey Weinstein in October, over numerous accusations including rape. Three women alleging to be victims of Haggis's abuse are referred to in the lawsuit amended Friday and initially filed on December 15 at a New York court by a film publicist, Haleigh Breest. She accused Haggis of abusing and raping her in January 2013 when she was 26. On the same day Haggis, 64, filed his own action against Breest, denying the accusation and accusing her of seeking "to extract many millions of dollars" from him. Breest's lawsuit says that since she filed her claim "three other women have accused Paul Haggis of rape and sexual abuse." Those three are identified only as Jane Doe one, two and three. The first woman, a publicist who worked with Haggis on a television program, alleged that in 1996 he forcefully kissed her before making her perform oral sex and then raping her. Another woman, who wanted to propose an idea for a show, alleged that she had to flee from his office in 2008 when he kissed her by force. The third woman, whom Haggis met at a film festival, said she was abused in 2015 when he tried to forcefully kiss her. According to the law firm of Emery Celli Brinckerhoff & Abady, who are acting for the plaintiff and passed the allegations to AFP, the claims show that Haggis "is a serial predator who has preyed upon women for many years." A lawyer for the film-maker, Christine Lepera, did not immediately comment when reached by AFP but in a statement to the Deadline.com website said he "denies these anonymous claims in whole." She said that Haggis "views the fact that these reports appear to be spearheaded from the law-firm representing Ms Breest, as a further tactic to try to harm him and continue their effort to obtain money." Tourists and clerics walk near the Massoumeh shrine in the holy city of Qom, south of Tehran As a child 40 years ago, Mohammad Hassan Sharifzadeh saw the opening salvos of the Islamic revolution in Iran, starting with a particularly strange scene in a mosque in the holy city of Qom. Mohammad was eight years old on January 8, 1978 and visiting the mosque with his father in front of the Fatima Masumeh shrine -- one of the holiest sites in Iran. Then something shocking happened: a senior cleric took off his turban and threw it on the ground in disgust. The reason behind this symbolic gesture -- one reserved for displaying only the most grievous offence -- was the publication of an article the day before against Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, who would soon lead the country into an Islamic revolution. "He was angry that they had insulted our source of emulation," says Mohammad, now a sweet seller. Each Shiite Muslim must choose an ayatollah as his "source of emulation" -- and many in Iran had chosen the politically radical Khomeini, who by then had spent 13 years in exile for his scathing attacks on shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi and the United States. The article in government newspaper Ettelaat had accused Khomeini of being a British agent, in league with communists, and insinuated that he was not really Iranian and that his religious credentials were questionable. It is often seen as the moment that sparked the revolution 40 years ago. Iran's Islamic rulers have many commemorations planned for the anniversary as they flaunt the unlikely survival of a regime that has often been written off by analysts and opponents, but which once again saw off a major bout of unrest in recent days. - 'Provocation' - Ayatollah Seyyed Hossein Mousavi Tabrizi, a former chief prosecutor and two-time parliamentarian, was a teacher in one of Qom's many seminaries -- "hawzats" -- when he first heard about the article. This file photo taken on February 01, 1979 at Tehran airport shows Iran's Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini leaving the Air France Boeing 747 jumbo that flew him back from exile in France to Tehran "It was around 7:00 pm when two or three of my students came to me, very angry, with a copy of Ettelaat and told me to read the article," he told AFP in Qom, where he has gone back to teaching. "It was the last straw. Insulting Khomeini like that, saying he was a pawn of the British and other offences -- it was an insult to the whole clergy. It was a provocation." Although Iran's Islamic rulers focus most of their ire on the United States these days, many Iranians still reserve a particular suspicion for the British in memory of their colonial machinations in the early 20th century. Qom's clerics quickly organised a response. That same night, a dozen senior clerics gathered at the home of Tabrizi's father-in-law, Grand Ayatollah Hossein Nouri Hamedani. "It was decided to stop classes the next day as a sign of protest," he said -- a rare move in a place that prized education so highly. The strike by students on January 8 saw minor clashes with police. It grew the following day and gathered support from merchants in the bazaar who joined the shutdown. Soon the protests were widespread, with people chanting slogans against the monarchy and the government. The spark had been thrown into the tinder box of grievances that had been building for years over growing social inequality, hatred of the brutish security services and an increasing Westernisation that had scandalised the country's religious conservatives. - 'Several dead' - Abolfazl Soleimani, a white-turbaned cleric in Qom, was 24 at the time and remembers the scene at Eram Square, now called Shohada (Martyrs') Square. "The police opened fire, first in the air I think, and then into the crowd, at the religious, the non-religious, the bazaaris (merchants). There were several dead and injured," he told AFP. Historians have since questioned the original death toll of 20-30, with British historian Michael Axworthy saying "there were no more than five" in his book "Revolutionary Iran". Women take selfies near the Massoumeh shrine in Qom, where police opened fire on demonstrators 40 years ago Either way, news of the shootings in Qom swept across the country and set in train a cycle of unrest that would ultimately lead to the downfall of the shah little more than a year later. Conforming with Shiite tradition, mourning ceremonies were held for the dead 40 days later -- on February 18 -- providing a pretext for fresh protests against the shah in several cities. In Tabriz in northwestern Iran, those protests quickly degenerated, with police firing on the crowd and killing some 30 people. And so 40 days later came further ceremonies that turned angry, in turn sparking more protests 40 days after that. The authorities managed to calm things down by June, but the ball was already rolling, and the second half of 1978 saw escalating unrest. "All repressive regimes dig their own graves," said Ayatollah Tabrizi. On January 16, 1979, the shah left Iran, never to return. Ayatollah Khomeini made a triumphant return to Iran the following month and the last government of imperial Iran was soon at an end. A homeless man's tent, decorated with his artwork and snowmen, is seen on an overpass in Washington on January 5, 2018, as the National Weather Service forecast dangerously cold wind chills Two sleeping bags and "many blankets" are not enough to keep Jin Yang-Hun comfortable in the pup tent in which he lives just blocks from the White House. Yet Jin isn't going anywhere, even as dangerously cold wind chills are forecast to sweep across the eastern United States this weekend. Jin, a US citizen originally from South Korea, is among almost 7,500 homeless people in the United States capital. Many stay in emergency shelters but some like Jin prefer to live outside even in below-freezing temperatures. "My situation is terrible," says Jin, 54. Scattered on sidewalks in the city's business and university district, the tents are an incongruous site which the city's more fortunate pass on their way to offices, bars and restaurants. In the past five years Washington, DC's homeless numbers have "increased dramatically," says Kate Wiley, marketing and communications manager of the non-profit group So Others Might Eat (SOME). She thinks Washington's numbers are the highest per capita in the country, and cites the lack of affordable housing as a major cause. "It's very hard for people to be able to afford rent if they're not making really high salaries," says Wiley. SOME, among numerous charities helping the poor in one of the world's wealthiest societies, offers a range of services including job training, housing for about 1,000 people, and a dining room that serves daily breakfast and lunch for hundreds. - 'It's so cold' - A homeless man, one of about 7,500 in Washington, DC, rests on top of a subway vent grate for warmth as a tourist walks past on January 5, 2018 With temperatures around 20 F (-7 C) outside, SOME opened its dining room all morning on Friday to give the needy a warm place to gather and watch a movie, its sound blaring in the packed hall. "It's so cold outside, obviously we don't want people to be outside any longer than they have to be," Wiley says. Holding about 100 people at a time, the dining hall has a warm feel. A Christmas tree stands at one end of a faux-brick wall decorated with seasonal bells proclaiming "joy" and "hope." There is a painting of slain civil rights icon Martin Luther King Jr on another wall, and cool jazz music plays as the diners file back in for lunch. Wearing tuques and winter jackets, some bring suitcases and bags. They take their places at rows of tables set with red cups which patrons hold up to signal for a refill of piping hot coffee. One woman yells, to nobody in particular. Others joke loudly at the tables, or just sit silently. A couple of men read donated books. In the kitchen, a huge flame burns under a giant pot as volunteers from a local church prepare the meal: steaming plates of chicken casserole, green beans, bread rolls, chocolate brownies and apple sauce. "Can't complain," says Charles Jackson, 43, when asked about the food. Eating quietly, he says he worked as a lead carpenter until being laid off last August after 20 years in construction. Rent became too expensive where he lived, but he has avoided turning to the street and is temporarily staying at a recreation center while he applies for jobs and hopes to get into transitional housing. "This is the longest I ever been unemployed," he says, a bag of donated clothes and books beside him. Wiley says that with the temperature so low, city authorities have taken extra measures including opening additional shelters such as gymnasiums. Some, like Jin, refuse any such help. - Home at last - A homeless man carries his belongings near the White House in Washington, DC in below-freezing weather on January 5, 2018. The city is reported to have the highest per-capita homeless rate in the United States "Shelters are dangerous. Shelters are full of drug people... terrible. HIV patients," says Jin, who has lived on Washington's streets since 2009, and before that was homeless in New York -- where it was even colder. "There are some people that just don't trust shelters," Wiley says. Across town, within sight of the US State Department, a type of tent city has sprung up on a patch of snowy dirt. Two brothers, Mark and Tommy Taylor, are warming themselves over a fire they started in a donated drum outside their hut. It is a tent fortified with a canopy and tarpaulin, furnished with a love seat and warmed by a propane heater that someone gave them. "I've been homeless for the last 40 years off and on," says Mark, 60. "I keep ending up homeless 'cause I got a mental illness that has played havoc with me all my life. So I've had a hard time keeping jobs." But finally, he and Tommy, who just got out of jail, have realized their dream. "We just got an apartment," thanks to the help of community activists working with the homeless, says Mark. "We're supposed to be movin' this afternoon." Just in time, says his brother. "It's gonna be real cold tonight." The latest incident comes during a spike in violence in the disputed region which is claimed in full by India and Pakistan Four policemen were killed Saturday in a bomb blast set off by suspected Islamist militants in Indian Kashmir, police and reports said, marking a deadly start to the new year in the restive valley. They were on patrol when the improvised explosive device (IED) exploded in Sopore, some 50 kilometres (30 miles) from the main city of Srinagar. "IED blast in Sopore. Four policemen martyred," Jammu and Kashmir police said on Twitter. The bomb was planted by militants near a shop amid a strike called by separatists, the Press Trust of India and other local media said. The latest incident comes during a spike in violence in the disputed region which is claimed in full by India and Pakistan. Last week four Indian soldiers were killed in an attack by armed militants who stormed a paramilitary camp outside Srinagar. Kashmir was divided between India and Pakistan at the end of British colonial rule over the subcontinent in 1947. Since 1989, rebel groups have been fighting roughly half a million Indian soldiers deployed in the territory, seeking independence for the former Himalayan kingdom or its merger with neighbouring Pakistan. The fighting has left tens of thousands, mostly civilians, dead. Last year 206 suspected militants, 57 civilians and 78 Indian security forces personnel were killed, making it the deadliest year in a decade. New Delhi accuses Pakistan of sending militants across the disputed border in Kashmir to launch attacks on Indian forces. Islamabad denies the allegations, saying it ony provides moral and diplomatic support to the Kashmiri struggle for the right to self-determination. Joel Reyes, accused of killing a prominent environmental activist, was caught in Thailand in 2015 A former Philippine official charged with the murder of a prominent environmentalist has been freed after a court voided the case against him, his lawyer said Saturday. Joel Reyes, the ex-governor of the western island of Palawan, was arrested in 2015 for the killing of Gerry Ortega, a prominent campaigner and radio host who frequently accused Reyes of massive corruption. Demetrio Custodio said his client was released late Friday after the court decision. Ortega was shot dead while shopping in the capital of Palawan, one of the Philippines' biggest islands and a popular tourist destination, famed for its lush forests and pristine landscapes. But it has also suffered from illegal logging, mining and fishing. Ortega had accused Reyes of corruption linked to alleged environmental crimes on the island. While there have been many cases of environmental activists and journalists being murdered, the brazen killing of Ortega shocked the Philippines. Reyes and his brother Mario, who was also implicated, went missing in 2012 after an arrest warrant was issued for them. They were caught in Thailand in 2015. Custodio said Saturday an appellate court upheld a petition to void the arrest warrant against Reyes, challenging the testimony of a key witness in the case. The court said the testimony linking Reyes to the killing was "riddled with inconsistencies," according to Custodio.. "On that basis, the finding of probable cause and the issuance of a warrant of arrest was wrong," the lawyer cited the court ruling as saying. A spokesmen of the appellate court could not be reached for comment. Mario Reyes was freed on bail in 2016. Custodio said the latest ruling -- which effectively dismisses the case -- would also apply to him. Reviving the case would be difficult unless the matter is taken to the Supreme Court or if the prosecutor finds new evidence, he added. "Our family is still recovering from the shock of (Friday's) news," Ortega's family said in a statement, asking supporters to "remain vigilant". The Philippines has long been criticised for a "culture of impunity" in which powerful figures like politicians and government officials can commit crimes -- including murder -- without fear of punishment. Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte, who took office in mid-2016, has further reinforced this impression, openly urging policemen to kill suspected criminals and vowing to protect them from prosecution. Nearly 4,000 suspects have been killed by security forces under Duterte, according to government figures, while thousands more have died under mysterious circumstances. An Egyptian policeman stands guard in Cairo's Tahrir Square on January 25, 2017 Clashes erupted between Egyptian protesters and policemen on Saturday outside a Cairo police station over the death of a young man in custody, security sources said. The protesters torched 10 cars including three police vehicles, they said. Nine people were injured and 40 people arrested in the overnight clashes in Cairo's Moqattam district which saw some protesters throw petrol bombs as police responded with tear gas and birdshot, they said. The security sources said a young man nicknamed Afroto, who was arrested on Friday for alleged drug trafficking, died after a violent brawl with other detainees. But protesters accused the police of being responsible for his death. They set fire to tyres and cars near the police station, leading the fire brigade to intervene. Calm returned to Moqattam later in the morning after Cairo's security chief pledged a probe into the detainee's death, promising not to obscure any police involvement. The prosecutor examined the body and ordered an autopsy. Egypt has tried and sentenced several policemen for violent deaths in detention in recent years. Rights groups have repeatedly denounced alleged torture and deaths in detention. Egypt's interior ministry has said it does not condone torture but said there have been "individual" cases of abuses. Police abuses fuelled a 2011 uprising that toppled veteran dictator Hosni Mubarak and ushered in years of political instability. A brutal military crackdown in Myanmar has sent some 650,000 Rohingya Muslims fleeing to Bangladesh Two Myanmar security officers and a driver were wounded by Rohingya rebels who ambushed their vehicle in northern Rakhine state, the army said Saturday, the first apparent insurgent attack to hit the violence-scarred region in weeks. Rakhine was plunged into crisis last August after a series of militant raids that killed at least a dozen officials prompted a brutal military crackdown that sent some 650,000 Rohingya Muslims fleeing to Bangladesh. While the army insists it only targeted Rohingya rebels, the UN has accused Myanmar troops of waging an ethnic cleansing campaign against the persecuted minority. The insurgents, known as the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA), have launched few attacks since the sweeping military reprisal sparked the mass exodus. But on Friday morning, "about ten" Rohingya militants ambushed a car travelling through northern Rakhine state with hand-made mines and gunfire, the army chief's office said in a statement. "Two security personnel and a driver were injured," it said. "Security members shot back at them and the terrorists retreated." Myanmar's military, which denies carrying out any abuses against the Rohingya, has tightly controlled access to northern Rakhine by blocking independent reporting trips and a UN fact-finding mission. The refugees massing in Bangladesh, however, have told consistent accounts of being driven from their homes by soldiers in a campaign of murder, mass rape and arson. Any uptick in violence or fresh build-up of troops in Rakhine will deepen concerns about plans to begin repatriating refugees later this month. Bangladesh and Myanmar signed an agreement in November allowing for repatriations from January 23. But many aid groups and diplomats have expressed doubt that fearful Rohingya will agree to return. The Rohingya have been the target of decades of persecution in Buddhist-majority Myanmar, which does not recognise the group as a genuine ethnicity and has stripped them of citizenship. A member of Syrian pro-regime forces fires a machine gun towards rebel-held positions in Idlib province on November 11, 2017 More than 2,000 Afghans deployed by Iran have been killed fighting in Syria on the side of President Bashar al-Assad's regime, an official in the volunteer force told Iranian media. The Fatemiyoun Brigade of Afghan "volunteer" recruits has been fighting in Syria for five years, said Zohair Mojahed, a cultural official in the brigade. "This brigade has given more than 2,000 martyrs and 8,000 wounded for Islam," he said in an interview with the reformist Shargh newspaper published Saturday. Iran rarely provides figures on the numbers fighting and killed in its operations in Syria and Iraq. The last toll was provided by the veterans organisation in March, which said 2,100 volunteers had died without specifying how many were foreign recruits. Iran denies sending professional troops to fight in the region, saying it has only provided military advisors and organised brigades made up of volunteers from Iran, Afghanistan and Pakistan. The Fatemiyoun is reportedly the biggest military unit deployed by Iran in Iraq and Syria, made up of recruits from Afghanistan's Shiite minority. Iran has backed Afghan forces in the past against the Taliban in their own country, as well as mobilising them against Saddam Hussein's forces in the Iran-Iraq war of 1980-88. Some 3,000 Afghans died fighting Iraq in the 1980s, Mojahed said. Tehran offers Iranian citizenship to the families of those foreign fighters "martyred" in the conflicts of Syria and Iraq. Iranian media has reported on the funerals of volunteer "martyrs" and aired television features about their presence in Syria. Tatsuro Toyoda served as Toyota president between 1992 and 1995 Toyota's former president Tatsuro Toyoda, who helped the Japanese auto giant establish a foothold in North America, has died at the age of 88, the company said Saturday. Toyoda, an uncle of current Toyota CEO Akio Toyoda, died of pneumonia on December 30, the firm said in a statement. His funeral has already been held and was attended by close relatives, but Toyota said it plans to hold a separate farewell ceremony. Toyoda joined the company -- founded by his father Kiichiro Toyoda -- in 1953 and in 1984 became the first president of a new firm formed by Toyota and General Motors. The California-based joint venture was part of Toyota's push to expand production and increase its share in the North American market. The plant produced nearly 8 million vehicles until its closure in 2010, according to the company. Toyoda served as Toyota president between 1992 and 1995. Palestinian policemen push protesters away from Greek Orthodox patriarch Theophilos III's convoy in Bethlehem on January 6, 2018 Palestinians protesting church land sales to Israelis scuffled with Palestinian police in Bethlehem Saturday as they tried to block the arrival of the Holy Land's Greek Orthodox patriarch for Christmas celebrations. Demonstrators scuffled with club-wielding Palestinian security forces and banged on the sides of police escort vehicles but patriarch Theophilos III passed safely in his black limousine to the Church of the Nativity for the traditional Orthodox Christmas eve observance. "Today we stand here to prevent the entry of the traitor Theophilos," Salama Shaheen, an activist of the Arab Orthodox Youth movement, told AFP in Arabic. "We do not want this man. This man must be brought to trial because he betrayed the homeland, betrayed the church and betrayed every human principle," he added. Patriarch Theophilos III walks towards the church of Nativity in Bethlehem on January 6, 2018 for a Christmas service Official Palestinian news agency WAFA said Theophilos joined heads of the Syrian and Coptic Orthodox churches in the ancient church, which Christians believe marks the birthplace of Jesus. Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas's office told AFP he would attend midnight mass celebrated by Theophilos at the church on Saturday and present him with a model of Jerusalem's Holy Sepulchre church as a Christmas gift. Most Eastern Orthodox Christians celebrate Christmas on January 7, while those in the West observe it on December 25 because of differences between the Julian and Gregorian calendars. - Traditional parade - The Bethlehem, Beit Sahour and Beit Jala municipalities in the Israeli-occupied West Bank had called for the boycott over the Greek Orthodox church allegedly allowing controversial sales of its property in mainly Palestinian east Jerusalem to groups aiding Jewish settlement there. They had urged the public to stay away, but it was not immediately known if there was a significant drop in attendance compared to previous days or what effect driving rain in Bethlehem may have had. Palestinian scouts parade in the West Bank town of Bethlehem on January 6, 2018 The traditional parade of boy and girl scout marching bands went ahead, and performers in santa and clown costumes staged a children's show in the square next to the church. At least some official invitees were at the church to welcome Theophilos, WAFA said on its English-language website. "He was received by Palestinian officials, including the governor of Bethlehem Jibrin Bakri and Minister of Tourism Rola Mayaya among others," it wrote. The mayor of the Christian town of Beit Jala, near Bethlehem, earlier said he wanted Theophilos removed from his post over the controversial land sales. "Our move today is a protest against the patriarch over the sale of land of the Orthodox," mayor Nicola Khamis told AFP. The church elected Theophilos in 2005 after dismissing his predecessor Irineos over an alleged multi-million-dollar sale of church land to Jewish buyers. But Khamis says the practice continues. "Theophilos ignored all the demands and continued selling this land even if the (Christian) majority is against it," he said. "Today we are taking a stand to say the patriarch must stop the selling of the land." - Wealthiest church - Property transactions with Jewish buyers anger Palestinians, who see Israeli-annexed east Jerusalem as the capital of their promised state. Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Jerusalem Theophilos III leads midnight mass at the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem to mark Orthodox Christmas in January 2017 In August, Theophilos himself denounced an Israeli court ruling upholding deals made before his appointment between the church and Israeli pro-settlement organisation Ateret Cohanim for two hotel properties near the Jaffa Gate entrance to the Old City of east Jerusalem. He said the church would appeal to Israel's supreme court over the ruling. According to Israeli media, the 2004 agreements were for 99-year leases on hotel properties near Jaffa Gate. The church went to court against Ateret Cohanim, claiming the deals were signed illegally and without its authorisation. The Greek Orthodox Church is the largest and wealthiest Christian Church in the Holy Land. Its Jerusalem patriarchate commands massive wealth, largely in land portfolios in Israel, the occupied West Bank and Jordan. Tel Aviv daily Haaretz reported in October that the church was also selling off vast swathes of real estate in west Jerusalem and across Israel. "In recent years the patriarchate has been quietly selling off its properties in various parts of the country to companies hidden in tax shelters, for sums so low one wonders whether the church is trying to get rid of its assets at any cost," it wrote. "All the purchasers are foreign companies registered in tax shelters, so it is impossible to obtain information about their owners," it added. Dozens of Kuwaiti opposition members or supporters have been jailed for storming parliament, seen here in October 2017 A Kuwaiti activist sentenced to seven years in prison after he stormed parliament has begun a hunger strike in jail to demand a mistrial, according to his family. Sulaiman Binjassem was one of 67 people handed prison sentences in November over a 2011 protest calling for an investigation into corruption and bribery. A statement from Binjassem's family said he had launched an indefinite hunger strike on Thursday because the 2017 ruling failed to meet the standards of a fair trial, including allowing witnesses to testify. Mohammed al-Hamidi, who heads the Kuwait Human Rights Society, told AFP the Kuwaiti appeals court had not yet allowed defence attorneys to appeal the sentencing. Hamidi represents six of the 67 convicted. All of those sentenced to jail are members of, or sympathise with, Kuwait's opposition, which includes both nationalists and Islamists. While the Kuwaiti opposition has called for political reform, including a crackdown on corruption, it has stopped short of targeting the Al-Sabah monarchy which has ruled Kuwait for two and a half centuries. Kuwaiti parliament has been dissolved seven times since 2006 due to frequent feuds between the government and opposition. A man runs past a burning car after a reported bombardment by Syrian and Russian forces in the rebel-held area of Hammuriyeh in Eastern Ghouta on January 6, 2018 Regime and Russian air strikes on a rebel-held enclave near the Syrian capital killed at least 17 civilians on Saturday, a war monitor said. Eastern Ghouta, one of the last remaining opposition strongholds in the country, is the target of near-daily air raids. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said Saturday's deadliest strikes had hit the Hammuriyeh district, killing 12 civilians including four children. An AFP reporter in Hammuriyeh saw residential buildings with their facades blown open, collapsing into streets strewn with rubble. Residents including members of the White Helmets rescue group rushed to rescue the wounded. Running past a burning car, one man held a crying boy in his arms, while another carried the apparently lifeless body of a child through the streets. "I was with other people when a projectile fell nearby," said 33-year-old Mustafa Abu Badr, who was slightly wounded in the head. A wounded man is carried following an air strike on the rebel-held town of Erbin in Eastern Ghouta near Damascus on January 2, 2018 "The blast threw me five metres (yards). There were seven wounded and one dead," he said. Observatory head Rami Abdel Rahman said Syrian and Russian aircraft had "continued their intense bombardment of Eastern Ghouta, targeting several residential areas". He said those killed also included two people in the district of Madira and three in Erbin, and that 35 people were wounded in the three areas. The Britain-based monitor relies on a network of sources inside Syria and says it determines whose planes carry out raids according to type, location, flight patterns and munitions used. At the start of the week, a coalition of rebels and jihadists including a former Al-Qaeda affiliate surrounded the only regime base in Eastern Ghouta, which lies east of Damascus and has been under a crippling regime siege since 2013. The blockade has caused serious food and medicine shortages for the enclave's estimated 400,000 inhabitants. Rebels in Eastern Ghouta respond to air strikes by firing shells and rockets at Damascus. On Saturday, shellfire killed a civilian, Syrian state television reported. More than 340,000 people have been killed in Syria and millions displaced since the conflict began in March 2011 with anti-government protests. South African police have launched a manslaughter investigation into Thursday's rail crash in the centre of the country The death toll from one of South Africa's worst ever rail crashes has risen to 19 including four children, the authorities said Saturday. The passenger train, travelling from Port Elizabeth to Johannesburg, smashed into a lorry at a level crossing near Kroonstad in central Free State province on Thursday and burst into flames . Provincial health department spokesman Mondli Mvambi said the number of dead had risen to 19 and that work on identifying the victims was continuing. Another 164 people were admitted to hospital after the crash but only one, a 14-year-old, was still being treated on Saturday for multiple fractures. South African police on Friday launched a manslaughter investigation, with the lorry driver central to the probe. "The truck driver was taking chances... that cost lots of lives," Transport Minister Joe Maswanganyi said at the scene on Thursday. However noone is in police custody or has been charged in connection with the crash. Catholics were among demonstrators in Kinshasa demanding DR Congo President Kabila will not stand for re-election The UN said it was "deeply alarmed" by the actions of security forces in DR Congo during anti-Kabila protests in Kinshasa last Sunday, and believe the toll of victims during the crackdown "may be higher". "Our colleagues on the ground were denied access to morgues, hospitals and detention centres. They were sent away from some sites by defence and security forces," the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) said from Geneva in a statement on Friday. "The security forces allegedly fired live ammunition, rubber bullets and tear gas grenades, in some cases at point blank range," the statement added. The organisation said at least five people were known to have been killed and 92 injured. Around 180 were arrested, most of whom have now been released, it said. The DR Congo government said nobody was killed Sunday in connection with the marches, which were organised by the Catholic Church. Together with opposition groups, the Church was demanding that President Joseph Kabila -- in power since the assassination of his father in 2001 -- will declare he will not stand for re-election in 2018. The protests took place on the first anniversary of a deal under which Kabila was scheduled to leave office in 2017 after fresh elections. The poll has since been postponed until December 2018. Western powers have accepted the delay with reluctance, hoping it will avoid bloodshed and encourage stability in this vast and volatile central African country. The OHCHR called for "credible and independent investigations into alleged use of excessive force". "The Government should ensure that everyone, including political opponents, journalists and civil society representatives, are able to fully exercise their right to freedoms of association and peaceful assembly, opinion, and expression," it said. Soaring bread prices in Sudan has prompted calls for anti-government protests and at least one student demonstration during which police fired tear gas Police fired tear gas on Saturday at groups of students protesting in a central Sudanese town against soaring bread prices, witnesses said, as opposition parties called for anti-government demonstrations. Bread prices almost doubled on Friday across Sudan after flour manufacturers raised prices amid dwindling supply of wheat following a government decision to stop importing the grain and allow private companies to do so. "Citizens, demand your rights," shouted university students in the central Sudanese town of Sennar as dozens of residents joined them in a sporadic march against the rise in bread prices, witnesses said. Police fired tear gas to break the protest while shopkeepers closed their shops in the town's main market, witnesses and residents from Sennar told AFP by telephone. "The police fired tear gas at protesters. I had to close my shop as demonstrators approached the market," a shopkeeper said on condition of anonymity. Pictures and videos of protesters chanting anti-government slogans and burning tyres in the streets were uploaded on several social media websites. Flour manufacturers have raised the price of a 50-kilo (110 pounds) sack of wheat flour from 167 to 450 Sudanese pounds ($65, 54 euros), Mohamed al-Saeed, a member of a barky owners' union, has told AFP. That sent bread prices soaring and in response leading opposition groups have called for anti-government protests across the country. "The Umma Party calls on all its members and Sudanese citizens to protest peacefully against the rise in bread prices," the main opposition party said in a statement. "The only way to solve this problem is to overthrow the regime," it added. The opposition Communist Party and the Sudanese Congress Party also called for anti-government protests. "The only way to defeat this regime is to go in the streets and demonstrate to get back the dignity of Sudanese people and their freedoms," the Communist Party said. "People have to protest against these economic policies." Sudan had witnessed sporadic protests in late 2016 after a government decision to cut fuel subsidies. The authorities had cracked down on those protests in an attempt to prevent a repeat of the deadly unrest that followed a similar round of subsidy cuts in 2013. Dozens of people were killed in 2013 protests when security forces crushed large street demonstrations, drawing international condemnation. Nigeria's Foreign Minister Geoffrey Onyeama (R) and Congolese Foreign Minister Emmanuel Kasongo (L) at a joint press conference in Tripoli on January 6, 2018 Nigeria is to speed up repatriating its citizens from Libya which has been accused of exploiting and ill-treating migrants, its foreign minister said in Tripoli on Saturday. Geoffrey Onyeama told a news conference Nigeria was chartering two aircraft to repatriate over the next few days 800 of its citizens who wanted to go home. Onyeama said he had visited two migrant detention centres in Libya and met a number of his compatriots. "The reality is that a large number of these Nigerians here have suffered greatly and have gone through an extreme traumatic experience," he told reporters. "The main objective is to get these Nigerians back home as quickly as possible." Onyeama admitted there had been difficulties in identifying the number of Nigerians in Libya, as many were undocumented or in detention centres not controlled by the authorities. Nigeria had already pledged to repatriate 250 migrants a week, following a CNN report on a slave trade targeting illegal migrants from west Africa in Libya. Nigerians make up the majority of undocumented migrants trying to make the treacherous crossing via the Mediterranean Sea to Europe. Almost 1,300 Nigerian migrants were brought home from Libya last November -- nearly twice as many as in the previous month, the head of Nigeria's National Emergency Management Agency said in December. Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi speaks near Coptic Pope Tawadros II (L) during a Christmas Eve mass at the Nativity of Christ Cathedral in Cairo on January 6, 2018 Egypt's Coptic Orthodox Christians held a Christmas Eve mass on Saturday at a massive new cathedral east of Cairo amid tight security after a year of deadly jihadist attacks on the community. President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi gave a short speech before the liturgy, which was led by Pope Tawadros II, wishing the Christians a merry Christmas and telling them that the country would prevail over the jihadists. "You are our family, you are from us, we are one and no one will divide us," he said to ululations and chants from some of the congregants and visitors. Police had set up barricades outside the cathedral in a new administrative capital Egypt is building east of Cairo. The cathedral, Sisi said, was a "message to the world, a message of peace and a message of love". Police had tightened security around the country's churches ahead of services following a spate of attacks that began in 2016. More than 100 Christians have been killed in the violence, including a shooting at a church south of Cairo just last week claimed by the Islamic State group. Since the military ousted divisive Islamist president Mohamed Morsi in 2013, security forces have sought to quell attacks led by the Egypt branch of IS which has increasingly targeted Christians. While the jihadists have also taken aim at other civilians, including more than 300 Muslim worshippers massacred at a mosque last November, they have focused on the ancient Coptic community. In December 2016, an IS suicide bomber killed almost 30 worshippers at a church in Cairo located in the Saint Mark's Cathedral complex, the seat of the Coptic papacy. In the Sinai Peninsula, where IS is based, hundreds of Christians were forced to flee in January and December after a wave of assassinations. IS suicide bombers killed more than 40 people in twin church bombings in April and shot dead almost 30 Christians a month later as they headed to a monastery. The year ended with an IS jihadist killing nine people in an attack on a church in a south Cairo suburb. Copts, who make up about 10 percent of Egypt's 93 million people, have long complained of discrimination and intermittent sectarian attacks. Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi speaks during a Christmas Eve mass at the Nativity of Christ Cathedral n January 6, 2018 Coptic Orthodox Christians packed Egypt's newly built Nativity of Christ Cathedral on Saturday for a Christmas Eve mass after a bloody year for a minority repeatedly targeted by jihadists. Police had bolstered security around the country's churches for days, especially at the cathedral east of Cairo where President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi came to pay his respects to the ancient community. He walked in alongside Coptic Pope Tawadros II and took to the altar amid ululations and cries of "we love you". "We love you too," he responded. "You are our family, you are from us, we are one and no one will divide us." Sisi said the cathedral, in a new administrative capital Egypt is building, was a "message to the world, a message of peace and a message of love". Military and political officials also attended the mass, conducted in a mix of ancient Greek and Coptic. "It really is excellent... I love him," said church volunteer Sandy Atef. "I love him because he saved us from the (Muslim) Brotherhood," said Hedy Elwahsh, an Evangelical Christian who attended the mass. Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi greets Coptic Orthodox Christians during a Christmas Eve mass at the Nativity of Christ Cathedral on January 6, 2018 She was referring to the 2013 overthrow of Islamist president Mohamed Morsi by the military, led by Sisi. Since then, security forces have sought to quell attacks led by the Egypt branch of the Islamic State group, which has increasingly targeted Christians. Tightened security around the cathedral and other churches were testament to fears of a another attack. Police set up barriers around the church and spread out on the street leading to it while congregants took pictures before a Christmas tree outside. Within the church, some congregants had small Egyptian flags and used cellphones to take pictures of public figures as they entered. IS jihadists have taken aim at other civilians, including more than 300 Muslim worshippers massacred at a mosque last November. But they have focused on the ancient Coptic community, the largest Christian group in the Middle East. In December 2016, an IS suicide bomber killed almost 30 worshippers at a church in Cairo located in the Saint Mark's Cathedral complex, the seat of the Coptic papacy. In the Sinai Peninsula, where IS is based, hundreds of Christians were then forced to flee after a wave of assassinations. IS jihadists killed more than 40 people in twin church bombings in April and a month later shot dead almost 30 Christians as they headed to a monastery. The year ended with an IS jihadist killing nine people in an attack on a church in a south Cairo suburb. Copts, who make up about 10 percent of Egypt's 96 million people, have long complained of discrimination and intermittent sectarian attacks. A demonstrator stands with placards asking for peace in Casamance on a street of Dakar in 2012 Thirteen youths were killed on Saturday by "armed elements" in the Casamance region of southern Senegal, an area ravaged by armed conflict for more than three decades, a security source said. The victims were out collecting wood in the Bayotte forest, 20 kilometres (12 miles) from the regional capital Ziguinchor, "when they were attacked by an armed band of 15 people," army spokesman Abdou Ndiaye told AFP. A source in Ziguinchor said that "thirteen were killed and two were able to escape,", with Ndiaye adding that seven others were injured in the attack. The attackers would have passed the buffer zone separating the positions of the Senegalese army from those of the MFDC (Movement for Democratic Forces in Casamance), the armed independent rebellion," the Senegalese Press Agency (APS) said. The MFDC, separatist rebels, began fighting for independence in December 1982, but have long ceased their once frequent attacks on the Senegalese army, which retains a visible presence in the area. "It is too early to say whether the attackers were members of the MFDC, the enquiry will tell us that," said Ndiaye. The area has been calm for several years since the arrival of President Macky Sall in 2012 and peace talks with the rebels have taken place. "There had been no tensions lately, no warning signs," the army spokesman said. The army deployed 150 troops to evacuate the victims and flush out the perpetrators. The dead bodies were also transported to the morgue at the hospital. The attack comes a day after two MFDC fighters were released by the army following negotiations launched by Rome's Community of Sant'Egidio, a charity with ties to the Vatican specialising in peace mediation. On Sunday, President Sall appealed to rebels in Casamance to continue talks to create a "definite peace". At its height, the rebellion for the independence of Casamance left thousands of civilian and military personnel dead, damaged the economy and forced many residents to flee. Michael Steinhardt, pictured in 2010, is a well-known collector of Greek antiquities Authorities seeking illegally acquired antique artworks have searched the apartment and office of a prominent New York billionaire and philanthropist, prosecutors said. As many as nine pieces were reportedly seized. The target of the inquiry, 77-year-old Michael Steinhardt, made his fortune as a hedge-fund manager. A spokesman for Manhattan district attorney Cyrus Vance Jr. would neither confirm nor deny the seizures Friday but did confirm the searches. Vance has been active for years in trying to repatriate stolen artworks. Steinhardt is a well-known collector of Greek antiquities and even has a gallery named after him and wife Judy in the Metropolitan Museum, not far from their Fifth Avenue apartment. Steinhardt told The New York Times he had no comment on the matter "for now." Copies of search warrants provided to AFP, and signed by a New York judge on January 3, indicated that investigators were seeking about a dozen antiques from Greece and Italy, acquired between 1996 and 2011 for sums ranging from $25,000 to $380,000. - 'Thousands' of pieces returned - The latter sum was spent in 2006 to acquire an 18-inch tall (45-centimeter) white oil vessel that depicts the figures of a woman and a young boy in a funerary scene dating from around 420 BC. A spokesman for the prosecutor's office would not say whether Steinhardt might face any charges, but the search warrants list criminal possession of stolen property as a potential violation. In recent years, Vance's office has made it a priority to track stolen works -- seizing some from museums, private collections or auction houses -- and return them to their rightful owners, including in Lebanon, Pakistan and Italy. So far, no charges have been brought against anyone for possessing the disputed works -- which sometimes pass through several hands before reaching owners in New York, the Times said. Thus, on December 15 three antiques were returned to Lebanon. They included a Greek bull's head statue that had been exhibited at the "Met." Its estimated value: $1.2 million. Vance's office said it had been stolen during Lebanon's civil war. Vance said at the time that his office had, since 2012, tracked down several thousand antique pieces with a total value of more than $150 million. ISLAMABAD (AP) - A senior Pakistani senator expressed disappointment Friday at the U.S. decision to suspend military aid, saying it will be detrimental to bilateral relations, while the government itself said it was too early to gauge the effects of the decision. Nuzhat Sadiq, the chairwoman of the foreign affairs committee in the upper house of parliament, said Islamabad can manage without the United States as it did in the 1990s, but would prefer to move the troubled relationship forward. "What the U.S. is doing now is not good for its policy against terrorism and for a lasting peace in this region," she said, adding that Pakistan has always "played a vital role in the war on terror." In this Jan. 4, 2018 photo, Pakistanis activists of civil society protest against U.S. President Donald Trump in Lahore, Pakistan. A senior Pakistani senator has expressed disappointment at the U.S. decision to suspend military aid to Islamabad, saying it will be detrimental to Pakistani-U.S. relations. Nuzhat Sadiq, the chairwoman of the Senate Foreign Affairs committee in the upper house of parliament, says Islamabad can manage without the United States as it did in the 1990s, but would prefer to move the troubled relationship forward.(AP Photo/K.M. Chaudary) The State Department's declaration on Thursday lambasted Pakistan for failing to take "decisive action" against Taliban militants targeting U.S. personnel in neighboring Afghanistan. U.S. officials have long complained that Pakistan tolerates or even encourages extremists, charges denied by Islamabad. A statement issued by Pakistan's Foreign Ministry nearly 24 hours after the announced suspension of military aid said it's too early to tell what impact the U.S. decision will have on counter-terrorism initiatives in the region. But it said the war on terror, which is entering its 17th year, has cost Pakistan over $120 billion. The statement said Pakistan's cooperation had helped "decimate" al-Qaida and drive other militant groups out of the lawless regions along the border. Another statement on Friday rejected the U.S. decision to add Pakistan to a special watch list for violations of religious freedom, pursuant to 2016 legislation. That step does not carry any serious consequences. The Foreign Ministry said the designation is not based on "objective criteria." Pakistan has recently begun constructing dozens of security posts along the border with Afghanistan as well as a fence to curtail cross-border movement. Afghanistan, which does not recognize the international border between the two countries, has objected to those moves. The Foreign Ministry statement blamed Afghanistan for much of the unrest, saying it should accelerate efforts to repatriate the more than 1 million Afghan refugees in Pakistan and curb the runaway opium production that finances the Taliban and other armed groups. Mohammed Amir Rana, director of the independent Pakistan Institute for Peace Studies, said that both Pakistan and the United States "need to realistically review their relationship and scale down expectation of each other." "Pakistan cannot put all its eggs in the China basket," he added, referring to the billions of dollars China is investing in Pakistan on a major transportation and power grid. Rana said the U.S. needs Pakistan if it wants to find a peaceful end to decades of turmoil, and if it wants to navigate the changing circumstances in neighboring Iran, which has seen anti-government protests in recent days. The U.S. mission in Afghanistan is heavily reliant on supply corridors that run through Pakistan. Dozens of Pakistanis meanwhile took part in protests against the United States in a number of cities. In some places, the protesters set fire to portraits of President Donald Trump, but there were no reports of violence. Pakistani religious students protest against U.S. President Donald Trump in Lahore, Pakistan, Friday, Jan 5, 2018. A senior Pakistani senator has expressed disappointment at the U.S. decision to suspend military aid to Islamabad, saying it will be detrimental to Pakistani-U.S. relations. Nuzhat Sadiq, the chairwoman of the Senate Foreign Affairs committee in the upper house of parliament, says Islamabad can manage without the United States as it did in the 1990s, but would prefer to move the troubled relationship forward.(AP Photo/K.M. Chaudary) Pakistani protesters burn posters of U.S. President Donald Trump in Lahore, Pakistan, Friday, Jan 5, 2018. A senior Pakistani senator has expressed disappointment at the U.S. decision to suspend military aid to Islamabad, saying it will be detrimental to Pakistani-U.S. relations. Nuzhat Sadiq, the chairwoman of the Senate Foreign Affairs committee in the upper house of parliament, says Islamabad can manage without the United States as it did in the 1990s, but would prefer to move the troubled relationship forward.(AP Photo/K.M. Chaudary) AKRON, Ohio (AP) - An Ohio woman accused of fatally shooting her husband in the head and dismembering his body has pleaded not guilty in a county court. Authorities say 49-year-old Marcia Eubank shot 54-year-old Howard Eubank in June, put his remains in containers around their Akron-area home and acknowledged the killing after their son found the remains in December. Marcia Eubank pleaded not guilty to charges including aggravated murder, corpse abuse and evidence-tampering at her arraignment Friday in Summit County court. The Akron Beacon Journal reports that she remained jailed on $1 million bond. Defense attorney Brian Pierce says Eubank suffered physical and mental abuse in her marriage. Pierce has said mental health professionals will evaluate Eubank to help with her defense. The Eubanks were married for about 25 years. SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) - Puerto Rico's governor has vetoed three highly criticized bills that would have imposed stricter measures on juvenile offenders in the U.S. territory. One of the bills would have allowed minors to be charged as adults in certain cases. Opponents also argued that the measures recently approved by the island's Senate and House of Representatives would have made it harder to resolve cases through mediation. Gov. Ricardo Rossello said Friday that he is seeking a more fair and responsible law to address criminal cases involving minors. FILE - In this Nov. 14, 2017 file photo, Puerto Rico Gov. Ricardo Rossello, left, speaks during a Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources hearing on hurricane recovery, on Capitol Hill in Washington. Rossello has vetoed on Friday, Jan. 5, 2018, three highly criticized bills that would have imposed stricter measures on juvenile offenders in the U.S. territory. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin, File) Puerto Rico has more than 250 minors in juvenile institutions. ANNAPOLIS, Md. (AP) - Maryland U.S. Rep. Elijah Cummings had a medical procedure on his knee Friday to drain a bacterial infection, his office said, hours after his wife announced she was dropping out of the Democratic primary for governor because of "personal considerations." The congressman's office said doctors drained the infection in a minor procedure. He was admitted to Johns Hopkins Hospital Dec. 29. "He is resting comfortably and expects a full recovery," his office said in a news release. FILE - In this Oct. 30, 2017, file photo, Rep. Elijah Cummings, D-Md., participates in a panel discussion during a summit on the country's opioid epidemic at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health in Baltimore. Cummings has been admitted to Johns Hopkins Hospital for a bacterial infection in his knee. His office said doctors drained the infection in a minor procedure Friday, Jan. 5, 2018. Cummings' office says he is resting comfortably and expects a full recovery. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky, File) When he was first admitted last week, Cummings was being treated with antibiotics before it was determined the procedure was necessary, said Trudy Perkins, a spokeswoman for Cummings. The 66-year-old leading Democrat on the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee had a heart procedure last year. He was hospitalized for a few days in May for a transarterial aortic valve replacement to treat aortic stenosis. He returned to Capitol Hill in September, after working in his district office in Baltimore. His office announced the latest medical procedure on the same day as his wife, Maya Rockeymoore Cummings, announced she was suspending her campaign for Maryland governor in a crowded Democratic primary. "Unfortunately, due to personal considerations, I am suspending my bid for governor of Maryland," she wrote in a statement. "I thank all of the people across the country who have supported my campaign and those whom I have met on the campaign trail who also fervently believe that we can and must do better for the people of Maryland." The announcement by her campaign did not provide details on why she dropped out of the race, and the campaign didn't respond to a request for comment about why the campaign was suspended. ___ This story has been corrected to say the congressman's medical procedure was announced after his wife announced she was suspending her campaign. BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) - Louisiana has paid at least $1.3 million to settle more than two dozen sexual harassment claims since mid-2009, including allegations made against college professors, judges, health care workers and one former state lawmaker, according to records released Friday. The money was paid through Louisiana's self-insurance program, the Office of Risk Management, and covers claims made across all three branches of state government. Data involving the 27 payments was provided to The Associated Press and other news outlets in response to public records requests. Payments range from $5,500 for a sexual harassment claim involving a professor at Grambling State University to $205,000 for two claims against a New Orleans civil court judge. A former commissioner of the Louisiana Office of Alcohol and Tobacco Control was the subject of two payments totaling $150,000. Dollars were paid involving claims against a custodian supervisor at a state-owned safety-net hospital, the director of a state juvenile prison facility, a probation and parole supervisor, and a state park manager. A $50,000 payment was made in 2012 to settle a claim against then-state Rep. Clif Richardson, a Republican lawmaker from the Baton Rouge area who resigned in 2013 citing health problems related to a cancer diagnosis. Richardson did not respond to a telephone message left by the AP on Friday. But the ex-legislator told The Advocate that he had repeated a joke of a sexual nature to an aide who took offense and he didn't feel up to fighting the allegations because of cancer treatment. The list of payments provided by the Office of Risk Management doesn't include details of the conduct alleged, the person making the allegations, or what if anything was proved. It wasn't immediately clear if any of those accused of sexual harassment still worked in the positions or elsewhere in government. In the past few months, sexual misconduct accusations have unseated people in positions of power in Hollywood, the media and government. In Louisiana, Gov. John Bel Edwards' deputy chief of staff, Johnny Anderson, stepped down in November after sexual misconduct claims were made against him. The governor's office hasn't said what the allegations were and has hired an attorney, in case the woman who accused Anderson of harassment files a lawsuit. Anderson had previously been accused of sexual harassment by multiple women in 2006 when he worked for then-Gov. Kathleen Blanco and was chairman of the Southern University System Board of Supervisors. Anderson has denied wrongdoing. Anderson's resignation - and the broader national conversation about sexual misconduct - spurred multiple reviews of Louisiana's policies for handling claims. Edwards has created a seven-member study group to make recommendations by March 1. Louisiana's legislative auditor is conducting his own review. Release of the data came the same day the Southern University System announced it has put one of its administrators on leave because of sexual misconduct allegations. The higher education system said associate vice president for human resources Lester Pourciau was placed on administrative leave Thursday. Southern said it received a complaint filed with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission from a former employee with accusations that were "sexual in nature." An investigation is ongoing. Pourciau did not respond immediately to a telephone message seeking comment. "Every employee and student has the right to a safe, positive working and learning environment," Southern System President Ray Belton said in a statement. "We will do everything in our power to ensure such." ___ Follow Melinda Deslatte on Twitter at http://twitter.com/melindadeslatte CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) - Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has ordered the shutdown of all air and maritime traffic with three Caribbean islands for the next 72 hours. Maduro said Friday evening that he was closing the nation's maritime border with Aruba, Curacao and Bonaire. In a televised appearance, the president accused island leaders of being complicit in the illegal trafficking of goods and resources. The islands lie a short distance from Venezuela's coast and host oil refineries run by Venezuela's state oil giant and U.S. subsidiary Citgo. In recent years, Venezuelans fleeing the nation's economic collapse have tried reaching the islands by boat. Venezuelan authorities frequently contend the trafficking of goods out of the nation is one of the chief causes of food and medical shortages. UNITED NATIONS (AP) - The U.N. is launching an investigation into attacks on peacekeepers in a part of Congo where the deadliest single assault on a U.N. peacekeeping mission in almost 25 years unfolded last month. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres announced Friday he's appointing longtime U.N. peacekeeping official Dmitry Titov to lead a special investigation into attacks around the town of Beni. The probe will focus on the Dec. 7 rebel attack that killed 15 peacekeepers and wounded over 40 others at a base near Beni. The dead were Tanzanian. The attack has been blamed on the Allied Democratic Forces, one of various armed groups in the mineral-rich region. The U.N. peacekeeping mission in Congo is the world's largest. The investigation will evaluate its preparedness and response to attacks and provide recommendations on preventing them. NEW YORK (AP) - About 100 million people faced a new challenge after the whopping East Coast snowstorm: a gusty deep freeze, topped Saturday by a wind chill close to minus 100 on New Hampshire's Mount Washington that vied for world's coldest place. Jaw-clenching temperatures to start the weekend throughout the Northeast hit Burlington, Vermont, at minus 1 and a wind chill of minus 30. Both Philadelphia and New York were shivering at 8 degrees. And in Hartford, Connecticut, a brutal cold of 10 degrees yielded a wind chill of minus 20. Gusty wind picks up snow accumulated on the ground as Jesse Sherwood, of Jersey City, N.J., jogs at Liberty State Park, Saturday, Jan. 6, 2018, in Jersey City. About 100 million people faced a new challenge after the whopping East Coast snowstorm: a gusty deep freeze, topped Saturday by a wind chill close to minus 100 on New Hampshire's Mount Washington that vied for world's coldest place. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez) On Saturday, winds of more than 90 mph swirled Mount Washington, the Northeast's highest peak, at a temperature of minus 37 degrees and a wind chill of minus 93. It tied for second place with Armstrong, Ontario, as the coldest spot in the world. Boston, at a relatively balmy 11 degrees, was wrangling with a different kind of challenge: a shortage of plumbers as the weather wreaked havoc on pipes that froze and cracked, Democratic Mayor Marty Walsh reported. A 3-foot tidal surge brought on by the nor'easter along the Massachusetts coast was the highest recorded in nearly a century. Residents of Boston and its suburbs were cleaning up Saturday after the tide that came in Thursday, flooding streets and forcing some residents to be evacuate as the water started to freeze. In New Jersey, many people stayed home instead of dealing with single-digit temperatures. Others were cleaning up from the storm that dropped more than a foot of snow in some spots earlier in the week. "My car felt like an icebox this morning, even though I had the heat on full blast," Julie Williams said as she sipped coffee inside a Jackson Township convenience store. She was headed to work at a local supermarket, and was expecting it to be packed. "People think it's nuts before a storm happens, with everyone getting milk, bread, etc." she said, adding with a laugh, "but it's even worse in the days afterward, because they do the same thing but they're a little crazy from cabin fever." The operators of New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport were struggling to recoup from Thursday's storm. The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, which runs the airport, said it was working with airlines and the Federal Aviation Administration to limit flights into Kennedy on Saturday "until there are adequate gates available to handle the backlog of flights due to recovery of flight schedules in the wake of Thursday's storm." In Rhode Island, hospitals were treating dozens of storm-related injuries as the region grits through a deep freeze that followed a powerful blizzard. In Providence and Newport, at least 40 people were treated for various weather-related conditions, from heart attacks, snowblower or shoveling injuries, frostbite and more, according to The Providence Journal. The storm dropped more than 14 inches of snow on Providence. Monday is expected to be the first day above freezing since last month. In New York City, temperatures should reach 40 degrees next week. Even more southern locations didn't escape the cold; the mercury dipped into the single digits in Baltimore and Washington, D.C., during the weekend, about 20 degrees below normal for this time of year. The high winds and frigid temperatures prompted several ski resorts to close some of their lifts. Bolton Valley in Vermont said there was a general "lack of demand and enthusiasm from skiers and riders." With a temperature of minus 14 at the summit and minus 11 at the base, the resort cancelled evening skiing due to a frostbite warning. In Vermont's capital city of Montpelier, with the temperature at minus 5 Saturday, business was slow at La Brioche Bakery but soups were a big seller, said bakery clerk Caroline Cunningham. "Nobody wants to be outside," she said. The key strategy for most East Coast residents was to wear layered clothing. Brooklyn resident Zelani Miah, who was walking home from running errands Saturday morning, said he wore lots of them. "Right now, the only thing I put on was just some gloves, a couple sweaters of course, like five or six of them, and two pants basically and boots," Miah said. "Keep warm, make sure you wear hats." Chris Fidler, left, of Halifax, and Ben Reigert, of Reading, walk out onto the ice at Sweet Arrow Lake, to fish on Saturday, Jan. 6, 2018, in Pine Grove, Pa. Freezing temperatures since December 26 have made for ideal ice fishing conditions. (David McKeown/Republican-Herald via AP) Runners sprint down Forest Park Avenue in Watervliet, Mich., Saturday, Jan. 6, 2018, during the start of the 5th Annual FROSTY 5K Run/Walk. (Don Campbell/The Herald-Palladium via AP) Jay Churkin and his dog Siba play on the frozen Lake Arthur in Moraine State Park while temperatures were in the single digits, Saturday, Jan. 6, 2018, in Portersville, Pa. Pennsylvanians continue to deal with bone-chilling temperatures and related weather issues that have gripped the state in recent weeks. (AP Photo/Keith Srakocic) Jay Churkin and his dog Siba play on the frozen Lake Arthur in Moraine State Park while temperatures were in the single digits, Saturday, Jan. 6, 2018, in Portersville, Pa. Pennsylvanians continue to deal with bone-chilling temperatures and related weather issues that have gripped the state in recent weeks. (AP Photo/Keith Srakocic) John Delcamp, left, and his girlfriend Michelle Lutian cross country ski along the edge of the frozen Lake Arthur in Moraine State Park while temperatures were in the single digits, Saturday, Jan. 6, 2018, in Portersville, Pa. Pennsylvanians continue to deal with bone-chilling temperatures and related weather issues that have gripped the state in recent weeks. (AP Photo/Keith Srakocic) WASHINGTON (AP) - In bountiful tweets and self-praise, President Donald Trump plays up "tremendous progress" in improving care for veterans in his first year. His claims fall short of reality. Trump's initiatives have yet to show meaningful impact, and his campaign promises of expanding access to doctors and adding mental health specialists are unfulfilled. Several of the 2017 accomplishments highlighted in a Trump tweet this week are largely symbolic - proclamations routinely signed by presidents or initiatives that haven't taken full effect or were later acknowledged by the Department of Veterans Affairs to be largely unneeded. In the meantime, wait times for veterans seeking treatment at VA medical centers haven't improved much, as Congress remains deadlocked over a long-term fix aimed at expanding access to doctors, in part due to rising costs. FILE - In this Nov. 10, 2017, file photo, President Donald Trump is flanked by veterans at an event to sign a proclamation honoring veterans at the Hyatt Regency Danang Resort in Danang, Vietnam. Trump is again claiming more success than reality in improving veterans care, touting initiatives that have yet to show meaningful impact and glossing over bigger unfulfilled campaign promises. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein, File) The VA also admits it fell short of adding 1,000 new mental health professionals last year, even after Trump singled out mental health as especially in need of attention during the campaign and pledged a hiring surge. Trump speaks often about his commitment to veterans, a group that backed him by nearly 2-to-1 over Democrat Hillary Clinton in the 2016 election. A look at his rhetoric on veterans and White House statements marking his first year in office: ___ TRUMP: "We will not rest until all of America's GREAT VETERANS can receive the care they so richly deserve. Tremendous progress has been made in a short period of time." - tweet Tuesday, with an Instagram video describing eight accomplishments that show Trump is "fighting for our veterans." THE FACTS: The video with catchy music overstates the impact of these steps. Of the eight achievements cited, two are ceremonial proclamations recognizing National Veterans and Military Families Month and National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day. Two are pieces of legislation that extended the troubled Veterans Choice program on a temporary basis. This became necessary because the Trump administration repeatedly miscalculated the amount of taxpayer dollars available to pay for care from private doctors outside the VA system when veterans had to endure long waits for treatment at VA medical centers. The department's poor budget planning caught lawmakers off guard. A fifth claim involves "telehealth," a step letting doctors practice medicine across state lines using digital technology. Announced in August, it has yet to take full effect because a proposed VA regulation hasn't been completed. The VA wants authority to practice across state lines to come from legislation, not a regulation. On Wednesday, the Senate approved a telehealth measure that now goes to the House. A sixth claim refers to legislation that streamlines the appeals process for disability compensation claims within the VA. This step has had limited impact so far because it applies to new disability claims, not the 470,000 pending claims. The other two initiatives mentioned make it easier for the VA to discipline employees. The department has pointed to more than 1,300 employees who have been fired under Trump's watch. Because their infractions are not detailed in public documents, the impact on veterans' care is not fully known. ___ TRUMP: "The VA was a mess." Before, "you couldn't fire anybody at the VA, if they were sadists, if they were horrible people. ... Now we look at them, they're no good - we say, 'You're fired. Get out of here.'" - Dec. 8 rally in Pensacola, Florida. THE FACTS: It's wrong to say VA employees were never fired before Trump took office. In fact, more were fired in President Barack Obama's last budget year than in Trump's first. In fiscal 2017, covering Obama's last three months and Trump's first nine months, 2,061 VA employees were removed for discipline or performance. About 1,419 firings took place since January 2017, when Trump took office, to present. That's down from 2,662 in the previous fiscal year, according to Office of Personnel Management information on the agency's data archive FedScope. However, it's true that it often took longer for terminations to become final under an appeals process that has been shortened under Trump. Because a new accountability law making it easier to fire VA employees did not take effect until late June 2017, about 500 of the firings last year occurred under the former appeals system, which remains in place at other federal agencies. The new law shortens the length of time to challenge a disciplinary action and lowers the burden of proof needed to fire VA employees. ___ TRUMP: "Why would smart voters want to put Democrats in Congress in 2018 Election ... People are much better off now not to mention ISIS, VA ..." - Dec. 31 tweet. THE FACTS: He's entitled to his politics, but the tweet masks the fact that each veterans' bill signed into law by Trump won approval with strong support from Democrats as well as Republicans. House Democrats did block one VA Choice emergency funding bill after major veterans groups complained it focused too much on private care without also investing in core VA programs. The bill was revised to add the money, was overwhelmingly approved and was signed by Trump on Aug. 12. The bipartisan display began with David Shulkin, a holdover from the Obama administration confirmed unanimously by the Senate to serve as VA secretary in February. Trump calls Shulkin the "100-to-nothing man" because of that vote, since he is the only Trump Cabinet member to achieve that. ___ WHITE HOUSE: "Secretary Shulkin has expanded access to urgent mental health care to former service members with other-than-honorable discharges." - Nov. 9 press release. THE FACTS: This claim glosses over VA's difficulty in hiring mental health professionals and providing counseling support to higher-risk veterans, due in part to a tightening VA budget. Trump cited mental health care as a top priority for fixing VA during the presidential campaign and pledged a hiring surge. But the VA only netted about 258 new personnel as of late November, far below the 1,000 additional mental-health specialists it had targeted for 2017. In March, Shulkin announced an initiative to expand urgent mental health care to those with other-than-honorable discharges with much fanfare, but soon after, he revealed he wouldn't be asking Congress for additional money to pay for it. The program provides mostly emergency care, something that had been offered already to any veteran, not preventive services. To reduce suicide rates, VA is seeking to establish "telehealth" hubs in rural areas to provide veterans with mental health assistance. It has launched a new predictive model to analyze veterans' health records to identify those at risk. Roughly 20 veterans take their lives each day. ___ WHITE HOUSE: "President Trump signed the VA Choice and Quality Employment Act of 2017 to authorize $2.1 billion in additional funds for the Veterans Choice Program." - Dec. 22 press release. THE FACTS: The money was quickly used up. Weeks after Congress approved the $2.1 billion in emergency funding to keep the VA Choice private-care program running, the VA acknowledged in September the program would again run out of money earlier than expected. The VA asked Congress to approve a long-term fix to its VA Choice program that could cost as much as $54 billion over five years, but divided lawmakers in December decided instead to approve another stopgap measure of $2.1 billion, punting the bigger issues until later. The delay means that a larger overhaul of VA Choice - which Shulkin says will help significantly reduce wait times at VA medical centers - isn't likely to be fully implemented until 2019 or later. The VA Choice program was put in place after a 2014 wait-time scandal that was discovered at the Phoenix VA hospital and elsewhere throughout the country. Veterans waited weeks or months for appointments while phony records covered up the lengthy waits. The program allows veterans to go to private doctors if they endure long waits for VA appointments, but it has suffered extended wait times of its own. Last year, Shulkin said veterans were waiting more than 60 days for new appointments in about 30 VA locations nationwide. ___ Associated Press writer Calvin Woodward contributed to this report. ___ Find AP Fact Checks at http://apne.ws/2kbx8bd ___ Follow Hope Yen on Twitter at https://twitter.com/hopeyen1 BERLIN (AP) - The German and Turkish foreign ministers took small steps Saturday toward restoring friendlier relations after more than a year of tension between their countries, but they made clear that significant differences remain. Germany's Sigmar Gabriel welcomed Turkey's Mevlut Cavusoglu to his hometown of Goslar as the Turkish leadership is making a broader effort to improve their country's strained relationship with Europe. On Friday, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan visited France. Turkish-European ties worsened last year amid mass arrests and firings by authorities following a July 2016 coup attempt. Relations deteriorated further after authorities in some countries - including local officials in Germany - prevented Turkish ministers from holding rallies with expatriate Turks to promote a referendum on expanding the president's powers. German foreign minister Sigmar Gabriel, right, and his Turkish counterpart Mevlut Cavusoglu take a walk through the old town of Goslar, Germany, Saturday, Jan. 6, 2018 after a meeting. The German and Turkish foreign ministers are taking small steps toward restoring friendlier relations after more than a year of tension between their countries. But they are making clear that differences remain. (Swen Pfoertner/dpa via AP) A particular irritant in relations between Ankara and Berlin has been Turkey's jailing of several German or German-Turkish nationals, including journalist Deniz Yucel, over terror-related allegations. Seven are currently being held for what Berlin considers political reasons. Gabriel said there has been some progress lately, pointing to the release of some other Germans. He said the two ministers agreed to recommend that a joint German-Turkish economic commission that hasn't met recently reconvene. They also want to revive a "strategic dialogue" between their ministries. "We can't expect to agree on every question straight away. There are differences of opinion, but we are well-advised to continue our discussion openly and with mutual respect," Gabriel told reporters, noting that Germany and Turkey are both NATO members. Cavusoglu stressed the importance of "sincere cooperation" and acknowledged differences over Turkey's stalled bid to join the European Union. Despite those differences, he said, "We need to overcome issues such as the renewal of the customs union agreement that is of benefit to both sides." Germany has made clear that journalist Yucel's detention is an obstacle to improved ties. The correspondent for German daily Die Welt has been in custody for nearly 11 months. Gabriel said "you can be sure" the case came up during Saturday's discussions. Cavusoglu did not mention it at a public appearance with his German counterpart. ___ Zeynep Bilginsoy in Istanbul contributed to this report. German foreign minister Sigmar Gabriel, right, and his Turkish counterpart Mevlut Cavusoglu take a walk through the old town of Goslar, Germany, Saturday, Jan. 6, 2018 after a meeting. The German and Turkish foreign ministers are taking small steps toward restoring friendlier relations after more than a year of tension between their countries. But they are making clear that differences remain. (Swen Pfoertner/dpa via AP) German foreign minister Sigmar Gabriel, right, and his Turkish counterpart Mevlut Cavusoglu smile prior to a statement in Goslar, Germany, Saturday, Jan. 6, 2018. The German and Turkish foreign ministers are taking small steps toward restoring friendlier relations after more than a year of tension between their countries. But they are making clear that differences remain. (Swen Pfoertner/dpa via AP) German foreign minister Sigmar Gabriel, right, and his Turkish counterpart Mevlut Cavusoglu talk before they deliver a statement in Goslar, Germany, Saturday, Jan. 6, 2018. The German and Turkish foreign ministers are taking small steps toward restoring friendlier relations after more than a year of tension between their countries. But they are making clear that differences remain. (Swen Pfoertner/dpa via AP) PATNA, India (AP) - An Indian court on Saturday sentenced a powerful regional politician to 3 1/2 years in prison on a second conviction of embezzling state government funds as a top elected official two decades ago. The court found Laloo Prasad Yadav and 15 others guilty of conspiracy to defraud the Bihar state government of 8.45 million rupees ($130,000). Judge Shivpal Singh sentenced all the convicts to prison terms ranging from 3 1/2 years to seven years. Yadav's conviction will be challenged in an appeals court, his son Tej Pratap Yadav said after the court's decision in Ranchi, the capital of Jharkhand state. Yadav already is serving a five-year prison sentence on a conviction in a related case for fraudulently withdrawing 378 million rupees ($5.8 million) from the Bihar state government treasury for fictitious medicines and fodder for cattle. Yadav has been barred from contesting elections. Yadav spent two months in jail in 2013 before he got bail from the Supreme Court as he challenged his conviction. He was taken to the prison again after his conviction in the second case on Dec. 23. Corruption is endemic in Indian politics. Judges are now expediting trials of politicians following a Supreme Court order to reach verdicts within one year in cases in which lawmakers are accused of serious crimes. The Supreme Court order is part of its attempt to clean up India's electoral system by making it more difficult for politicians with criminal cases to contest elections. Indian lawmakers are now barred from running in elections if they are found guilty of offenses carrying a jail term of at least two years. MADRID (AP) - Spanish authorities say that 23 people have been arrested for participating in a fight between fans of Sevilla and Real Betis hours before the teams play each other in a league match. The emergency services for Sevilla said via Twitter on Saturday that police intervened to make the arrests of "at least 23 people." They add that the rival fan groups had arranged the meeting in order to fight. The derby between Seville's two teams is considered the most hotly disputed rivalry in Spain. WASHINGTON (AP) - It's been a week of bogus boasting by President Donald Trump and members of his administration as they took unearned credit for airline safety, pollution cleanup and major advances in care for veterans. The president ignored fatality-free years in aviation during the Obama administration when he declared 2017 the safest year on record and suggested that was because he's kept a sharp eye on airlines. He represented routine and ceremonial proclamations recognizing a day in remembrance of Pearl Harbor and a month in honor of military families as substantive achievements that improved care for veterans. FILE - In this Oct. 24, 2017, file photo, the air traffic control tower is in sight as a plane takes off from San Francisco International Airport in San Francisco. It's been a week of bogus boasting by President Donald Trump and his administration as they took unearned credit for airline safety, pollution cleanup and major advances in care for veterans. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu, File)` And his Environmental Protection Agency took credit for completing work on seven Superfund sites even though the actual cleaning was done by President Barack Obama's EPA. Here's a look: TRUMP: "Since taking office I have been very strict on Commercial Aviation. Good news - it was just reported that there were Zero deaths in 2017, the best and safest year on record!" - tweet Monday. THE FACTS: It's been 4 years since the last deaths involving a scheduled passenger airline in the U.S. Three passengers died in the crash of an Asiana Airlines plane while landing at San Francisco International Airport in July 2013. It's been almost nine years since the last fatalities involving a U.S.-registered, scheduled passenger airline in the United States. That was a Colgan Air plane that crashed on approach to Buffalo, New York, in February 2009, killing all 49 on board and a man on the ground. Last year was notable for having no commercial passenger jet deaths worldwide, although there were two fatal regional airline crashes involving small turboprop planes in Angola and Russia. There were also fatal accidents involving cargo airliners. What's Trump got to do with any of this? His administration has instituted additional screening of passengers and their personal electronic devices at foreign airports with flights to the U.S., to prevent terrorist attacks. But there have been no new major safety regulations imposed on passenger airlines as Trump rounds out his first year in office. Indeed, he's held back a regulation pending from the Obama administration that would ban shipments of rechargeable lithium batteries on passenger planes. Testing has shown that the batteries can self-ignite, creating intense fires and explosions. The White House cited Trump's initiative to "modernize Air Traffic Control" as justification for his tweet, but that doesn't fly. His proposal to privatize air traffic control isn't in effect, so it had nothing to do with the 2017 safety record. And even its proponents say the idea is not about safety, but rather efficiency. ___ TRUMP: "We will not rest until all of America's GREAT VETERANS can receive the care they so richly deserve. Tremendous progress has been made in a short period of time." - tweet Tuesday, with an Instagram link showing eight accomplishments where Trump is "fighting for our veterans." THE FACTS: The video with catchy music overstates the impact of these steps. Of the eight achievements cited, two are ceremonial proclamations - National Veterans and Military Families Month and National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day. Two are pieces of legislation that extended a troubled Veterans Choice program on a temporary basis. This became necessary because the Trump administration repeatedly miscalculated the amount of taxpayer dollars available in its account to pay for care from private doctors outside the VA system when veterans had to endure long waits for treatment at VA medical centers A fifth claim involves "tele-health," letting doctors practice medicine across state lines using digital technology. Announced in August, it has yet to take full effect because a proposed VA regulation hasn't been completed. It's now being dealt with in legislation that passed the Senate and is going to the House. A sixth claim refers to legislation that streamlines the appeals process for disability compensation claims within the VA. This step has had limited impact so far because it applies to new disability claims, not the 470,000 pending claims. The other two initiatives he listed make it easier for the VA to discipline employees. The department has pointed to more than 1,300 employees who have been fired under Trump's watch. But the pace of dismissals is roughly on par with or a little below that during the Obama administration. ___ EPA Administrator SCOTT PRUITT, on EPA claims that it completed - or "delisted" - more Superfund sites last year than Obama's EPA did the year before: "We have made it a priority to get these sites cleaned up faster and in the right way." - news release Tuesday. THE FACTS: This is a case of people taking credit for other people's work. The EPA removed seven Superfund sites from its priority list last year, compared with two sites delisted the year before. But records show that construction work at all seven sites hyped by Pruitt's EPA, such as removing soil or drilling wells to suck out contaminated groundwater, was completed years before Pruitt was confirmed as the agency's chief in February. Removing sites from the list is a procedural step that occurs after monitoring data show that remaining levels of harmful contaminates meet cleanup targets, which were often set by EPA decades ago. An analysis of EPA records by The Associated Press shows that the seven Superfund sites delisted last year fell short of the average pace set under both the administrations of Obama and George W. Bush, even in their opening years. Trump's proposed 2018 budget seeks to cut the Superfund program by 30 percent. More than 1,300 Superfund sites on EPA's list are at various stages in the cleanup process. ___ Associated Press writers Hope Yen and Michael Biesecker in Washington and Jason Dearen in Gainesville, Florida, contributed to this report. CAIRO (AP) - In a show of solidarity with Egypt's embattled Christians, President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi Saturday made a symbolic appearance at an Orthodox Christmas Mass in a new cathedral as tens of thousands of soldiers and police deployed outside churches across the country in anticipation of possible attacks by Islamic militants. "We, with the grace of God, are offering a message of peace and love from here, not just to Egyptians or to the region, but to the entire world," el-Sissi told a jubilant congregation while standing next to Pope Tawadros II, the Coptic pontiff. "I always say this and repeat it: Destruction, ruin and killing will never be able to defeat goodness, construction, love and peace. It's impossible," said el-Sissi, a Muslim. "Pay attention, you are our family. You are part of us. We are one and no one will ever drive a wedge between us." In Cairo and across much of the Muslim majority country, soldiers in full combat gear joined the police in protecting churches, most of which are now equipped with metal detectors. Worshippers undergo body searches at church entrances. Some churches have had their surrounding streets sealed off, with sidewalks barricaded to control pedestrian movement. The tight security across Egypt is a precaution against possible attacks by Islamic militants who have specifically targeted Christians since December 2016, staging a series of bombings, killing about 100 people. Orthodox Christians are the overwhelming majority of Egypt's Christians, who account for about 10 percent of the population, or nearly 10 million. They celebrate Christmas on Jan. 7. The new cathedral in which Mass was held has been named Christ's Nativity and is located in Egypt's new Administrative Capital, a 45-billion-dollar, under-construction project some 45 kilometers (28 miles) east of Cairo. The Christmas Mass consecrates the new cathedral and marks the first time in living memory that the liturgy is not held at St. Mark's Cathedral, the seat of the orthodox church in central Cairo. The new cathedral can house up to 9,000 worshippers and is touted as the largest in the Middle East. El-Sissi arrived shortly after nightfall, as silver lights twinkled on the cathedral's dome, piercing the surrounding darkness. A general-turned-president, el-Sissi is viewed by most of Egypt's Christians as their protector and ally in the face of Islamists. He led the military's 2013 ouster of an Islamist president whose divisive rule alarmed many Christians fearful over their future in the country. The cathedral's bells tolled as Tawadros received el-Sissi outside the cathedral and they walked inside together. Women ululated in jubilation and many in the congregation waved Egyptian flags or threw white rose buds at the smiling president, who waved back and shook hands with some of them. The consecration of the new cathedral attracted the attention of Pope Francis, the head of the Roman catholic Church who visited Egypt last year where he spoke of the need for tolerance between Muslims and Christians. "I'd like to express in a special way my closeness to Orthodox Coptic Christians, and I cordially greet my brother Tawadros II in the glorious occasion of the consecration of the Cathedral of Cairo," Pope Francis said in remarks to the faithful after celebrating an Epiphany Mass Saturday in St. Peter's Basilica. But not everyone was as positive about the new cathedral or holding Christmas Mass there. Ishak Ibrahim, a prominent expert on Christian affairs in Egypt, said in a Facebook post that moving Mass to an "isolated" spot projected a "disappointing" message. "Christianity never commanded us to build churches so we can boast about their size, beauty or to accord legitimacy to the sultan," he wrote. "Those in the villages , meanwhile, are hurt and see their churches ... shuttered," wrote Ibrahim, alluding to frequent instances of Muslim mobs in rural Egypt reacting violently to the construction or repair of churches, or the use of private Christian homes as places of worship. The latest such incident took place last month, when an angry Muslim mob stormed an unlicensed church in a village south of Cairo, ransacking the facility. Christian rights activists point to such incidents as evidence of the government's inability to protect Christians, particularly outside big cities. The latest deadly attack against Christians was on Dec. 29, when a militant opened fire outside a suburban Cairo church, killing at least nine people. A local affiliate of the extremist Islamic State group has claimed responsibility for most attacks on Christians, including a series of killings that forced scores of Christian families last year to flee their homes in northern Sinai, the epicenter of an insurgency spearheaded by IS militants, who also target the country's mainland. ___ Associated Press writer Frances D'Emilio in Rome contributed to this report. UPPER SANDUSKY, Ohio (AP) - Authorities say a 37-year-old man and his 2-year-old daughter have been killed in an Ohio house fire while his wife and another young daughter managed to escape the flames. The Wyandot County Sheriff's Office has identified the victims as Shawn Stock and his daughter, Avery. The Sheriff's Office says 34-year-old Lisa Stock called 911 on a cellphone just before 1 a.m. Saturday saying she'd dropped 1-year-old Alana Stock to the ground from a window of the burning home but couldn't get out herself. A sheriff's deputy arrived and helped Lisa Stock escape through a window of the Tymochtee Township home. Heavy smoke prevented Sgt. Brandon Kromer from getting inside to rescue Shawn and Avery Stock. An initial investigation indicates the fire was caused by a wood-burning stove in the basement. HARARE, Zimbabwe (AP) - Two former Zimbabwean cabinet ministers aligned with a faction loyal to ousted leader Robert Mugabe face corruption charges. Samuel Undenge, a former energy minister, and Walter Mzembi, a former foreign affairs and tourism minister, were released on bail Saturday after spending a night in detention in the southern African nation. Undenge is accused of corruption in connection with the awarding of energy contracts while Mzembi allegedly misused resources earmarked for a tourism conference in 2013. They are among a number of former ministers and top officials in Zimbabwe arrested or questioned over corruption allegations since the military helped President Emmerson Mnangagwa take over from longtime leader Mugabe in November. Many of those arrested are aligned with a ruling party faction associated with the former president's family. Lawmakers and others in Democratic-leaning states have been howling over the past year about actions by the Trump administration and congressional Republicans that they say have undermined states' rights. That includes promoting concealed carry legislation and attacking sanctuary status for immigrants to this week's decisions on legalized marijuana and offshore oil drilling. But it wasn't too long ago that the shoe was on the other foot, with Republican states pushing back against the Obama administration's intrusions on issues such as transgender rights and environmental regulation. Promoting the constitutional protections for states' rights - outlined in the 10th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution - has always been popular among politicians. But it also is situational. Recent history shows that how strongly a party feels about states' rights can depend on whether it's in power and how a specific policy affects other constitutional rights. FILE - In this Monday, Jan. 1, 2018 file photo, a customer purchases marijuana at the Harborside marijuana dispensary in Oakland, Calif., on the first day that recreational marijuana was sold legally in California. In January 2018, Attorney General Jeff Sessions rescinded a 2013 Obama Administration policy pledging that federal authorities would not crack down on marijuana operations in states where they were legal as long as the states maintained tight regulations. (AP Photo/Mathew Sumner) There's been a steady flow of lawsuits from mostly Democratic-controlled states opposing Trump administration policies, partly on states' rights grounds. That follows a pattern set by Republican-led states, which repeatedly sued the Obama administration. Following is a look at some current and recent battles involving states' rights arguments: ___ MARIJUANA The federal government's position on state laws legalizing marijuana is the latest high-profile states' rights fight. This week, Attorney General Jeff Sessions rescinded a 2013 Obama Administration policy pledging that federal authorities would not crack down on marijuana operations in states where they were legal as long as the states maintained tight regulations. After Sessions' announcement, U.S. Sen. Cory Gardner, a Colorado Republican, said Sessions was violating the will of the people of Colorado, a state where recreational marijuana is legal. Gardner threatened to hold nominations to the Department of Justice over the change. Before the Obama administration's announcement, states felt more risk in advancing laws to allow recreational or medical use of cannabis, which is classified under federal law as a dangerous drug. Since then, state laws allowing marijuana have become more common. Currently, most states allow medical use. Recreational marijuana is legal in eight states, including California, where legal sales began this month. Despite the federal policy change, the Vermont House passed a bill this week to legalize marijuana. ___ CONCEALED CARRY The GOP-controlled U.S. House of Representatives voted largely along party lines last month to pass the Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act, which would prevent states from enforcing their own handgun permit laws against out-of-state visitors. The measure, which is expected to be debated in the Senate this year, declares that citizens with valid state permits to carry concealed handguns - as well as those who live in several other states that don't require permits to carry - can travel with their weapons nationwide without fear of prosecution. Critics of the bill, including many Democrats and public safety professionals, argue that the measure is a blatant attack on the rights of states, which currently have the ability to choose which out-of-state permits to recognize. They warn that popular tourist areas in states with strict gun laws, like New York City, could see a surge of people carrying loaded weapons. Supporters of the bill say the hodgepodge of state laws undermines the constitutional right to bear arms for self-defense. ___ SANCTUARY STATES AND CITIES The Trump administration has threatened to withhold funding from states and cities that offer sanctuary status to immigrants, arguing that localities must cooperate with federal efforts to identify and remove those in the country illegally. Trump and Attorney General Jeff Sessions argue that the sanctuary approach to immigrants allows some criminals to be released instead of shipped back to their homelands. But supporters of sanctuary policies say state and local officials should be allowed to decide how to treat non-citizens in their communities and how to best use their policing resources. They argue that such jurisdictions have lower rates of crime and improved safety because immigrants who are victims or witnesses of crimes can report them without fear of deportation. In November, a federal judge issued an injunction blocking Trump's executive order that had directed the government to make sanctuary cities ineligible for federal grants. The decision said Trump's order would "violate the Tenth Amendment's prohibition against commandeering local jurisdictions" and other parts of the Constitution. ___ OIL DRILLING Some Republican and Democratic governors of coastal states have spoken in opposition to Trump's plan announced this week, to allow oil drilling in the Arctic and off the Pacific and Atlantic coasts. The areas that would be opened are all federal waters - generally starting 3 miles off the coast - and several of them have been closed to drilling for decades. State officials have warned of risks to their environments and tourism if drilling is allowed. Florida Gov. Rick Scott, a Republican, said he opposes drilling off his state's coast and wants Florida withdrawn from consideration of new leases. Maryland's Larry Hogan, another Republican, said he also opposes drilling off his state. California Attorney General Xavier Becerra, a Democrat, said that state regulatory agencies will have a say in whether offshore drilling is allowed. If the federal government disagrees with that, it could set up another states' rights legal dispute. ___ ELECTION COMMISSION In another development this week, Trump disbanded a commission he assembled last year to investigate voter fraud in the 2016 elections, something he asserts without evidence cost him the popular vote. State election officials of both parties bristled last year when the commission asked for detailed voter information, including names, partial social security numbers, party affiliations and voters' history of participating in elections. Some states sued over the request. Even after the administration clarified that it was asking only for information that states considered public, more than a dozen still refused to comply, including several Republican-leaning states. Part of their argument was that running elections is the business of the states, not the federal government. ___ GAY MARRIAGE Opponents of marriage rights for gays and lesbians argued for years that the policy should be left to the states to decide. They argued that state lawmakers, not judges or Congress, were best positioned to decide whether to sanction such relationships in any given state. Dozens of states voted to amend their constitutions to outlaw same-sex unions, while courts and lawmakers in others started to legalize the relationships. Supporters of same-sex marriage argued that the bans were unfair, calling the issue a matter of equality that should not be left to the whims of popular opinion. The U.S. Supreme Court agreed in a landmark 2015 ruling, finding that the Constitution requires states to issue same-sex marriage licenses and to recognize those licensed in other states. The court rejected arguments from Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio and Tennessee, which sought to preserve their state laws defining marriage as between one man and one woman. ___ Follow Foley at https://twitter.com/rjfoley and Mulvihill at https://twitter.com/geoffmulvihill FILE - In this Thursday, July 20, 2017 file photo, Connecticut Gov. Dannel P. Malloy walks with nine-year-old Hayley Chavarria before speaking at a press conference at Iglesia de Dios Pentecostal Church in New Haven where her mother Nury Chavarria, who was supposed to be deported Thursday to Guatemala, has taken sanctuary. Malloy, said the attempt to deport the housekeeper and mother of four shows President Donald Trump's administration is not being truthful when it says its immigration policies are focused on "the bad guys." The Trump administration has threatened to withhold funding from states and cities that offer sanctuary status to immigrants, arguing that localities must cooperate with federal efforts to identify and remove those in the country illegally. (Catherine Avalone/New Haven Register via AP) FILE - In this Aug. 29, 2016 file photo, Marilyn Smolenski uses a mock gun to demonstrate how to pull a handgun out of concealed carry clothing she designs at her home in Park Ridge, Ill. In December 2017, the GOP-controlled U.S. House of Representatives voted largely along party lines last month to pass the Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act, which would prevent states from enforcing their own handgun permit laws against out-of-state visitors. (AP Photo/Tae-Gyun Kim) FILE - In this Friday, March 17, 2017 file photo, Republican Gov. Larry Hogan, second from right, announces plans to support a ban on hydraulic fracturing for natural gas in Maryland during a news conference in Annapolis, Md., giving a boost to legislation to ban the practice. From left are Del. Robert Flanagan, R-Howard; Sen. Robert Zirkin, D-Baltimore County; Hogan and Sen. Bryan Simonaire, R-Anne Arundel. Some Republican and Democratic governors of coastal states, including Hogan, have spoken in opposition to Trump's plan announced in January 2018, to allow oil drilling in the Arctic and off the Pacific and Atlantic coasts. (AP Photo/Brian Witte) FILE - In this Friday, June 26, 2015 file photo, Ann Sorrell, 78, left, and Marge Eide, 77, who have been together for 43 years, kiss after exchanging vows in Ann Arbor, Mich., following a ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court that struck down bans on same sex marriage nationwide. Opponents of marriage rights for gays and lesbians argued for years that the policy should be left to the states to decide. They argued that state lawmakers, not judges or Congress, were best positioned to decide whether to sanction such relationships in any given state. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya) William Etherton holds a camera on the North Sea island of Suderoog, Germany, after it was washed away four months ago An English boy has been reunited with a video camera which went missing on a beach four months ago and washed up in Germany. William Etherton, 10, lost his camera last year when it was carried off by a wave at Thornwick Bay in East Yorkshire, where he had been filming his day at the beach. The camera drifted for about two months before washing up on the island of Suderoog in the North Sea, some 350 miles away. But William, from Hull, has now been reunited with the camera, which amazingly survived the journey and still works. Island resident Roland Spreer, 67, found the camera in early November, and his son Holger posted footage on Facebook which William had taken at Thornwick Bay before it was washed away. The video eventually came to the attention of William's father, Mark Etherton, and this week the family travelled to Germany and walked more than four miles from the mainland at low tide to reach the island. William said it was great that the camera still worked, after he was given it as a Christmas present in 2016, according to German broadcaster NDR. 'I'll have to take better care of my camera in future,' he said. 'It's a huge adventure that we're not going to forget,' added William's father. The family had been visiting Thornwick Bay at Flamborough, East Riding of Yorkshire, when the camera went missing. Holger Spreer posted the video, which showed the boy clambering around rocks on the seaside, on November 2 with the caption: 'That's surely never happened before.' William Etherton holds the camera with island resident Roland Spreer, who found it on the North Sea island of Suderoog, Germany The Etherton family, from left to right: Father Mark, daughter Poppy, son William and mother Hellen. They walked four miles from the mainland at low tide to reach the island He wrote: 'The camera was found by my father, who knows all about beachcombing from his childhood. 'As it was packed in waterproof casing it still works and so we could watch the recorded footage from the memory card. 'It turned out to belong to an English boy who liked to film his family. He put the camera down on a rock while playing and forgot about it. But then the tide came in and a small wave pushed it into the sea.' The memory card also included footage of the boy's grandparents and from the previous year's Christmas. The younger Mr Spreer and his partner are the only permanent residents of the tiny North Frisian island. The camera travelled 350 miles after it was washed away on a Yorkshire beach before reaching the German island of Suderoog in the North Sea The Latest on the death of astronaut John Young (all times local): 3:30 p.m. Legendary astronaut John Young, who died Friday in Houston, is being mourned by his fellow space explorers. Robert Crippen, Young's co-pilot on Columbia's successful maiden voyage in 1981, told The Associated Press that flying with Young was "a real treat." "Anybody who ever flew in space admired John," said Crippen, a close friend who last spoke to him a few months ago. U.S. astronaut Terry Virts said in a tweet: "Rest In Peace John Young. You were one of my heroes as an astronaut and explorer and your passion for space will be missed." Retired Canadian astronaut Chris Hadfield echoed that on Twitter, saying "John Young is one of my heroes, an astronaut's astronaut, a fearless individual and a good friend. Godspeed." Retired U.S. astronaut Scott Kelly said he was saddened by the loss and called Young in a tweet "the astronauts' astronaut, a true legend. Fair winds and following seas, Captain." ___ 2 p.m. Former President George H. W. Bush is offering condolences on the death of astronaut John Young. Bush says he and Barbara Bush "join our fellow Americans and many friends in the space community in mourning the loss." His statement says "John was more than a good friend; he was a fearless patriot whose courage and commitment to duty helped our Nation push back the horizon of discovery at a critical time. To us, he represented the best in the American spirit - always looking forward, always reaching higher." Bush also said "John leaves a tremendous legacy of accomplishment, in addition to his wonderful family. May his memory serve to inspire future generations of explorers to dare greatly, act boldly, and serve selflessly." ___ 1:40 p.m. Legendary astronaut John Young, who walked on the moon and later commanded the first space shuttle flight, has died, according to a statement from NASA. Young was 87. The space agency said in a statement that Young died Friday night following complications from pneumonia. NASA said Young was the only agency astronaut to go into space as part of the Gemini, Apollo and space shuttle programs, and the first to fly into space six times. He was the ninth man to walk on the moon. He died at home in Houston. Young was in NASA's second astronaut class, chosen in 1962, along with the likes of Neil Armstrong, Pete Conrad and James Lovell. "Today, NASA and the world have lost a pioneer. Astronaut John Young's storied career spanned three generations of spaceflight," acting NASA administrator Robert Lightfoot said in an emailed statement Saturday. "John was one of that group of early space pioneers whose bravery and commitment sparked our nation's first great achievements in space." Counting his takeoff from the moon in 1972 as commander of Apollo 16, Young's blastoff tally stood at seven, for decades a world record. He flew twice during the two-man Gemini missions of the mid-1960s, twice to the moon during NASA's Apollo program, and twice more aboard the new space shuttle Columbia in the early 1980s. Young spent his last 17 years at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston in management, focusing on safety issues. He retired at the end of 2004. PASADENA, Calif. (AP) - The Latest from the TV Critics meeting in Pasadena, California (all times local): 6:00 p.m. When a producer mentioned a Twitter post from Benedict Cumberbatch led to a TV role, the actor couldn't resist riffing on President Donald Trump's "stable genius" tweet. Stephen Colbert, center, executive producer of the Showtime animated series "Our Cartoon President," takes part in a panel discussion on the show with fellow executive producer Chris Licht, left, and showrunner/executive producer/writer R.J. Fried at the Television Critics Association Winter Press Tour on Saturday, Jan. 6, 2018, in Pasadena, Calif. (Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP) Michael Jackson, executive producer of Showtime's new "Patrick Melrose" series, told TV critics Saturday that he learned from Twitter that Cumberbatch longed to play the title role. Cumberbatch, participating in the news conference by satellite, asked if he'd called himself a "stable genius" in the tweet. "Good things can come from Twitter," but so do world wars, Cumberbatch said. At least, the actor added sardonically, he got a part because of the social media site. Cumberbatch said he considers Edward St. Aubyn, whose Patrick Melrose novels were adapted for Showtime's series, perhaps the greatest prose stylist working in the English language. The five-part series will debut this year, with a date yet to be announced. ___ 4 p.m. Stephen Colbert clearly isn't worried about television audiences getting Trump fatigue. "He is president of the United States," he said on Saturday. "There is no escaping it. It's like having oxygen fatigue." Colbert has vaulted to the top of the late-night ratings with sharp, topical humor focused on the president. Now he's a producer behind an animated Showtime series, "Our Cartoon President," that debuts later this month. Showtime will stream an episode that features the cartoon Trump preparing to deliver his State of the Union address on Jan. 28. The 10-episode series debuts on the television network on Feb. 11. ___ 3:25 p.m. Showtime programming executive Gary Levine says if David Lynch is willing to tackle another season of "Twin Peaks," the channel is willing to listen. But given the "Herculean" effort that Lynch put into reviving the cult drama last year, including directing all 18 episodes, Levine said he's unsure Lynch wants to do it again. The original "Twin Peaks," starring Kyle MacLachlan as a FBI agent investigating a murder in an offbeat town, aired in 1990-91 on ABC. It picked up 25 years later in the lives of the characters in its return on Showtime. Levine told TV critics Saturday the door at Showtime is always open to Lynch or his fellow "Twin Peaks" creator Mark Frost to discuss the show or any other project they have in mind. ___ 2:45 p.m. Television viewers will soon get an inside look at what President Donald Trump likes to call the "failing" New York Times. Showtime announced Saturday that filmmaker Liz Garbus is producing a four-part documentary series on the Times, "The Fourth Estate," that will debut in May. Documentary-makers were given access to meetings and discussions at the Times as it shaped coverage of the Trump administration. A clip on Saturday showed the newsroom reacting to Trump's inaugural address. Besides giving a view of how the newspaper covers the president, "The Fourth Estate" will also show the Times in a period of transition. In a generational change for the family-controlled business, 37-year-old A.G. Sulzberger has taken over as the Times' new publisher. ___ 11:50 a.m. The producers of the new CBS comedy "Living Biblically" say their goal is to appeal to both believers and non-believers. Inspired by A.J. Jacobs' book "The Year of Living Biblically," the series stars Jay R. Ferguson as a modern New Yorker who decides to strictly follow the Bible in his daily life. He's guided by a priest and a rabbi. Executive producer Patrick Walsh told TV critics Saturday that the show aims to "loosen up the conversation" about religion in a funny, respectful way. Among the show's producers is Johnny Galecki, who stars on "The Big Bang Theory." Galecki said that presumptions that "The Year of Living Biblically" will be sarcastic about religion are wrong. The hope is that viewers will find the comedy to be a "cool take" on religion, which is what a lot of people base their lives on, Galecki said. The show, which also stars Lindsey Kraft, Ian Gomez, David Krumholtz, Tony Rock and Camryn Manehim, debuts Feb. 26. ___ 11:03 a.m. Actor Alan Cumming will portray what is believed to be the first gay lead character in a broadcast network drama and he says it's particularly important that the milestone is happening during President Donald Trump's administration. His crime procedural "Instinct" arrives at a time when Cumming said "the president is actively condoning, by his silence, violence and persecution against the LBGT community." The show premieres on CBS March 11. Cumming plays an author who is an expert on serial killers who gets drawn into helping New York police track down a killer who models his behavior on one of his books. Cumming says it's a perfect time to have a married same-sex couple portrayed on network TV. ___ Stephen Colbert, executive producer of the Showtime animated series "Our Cartoon President," takes part in a panel discussion on the show at the Television Critics Association Winter Press Tour on Saturday, Jan. 6, 2018, in Pasadena, Calif. (Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP) Johnny Galecki, right, co-executive producer of the new CBS series "Living Biblically," takes part in a panel discussion on the show with co-executive producer Patrick Walsh at the Television Critics Association Winter Press Tour on Saturday, Jan. 6, 2018, in Pasadena, Calif. (Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP) DOHA, Qatar (AP) - Gael Monfils won the Qatar Open title on his fourth appearance in the final with a 6-2, 6-3 win over Andrey Rublev of Russia on Saturday. The 46th-ranked Monfils, a former top-10 player, lost previous finals at the tournament to Roger Federer in 2006, Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in 2012, and Rafael Nadal in 2014. "I've been very close and finally I get it," Monfils said after winning his seventh career title. Monfils was playing in his first tournament since a right-knee injury forced him to retire during his U.S. Open third-round match in September. "I had a long rest and I'm a lot stronger for 2018," Monfils said. "I didn't expect to win the first tournament, but I'm happy I did." The 39th-ranked Rublev nervously rushed on many shots against the more experienced Monfils. Rublev countered his 21 winners with an equal number of unforced errors, while Monfils posted 29 winners to only 10 unforced errors in the one-hour match. "I think I was completed tired today," Rublev said. "We played only one hour and the match was almost without chances for me." Monfils broke his opponent's serve to go ahead 3-1 in both sets. The Frenchman faced two break points in the match, but saved both which came in the fifth game of the second set. In the first set, Monfils broke Rublev a second time in the final game. In the second set, he had to serve out the match in the ninth game. Monfils reached the final without hitting a ball in the semifinals when top-seeded Dominic Thiem withdrew from the tournament because of illness. A veteran firefighter was fatally injured Saturday when a burning row home collapsed in Philadelphia and he became pinned under the debris, authorities said. A person who lived in the home was also killed. Lieutenant Matthew LeTourneau, 42, was pulled from the home by fellow firefighters and taken to Temple University hospital. The 11-year-veteran was pronounced dead there a short time later. "Our hearts are breaking, and we are without words," city Fire Commissioner Adam Thiel said at a news conference Saturday afternoon. He said it took about 30 minutes for firefighters to free LeTourneau from the debris caused by the interior structure collapse. Firefighters embrace as their colleagues battle a row home fire in Philadelphia on Saturday, Jan. 6, 2018. A veteran firefighter was fatally injured when a burning row home collapsed and he became pinned under the debris, authorities said. A person who lived in the home was also killed. Lieutenant Matthew LeTourneau, 42, was pulled from the home by fellow firefighters and taken to Temple University hospital. The 11-year-veteran was pronounced dead there a short time later. (Tim Tai/The Philadelphia Inquirer via AP) The fast-moving fire was reported around 8:50 a.m., and dozens of firefighters battled the blaze for nearly two hours before it was brought under control. Two other firefighters were also injured and were being treated at a hospital. Their injuries were not considered life-threatening and they were expected to be released later Saturday. The cause of the blaze remains under investigation. Authorities say a person found inside the home died in the fire, while another person from a neighboring home was taken to the hospital and was listed in critical condition. Their names and further details about their injuries were not disclosed. LeTourneau joined the fire department in 2007 and was promoted to lieutenant in 2015. He had received a unit citation in 2010 and a letter of commendation for his service during the World Meeting of Families in 2015. Thiel said LeTourneau would receive a fire department funeral with full honors, but said it had not yet been scheduled. Democratic Mayor Jim Kenney said the city will "be there for (LeTourneau's) family forever." The last Philadelphia firefighter killed in action was Lieutenant Joyce Craig, who was fatally injured in December 2014 while battling a wind-whipped house fire. MOSCOW (AP) - Orthodox Christian believers across Russia have crowded into churches to stand shoulder-by-shoulder for Christmas Eve midnight Masses. The Russian Orthodox, like several other Orthodox denominations, observes Christmas on January 7. President Vladimir Putin attended a Mass at the Church of Sts. Simeon and Anna in St. Petersburg, his hometown. State television channels showed a live broadcast of the Mass from Moscow's enormous and elaborate Christ the Savior Cathedral. The church was demolished during Josef Stalin's dictatorship, but reconstructed after the 1991 collapse of the Soviet Union. Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev attended the Mass at Christ the Savior. TORONTO (AP) - The Toronto Blue Jays acquired infielder Yangervis Solarte from the San Diego Padres on Saturday for prospects Edward Olivares and Jared Carkuff. The 30-year-old Solarte hit .255 with 18 homers and 64 RBIs in 128 games last season for the Padres. He made his big league debut with the New York Yankees in 2014. The 21-year-old Olivares hit .269 with 17 home runs, 72 RBIs and 20 stolen bases in 120 Class A games with Lansing and Dunedin this year. From Venezuela, he signed with Toronto as an international free agent in 2014. FILE - In this Sept. 25, 2017, file photo, San Diego Padres third baseman Yangervis Solarte holds on to the ball after catching a line drive hit by Los Angeles Dodgers' Cody Bellinger during the fifth inning of a baseball game in Los Angeles. The Toronto Blue Jays acquired Solarte from the Padres on on Saturday, Jan 6, 2018, for prospects Edward Olivares and Jared Carkuff. (AP Photo/Kelvin Kuo, File) Carkuff, 24, was 3-4 with eight saves and a 3.86 ERA in 34 relief appearances between Single-A Vancouver, Lansing and Dunedin and Triple-A Buffalo last season. He was selected by Toronto in the 35th round of the June 2016 draft out of Austin Peay. Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan has faced protests over press freedom and the deteriorating state of human rights in his country as he arrived in Paris for talks with French leader Emmanuel Macron. The trip is Mr Erdogans first to France since his governments crackdown on suspected opponents following a failed coup in July 2016. About 50,000 people have been arrested and 110,000 others were removed from public sector jobs in Turkey. #Erdogan in #Paris: Mr. President, #journalism is not terrorism, criticism is not terrorism either. A journalist has nothing to do in prison and yet there are more than 100 in your prisons. pic.twitter.com/K3FQMJMs4l RSF (@RSF_inter) January 5, 2018 Roughly 30 activists from watchdog group Reporters Without Borders held images of jailed journalists outside the Turkish Embassy. A dozen demonstrators, mainly ethnic Kurds, later tried to reach the presidential Elysee palace, but police pushed them back onto a side street. The French Communist Party and several left-wing parties have criticised Mr Erdogans visit to France, which came the day before the fifth anniversary of the slayings in Paris of three Kurdish women activists. Kurds demonstrate in Paris The French judicial system had pointed out Turkish secret services involvement in this crime, the Communist Party said in a statement. Mr Macron is expected to raise the issue of media freedom with his Turkish counterpart. The two presidents also are set to discuss Turkeys relationship with the European Union, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and the war in Syria. Mr Erdogan defended his country as before all else, a state of law. Erdogan and Macron In a joint news conference with the Turkish leader, Mr Macron said he had asked Mr Erdogan about specific cases from a list provided by watchdog group Reporters Without Borders. Mr Erdogan said the judicial system in Turkey is independent, but that he would give Turkeys justice minister names from the cases in question to seek information about their status. At a meeting chaired by our president Recep Tayyip Erdogan with business representatives in the French capital of Paris, we reiterated how much of a safe country Turkey has become for international investments.@RT_Erdogan pic.twitter.com/JykJXYzdHs Mevlut Cavusoglu (@MevlutCavusoglu) January 5, 2018 He said Turkey is fighting numerous enemies inside the country, from the Islamic State group to the outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party. Mr Erdogan said terrorism doesnt create itself alone, and declared that ideologues must be fought. Police are seeking the publics help to trace the movements of a man whose body was found on New Years Eve. Kyle Hudson, 28, was found dead outside a property on Darby Way, in Bishops Lydeard, near Taunton, Somerset at 10.20am. Avon and Somerset Police said a post-mortem examination has been carried out and Mr Hudsons death was not being treated as suspicious at this time. Kyle Hudson was found dead outside a property in Bishops Lydeard, near Taunton (Avon and Somerset Police/PA) Were appealing for help to trace the movements of Kyle Hudson, 28, whose body was found in Bishop's Lydeard on New Years Eve. Kyle's death is not being treated as suspicious but were keen to speak to anyone who saw him on 31/12. More here - https://t.co/Y2E2fzJTha pic.twitter.com/AYexH2TrbF Avon and Somerset Police (@ASPolice) January 6, 2018 Officers wish to speak to anyone who saw Mr Hudson in the hours before his body was found. Detective Inspector Angela Burtonwood said: Kyles family are being fully supported and kept updated on the progress of our inquiry. Our thoughts continue to be with them during this difficult time. Were releasing a photograph of Kyle in the hope that someone recognises him and remembers seeing him early on December 31. Were you in Bishops Lydeard that morning? Did you see or speak to Kyle? Kyles phone is also missing and is something wed like to trace. If you found a black iPhone 7 in the vicinity of Darby Way, or remember seeing one discarded please get in touch. Gunmen have killed at least 13 people in Senegal as they gathered firewood in the forest, the military said. It was the worst attack in years in the West African nations restive southern region, where a separatist insurgency has dragged on for more than three decades. The bloodshed sparked fears of renewed unrest in the area, which had been relatively calm for the last few years. (PA) Colonel Abdoul Ndiaye said seven other people were wounded in the massacre four miles (seven kilometres) outside the town of Ziguinchor, and the military stepped up its presence near there. Casamance is separated from the rest of Senegal by the nation of Gambia. While no immediate claim of responsibility was made, suspicion fell on the separatist group founded in 1982 known as the Movement of Democratic Forces of Casamance. The armed wing of the group had agreed a ceasefire in 2014, and the last major attack blamed on the group was in 2013 when rebels took 12 employees of a South African bomb disposal firm hostage. The victims, all Senegalese citizens, were eventually released. Saturdays deaths came just hours after the release of two prisoners belonging to the separatist group following negotiations that were mediated by the Community of SantEgidio. The separatists have long argued that their region is culturally distinct from the rest of Senegal and has suffered from inattentive governments in the countrys capital, Dakar. ADEN, Jan 6 (Reuters) - The chief of staff of the Yemeni army has been injured by a land mine that went off while he was visiting the northern al-Jouf province, where heavy fighting between government forces and Houthi fighters is underway, a senior government official said. The official said Brigadier General Taher al-Aqeeli suffered minor injuries in the explosion, which happened on Friday while he was inspecting government positions in Khub wa al-Sha'af, the largest district in al-Jouf province. Forces loyal to exiled President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi's government captured most of the district in heavy fighting with the Houthis last month. Anti-Houthi forces, backed by a Saudi-led coalition, have intensified an offensive against the Iran-aligned group that controls most of northern Yemen since former President Ali Abdullah Saleh was killed after he switched sides in Yemen's nearly three-year-old civil war. The Houthis, who killed Saleh after they surrounded his compound in Sanaa, accused the former president of trying to sow sedition in the country. Saleh's General People's Congress party accused the Houthis of trying to monopolise running the country. The Houthis said Aqeeli and several of his aides were injured in the blast, describing Aqeeli's injuries as serious. Hadi appointed Aqeeli last September, replacing Major General Mohammed al-Maqdeshi, who was appointed as a presidential adviser. The United Arab Emirates news agency WAM reported earlier this week that local Yemeni fighters in the southwest, backed by Emirati forces, killed dozens of armed Houthi group members and cut one of their main supply routes to the country's third largest city of Taiz. The Houthis, who have swept across Yemen since 2014 and overthrew Hadi's internationally-recognised government in 2015, hold the capital Sanaa and much of northern Yemen, where most of the country's 25 million people live. The conflict - widely seen as a proxy war between regional rivals Saudi Arabia and Iran - has displaced more than 2 million people, caused a cholera epidemic and pushed the country to the brink of famine. At least 10,000 people have been killed. (Writing by Sami Aboudi; Editing by Mark Potter) DUBAI, Jan 6 (Reuters) - The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) has called on Saudi Arabia to release a local journalist who was reportedly arrested this week after criticising the government. Saudi activists and media reported that Saleh al-Shehi, a columnist for Arabic-language daily al-Watan, was detained on Wednesday over various articles and television appearances, including one in which he accused the royal court of corruption in distributing land. Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who has launched reforms over the past two years to foster economic diversity and cultural openness, ordered the arrest of more than 200 people, including princes, ministers and billionaires, last year. He said he was going after corruption but critics saw the move as a consolidation of power. Resistance to his economic agenda and assertive foreign policy has been treated harshly, according to civil liberties monitors, who say freedom of expression is increasingly constrained. "Despite promises of reform and moderation from Saudi Arabia's emerging leadership, it is clear from Saleh al-Shehi's arrest that repression as usual continues," Sherif Mansour, CPJ's Middle East and North Africa programme coordinator, said in a statement late on Friday. "Saudi authorities must release al-Shehi immediately, and Saudi leaders should ensure that the press is able to freely report on all issues of public interest." The government's Center for International Communication did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Reuters could not independently confirm that Shehi had been arrested. (Reporting by Dubai Newsroom; Editing by Mark Potter) GOSLAR, Germany, Jan 6 (Reuters) - Germany and Turkey's foreign ministers on Saturday agreed to pull out all the stops to improve ties that have soured due to disputes over Ankara's post-coup crackdown and the arrests of German citizens in Turkey, but they stressed differences remain. Meeting in an ornate imperial palace in central Germany, the pair said they were keen to make amends after falling out as Ankara rounded up suspected supporters of a failed 2016 coup, a comedian mocked Turkey's president and a German-Turkish journalist was detained without charge. German Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel pointed to historic links between the countries including the role Turkish guest workers played in rebuilding Germany after World War Two, Turkey's hospitality in taking in German refugees during the Nazi era and the 3 million-strong Turkish community here. "We've both made it our business to do everything we can to overcome the difficulties there have been in German-Turkish relations and to find more common ground in the future by remembering everything that binds us together," Gabriel said. German politicians have been outspoken critics of Turkey's post-coup crackdown, in which some 50,000 people have been arrested pending trial and 150,000, including teachers, judges and soldiers, have been sacked or suspended from their jobs. Turkey says the crackdown, targeting alleged supporters of a Muslim network it blames for the coup, is necessary on security grounds. Ankara has criticized Germany's refusal to hand over asylum seekers it says were involved in the failed putsch. Adding to the tension, the German government believes seven Germans, of whom four have dual citizenship, are being held in prison in Turkey for political reasons. But in a sign of recovering relations, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said the NATO allies believed they could overcome recent escalations in tension through dialogue. Cavusoglu said Turkey and Germany shared similar views on conflict-hit Middle East countries and they were cooperating on humanitarian issues like migration. During a working lunch on Saturday, he and Gabriel would discuss steps they can take together in future, Cavusoglu said. THORNY ISSUES But the pair acknowledged areas of disagreement. Cavusoglu said one bone of contention was whether Turkey should be allowed to join the European Union - a move that Germany opposes - but he sounded a conciliatory note. "There is benefit in pushing our disagreements aside and continuing on our path. We should focus on issues that serve as win-win for our countries, like the Customs Union," he said. One of the disputes between Berlin and Ankara centres around the arrest of Deniz Yucel, a reporter for German newspaper Die Welt. Turkish authorities accuse him of spreading propaganda for the outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK). He denies the charge. Gabriel said he had discussed thorny issues including Yucel's case with Cavusoglu but did not give details. Germany is Turkey's biggest trade partner but exports from Europe's largest economy to Turkey dropped by 5.9 percent year-on-year in the first nine months of 2017. Gabriel told magazine Der Spiegel on Friday Germany had refused to authorise "a large number of arms exports" to Turkey and that would remain the case until Yucel's case was resolved. But on Saturday he said the German government would consider whether to deliver mine protection gear for armoured vehicles in Turkey, an issue not linked to arrests, he said. (Reporting by Reuters Television; additional reporting by Ece Toksabay in Ankara; Writing by Michelle Martin; Editing by Ros Russell) By Hani Amara TRIPOLI, Jan 6 (Reuters) - Nigeria is starting flights to evacuate thousands of its citizens from Libya which will continue until all those wanting to return home have done so, its foreign minister said on Saturday. Nigerians have recently been the largest national group among African migrants travelling to Libya and trying to cross from there to Italy by sea. Since local armed factions and Libya's coastguard began blocking more migrants from leaving in July last year, large numbers have been trapped in Libya, where they often face dire conditions and abuse, including forced labour. The International Organization for Migration (IOM) has in recent months accelerated a "voluntary returns" programme to repatriate migrants from a number of countries. Nigeria now joins Niger in organising bilateral returns. "The main objective, and we're very focused on that objective, is to get these Nigerian citizens back home as quickly as possible," Nigerian Foreign Minister Geoffrey Onyema told reporters during a visit to Tripoli. "Our president has made available all the resources necessary to repatriate all the Nigerians here. "We have two planes arriving today and God willing we are hoping to evacuate anything up to 800 Nigerians today." Nigeria had been expecting to fly back about 5,500 migrants, Onyema said, but the situation on the ground made the actual number hard to ascertain. "Some of the difficulties with getting precise numbers is that some are within the control of the central government in camps, some are clearly outside the camps, some are also in less accessible areas where there might not be full central government control and authority," he said. Facilitating voluntary returns could also be complicated by lack of access, Onyema said. Criminals involved in smuggling and trafficking migrants "also (have) an interest that a number of them should not be repatriated, because these represent economic assets for them". Libya has been in turmoil since a 2011 uprising, with rival governments and armed factions vying for power. Onyema was hosted by the internationally recognised government in Tripoli, which has struggled to assert its authority on the ground. Slightly fewer than half as many migrants reached Europe by sea in 2017 than 2016, the IOM said on Friday, largely due to a drop in numbers crossing from Libya. (Writing by Aidan Lewis; Editing by Angus MacSwan) Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Kono has visited the port of Colombo in Sri Lanka on Friday. Kono was briefed by Sri Lankan government officials about a project under consideration to expand the port. It is the largest port in Sri Lanka, which is a strategically important point in Indian Ocean sea lanes. The Japanese government has been involved in building port facilities there for many years. Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force destroyers on a counter-piracy mission off Somalia have made calls at the port. The Japanese government wants to promote cooperation for the port expansion project. China is increasing involvement in port development in Sri Lanka. Before the port visit, Kono told reporters that projects to build ports and other infrastructure should be open to any country.(NHK World) AFP: Qatar has approved legislation allowing 100-percent ownership for foreign investors in most sectors of the economy in a bid to boost non-energy revenues, the government said this week. The move comes at a time of political crisis in the Gulf, with Qatar under an economic and diplomatic boycott by neighbouring countries for the past seven months. It is also an attempt by Qatar, the third largest economy in the Gulf, to secure new revenues to finance a budget deficit due to the slump in oil prices since mid-2014. Overseas investors will be able to fully own businesses in almost all economic sectors but they are not allowed to purchase real estate or own franchises, according to the ministry of economy and trade. To invest in the banking and insurance sectors, foreigners need to secure a special permit from the government, the law states. Currently, foreign investors can own up to 49 percent of companies listed on Qatars stock exchange in accordance with a law passed in 2014. The new law was approved at the cabinets weekly meeting on Wednesday. The draft law aims to increase tax revenues, protect foreign and local investors and boost Qatars status in global economic indicators, according to a statement by the ministry. It is not yet clear when the draft law will come into force. The move is the latest attempt by Qatar, the worlds largest exporter of liquefied natural gas, to secure new revenues since the Gulf crisis took hold. Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Egypt severed ties with Qatar in June, accusing it of links to extremist groups and being too close to Shiite Iran, Riyadhs regional arch-rival. Doha has denied the charges. Qatar has increased business with existing trade partners outside the region, announced plans to produce more gas and sought new markets, most recently in West Africa. Gordy said: This argument doesn't really make sense when the Palestinians don't even have the ability or capacity to commit genocide against Jews. If occupation is the only way to solve the "Palestinian problem", then why hasn't it solved it? Click to expand... Their hope to annihilate Israel, the Palestinian always relay mainly on powerful external antisemitic assistance. First, these external anti-Zionists were Turkish Caliphs (Sultans) and Turkish officials, then British colonial empire, Hitler, one more time Britons, Arab nationalists, Nasser, USSR, Saddam Hussein, Iranian Ayatollahs, Western Left, Western mainstream, United Europe, one more time Jihadis, one more time Turkey etc etc.The quarrel between FATAH and HAMAS over external assistance and external money is just who is better for the Palestinians. HAMAS relaid on the "circle of Islam". FATAH relaid first on Arab nationalists, then on the worldwide secular antisemites, that is, the UN majority, and currently on World corporations like Facebook, Google, automotive corporations, banks etc. Last HAMAS Charter reflects HAMAS' attempt to get assistance from worldwide secular antisemites, too.Simultaneously, HAMAS is building its own military power in Gaza. Underground fortresses and tunnels enable HAMAS' military to rescue themselves from air strikes, rocket and artillery fire, to change quickly places of rocket launching and to attack IDF suddenly from underground. HAMAS' rocket arsenal is growing in numbers and in quality, they learn more advanced methods, but don't resign from using massive "population shield". That is continue turning the Gaza people victims of Israeli counter-strikes, which is the core of propaganda and basis of antisemitic assistance from abroad. Actually, entire World assists HAMAS military, which is strengthening its power and political influence.Until World gives the assistance to the Palestinians, they are unready to reconciliation with Israel. Tramp's idea is to take from the Palestinians their hope for annihilation of Israel, even with antisemitic assistance from abroad.The israeli occupation of the West Bank prevents Gaza scenario extended to whole Palestine. The more you help Palestine, the more Israel needs occupation of the West Bank. The alternative is genocide of the Jews. Strangely, the occupation turned means to achieve peace. Bengaluru: Former Infosys Chief Financial Officer V Balakrishnan on Saturday praised the company's co-founder Nandan Nilekani for correcting the 'wrongdoings' committed by previous board, by fixing a reasonable salary for the incumbent CEO. "I think the board under Nandan has done the right thing to correct the previous wrongdoings.. The salary structure for the current Chief Executive Officer Salil Parekh looks reasonable with a large part tied to variable salary with greater focus on long-term retention," he told PTI here. Balakrishnan said it is important for the board to clearly articulate the performance metrics for the vesting of variable salaries to senior management. "The metrics should have clear focus on increasing shareholders' value by achieving superior growth.. If the board wants to exercise any discretion it should be explained to the shareholders with proper reasoning," he said. Infosys has fixed Parekh's salary at Rs 6.5 crores with an eligibility for variable pay of Rs 9.75 crores at the end of the 2018-2019 fiscal year. Elaborating on the 'wrongdoings' by the previous board, Balakrishnan said, "unfortunately, it never clearly understood the culture or value systems followed by Infosys under its founders, which resulted in excessive senior management salaries and a huge disconnect with rest of the organisation." "The former CEO's (Vishal Sikka) salary was increased substantially without clear reason while the rest of the organisation had to contend with meager salary hikes and reduced variable compensation," he added. The USD 20 billion target by 2020 was loosely used to justify the pay increase to the CEO that lacked conviction, Balakrishnan alleged. Recalling N R Narayana Murthy's views, he said excess in capitalism will make the acceptance of capitalism difficult to a large sections of the society. "The CEO compensation should be reasonable enough to attract top talent while at the same time be comparable with peer group companies," the company's former CFO said. "It should also reflect the realities within the organization otherwise selling it internally will be difficult," he added. Balakrishnan also said when the founders ran the company, the senior management salaries were reasonable enough to attract top talent and were never considered excessive. Also, in difficult times, the leadership took the pain before it being passed on to rest of the organisation, he added. "Leadership by example was practiced both in substance and form," Balakrishnan said. He also said, "As a shareholder, I want the board to be restructured quickly with some members who were part of the earlier dispensation like the erstwhile co-chairman (Ravi Venkatesan) and audit committee chairman (Roopa Kudva) be replaced." An effective board is the need of the hour to establish proper checks and balances that was lacking in the earlier dispensation, Balakrishnan said. Airline is offering a one-way ticket in the Delhi-Chennai sector at Rs 3,099 and in the Chennai-Port Blair sector at Rs 3,699. Mumbai: Private carrier Vistara on Friday announced expansion of its network by entering the Delhi Chennai sector with two daily flights and a direct service between Chennai and Port Blair, from February 15 and March respectively. The Tatas and Singapore Airlines-promoted Vistara said these two flights increase its network to 22 cities and the bookings are already open on these new sectors. While the Delhi-Chennai operations will begin from February 15, the one between Chennai and Port Blair will be starting from March 1, the airline said in a statement. The airline is offering a one-way ticket in the Delhi-Chennai sector at Rs 3,099 and in the Chennai-Port Blair sector at Rs 3,699. Within three years of operations, Vistara has expanded to 22 cities offering over 700 weekly flights, operated by a fleet of 17 Airbus A320s. Since the launch full service, the airline has ferried more than 7 million customers. Sidharth Malhotra is on cloud nine. The actor, towards the end of last year, performed to some foot tapping numbers of Amitabh Bachchan at an event. What made it better for Sid was that Big B, his childhood hero, was sitting in the front row at the show, watching him dance to his tunes. It was a wonderful feeling indeed, smiles Sidharth. When the event was organised, I didnt have any dates for it. But I didnt wish to miss the opportunity of performing on these exuberant dance numbers, that too in front of Amitabh, and got my dates adjusted. He recalls, I also said a few words for him, and I saw him turn emotional; he was very touched. He spoke to me too later, and asked me how I remembered all those steps to the song in one go. The actor says he had sleepless nights when Amitabh praised him. Some of my friends told me that Amitabh said that its good I wasnt around during his time or Id have grabbed his characters! This, coming from a legend that has enjoyed such stardom made me emotional, signs off Sid. Jaipur: Shri Rajput Karni Sena chief Lokendra Singh Kalvi on Friday called upon the community members to gather in Chittorgarh on January 27, and push for a complete ban on the controversial Sanjay Leela Bhansali film 'Padmavati'. "Members of the Rajput community will gather in Chittorgarh on January 27 to give a clear message that the sacrifice of Rani Padmavati has not gone in vain. Anyone who supports our call of banning the film can join us in Chittorgarh," Kalvi said at a press conference here. He said that they will not let the film be released at any cost. A panel that reviewed the film in a special screening has expressed the view that some of the facts presented in the film can upset the Rajputs and the Muslims, but the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) chief has ignored that, he added. Kalvi said that it was high time the Centre and the state government set an example by not allowing the film to release. He said that Bhansali had earlier maintained that the film was based on history, later he said it was a period drama and now he has said that it was fiction. "Till now, he has not been able to clarify his point," he added. On December 30, the CBFC, headed by Prasoon Joshi, had announced that the Ranveer Singh-Deepika Padukone-starrer 'Padmavati' would be given a U/A certificate, and suggested that the director change the film's title to 'Padmavat'. It had also suggested certain modifications in the disclaimer of the film, making it clear that it did not glorify the practice of 'Sati', and relevant changes in the song, 'Ghoomar', to befit the character portrayed in it. The CBFC had clarified that the U/A certificate would be issued to the film once the modifications were carried out, and the final material was submitted. The film got stuck in a controversy after various Rajput groups alleged that it distorted history, a claim repeatedly denied by Bhansali. As the anti-Padmavati protests spread across various states, the film's December 1 release was deferred as it did not have a clearance from the censor board. Mumbai: Aishwarya Rai Bachchan might not have established herself back in Bollywood completely, but that doesnt stop the actress from getting interesting roles. After Fanne Khan with Anil Kapoor and Rajkummar Rao, Ash has now been roped in for Nargis 1967 film Raat Aur Dins remake. The actress is playing a double role, which means she will have to put double of her efforts and time, for which she will be charging a whopping amount of Rs. 10 crore. The producers however have no qualms with that whatsoever. "Since Aishwarya has a double role, the film will require extensive preparation. It will be a time-consuming project, which means she will have to let go of the other films that come her way. The fee she has quoted is fair. The producers have agreed to the amount without any negotiation," a source told mid-day. The source adds, "The makers have discussed the tribute film with Sanjay. Since Aishwarya has wrapped up her parts for 'Fanne Khan', she will start prepping for the film soon. Though trade insiders are squirming at the possibility of a 44-year-old female actor walking home with a fat pay cheque, producer Prernaa Arora believes that Ash is putting a lot at stake for her film, and the fee is warranted." Anju Nair belongs to that eclectic class of artistes who very well manages both big and small screens with the ease of an acrobat. The everyday face in Ayalathe Sundari, Krishna teacher, does not mind, no matter big or small, to show up in big screen when opportunities beckon. She who played wife to Mukesh in Kattumakkan, Rajasenan in Wound and Dileesh Pothen in Pokkiri Simon. She has completed her fourth outing, in Asif Ali starrer B.Tech., again in the role of a better half, paired opposite V.K. Prakash this time. On completion, she anticipates the biggest pie in her career, acting in Ramesh Pisharodys debut directorial, Panchavarnathatha as a jealous neighbour to Jayaram. Soon after B.Tech, Id move on to the sets of Panchavarnathatha. There is something different to do in this film from what I have done before. The film keeps high hopes for me in 2018, she says. Once the conversation gathers momentum do we realise, she is more than what is seen on screen. An active theatre person is co-partner to an oil and gas company in the Middle East, with a high-flying professional profile to boot. Back in Abu Dhabi, I used to take part in events, TV programmes and do modelling as well. That was when I got an invite to act through an event management team, she narrates how Kattumakkan came to her in 2016. Somewhere in between, she had a tryst with theatre donning greasepaint in Bhagnabhavanam, a play by theatre veteran N. Krishna Pillai. It was an old play recreated for the present day. I studied a lot to portray the lady lead in it and people accepted it, she says. Before Ayalathe Sundari happened, Anju had a role in Madhupals tele-serial Kaligandaki. So she has no remorse accepting that acting has its worth irrespective of the medium. Ayalathe Sundari is a K.K. Rajeev project, becoming a part of it is equivalent to acting in cinema. My focus is entirely on cinema anyways, she clears. Theres a way, Anju has mastered over the years to keep cool while flitting across diverse media and different nations. Our availability matters to grab roles in television. When I am busy acting, my business partner would look after the firm aboard, she says. Do you remember the little boy from Poland, Zbigniew Acharya Chertlur aka Bujji, who has constantly been in the news for his impeccable rendition of Telugu songs from time to time? Well, hes back again and Pawan Kalyan has noticed him. The actor, who has never acknowledged or replied to any post on social media, was not only impressed with Bujjis rendition of the song Kodaka Koteshwara Rao from his upcoming film Agnyaathavaasi, but he also responded to him saying he loved his work. Zbigniew Acharya Chertlur Dear zbigsbujji, My dear little friend Thankyou for your New Year gift. Your message has reached me.May God bless you! - Pawan Kalyan (sic), the star responded, much to the delight of the little boy. Speaking to us about the same, Sharat Chertluru, father of the eight-year-old boy, shares, Zbigniew doesnt know Telugu but learns songs very well! He learnt this one in half an hour. Its exciting that such a huge star has acknowledged my sons work. Bujji himself is unable to believe this has really happened and keeps checking the tweet again and again. It looks like actor Ravi Teja has decided to work without any breaks. Earlier, the 49-year-old actor would begin a new film only after the release of an ongoing film. However, this time, he has started shooting for another project even before his Touch Chesi Choodu has hit the screens. Directed by Kalyan Krishna of Soggade Chinni Nayana fame, Ravi is presently shooting for his next in Hyderabad. Notably, Kalyan was initially supposed to work on a sequel called Bangarraju with Nagarjuna, but since the actor is busy, the director decided to take up the Ravi Teja starrer. Its a family entertainer and the role is going to be another good one for Ravi Tejas career, says a source in the know. The actor even posted a group picture on his Twitter account to say that shoot has begun. The film will be introducing a new face, Malvika Sharma as the female lead. Ravis Touch Chesi Choodu is all set to hit screens on February 27. Meghan Markle won't be borrowing from the Queen's royal collection until she's officially part of the family. (Alexi Lubomirski/ AP) While she has been sporting a ring made from Princess Dis own diamonds since November, Meghan Markle won't be borrowing from the Queen's royal collection until she's officially part of the family. The bride-to-be has been welcomed into the fold with unprecedented speed ever since Prince Harry, 33, got down on one knee, but it seems access to the monarch's jewels is a privilege Meghan, 36, will have to wait for. The royal jewels is reserved solely for members of the Royal family and married women. While the Duchess of Cambridge, 35, is now often seen wearing tiaras at state dinners and other formal occasions, it was only after she and Prince William exchanged vows in 2011 that she was allowed to borrow the Queen's jewels. The same rule will apply to Meghan who is set to marry Prince Harry on the 19 May at St George's Chapel at Windsor Castle. According to Diana Mather, a senior tutor for The English Manner etiquette consultancy, the tradition dates back centuries to when only married women were allowed to wear tiaras, signifying that they were taken. Speaking to BBC, she said that flashy diamonds and tiaras are not worn during the day, and only married ladies wear tiaras. The Duchess of Cambridge first wore a tiara on her wedding day in April 2011, when the Queen loaned her the Cartier Halo Scroll tiara. The 1000-piece diamond tiara was initially bought in 1936 as an anniversary gift from King George VI to his wife in 1936, and it is thought Meghan will also wear this tiara when she ties the knot in Windsor in May. Since then, Kate has worn a tiara just five times. In 2013, the Duchess wore a tiara for the first time since her marriage when she arrived for a diplomatic reception at Buckingham Palace wearing the Queen Mother's fan-motif tiara, more commonly known as the Lotus Flower tiara. A favourite of Princess Margaret during the later years of her life, the jewels were first configured as a necklace before being turned into the exquisite headpiece. In December 2016, the Duchess wore a tiara that beloved of Princess Diana, the Cambridge Lover's Knot, to Buckingham Palace's annual Diplomatic Reception in December 2016. The tiara was passed down from Queen Mary, to Queen Elizabeth II, to Princess Diana, and was kept in a safe at Buckingham Palace after her 1997 death before it was handed to Kate. The duchess wore the tiara again in July 2017 when she attended the State banquet in honour of King Felipe and Queen Letizia of Spain. Its last outing was just last month, when Kate, who is expecting her third child in April, once again wore the tiara to the annual Diplomatic Reception. It has emerged that Roberto had revealed to his psychiatrist that he had began enlarging his penis since he was a teenager. (Photo: Pixabay) Roberto Esquivel Cabrera, from Saltillo, Mexico, gained worldwide attention on his appendage after claiming that it is 18.9 inches long - making it the largest in the world. However, if a doctor is to be believed, the Mexican can just be making tall tales, with suggestions his member is only six inches long. Radiologist Dr Jesus Pablo Gil Muro, who has examined Roberto, threw the world record claims into doubt when he said the man refused to take off all the bandages and would not let him see the skin. Dr Muro said that when he went to him to do a CT scan, his first impression was that it was a unique and unusual case. Becoming suspicious, he conducted a CT scan and found that there is a very large foreskin which goes just before the knee. "But the penis itself is about 16 to 18cm from the pubis, he said, adding, The rest of the tissue found there is just foreskin, blood vessels, and some inflammation of the skin. It then emerged that Roberto had revealed to his psychiatrist that he had began enlarging his penis since he was a teenager. It is understood 54-year-old Roberto has been stretching it with weights since he was a teenager. The claims have sent quivers through the world record community, particularly after the man with the second largest penis in the world argued Robertos todger was not what it made out to be. Jonah Falcon, 47, who claims to have a 13.5inch penis, says the fact that Roberto Esquivel Cabrera used weights means his claim is not real. Chennai: A 29-year-old woman was run over by a road-roller near Chengalpet on Thursday night. The victim was identified as R. Rukmani, of Kottimangalam village in Kancheepuram district. On Thursday evening, she was riding pillion with her husband Ranganathan on a motorcycle when the incident happened, police sources said. The couple were riding towards Chengalpet from Kottimangalam. Since road-laying works were underway near Nemmeli, Ranganathan chose to ride his bike along the side of the road when he lost control. The couple suffered a fall. While the man fell to his right, the woman fell to her left and in the process came under the wheels of a road-roller engaged in road-laying works there. She was crushed to death on the spot, police said. Chengalpet taluk police registered a case and moved the womans body to the government general hospital for autopsy. Hunt is on for the driver of the road-roller vehicle, police said. Hyderabad: The West Zone task force arrested four men for possessing opium and seized 5 kg contraband from them. The arrested were identified as Mohammed Masood Ahmed, 39, Arif Khan, 25, Shaik Taj, 33, and Syed Hashim Hussain alias Imran, 42. Officials nabbed the gang when they arrived to deliver the drugs to customers near Victoria Hotel in Tolichowki. A car and three cell phones were also recovered from them. Masood Ahmed arranged the contraband with the help of D. Satyanand Vardhan alias Satyam. The accused hatched a plan to sell the contraband for Rs 4 lakh per kg in the city. He sought the help of Arif Khan, Syed Hashim and Shaik Taj to sell it for a commission, said P. Radha Kishan Rao, DCP, commissioners task force. On Friday, while the gang arrived at Tolichowki to sell the stash to customers, the police apprehended them and handed them over to the Golconda police. Feeling that her husband had become an obstacle for her extramarital affair, a 24-year-old woman along with her paramour killed her husband at Karmanghat. Hyderabad: Feeling that her husband had become an obstacle for her extramarital affair, a 24-year-old woman along with her paramour killed her husband at Karmanghat and dumped his body in a lake at Choutuppal. The police arrested Jyothi, her paramour and three others in the case. A video in which one of the suspects, Naresh, narrates his role in the murder and the call data analysis of Jyothis paramour, Karthik, helped the police solve the murder mystery, which was earlier registered as a suspicious death case at the Choutuppal police station. Last Sunday, the body of an unidentified man was found near NH 65 at Ankireddygudem village. Based on a contact number, the police identified him as Kammari Nagaraju, 35, a carpenter from Karmanghat. After Nagarajus brother expressed suspicion on Jyothi, the police started the inquiry and the CDR analysis revealed that Jyothi had called Karthik many times. Mr E. Ramachandra Reddy, DCP Bhongir Yadari, said that Karthik and Jyothi were in relation before she got married to Nagaraju in 2012. Two months ago, she got Karthiks contact number and their relation began again. However, they felt Nagaraju was an obstacle for their illicit relationship and hatched a plan to kill him. On Sunday, Jyothi laced milk with sleeping pills and made Nagaraju drink it. After he fell asleep, she called Karthik, who along with his friends, Bismilla Khan, 19, Nadiyal Gourav, 24 and Sirrappa Naresh, 23, came to her house in a car. They smothered Nagaraju with a pillow and killed him. Later, they dumped his body near the highway. Chennai: A 34-year-old man from Tamil Nadu has been arrested in the United States of America after a woman co-passenger on a flight complained of being sexually assaulted by him while asleep. Prabhu Ramamoorthy, according to his Facebook profile hails from Vellakoil in Thanjavur district and did his engineering at a private college in Chennai. He has been working in USA as a project manager with a private firm for the past two and half years. He allegedly groped a 22-year-old woman who was seated next to him on a Spirit Airlines flight from Las Vegas to Detroit, which landed on January 3, according to the Washington Post. Prabhus wife was also travelling with him. He had been charged with aggravated sexual abuse and held without bail after the flight landed. According to various US media reports, the victim claimed that she woke up to find her pants and shirt unbuttoned and his hands inside her pants, while his wife was seated next to him. US media quoted federal prosecutor Amanda Jawad as saying that Prabhu was seated between his wife and the victim and continued assaulting her until she woke up and went to report the incident to flight attendants. In a written statement, Ramamoorthy claimed that he had taken a pill and fallen asleep. He rubbished the victims claims, saying he had learned from his wife that the woman was sleeping on his knees. According to a report, judge Steven Whalen said, It seems that shes either colluding with the defendant to cover up his actions or shes completely oblivious to what he did. Jawad argued, What makes this offence, particularly egregious and the defendant even more of a danger to the community is the fact that it took place on an aeroplane. He was brazen enough to do this basically in public, next to his wife where anyone could have seen him, calling the incident a very unusual case. He ordered Ramamoorthy to be held pending trial following the prosecutors argument that Ramamoorthy was a flight risk and a potential danger to others around him. Ramamoorthys lawyer Richard ONeill offered to turn in Ramamoorthys passport and said, There have been no allegations from anywhere that his behaviour has ever been inappropriate prior to this incident. Sub-Inspector N. Jayaram of Saroornagar said the police was verifying the evidences and would take forward the investigation. (Representational image) Hyderabad: The dance master and the principal of Sri Chaitanya School at Kothapet under Saroornagar police station limits were booked for allegedly beating a Class IV student for not doing well in dance rehearsals. Saroornagar police sent the girl for medical examination and registered a case against the dance master and the principal. Sub-Inspector N. Jayaram of Saroornagar said the police was verifying the evidences and would take forward the investigation. Meanwhile, Balala Hakkula Sangham alleged that though a number of cases were being registered against teachers for practising corporal punishment, there was no change in their attitude. The court had convicted RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav for offences of cheating, along with criminal conspiracy, under the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and the Prevention of Corruption Act. (Photo: PTI) Ranchi: RJD chief Lalu Prasad, on Saturday, was sentenced to three-and-a-half years in jail by a CBI special court in a fodder scam case relating to fraudulent withdrawal of Rs 89.27 lakh from the Deoghar Treasury 21 years ago. CBI court judge Shiv Pal Singh, who had convicted Prasad, along with 10 others on December 23, also imposed a fine of Rs 10 lakh on him for two cases in the scam. He was fined Rs 5 lakh for each case, failing which he would serve another six months in jail, a CBI counsel said. The court had convicted Prasad for offences of cheating, along with criminal conspiracy, under the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and the Prevention of Corruption Act. Judge Shivpal Singh pronounced the quantum of sentence for Lalu Yadav and other accused, via video conferencing. Soon after the punishment was announced by the court Lalu Yadav twitter account said: "Rather than practicing BJPs Simple Rule - 'Follow us or We will Fix you'. I will die happily fixing myself for Social justice, harmony and equality." Rather than practising BJPs Simple Rule - Follow us or We will Fix you. I will die happily fixing myself for Social justice, harmony & equality. Lalu Prasad Yadav (@laluprasadrjd) January 6, 2018 The RJD went into a huddle immediately after the pronouncement of the sentence. Addressing media after the verdict, Lalu's son and former deputy chief minister of Bihar Tejaswi Yadav said that the party (RJD) would move the High Court after studying the sentence and apply for bail. Lalu's son Tej Pratap said: "We are confident that he (Lalu Yadav) will get bail. We have full faith on judiciary. We are not going to be cowed down." Meanwhile, Janata Dal (United) leader KC Tyagi welcomed the judgement of the court. "This will prove to be a historic decision in Bihar politics. It is the end of a chapter," Tyagi said. Besides Lalu, other convicts include Phool Chand, Mahesh Prasad, Bake Julious, Sunil Kumar, Sushil Kumar, Sudhir Kumar and Raja Ram. The scam is related to withdrawal of Rs 89.27 lakh from the Deogarh Treasury between 1990 and 1994 when Prasad was the chief minister of Bihar. The 69-year-old RJD chief, in a written plea on Friday, had sought leniency from the CBI court citing illness and old age, according to his counsel Chittaranjan Prasad. This is the second fodder scam case in which Lalu Prasad has been jailed. He was sent to prison for five years on September 30, 2013. Prasad was granted bail by the Supreme Court after having spent over two-and-a-half months in jail. (With inputs from PTI.) According to HMDA official, four companies participated in the tender process to lease out Nehru Outer Ring Road to private parties for 20-35 years. Hyderabad: The Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority (HMDA) has roped in LEA Associates South Asia as advisor-cum-technical consultant to lease out the 158-km Nehru Outer Ring Road (ORR) on a Toll-Operate-Transfer (TOT) basis. Besides technical feasibilities, the Canada-based consultant will also look into the financial viability of the project and will submit a report on maintenance and rehabilitation of assets along ORR. According to HMDA official, four companies participated in the tender process to lease out Nehru Outer Ring Road to private parties for 20-35 years. Through the TOT model, the authority is planning to rake in Rs 2,500 crore to Rs 3,000 crore as revenues. The proceeds from the project will be utilised by the state government. The Canada-based consultant will take into account highway design, pavement design, rehabilitation of existing structures and cost estimates, HMDA officials said. It will also study value engineering, quality audit and safety audit in design and implementation. He said as of now the HMDA is offering the operation and maintenance contract on a yearly basis. 14 people were killed in a blaze at Kamala Mills compound in Lower Parel on December 29, 2017. (Photo: PTI) Mumbai: The police on Saturday arrested Yug Pathak, the son of a retired IPS officer and one of the owners of the Mojo's Bistro pub, in connection with the deadly fire at the Kamala Mills compound in Mumbai on December 29, which had claimed 14 lives. Officials from the NM Joshi Marg police station arrested Pathak, the son of retired director general of police and former Pune police commissioner KK Pathak, the police said. On Friday, the Mumbai Fire Brigade, in its preliminary probe report on the fire, which had engulfed Mojo's Bistro and the adjacent "1 Above" pub at the Kamala Mills compound in Lower Parel on December 29, had said the fire possibly started at Mojo's Bistro due to the flying embers from a hookah. Also Read: Kamala Mills inferno: Mojo's Bistro owners booked for culpable homicide The police on Saturday booked Pathak and his partner, Nagpur- based businessman Yug Tulli, under IPC sections 304 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder), 338 (causing grievous hurt by act endangering life and personal safety of others) and other relevant provisions. The police had recorded Pathak's statement in the case earlier. The names of Pathak and Tulli were added to the FIR, which was lodged on December 29 against the owners of "1 Above" -- Kripesh Sanghavi, Jigar Sanghavi and Abhijeet Mankar -- said a police official. "As of now, we have arrested Pathak, while his partner Tulli has been summoned as he is also wanted in the case," senior police inspector, attached to the NM Joshi Marg police station, Ahmed Pathan said. "We will produce Pathak before a court soon," he added. Earlier, the police had arrested two managers of "1 Above" in connection with the fire. The police have also announced a reward of Rs one lakh for any information about the three pub owners, who are on the run. Born as Akhila, she converted to Islam and changed her name to Hadiya before marrying Jahan. (Photo: File) Kochi: The National Investigation Agency probing the 'Kerala Love-Jihad' case on Friday decided to interrogate "some accused" jailed in connection with an Islamic State (ISIS) module case in the state. NIA sources said "some accused" in the 'Kanakamala ISIS module case' knew Shafin Jahan, a Muslim man facing probe into his marriage with Hadiya, a Kerala woman at the centre of the alleged love-jihad case. The sources said they had communicated with Jahan so that the probe agency has "to speak to them to verify true facts." The NIA's Kochi unit had earlier filed two charge sheets before the NIA special court in Kochi against eight people from Kerala and Tamil Nadu in the case relating to a secret meeting by the Kerala-based ISIS module (Omar Al-Hindi ISIS module) at Kanakamala in Kannur. The NIA had in December questioned Jahan, after the Supreme Court gave its nod to it to continue its probe into his marriage with Hadiya and her conversion. Their marriage was annulled by the Kerala High Court in December 2016 after her father alleged that his daughter was being indoctrinated and may be taken to Islamic State territories in Iraq and Syria by extremist Islamic outfits. The Supreme Court in November last year had allowed Hadiya, who was placed under her parents' custody since her marriage was annulled by the High Court, to resume her studies at a homeopathy college in Tamil Nadu's Salem district. Born as Akhila, she converted to Islam and changed her name to Hadiya before marrying Jahan. Chennai: Ordering that the striking workers of state transport corporation should immediately report for duty, the Madras high court on Friday said any worker refraining from attending to work and/or performing duty shall do so at his own risk of the consequences thereof including termination of their services and/or penalization for gross contempt of court. Holding that recourse to lightning strikes and/or flash strikes without notice leads to the consequences of denying the citizens of their right to free movement and is clearly illegal and against public interest, the First Bench comprising Chief Justice Indira Banerjee and Justice Abdul Quddhose restrained the state transport corporation workers and especially the drivers and conductors, from taking recourse to strike. Ordering notice to Central Trade Union (CITU) and All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC) on a PIL from Varaaki, the bench directed the petitioner to implead other Unions after serving notice on them and posted to January 8, further hearing of the case. The bench said the transport corporation workers provide essential public utility services. There can be no doubt that all employees were entitled to legitimately agitate their grievances. However, strike calls on issues such as this to press nominal demands of about Rs 600 per month or so cannot be countenanced. The state was bound to protect the right of free movement of citizens. The rights were ensured by the State through a machinery of functionaries including the transport corporation workers. Moreover, innumerable office-goers, students and other service providers avail public transport to attend to their duties. Disruption of transport services would affect students, as also other forms of services, the bench added. The bench said this petition has been filed by way of PIL seeking appropriate orders for restoration of public transport services, which have been disrupted by reason of a flash strike by transport corporation workers, pursuant to a call of by some workers Unions. In the petition, it was stated that the CITU and AITUC as also 34 other unions were negotiating settlement of disputes with regard to wages and pension payable to the transport corporation employees of the state. In the petition, it was stated that the government has agreed to 2.44 per cent increase, whereas workers unions were demanding 2.57 per cent increase. The difference was only 0.13 per cent. However, without prior intimation or information, at about 6.30 p.m. on January 4, the transport corporation workers announced flash strike leaving thousands of commuters stranded. The drivers, it was alleged, parked their buses along roads in a haphazard manner affecting movement of other vehicles and causing traffic snarls. In some areas, passengers were forced to get off the buses midway. In some parts of the city, passengers blocked the road protesting against the frequency of buses, which also obstructed traffic, the bench added. The bench said advocate general submitted that wage settlement talks were going on and 11 to 12 sitting have been held. A settlement has also been signed by 32 Unions on January 4. However, 14 Unions refused to sign the settlement. The settlement talks also finalized increase of the scale of pay from Rs 6,900 to Rs 17,700 for new entrants as drivers by merger of grade and similarly for all other categories using a specified factor. For employees who entered service after 2013 and up to 2016, it was decided to give a special increment of 3 per cent. This would benefit 32,000 employees. The average expenditure to the government would be Rs 24 crore per annum. It was stated that this has been the highest increase compared to previous settlements, the bench added. Jaipur: Reel life Dabang - Salman Khan, on Friday, received a death threat from real life Dabang Gangster Lawrence Bishnoi. Lawrence Bishnoi is leader of one of the top crime gangs of Punjab and prime accused in murder of a Jodhpur-based businessman. "Salman Khan will be killed here, in Jodhpur. Then he will come to know about our real identity," he told media while being taken to a Jodhpur court in police security. Although, the motive of his threat to Salman is not known it is assumed Salmans alleged involvement in the black buck hunting case is the real reason of threat because the Vishnoi community worship these animals. The gangster claimed that he had been framed in false cases and that to date, not even a single witness had deposed in the court to prove the charges. "Now, if police want me to do some major crime, I shall kill Salman Khan and that too in Jodhpur," he added. Not only the gangster threatened the Bollywood star who was in Jodhour two days ago for the hearing in blackbuck poaching case, he even claimed that he can flee from the police custody whenever he wants. I will flee from police custody whenever I want but I am not escaping from custody anytime soon, he claimed. Whatever the gangster said in the court, his statement has been taken on record by the police. Appropriate case will be registered under relevant sections, said Ashok Rathore, Commissioner Jodhpur Police. Meanwhile, the court has given a seven-day remand of the gangster to the Jodhpur police to interrogate him in the murder case. It is expected that he will be cross-examined in presence of other accused in the matter as well. Lawrence was brought to Jodhpur from Faridkot on production warrant amidst tight security arrangements. His name figured in cold blooded murder of one Vasudev Israni, owner of a departmental store located on Sardarpura road. The police filed a challan in court last week and produced Lawrence in court on Friday. Chennai: Tamil Nadu which has the highest Gross Enrollment Ratio (GER) in higher education in the country has registered an increase of 2.6% to take GER to 46.9 per cent in 2016-17, according to the results of All India Survey on Higher Education (AISHE) released by the ministry of human resource development on Friday. Almost half of the students in the age group of 18-23 years in the state are enrolling themselves into colleges. Of nine lakh students who write plus-2 state board exam, over eight lakh students cleared it. Approximately 1.5 lakh are joining the engineering courses and around 3 lakh students joining arts and science, medicine, law and other courses. Meanwhile, the country's gross enrolment ratio in higher education has witnessed an increase of 0.7 per cent as it raised from 24.5 per cent in 2015-16 to 25.2% in 2016-17. Totally 35.7 million students among the eligible age group (18-23 years) joined the higher educational institutions. The number of universities in the country increased from 799 in 2015-16 to 864 in 2016-17. Though India's GER is increasing and aims to achieve 30 per cent in 2022, it is way behind when compared to countries like China (43.39 per cent) and US (85.80). Puducherry tops the average enrolment per college with 549 students while Telangana has topped in the number of colleges (59 colleges) per one lakh eligible population. Bihar and Jharkhand lay at the bottom as they have 7 and 8 colleges per one lakh eligible population. The survey also recorded there is only a marginal improvement in the number of foreign students increased only from 45,424 in 2015-16 to 45,575 in 2016-17. Ramanathapuram has highest number of colleges next to Chennai Higher education secretary Sunil Paliwal attributed the increase of enrolment to the increase in access to colleges. "The enrollment increases when students have colleges within their reach. The state government has focused the educationally backward districts like Ramanathapuram and Dharmapuri while establishing new colleges and it yielded good results," he said. "Now, after Chennai district, Ramanath apuram has the highest number of government colleges (6). In Dhar mapuri district, many university constituent colleges and government colleges recently opened," he added. The strike, following the failure of talks on wage revision and clearance of pending dues with Transport Minister MR Vijayabhaskar, was declared on Thursday. (Photo: PTI) Chennai: Scores of commuters were left stranded in Koyambedu bus terminal of Chennai as an indefinite strike by the transport workers' unions in Tamil Nadu continued for the third day despite the Madras High Court warning. Taking a serious view of the strike called by certain transport unions, the Madras High Court on Friday said the workers should get back to work or "face consequences", including termination and contempt of court. "There will be an interim order restraining the transport workers, specially, the drivers and conductors, from taking recourse to strike," the court said. Hours after the Madras High Court ordered them to call of the strike, the transport corporation unions on Friday said their agitation would continue till their demands on wage revision were met by the Tamil Nadu government. The unions, including DMK-affiliated LPF and CITU, rejected the state government's ultimatum to return to work or face 'consequences', issued following the court directive. Drivers and conductors of various state transport corporations are demanding wage hike among other things. DMK working president MK Stalin on Friday, spoke to Tamil Nadu CM Edappadi Palanisamy over phone and expressed concern over the ongoing transport strike and urged the government to expedite talks with the unions. A large number of people were seen queued up waiting for the private buses at the different bus stops. The strike, following the failure of talks on wage revision and clearance of pending dues with Transport Minister MR Vijayabhaskar, was declared on Thursday. The workers of the transport department have been demanding for a pay scale revision to Rs 30,000. However, the authorities agreed to pay only Rs 24,400. Hyderabad: A 14-year-old boy suffering from autism went missing from home at Miyapur. The police has registered a case to trace B. Aravind. The police said the boy was captured by a CCTV camera on the highway, but there were no clues after that. According to the police, B. Aravind is the elder son of Raghuram, a tec-hie. Raghurams wife is working in the passport office and the couple has a younger son also. His parents enrolled him in a school for special needs children at BHEL and his brother is also attends a play school nearby. Late in the evening, when the parents reached home, they were told that Aravind left home and did not return. Based on their complaint, a missing case is registered. D. Apparao, SI Miyapur, said that the boys whereabouts are not known. His parents claimed that Aravind went missing at least four times earlier and was traced in the city. We have deputed teams to search for the boy, the SI said. Hyderabad: A caravan of seven Shia Muslims, including a 66-year-old hotelier from Chatta Bazaar in the Old City, began a pilgrimage on foot to holy centres in Iran and Iraq. Mr Syed Abdul Ali, who runs a Seven Star Hotel, is going on foot for the fourth time. It will take at least seven months for us to travel across Iran and Iraq to visit all the pilgrim centres. We are travelling on foot as we believe it will get us more rewards, he said. The group includes Mr Ali Asgher, 31, Mr Syed Shareef-ul-Hassan, 28, Mr Mir Asim Ali Mosvi, 33, Mr Mir Sadeq Ali Naqvi, 33, Mr Syed Ali Mohammed Razvi, 31, and Mr Syed Muqtaar Ahmed, 37. In his three journeys earlier, he was accompanied by 14 men in 1998 and 1999 and six in 2009. In our earlier journeys, we passed through Pakistan only once. Owing to visa issues, we are taking a flight from Amritsar to Tehran in Iran. After landing there we will go to Zahedan and resume our journey on foot, he said.The group plans to walk 30 to 35 km daily. From Iran, we will go to Iraq and again back to Iran. There is not much of a problem in obtaining visa from Iran to Iraq. But in Iraq we are not allowed to travel on foot and will have to go by bus on a few routes, said Mr Shareef-ul-Hassan. The journey commenced from Mir Momin Daira. The caravan would be covering 6,000 km and was expected to complete the pilgrimage by August end. He led the Institute to new heights in terms of multi-disciplinary pursuits, and brought the Institute closer to the government and decision making processes. BENGALURU: One of India's most renowned nuclear scientists, Prof Baldev Raj, Director, National Institute of Advanced Studies (NIAS), passed away while attending a conference in Pune on Saturday. A recipient of Padma Shri, Prof Raj took over as Director of NIAS, in 2014. He led the Institute to new heights in terms of multi-disciplinary pursuits, and brought the Institute closer to the government and decision making processes. An eminent scientist, Prof Raj was former Director of Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research in Kalpakkam, and helped advance several challenging technologies, in particular those related to the fast breeder test reactor (FBTR) and the prototype fast breeder reactor (PFBR). He nurtured excellent schools of global stature in nuclear materials and mechanics, non-destructive evaluation, nanoscience and technology, robotics and automation. He contributed substantially to the interdisciplinary domains of energy, cultural heritage, medical technologies, nanoscience and technology and education. He was responsible for providing solutions to many unsolved problems in strategic and security sectors. Author of around 1000 academic papers in peer reviewed journals and more than 70 books, Prof Raj's brilliance was recognized by the more than 100 awards hae was given, and his many top-notch assignments in more than 30 countries. His other awards included the Life Time Achievement Award of the Indian Nuclear Society, the Homi Bhabha Gold Medal and the Nayudamma Memorial Award. A member of the Circle of Advisors, Cambridge University, and a member of the Search Group for the Queen Elizabeth Prize in Engineering, Prof Raj was also a Fellow of the Indian National Science Academy and the World Academy of Sciences. He was also the Chairman of the Board of Governors of IIT Gandhinagar, a member of the Court of Jawaharlal Nehru University, Delhi. Prof Raj mentored hundreds of students, scientists and technologists, inspiring them to pursue high levels of professionalism in science and technology without losing sight of the need for exemplary ethical practices. The government received representations from locals, builders and industrialists expressing concern over development taking a hit in areas falling in the buffer zone. Hyderabad: The state government would press for a smaller eco-sensitive zone around the National Deer Park in Chilkur on city outskirts. The Union environment ministry in February 2017 issued a draft notification notifying a 5-km radius for the eco-sensitive zone. The final notification was expected soon. The government received representations from locals, builders and industrialists expressing concern over development taking a hit in areas falling in the buffer zone. They pointed out that the city outskirts was already affected by GO 111, which barred construction activity in 84 villages in the 10-km radius of Osmansagar and Himayatsagar lakes. The 5-km eco-sensitive zone would deal a double blow, they said. The move came when the state government had constituted a committee of senior officials to examine the abolition of GO 111, which, they said, was obstructing development of several villages abetting Hyderabad. The move for the 5-km eco zone would mean that GO 111 abolition would serve no purpose. They wanted the zone radius to be cut down to 1 km or even up to 500 m. The State Government decided to pursue the case with Centre before the final notification was released. A meeting convened by environment and forest minister Jogu Ramanna with officials decided to take up the issue with the Centre. As many as 15 villages would fall in the 5-km radius of the National Deer Park. Of these, six were in Moinabad mandal and the rest in Rajendranagar mandal. Villages in Moinabad include Chilkur, Himayat-nagar, Bandlaguda, Nakkalapalle, Ibrahimpur and Aziznagar. Those in Rajendranagar were Narsingi, Manchirevula, Kokapet, Peeramcheruvu, Himayat-sagar, Hydarshakote, Neknampur, Bairamulguda and Gandhamguda. Of the 15 villages in 5-km radius of the park, six were already covered by GO 111. The remaining villages were witnessing quick development with several realty projects, raising the land value. Locals feared there would be no takers for their lands and property prices would crash if the 5-km radius norm came into force. The draft notification of the Deer Park already reduced buffer zone radius towards Manchirevula to 3 km from 5 km to exempt the financial district in Cyberabad. The state government wanted further reduction of radius to 1 km around the park to take up various development projects in villages abetting Hyderabad to meet the city's future expansion. Panel can allow change The government would press for a smaller eco-sensitive zone around the National Deer Park in Chilkur on city outskirts. As per ESZ rules, Change of land use of forests, horticulture areas, agricultural areas, parks and open spaces earmarked for recreational purposes into areas for commercial or industrial related development activities shall not be permitted. Conversion of agricultural lands within the ESZ might be permitted on the recommendation of the monitoring committee comprising the collector and senior officials, and with prior approval of the state government, only to meet residential needs arising out of the natural growth of population. Authorities of schools where parents went to inquire for admission to their wards quoted high fees. (Representational image) Hyderabad: Private schools hiked fees by 10-15 per cent and informed parents that they had not received any notification from the government regarding status quo of the fee structure. They said they would proceed with the increased fee slabs for the next academic year. Authorities of schools where parents went to inquire for admission to their wards quoted high fees. No notification had been sent to the Mandal Education Office yet regarding maintaining the fee structure as it was during the last academic year. Private schools were enrolling children and taking the hiked fees, parents complained. A parent. Sachin B., said, When I enquired with Epistemo Global School at Nallagandla for admission into Class II, I was told that the fee is 12 per cent higher than the 2017-18 slab. On informing the management about the government ordering a status quo, I was told that no notification or circular had reached the school. Even Birla Open Minds at Gachibowli hiked fees. Another parent, Mr Ramanjeet Singh of Gachibowli, said, Santa Maria at Lingampally, Manthan International School at Tellapur, Chirec at Kondapur and Phoenix Green at Gachibowli have increased the fees on transport for the next academic year. Mr K. Venkat Sainath added, Private schools in Hyderabad are over 3,000 in number. The government announced the status quo on January 4 and the circular had still not reached the mandal education officers and even the school till January 6. While schools have already raised the admission fee, an LKG admission that was Rs 70,000 last year was now Rs 77,000. Gitanjali Devashray, SD Road, and St Andrews School (certain branches ) have hiked the fees. Prior to the status quo order, minister for education Kadiam Srihari had clarified, There wont be any admission into schools and those finalised will not be considered till the government takes decisions on the fee hike. But parents said that despite clear orders, schools had completed 80 per cent of their admissions and had not adhered to the government directions. Members of Telangana Registered Schools Association did not respond when contacted. New Delhi: In an order asserting the rights of major girl, the Supreme Court on Friday held that she is entitled to decide whether she wanted to stay with father or mother and the court cannot assume the role of super guardian in deciding her custody. In its order a three-judge Bench of Chief Justice Dipak Misra and Justices A.M. Kanwilkar and D.Y. Chandrachud said, The Courts cannot, as long as the choice remains, assume the role of parens patriae. The daughter is entitled to enjoy her freedom as the law permits and the Court should not assume the role of a super guardian being moved by any kind of sentiment of the mother or the egotism of the father. We say so without any reservation. The Bench, while disposing of a special leave petition relating to custody of the daughter, said it needs no special emphasis to state that attaining the age of majority in an individual's life has its own significance. She/he is entitled to make her/his choice. When she was present in the court, she expressly stated that she would like to go with her father to Kuwait and pursue her career. The Supreme Court bench said, In such a situation, we are of the considered opinion that as a major, she is entitled to exercise her choice and freedom and the Court cannot get into the aspect whether she has been forced by the father or not. Referring to the mother's contention that the daughter had been coerced, the Bench said, We had directed the daughter of the petitioner to remain personally present in Court and gave the responsibility to the father to see that she is present. There may be ample reasons on her behalf to go back to her father in Kuwait, but we are not concerned with her reasons. What she has stated before the Court, that alone matters and that is the heart of the reasoning for this Court, which keeps all controversies at bay. The bench added that as the son is coming to stay with the mother in Kerala during the summer vacation, it directed the father to pay an amuont of Rs 50,000 to the petitioner-mother on every visit of the child. Chennai/Karur: Nearly 70 per cent of government buses remained off roads across Tamil Nadu for the third consecutive day on Saturday even as transport minister MR Vijayabhaskar put the striking workers on notice warning them of severe action if they dont report to work by Sunday evening. Lakhs of people continued to suffer in cities, towns and villages across the state as the transport corporations were able to run only skeletal services with only a few drivers and conductors reporting for duty in every depot. As buses remained off roads, people opted for alternate mode of transport like MRTS, suburban rail services, Metro rail, cabs and auto rickshaws which ran to their full capacities even on Saturday. With transport unions and employees still belligerent and showing no signs of softening their stand, Vijayabhaskar told reporters in Karur in western Tamil Nadu that strict action would be taken against employees who fail to report to duty by Sunday evening. Many have returned today. We believe (more of them) will come tomorrow also. If not, departmental action will be initiated as per law. Many are getting back to work today considering the wage revision offered by us, besides respecting the High Court directive in this regard yesterday", Vijayabhaskar told reporters. The transport corporations issued notices to striking employees warning them of strict action if they don't comply with the order of the Madras High Court, which directed them to report to duty immediately. However, transport unions sought to brush aside the warning saying they know "how to handle notices and orders". Chennai: More than half a century after writer Kalki Krishnamurthy set the benchmark for Tamil historical novels with his evergreen Ponniyin Selvan, the present decade has begun to embrace historical novels with both hands. Now historical novels have become a go-to option for publishers. At every book fair, we participate, historical novels fare well among readers. Interestingly Ponniyin Selvan tops the list till now, P. Mailavelan, vice president, The Booksellers and Publishers Association of India, said. Back to back Sahitya Akademi award winning Tamil novels Su. Venkatesans Kaval Kottam (2011), D. Selvarajs Thol (2012), Joe D. Cruz Korkkai (2013), Poomanis Agngnaadi (2014) are all set in historical backgrounds on the basis of true events. Due to historical novels winning Sahitya Akademi awards, young readers go for them. Though books dealing with economics, entrepreneurship and health have some dedicated readers, historical novels remain at the top, Mailavelan added. He also said that readers are always fascinated by history. Though the increasing publicity for award-winning novels is one factor, the fascination is a major factor for their success, Mailavelan added. Madhorubhagan by Perumal Murugan, which also a historical novel has earned popularity after many outfits voiced against its content is also faring well. The sales increased the oppositions, he added. Meanwhile, publishers attributed the book fairs to the rare collection of books. To buy rare books which could not be found in bookshops, readers visit the book fair to directly get them from publishers. This is the main reason for the success of book fairs across the state, P. Gurudev of Bellco said. Ballari: The BJP intends to field former legislator, Gali Somashekhar Reddy, brother of beleaguered mining baron- turned- politician, Janardhan Reddy, from Ballari in the coming state assembly elections. Revealing this here on Friday, state BJP chief, B S Yeddyurappa warned Congress president, Rahul Gandhi against opting to contest from the iron ore rich district in the not so far away Lok Sabha elections. Hitting out against Mr Gandhi for trying to lure scheduled tribe leaders of the BJP to join his party, Mr Yeddyurappa asserted he would lose from Ballari if he contested against ST community strongman and Member of Parliament from the constituency, B Sriramulu by a massive margin of one lakh votes. The BJP leader who was addressing the 'Karnataka Parivartana Yatra' here, accused previous Congress president, Sonia Gandhi of betraying the people of Ballari by resigning her Lok Sabha seat from the constituency to retain Amethi without even informing them. "So the people of Ballari must teach a befitting lesson to Rahul Gandhi by defeating him," he stressed amidst speculation that Mr Gandhi could desert Amethi for a safer seat in the next Lok Sabha election. Mr Yeddyurappa claimed that the Rs 3300 crore Sonia Gandhi Special Package for Ballari had been looted by Congress leaders as the district had received nothing under it. The package was announced by then Chief Minister, SM Krishna in 1999 after Ms Gandhi gave up her Ballari Lok Sabha seat. The BJP president appealed to the people of Ballari to ensure that Mr Somashekhar Reddy won with a margin of over 20,000 votes and promised to work hard to link the Tungabhadra and Krishna rivers to provide them water. Hyderabad: AP Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu will present a special financial package proposal to Prime Minister Narendra Modi during a meeting on January 12 or 13 in New Delhi. It will be after almost a year that the CM will meet mr Modi and he is expected to submit a memorandum on several issued related to the AP State Bifurcation Act apart from the special financial package. Mr Naidu seeks to clear outstanding loans through a special financial assistance from the Centre. He will seek the PMs approval for this. In fact, TDP and BJP MPs had submitted a memorandum to Mr Modi when they met him on Friday. The issues will be discussed by Mr Naidu during his meeting with the PM. Mr Naidu expressed disappointment over the letter from the Centre on June 10, 2017, intimating that the special assistance would be provided by way of repayment of loan and interest for the external-aided projects (EAP), signed and disbursed during the five years and it would not provide support to clear outstanding loans. It also intimated that the EAP loans would be released to the state in the present procedure as loan only and within the Fiscal Responsibility and Budget Management (FRBM) limits. According to the Andhra Pradesh government, it could have been received in the ratio of 90:10 under Centrally-Sponsored Schemes (CSS) at Rs 2,951 crore in 2015-16 and Rs 2,992 crore in 2016-17. But the Centre arrived at Rs 2,516 crore for 2015-16, deducting its share of schemes and those for which the sharing pattern was same for special status and other states. As a result, the state government tentatively arrived at Rs 15,000 crore for five years from 2015-16. It was expecting this amount under EAP as Central grant and a provision of Rs 3,500 crore was also made in the 2017-18 Budget. Apart from this, special category states were eligible to grants under CSS as well as EAP projects at 90:10 ratio. The State Government had sought special assistance at 90:10 ratio for EAP projects as given to special States. Loan received under EAP was Rs 685.17 crore in 2015-16 and Rs 873.81 crore in 2016-17. As a special category State, AP would be eligible to 90 per cent as grant instead of loan at 70 per cent as received. This would be Rs 881 crore for 2015-16 and Rs 1,124 crore for 2016-17. The average would be Rs 1,002 crore per year and for five years this the total would be Rs 5,010 crore. Accordingly, the State Government sent proposals to the Department of Economic Affairs (DEA). Of this, Rs 8,349 crore worth of projects were given in-principle clearance by external agencies. Projects worth Rs 18,857 crore were recommended to external agencies by the DEA and the balance Rs 7,611 crore worth projects were pending DEA and external agencies clearance. The State Government was anticipating about Rs 20,010 crore as assistance from the Centre under special assistance measures. It said it might not able to spend this amount on EAP projects in the stipulated five years. In this backdrop the CM would request the Prime Minister to permit it to clear other outstanding loans towards EAPs, small savings and NABARD. Also it should be allowed to borrow from internal lenders like NABARD, HUACO and other commercial banks. It could use the gap to pay interest commitments to the Central Government, NABARD and EAPs. Since the repayment responsibility of EAPs would be taken up by the Centre, the liability of EAPs could be taken out from the accounts of AP Government so that it would not form part of the FRBM limit. Patna: With RJD boss Lalu Yadav behind bars, the Rashtriya Janata Dal party, led by his son Tejashwi Yadav, is all set to play the sympathy and the caste cards. Tejashwi Yadav is planning a Nyay Yatra across the state to whip up sympathy for his father and try to rally the subaltern vote bank. Lalu Yadav is a victim of a political vendetta and people will give a fitting reply to our opponents, Tejashwi Yadav said after a party meeting in Patna on Saturday, urging workers to remain united in the absence of his father. Analysts said that Lalu Yadav, who has been sent to jail seven times earlier, has always bounced back and emerged stronger after a stint in prison. RJD MLA Mohammad Neamatullah told this newspaper that people, especially Muslims and Yadavs, feel that the BJP has been trying to suppress Lalu Yadavs voice by using investigative agencies. The verdict in the fodder scam case has come at a time when Lalu Yadav was preparing to stitch together a secular alliance against the BJP. Analysts are of the view that Lalu Yadavs conviction for the second time in the fodder scam will not impact the partys relationship with the Congress which is trying to return to power in 2020 Bihar Assembly elections. Congress spokesperson Saroj Kumar said, We formed a secular alliance in Bihar to stop the communal forces. In the coming elections, the grand secular alliance will stop the NDA not only in Bihar but also at the national level. An RJD functionary claimed that if the public sentiment continued to remain the same in 2019, the RJD along with the Congress could give the NDA a run for its money. The South Korean giant has not yet revealed the price and other details regarding the HU80KA projector. LG has unveiled a new projector the HU80KA ahead of CES 2018. The new 4K UHD model is the first such projector which is said to deliver ultra-sharp video. The company claims that the device is almost half the size of its 4K rivals in the market. While most 4K projectors currently in the market are heavy and expensive, the company crowned its 4K UHD projector as an "affordable yet premium device." With the new 4K UHD projector, the company claims that it can create a 150-inch screen at 2,500 lumens that make it the brightest projector from the company until yet. The model also supports HDR content for a cinematic experience in the home. Apart from the 4K resolution, the company also offers HDR video support with HDR10. LG says projector's portability and upright design have been credited to the mirrorless L-shaped engine which allows the projector to be placed on the floor, mounted on the wall. The LG HU80KA model comes equipped with standard connectivity options such as USB, Ethernet and HDMI ports, as well as wireless support for external devices such as a keyboard and mouse. The model comes packed with two 7-watt speakers in the projector and can be connected to external speakers or soundbars. The South Korean giant has not yet revealed the price and other details regarding the HU80KA projector. LG will put the whole 2018 projector on display at the LG Booth in the Las Vegas. Besides, the company latest version of MiniBeam Projector PF50K will also be showcased at CES 2018. Click on Deccan Chronicle Technology and Science for the latest news and reviews. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter. According to the notice, the changes are being made in light of President Trump's 'Buy American and Hire American' order issued earlier in 2017. (Photo: File) Washington: The Trump administration is considering revoking an Obama-era rule that extends work authorisation to the spouses of H-1B visa holders, a move that could affect thousands of Indian workers and their families. Since 2015, the spouses of H-1B, or high-skilled, visa holders waiting for green cards have been eligible to work in the US on H-4 dependent visas. In 2016, more than 41,000 of H-4 visa holders were issued work authorisation. In 2017, till June more than 36,000 H-4 visa holders were issued work authorisation. The H-1B programme attracts foreign specialised workers to come to the United States for employment, many of them from India and China. "DHS is proposing to remove from its regulations certain H-4 spouses of H-1B non-immigrants as a class of aliens eligible for employment authorisation," said the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) in a latest regulation. According to the notice, the changes are being made in light of President Trump's 'Buy American and Hire American' order issued earlier in 2017. According to CNN, while changing the rule wouldn't prevent spouses of H-1B holders from pursuing other avenues for work authorisation, it could deter a number of high-skilled immigrants from staying in the US if their spouses can't easily find work. The Wall Street Journal said such a proposal dismayed supporters of the programme. "This announcement places into jeopardy thousands of hardworking, contributing individuals who have started their own businesses and often have US citizen children who will needlessly be forced to revert to a status of inactivity," Leon Fresco, an immigration attorney who worked for the Obama administration, told the daily. As well as dropping the rule allowing spouses to work, the Department of Homeland Security statement mentioned plans for other changes to the H-1B visa program. They include revising the definition of what occupations are eligible for the program "to increase focus on truly obtaining the best and brightest foreign nationals", CNN said. That would be a standard potentially far above what is currently understood under the law. The Obama-era rule allowing spouses to work already faces a legal challenge. A group called Save Jobs USA filed a lawsuit in April 2015 arguing that it threatens American jobs. The Trump administration's plans to overhaul the H-1B program have caused particular alarm in India, which accounts for 70 per cent of all H-1B workers. The H-1B is a common visa route for highly skilled foreigners to find work at companies in the U.S. It's valid for three years, and can be renewed for another three years. It's a program that's particularly popular in the tech community, with many engineers vying for one of the programme's 85,000 visas each year. The report quoted a 'Washington Times' report that China is in talks with Pakistan to build its second overseas military base as part of a push for greater maritime capabilities along strategic sea routes. (Photo: File) Beijing: US President Donald Trump's recent outburst on Pakistan will further boost economic and defence ties between Beijing and Islamabad, including China acquiring a Pakistani military base close to Iran's Chabahar port, an official media report said on Friday. Trump's January 1 Twitter attack against Pakistan where he accused it of providing safe havens to terrorists appears to be helping boost already close ties between Pakistan and China, a report in the state-run Global Times said. It attributed Islamabad's decision to allow Chinese currency in bilateral trade and financing transactions as China has stepped up its investments in the USD 50 billion China-Pakistan Economic Corridor. The report quoted a 'Washington Times' report that China is in talks with Pakistan to build its second overseas military base as part of a push for greater maritime capabilities along strategic sea routes. The facility could be built at Jiwani, a port near Iran's Chabahar close to the border in the Gulf of Oman, and is located a short distance from Gwadar in Balochistan province which is currently being developed b Chabahar port being jointly developed by Iran, India and Afghanistan to ensure a trade corridor for Indian exports to Afghanistan. On China establishing a military base at Jiwani, a South Asian studies expert said "both Beijing and Islamabad have the ability to build a joint naval and air facility in Pakistan, but it is unnecessary at this time". China has established its "first overseas military base in Djibouti", in the Horn of Africa in Indian Ocean. However, China officially states that it is only a logistics base to service its naval personnel deployed for anti-piracy operations. Besides Djibouti, China has also acquired the Hambantota port in Sri Lanka on a 99-year lease. Four students of Delhi Public School (DPS) and their bus driver were killed when the bus collided with a truck on Friday. The driver lost control of the bus which broke through the road divider and collided with a truck coming from opposite direction. The students were on their way home from school. The children killed in the accident were identified as Harpreet Kaur (8), Shruti Ludhiyani (6), Swastik Pandya (12) and Kriti Agrawal (13). The bus driver was identified as Rahul Sisodiya (35). The children were on their way home from school. "Another student is in a critical condition and on life support. The bus driver's assistant is also in a critical condition," Additional Superintendent of Police Manoj Kumar Rai said. The front portion of the bus was badly damaged in the collision, the police officer said. "We have seized the truck and are searching for its driver who fled from the spot," the ASP said. District collector Nishant Warwade said a magisterial inquiry has been ordered into the incident. Madhya Pradesh Home Minister Bhupendra Singh said he has asked for a report from the Deputy Inspector General of Police as well as transport authorities. Minister for School Education Deepak Joshi said the responsibility of schools in such cases would be fixed to ensure children's safety in the future. "The government had issued guidelines for schools after a school bus accident in Bhopal. We will fix the responsibility of schools to ensure the safety of children," he said. After the secretariat, transport corporation buses, school buildings and even textbooks, the Yogi Adityanath government in Uttar Pradesh has now turned the walls of the state Haj House saffron. Sources said the painting work had been going on for the past few days. People noticed the change in colour only when the outer walls, situated close to the legislature and the secretariat, was also painted saffron. While the BJP leaders found nothing wrong with the change of colour, the Muslim clergy reacted sharply and termed it an "interference" in their religious matters. A senior Sunni cleric said, "There was no need to paint the Haj House saffron...the colour is identified with a particular religion." The Samajwadi Party (SP) and the Congress, too, criticised the move. "Saffron colour cannot ensure progress of the state," said SP leader Rajendra Chaudhary. Waqf Minister Mohsin Raza said, "Saffron colour is a source of energy...religion cannot be determined by colour." The move comes within days after the Uttar Pradesh government decided to have saffron cover pages for textbooks for classes up to class VIII from the next academic year. School bag for primary school students has already been made saffron. Adityanath, who is always clad in saffron clothes, had recently got the secretariat building painted saffron. Since taking charge, he has been trying to give government schemes and projects a saffron tint. The BSP government under Mayawati had dyed government buildings and transport buses blue - the party colour. Even the state information department diary was printed in blue. The Ministry of Human Resource Development's move to link Aadhaar data of faculty in higher educational institutions with a central database has exposed a scam. About 80,000 teachers have been found to be on the payroll of more than one higher educational institution as their regular faculty members in a gross violation of the University Grants Commission's (UGC) regulations. While it remains a matter of investigation as to how many teachers primarily employed with government institutions are working with other institutions too, discrepancies in the appointment of regular faculties have been found in private universities and colleges only. Officials in the Ministry of Human Resource Development say that such private universities and colleges are operating in various states, including Karnataka, Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu. Over 90% of such private institutions are those offering various technical programmes, officials told DH. They, however, refused to share the names of these institutions saying it will "jeopardise" the investigation. The ministry is conducting "a thorough probe" into the irregularities on an instruction from HRD Minister Prakash Javadekar. "On the basis of the probe, befitting action will be taken against such irregularity," Javadekar said. The minister said 12.5 lakh of the 15 lakh teachers have submitted their Aadhaar details for seeding into the central database. As per the rules, neither can an institution appoint a teacher as its regular faculty member when he/she is already working as a regular faculty elsewhere nor can such a teacher join another institute. In case a regular faculty member has an offer of "a term-post" at some other institution, such a teacher will have to take permission from his parent institution. Such a faculty member will have to resign from his parent institution if he/she wants to accept the offer to continue with his job there beyond the term he was earlier appointed for, a Delhi University professor said. "It's fine if a teacher has been appointed as a visiting faculty member in more than one higher educational institution. But one cannot be on the pay role of more than two higher educational institutions as their regular faculty," Javadekar said. It is not the first time that private institutions have been caught maintaining their records with "ghost" faculty members to obtain government approval for their programmes and retain their status as recognised institutions. A few years ago, a CBI probe exposed how some medical colleges maintained ghost faculty members to retain their approval and obtain permission for increasing their intake. The Defence Ministry on Friday ordered the suspension of all business link with a Delhi-based firm headed by fugitive arms dealer Sanjay Bhandari. Bhandari's firm Offset India Solutions (P) Ltd is under investigation by Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and Delhi Police for its reported role as a defence contractor in the Rs 2,800 crore (6.09 million Swiss Franc) deal to purchase 75 Pilatus PC-7 basic trainer aircraft for the Indian Air Force. The defence ministry order said that the investigating agencies were looking into the charges of "corrupt practices, unfair means and illegal activities" adopted by the company to swing the deal in favour of the Swiss company. "Business dealings with Offset India Solutions (P) Ltd and its group companies will remain suspended for a period of six months," said the order. Bhandari was booked after copies of classified reports were recovered from his residence by the Income-tax authorities during a raid in April 2016. A FIR against him was lodged in October, but Bhandari escaped to London. There are reports in a section of the media claiming Bhandari's closeness to Robert Vadra, son-in-law of former Congress president Sonia Gandhi. However, there is no official record of the association between the two and Congress never spoke about Bhandari's link with Vadra. While Bhandari flew to London, CBI in November 2016 registered a preliminary enquiry report against Bhandari and his partner Bimal Sareen for their role in the basic trainer aircraft procurement case. In May 2017, OIS was issued a show cause notice by the defence ministry on why business dealings in defence procurements with all its associate and group companies should not be suspended or banned. The reply from the company was unsatisfactory, leading to the imposition of the ban. The procurement of Pilatus PC 7 MkII was approved by the government in May 2012 and the first batch of PC-7 Mk II arrived at the Indian Air Force Academy in February 2013. In a shocking incident an inmate of a women's shelter home in Uttar Pradesh's Kanpur town, about 90 km from here, was killed after allegedly being gang-raped. According to the police sources here, the 28-year-old victim was brutalized before being hacked to death by the perpetrators. ''The body of the victim bore injury marks at several places,'' said a doctor, who was part of the team which conducted the autopsy. Sources said that the woman had been brought at a government hospital on Tuesday night by some employees of the shelter home. They told the doctors that she was a mental patient and had fits. The docs, however, said that the woman was dead when she was brought at the hospital. They sent her body for postmortem examination. The autopsy report on Thursday revealed that she had been gang-raped before being strangled. Three employees of the shelter home have been detained by the police in this connection, sources said. The residents of Bhima-Koregaon village, the epicentre of caste violence in Maharashtra, Friday blamed "outsiders" for the January 1 incidents and claimed there was inadequate security for the mega gathering that preceded the unrest. Sunita Kamble, sarpanch of Bhima-Koregaon, said all the communities in the village, including Dalits and Marathas, have been living peacefully. The villagers also sought compensation for people who suffered losses in the rioting and vandalism. Earlier this week, the event to mark 200th anniversary of the Bhima-Koregaon battle, in which forces of the British East India Company defeated Peshwa's army, was marred by incidents of violence, in which one person was killed. Right-wing groups were blamed for the violence. Following this, Dalit organisations called for a Maharashtra bandh on January 3 during which normal life was crippled in Mumbai and other parts of the state. The bandh also saw attacks on police personnel and damage to public and private property by protesters. A group of residents of Bhima-Koregaon on Friday organised a press conference and spoke about the entire episode, which has brought simmering caste conflict in the state to the fore. They claimed that "outside" elements unleashed the violence and destroyed and torched their shops and houses. The villagers sought a compensation of Rs 1 crore to the next of the kin of Rahul Phatangale, who was killed during the clashes. A villager accused the local authorities of "negligence" and said despite knowing that lakhs of people come to Bhima- Koregaon on January 1 every year, they failed to provide adequate security arrangements, which led to the violence. Recalling the ordeal, another resident Vrushali Gavhane claimed women, children and elderly people were attacked by mobs. "In the last three days, we have been facing a lot of issues. There is no water, electricity in the village but unfortunately the government has not taken any cognisance of the situation," Gavhane lamented. She claimed that some "outside" people even tried to assault a visually-impaired girl. Every year, villagers help the visitors who come to commemorate the battle of Bhima-Koregaon by facilitating parking places and providing eatables and drinking water to them, Gavhane added. Meanwhile, the villagers resolved to rebuild the 'samadhi' of Govind Gaikwad, a Dalit, in Vadhu Budruk near Bhima-Koregoan which was vandalised by a mob. A high-level delegation of the Communist Party of China (CPC) has arrived for a tour to India as the two neighbouring nations are trying to mend bilateral ties. Meng Xiaofeng, a close aide of Chinese President Xi Jinping, is leading the CPC delegation, which was received by Minister of State for External Affairs V K Singh at the Hyderabad House on Friday. The CPC delegation is likely to meet leaders of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party and the opposition Congress as well as some other political parties. Meng holds the office of deputy director of the general office of the Communist party of China's central committee. He is perceived to be highly influential in the power structure in Beijing, ostensibly due to his close ties with the Chinese President. He played a key "behind-the-scene" role in resolving India-China military face-off at Doklam Plateau in western Bhutan last year. Raveesh Kumar, spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs, said that the visit of the CPC delegation led by Meng was yet another part of New Delhi's "sustained engagement" with China. Beijing's persistent policy of shielding anti-India terrorists based in Pakistan from United Nations' sanctions, India's opposition to China's Belt-and-Road initiative and the 72-day-long face-off between the Indian Army and the Chinese People's Liberation Army in Doklam Plateau in western Bhutan brought the bilateral relations to a new low during 2017. New Delhi and Beijing, however, tried to bring the ties back on track with several back-to-back engagements towards the end of the year. External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj had a bilateral meeting with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi when he came to New Delhi to attend a Russia-India-China (RIC) trilateral talks on December 11. Prime Minister Narendra Modi's National Security Advisor, Ajit Doval, hosted Chinese State Councillor Yang Jiechi for the 20th round of boundary negotiation in New Delhi on December 22. Doval and Yang are Special Representative of India and China for boundary negotiations and strategic consultations. Three persons have been arrested in connection with the alleged gang-rape of a 16-year-old girl and attack on her male friend in a park in northwest Delhi's Shalimar Bagh on December 16, police said today. The three accused were identified as Shivprasad alias Babua (33), Arun Yadav (36) and Kamlesh alias Baba (28), Deputy Commissioner of Police (Northwest) Aslam Khan said. Shivprasad is an auto driver, Arun Yadav is distributor of pesticides and Rajesh is a school dropout, he added. The girl, who worked as a domestic help, was sitting in a park near Haiderpur slums with a male friend when the three accused picked up a fight with him. She was raped after she tried to stop them from beating her friend. They also threatened her with dire consequences if she told anyone about the incident. The incident had occurred on the fifth anniversary of the "Nirbhaya" case in which a physiotherapy student was gangraped on a moving bus and dumped on the streets under the cover of darkness in south Delhi, sparking outrage at home and abroad. Four policemen on patrol duty were killed when an improvised explosive device (IED) planted by Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) militants went off in in north Kashmir's Sopore town on Saturday. Reports said that at around 10:05 am, the IED planted by militants beneath a shop went off near Haaritar area of Sopore, resulting in injuries to four policemen. The injured were rushed to a nearby hospital where all of them succumbed to injuries. Inspector General of Police (IGP) Kashmir Munir Khan confirmed that four policemen were killed in the blast. He said that three shops were also damaged in the blast. Pakistan based terror outfit JeM claimed the responsibility for the attack. A local news gathering agency GNS quoting JeM spokesperson claimed that they have attacked the police party in Sopore. "The Shaheed Afzal Guru squad carried out the attack," he said. Three among the slain policemen were identified as ASI Irshad Ahmad from Doda, Muhammad Amin from Kupwara and Ghulam Nabi from Sopore. Soon after the attack army and paramilitary forces launched searches to nab the attackers. Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti while expressing her grief over the killings tweeted: "Pained to hear that four policemen have been killed in an IED explosion in Sopore. My deepest condolences to their families." Mehbooba's predecessor and opposition NC leader Omar Abdullah wrote on Twitter: "Very sad news from #Sopore. May the four brave J&K police personnel killed in the line of duty today rest in piece." The separatists had called for a shutdown in Sopore town on Saturday to mark the 25th anniversary of Sopore massacre in which 55 people were killed in alleged firing by Border Security Force (BSF) on this day in 1993. The authorities had deployed additional police and paramilitary CRPF men in the town to thwart any protests. A senior police official said militants intentionally choose this day to target the police in Sopore. "They want to show their strength by carrying out such attacks. The separatists had already called for a shutdown in the town," he said. This was the first major militant attack in the Valley in 2018 in which security forces suffered casualties. On December 31, three fidayeen (suicide) militants of Jaish had attacked the 185th battalion camp of the Central Reserve Police Force in Awantipora area of Pulwama killing five paramilitary troopers. The three militants were also killed in the retaliatory action by the security forces. Higher Education Minister Basavaraj Rayareddi noted that free and good quality laptops will be distributed to around 1.50 lakh students of general category, who are studying in government degree colleges and polytechnics, in the first week of March. "Rs 227 crore has been reserved to give free laptops for students of all communities, extending the scheme to give free laptops to SC/ST students. Tenders ware called on December 20, and they would be opened on February 5," he said, lamenting that the process was delayed due to the irresponsibility of officials. Speaking after inaugurating distribution of free laptops to SC/ST students of government first grade colleges and polytechnics in the district, at a function held at Convention Centre (Samskrutika Bhavan) here on Friday, he stated that free laptops are being given to 31,786 SC/ST students in the first phase, including 522 degree students and 133 diploma students in the district, and this scheme is extended for the students of other categories also. The lowest bid for laptop for the SC/St students government degree colleges was Rs 14,490 per branded P3 laptop, and it was Rs 17,000 for polytechnic students. We decided to purchase laptops for both sections at Rs 14,490 rate. After getting the supply, each laptop is checked individually, and is being given to students along with the bag. The price of this laptop in the market is Rs 21,300, Mr Rayareddi said. Residential colleges The government has decided to start residential colleges at 16 places in Hyderabad-Karnataka region and other backward areas, spending Rs 25 crore each. Tenders have already been called to construct 10 residential colleges. Each college can accommodate 1,000 students, and in the second phase, they would be constructed in each district, the minister noted. As the employment rate of even engineering graduates is less, skill development centres are being set up at Dandeli, Yalburga, and Mysuru to make graduates self-employed. Rs 3,000 crore plan is being implemented to improve the infrastructure at all 412 government colleges in the State, he said. Higher education gross enrollment ratio in the State is 27%, while the national average is 24%. We want to increase it to 40%, he said. 'Charges baseless' Though Rs nine crore was saved for the government and good quality laptops were purchased, Opposition leaders leveled baseless corruption charges, because Assembly elections are nearing. They are afraid that Mr Siddaramaiah may become the chief minister again by getting more votes from students and parents, Mr Rayareddi noted. "I urge them not to play politics in the issue related to students' future," he added. MLC Basavaraj Horatti asked the students to be self-employed, saying that 6,800 MTech holders, 38,000 BEd graduates, and 61,000 DEd holders in the State are unemployed. District In-charge Minister Vinay Kulkarni also spoke. Collegiate Education Department Joint Diarector D M Nidavani, Devaki Yoganand, Ravindra Kalburgi, and others were present. Mr Rayareddi symbolically distributed laptops having the photograph of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah to a few students. The Enforcement Directorate has filed a second charge sheet against RJD chief Lalu Prasad's daughter Misa Bharti and her husband in a money laundering case. The court hearing the case has now kept both the charge sheets for consideration on February 5. The repeated filing of charge sheets by the ED has irked the court with Special Judge N K Malhotra asking the agency whether it will allow the court to start the trial. "Will you let the trial begin or keep filing complaints? How many supplementary charge sheets will you file? You are a premier investigating agency. You cannot behave like this. It is an ill-drafted complaint," the judge said. On December 23, the ED had filed the first charge sheet against Bharti and her husband Shailesh Kumar and their company Mishail Packers and Printers Pvt Ltd in connection with a case of laundering Rs 1.20 crore. The case was registered by the ED following investigation into a complaint filed by Serious Fraud Investigating Office (SFIO) about a Rs 8,000-crore money laundering racket involving two Delhi-based brothers, who were accused of using shell companies to help others route money. The ED had attached a farmhouse 'Palam Farms' in south-west Delhi belonging to the couple, in September. Legitimising exercise According to the ED, four shell companies were used to legitimise unaccounted money belonging to the couple. The ED claimed that 1.20 lakh shares of Bharti's company were bought during 2007-08 and 2008-09 at Rs 100 per share by four shell companies, three of which were managed by arrested brothers Surendra Kumar and Virendra and another by Santosh Kumar Shah. These shares were later bought by Bharti at Rs 12 per share in 2009. It said a chartered accountant, Rajesh Agrawal, "mediated and provided" Rs 90 lakh to the brothers in advance so as to invest in the company as "share premium," while another person provided Rs 30 lakh to Shah. The couple have "laundered unaccounted money of Rs 1.20 crore by taking accommodation entries from Jain Brothers and Shah, through mediators, in the form of share capital and share premium by various shell companies controlled by them," the ED had said. Rajya Sabha Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu has referred the privilege notice against Congress president Rahul Gandhi over his comments on Finance Minister Arun Jaitley to Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan. Officials on Saturday said Naidu forwarded the notice given by BJP's Rajya Sabha MP Bhupendra Yadav to Mahajan as Gandhi is a Lok Sabha member. "Prima facie there is a question of privilege against Rahul Gandhi," a TV report said quoting Naidu. After Yadav asked the fate of his notice in Rajya Sabha on Friday, Naidu had said that the notice is against a Lok Sabha member and he would take the appropriate action. Yadav had given notice on breach of privilege referring to Gandhi's tweet where he spelt Jaitley as "Jaitlie", saying it was derogatory. In his tweet on 27 December 2017, Gandhi said, "Dear Mr Jaitlie a thank you for reminding India that our PM never means what he says or says what he means. #BJPLies." Gandhi was referring to Jaitley's clarification in Rajya Sabha that Prime Minister Narendra Modi did not question nor did he mean to question, the commitment to this nation" of either his predecessor Manmohan Singh or former vice president Hamid Ansari. The tweet had come soon after Jaitley's comments in Rajya Sabha. Jaitley's clarification came after a series of negotiations with Leader of Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad over the stalemate in the Upper House following Modi's remarks during an election rally in Gujarat. Modi had referred to a dinner meeting attended by Singh and others in the honour of former Pakistan Foreign Minister Khurshid Mahmud Kasuri and said they were trying to conspire with Pakistan to defeat BJP in Gujarat elections. A group of lawyers owing allegiance to rebel AIADMK leader and newly elected MLA, T T V Dhinakaran, burnt some photographs of actor Kamal Haasan here today, police said. The lawyers, who assembled in front of the district court, raised slogans against the actor for alleging that money power was behind Dhinakaran's win in the December 21 R K Nagar bypoll and accused him of denigrating the voters. In an article as part of his weekly series in a recent issue of Tamil magazine 'Ananda Vikatan,' Haasan had described the bypoll, held due to the demise of former chief minister J Jayalalithaa, as a "stain" on Indian democracy. Dhinakaran has hit back saying Haasan was making such allegations as he could not digest his win in the bypoll. The rebel leader, who contested as an independent, won by a margin of more than 40,000 votes, giving a jolt to the chief minister K Palaniswami-led dispensation. PTI NVM BN MVV A police officer paid a musical tribute to evergreen actor Dev Anand by releasing a music video on Friday in Mumbai . Senior Inspector of Police Sachin Sawant, who is currently posted at Vaijapur Naka police station in Solapur district is the man behind the project. "Its a small tribute from us to the actor who was ahead of his times and whose fans cut across generations.... I am not even 2%, 1% of Dev Anand, it is just a tribute," Sawant said. The music video is a collection of hit songs of Dev Anand films. Late Dev Anand's son Suneil Anand and actor Jackie Shroff were also present at the launch of the video titled 'Tribute to Legend Dev Anand'. The Uttarakhand High Court has suggested that the state government bring in a law which imposes death penalty for raping minors, so that it acts as a strong deterrent against such offences. A division bench of justices Rajiv Sharma and Alok Singh on Friday made the observation, while upholding the death sentence of a man, who was convicted by a lower court last year for raping and killing an eight-year-old in June 2016. Citing steady rise in crime against children in recent years, the bench observed that it is the state government which can bring an appropriate legislation to impose death penalties on convicts, who are found guilty of raping minors aged 15 or below. The high court underlined the need for a strong deterrent as it is coming across a number of cases, where the victims aged 15 or below are being raped and murdered. It quoted a recent report by the National Crime Records Bureau titled 'Crime Against Children (States & UTs)', which said 676 such cases were registered in the state in 2016, compared to 635 in 2015 and 489 in 2014. Maoists stormed bauxite mines of Hindalco on the Chhattisgarh-Jharkhand border and set ablaze six vehicles and blew up two weigh-bridge units in the early hours of Saturday morning. A group of 50 armed Maoists raided the Kudag mines (in Chhattisgarh's Balrampur district) and adjoining Kukud mines (in Jharkhand's Latehar district) between 1 am to 2 am, a Balrampur district police official said. Balrampur is located around 400 kms away from here in the northern part of Chhattisgarh. The mines are located on either side of a road on the inter-state border, the officer said. While a poclain machine, one truck and a hyva truck were torched in Kudag area which falls under Samri police station limits, two poclain machines and one loader machine were set ablaze in Kukud area in Latehar, he said. The vehicles and machines were engaged in mining operation, the official added. Maoist also blew up a weigh-bridge unit at both Kudag and Kukud. No one was reported to be hurt in the incident, he said. However, two guards who were on duty in the area, were beaten up by ultras before fleeing from the spot. A police team rushed to the spot and a search operation was launched in the region to trace the ultras, he added. The Supreme Court has expressed shock over the fact that criminal appeals were pending in Allahabad High Court as early as year 1976. A report sent by the HC's registrar general stated that over 1.79 lakh criminal appeals were pending. Of this, 1714 cases were filed as jail petitions with appellants languishing in jails. Alarmed at 10 to 15 years delay in deciding criminal appeals leading to prolonged incarceration of accused in certain cases, the top court has last year embarked upon a pilot project with the Allahabad High Court to mitigate long-standing hardships of the jailed people. Subsequently, it also called for a report from Madhya Pradesh High Court on a PIL by NGO 'Lawyers for Justice'. In MP, it was pointed out that as many as 71,474 cases were pending over there since 1994. After going through the report from two High Courts, a bench of Justices J Chelameswar and Sanjay Kishan Kaul said something has to be done to contain the alarming situation. "We at present don't know what could be done but certainly we will try to do something. This is very concerning situation. Some of the matters are taken up for hearing in two to three decades," the bench said. The apex court, however, said that in some high courts like in Madras and Andhra Pradesh high courts, the situation is better. The court was hearing two petitions one filed by a murder convict, Ramu, through advocate Dushyant Prasahar, seeking bail due to delay in adjudication on his appeal, and another by NGO 'Lawyers for Justice'. The individual petition was languishing in jail for 12 years with his appeal pending in high court. The court appointed senior advocate M N Rao as amicus curiae to assist in the matter. It had earlier sought assistance from senior advocates C U Singh and Shyam Diwan as amicus curiae. Advocate Navin Prakash appearing for the NGO said that this situation has resulted in convicts completing maximum sentence for the offence in jail with their appeal challenging their conviction still pending in high courts. In March last year, the court had sought report from the Allahabad High Court on the status of criminal appeals pending with it. Goa is staring at a beef shortage with traders suspending import of the meat from neighbouring Karnataka, claiming harassment by cow vigilantes. An association of traders said its members have stopped procuring beef from Belagavi in Karnataka. This will continue till the state government takes steps to stop harassment by cow vigilante groups, it said. "Harassment by these groups has increased in the state since Christmas. Traders have now decided not to import beef as trucks ferrying the meat are being stopped and confiscated in the name of illegality," Manna Bepari, President, All Goa Qureshi Meat Traders Association, told PTI. Due to this, the state now faces a beef shortage, he said. Bepari said around 25 ton of beef is brought from Belagavi every day. "There is no production of beef in Goa as its lone state-run abattoir is no longer operational." Cow protection groups, including the Gau Raksha Abhiyaan, have claimed that beef in Goa is brought from illegal slaughterhouses in Karnataka, a charge denied by Bepari. "We bring the stock from legal slaughter houses in Karnataka. If any group has any problem with those slaughter houses, they should go there and protest and not stop our trucks which cause losses of lakhs of rupees," he said. Gau Raksha Abhiyaan leader Hanumant Parab claimed cattle were being slaughtered in abattoirs across the border without approval from authorities. "Due to this we have undertaken stringent checks (on the Goa-Karnataka border) along with police," he said. Bepari said traders want immediate intervention by the state government in the matter. Till then, they will not buy beef from the neighbouring state. Beef sale has been banned in Maharashtra, which also borders Goa. External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj today held talks with ASEAN Secretary General Dato Paduka Lim Jock Hoi as India steps up efforts to strengthen engagements with the countries of the region under its 'Act East' policy. "Taking ASEAN-India relationship in the commemorative year! EAM @SushmaSwaraj met with Mr. Dato Paduka Lim Jock Hoi, Secretary-General, ASEAN and Ms. Retno Marsudi, Foreign Minister of Indonesia. #ActEastPolicy," External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Raveesh Kumar tweeted. Swaraj, who arrived here from Thailand on the second leg of her three-nation tour, also inaugurated the 5th Round Table of ASEAN India Network of Think-Tank. "In the run up to the ASEAN India Commemorative Summit, an important event in Jakarta today, EAM @SushmaSwaraj inaugurates the 5th Round Table of ASEAN India Network of Think-Tank. In attendance are FM of Indonesia Retno Marsudi, Secretary Gen of ASEAN and DG RIS," Kumar tweeted. New Delhi will host a commemorative summit on January 25 to mark the 25th anniversary of the Dialogue Partnership between India and the ASEAN in which all the leaders of the grouping are expected to participate. She also addressed the Indian Community at a reception held in her honour in Jakarta. Swaraj on Friday held talks with her Indonesian counterpart Marsudi and the two sides reviewed the whole gamut of bilateral relations. "We are two major countries in the Indo-Pacific region. This region is among the most dynamic regions in the world. We agreed to develop synergetic relationship to harness the potential of Indo-Pacific region and to meet the challenges that the region faces," Swaraj had said after co-chairing the fifth meeting of the Joint Commission with Indonesian Foreign Minister Marsudi. She had said Indonesia, as one of the largest countries, the most diverse democracy, and the biggest economy in ASEAN, has a critical role to play in evolution of the new security architecture in the Indo-Pacific region. Swaraj on Friday left for Singapore where she will inaugurate the Regional Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (PBD) of ASEAN countries today. The ASEAN comprises of Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. Her three-nation visit is part of New Delhi's efforts to hold bilateral interactions in various sectors with countries of the South East Asian region within the framework of India's 'Act East' policy. Bengaluru-based online payment solution company Razorpay is focussing on simplifying payments in India. Started in 2013 by Harshil Mathur and Shashank Kumar, it has built solutions to address complex use cases and accept payments in every online mode. In an interaction with Uma Kannan of DH, Harshil Mathur, Co-Founder and CEO of the company, says Razorpay, apart from product expansion, is also looking at global expansion. Edited excerpts: How did you get into Y Combinator, an American seed accelerator? Both of us (Harshil and Shashank) initially started Razorpay in Jaipur at my parents' house. We were both working in different jobs at that time. I left my job in Schlumberger and Shashank left his job in Microsoft in the US and joined me in Jaipur. Soon, we got into the startup programme by Y Combinator. Once we got funded by Y Combinator, we decided to move to a larger city because we had to scale up our technical talent. It was a pure tech product and the choice for us was either Gurgram or Bengaluru and we felt Bengaluru is the right place because senior technical talent was already available in the city and most of our clients were based in Bengaluru. We moved to this city in May 2015. Why did you choose mobile payment system and were you clear about its growth potential? We had the base idea, as we had faced the mobile payment problem. As a young startup, we knew there were certain challenges with digital payment system. We wanted to make it really easy for any company to accept payments, especially on the mobile devices that were getting popular at that point. 2014 was the year when transactions on mobile phones began to rise compared to web. Smartphone penetration was increasingly growing in India and most transactions were happening on mobile. We saw a huge potential and a market as nobody was focusing on mobile payments at that time. That's how the original idea came about. We constantly added new features integrating our services into wallets, UPI. At that point, no one was focusing on optimising payment for 2G speed. Bringing a payment gateway, which is mobile-first, and specifically designed for payments on 2G speeds or low network speeds on a small scale device was critical and this was one of the technical problems that we wanted to solve. How do you ensure to deliver a smooth mobile payment experience? UPI was launched in 2016. So we worked on developing one single payment layer so that merchants can integrate and accept all instruments that came along. Initially it was debit and credit cards, then net banking. After that we added wallets, EMI payments and then UPI. So a merchant didn't have to go to individual banks, card networks, NPCI for UPI, everything was integrated under one single umbrella. So all modes of payments including wallets such as Freecharge, Ola Money, were under one umbrella. Mobile payment experience was the key and most of the mobile transactions were happening at low internet speed and we worked on optimising payments for 2G speed. Has internet connectivity improved? The connectivity has gone up, but it is still flaky. So it is not the bandwidth issue. People have bandwidth plan, but it is the network inconsistency. Indian internet connection is one of the slowest in the world and we always optimised our platform to ensure payments are happening on mobile even when the internet speed goes slow. What about funding? How much have you raised so far? We raised around $2.5 million through Y Combinator, Matrix Partners and 33 angel investors who included founders of Snapdeal, Freecharge, InMobi and many other Indian internet influencers. Then we raised around $9 million from Tiger Global and Matrix, followed by an undisclosed strategic investment from Mastercard. What about your global expansion plans? Global expansion is something that we are looking at. The payment problem is specific to developing countries and not developed countries. Geographies like South East Asia face similar payment issues like India. We don't want to immediately take the technology we built for India to these markets. We are working on market research and product customisation before we plan to expand. But base problems are the same setting up payments acceptance layer, multiple payment local instruments and technology. We have to take it there and customise it a little. What are your plans for the Indian market? Right now, we are primarily focussed on simplifying payments in India, working on product expansion. We had a bunch of product launches three months ago. We now not only accept payments, we also disburse payments, different forms of payments, beyond online payments like bank transfers and NEFT. Increasingly our focus will be to add a lot of these different products and verticals which diversify us in terms of what we do for businesses so not just payment acceptance in the online space but if somebody accepts bank transfers, we accept it and disburse payments for them to pay their vendors. You had a good run during demonetisation. With demonetisation, there has been a change in mindset. Before demonetisation, even schools and colleges would not opt for digital payments. But this move, caught them off guard and now they can't say that it is a cash loss for us as they don't have an option. So the change in mindset is still helpful for us. This has enabled many to be in the digital platform, the government is also working towards incentivising businesses to move digital. In the last one year, we have grown about 20x in terms of volume, and similar ratio in revenues. In the last four months, we have grown about 40-50% month-on-month. How many products are you offering right now? One is the core payment gateway product for payment acceptance and four new products which are Razorpay Route, Razorpay Smart Collect, Razorpay Subscriptions and Razorpay Invoices - all these will solve for managing the entire money movement for the country's huge under-served business community and embrace cash-rich traditional sectors such as education, government, insurance and new age ecommerce companies. When do you plan to break-even? Are you closer to it? We are not profitable yet, but we are not far from break-even either. We really want to push towards it. It will be easy for us to achieve break-even in six months. But right now, our focus is on product expansion, spending a lot of money on investments and work on things that will give us positive returns in future. So focus for the company is not really to look at creating profits right now, it's just that market economics are positive so it is not difficult for us to breakeven. We are processing billions of dollars in payments, and we cater to over 60,000 businesses including the likes of GoIbibo, Yatra, Zomato, Zoho, DSP Blackrock and Zerodha, among others. We are aiming to impact the lives of 500 million end consumers by 2020. The Department of Transport is mulling over imparting heavy vehicle driving training for women by the government and engage them in public transportation system. Funds would be earmarked for the purpose in the next budget, Transport Minister H M Revanna said. He was speaking after laying the foundation for heavy vehicle driving training institute at Kamblapadavu at a cost of Rs 15 crore. "Women have excelled in all walks of life. Women drive heavy vehicles in foreign countries. After imparting free training, a license would be issued for women by the government." After Bengaluru and Dharwad, the heavy vehicle driving training institute will come up in Mangaluru. The centre will start functioning within 18 months. The institute will give priority to road safety and checking road accidents. Under Raitha Sarathi programme, farmers will be trained in driving tractors. There are 5 lakh tractors in the state, of which 3 lakh farmers have a license for driving. On the occasion, the minister distributed licenses to farmers for driving tractors. Commissioner for Transport and Road Safety B Dayanand said the institute is coming up on a 10-acre land. It will have automated vehicle inspection as well as test driving tracks. District-in-Charge Minister B Ramanath Rai said the finance department has given its approval for the RTO office in Bantwal. The RTO office will be inaugurated by the end of the month, which will benefit the people of Belthangady and Bantwal. 'Peace disrupted' Transport Minister H M Revanna said that the untoward incidents in Dakshina Kannada district have hurt him. "In spite of peace-loving people in the district, an attempt is being made to disrupt the peace in the society. Innocent lives are being lost over personal rivalry," he said. The KIOCL will set up a pellet plant with a capacity of 1.2 million tonne per annum at Rashtriya Ispat Nigam Limited (RINL) unit at Vizag, said Union Minister of Steel Chaudhary Birender Singh. A memoranum of understanding in this regard has been signed. Speaking to reporters at KIOCL here on Saturday, the RINL's demand for the pellets will be met by the plant. The excess will be exported or sold within the country. The Union government is laying emphasising on increased utilisation of pellets as a raw material in the blast furnaces and sponge iron industry in the country. Further, the minister said that KIOCL has been recognised as Mineral Exploration entity under section 4(1) of MMDR Act 1957 for carrying out Mineral Exploration works. Accordingly, the company has already taken up G4 level exploration for a new mineral bearing blocks allocated by the Ministry of Mines, under the National Mineral Exploration Trust Programme. The KIOCL will take up exploration of iron ore in Thiruppur district in Tamil Nadu on a 100 square kilometre area while it will explore gold in 200 square kilometre area in Mysuru. The exploration at Tamil Nadu will be completed within six months, he said. He said that the KIOCL is in the process of diversifying and expanding its activities by setting up of captive solar power Plant in its existing land available at Blast Furnace Unit, Mangaluru. The proposed project would support the Government of India's National Solar Mission. The project is expected to be completed by March. In order to support the Government of India's National Solar Mission, KIOCL has plans to add higher capacity solar plants in Karnataka state during next financial year. Revamp of unit The KIOCL has proposed to set up forward and backward integration projects to the Blast Furnace Unit for production of Ductile Iron Spun Pipe and LAM Coke along with pulverised coal injection system and modification to Blast Furnace. About 2 lakh tonnes of DI pipes would be manufactured. The feed material for the project would be obtained from Devadari mines in Ballari. "We also want the production of pig iron to commence at its Blast furnace unit," he said. The KIOCL has posted a profit of Rs 28 crore during the 2016-17. After the deduction of the tax, the profit stood at Rs 18.27 crore. It has exported 10.33 lakh tonnes of pellets to China, Japan, Vietnam and Malaysia. In the domestic market, it has sold 7.3 lakh tonnes of pellets. Promotion of tourism In reply to a query on KIOCL land in Kudremukh where it had stopped its mining, the minister said that the KIOCL has the patta of the land. "I hope the KIOCL will have a new venture may be in promoting tourism. It had hired a consultant to prepare a project report and the report is with the KIOCL. We want to make best use of the land. Even after mining stopped, it continues to remain a lush green cover." Ministry of Steel secretary Aruna Sharma said that as per the steel policy 2017, the production of steel will reach 150 million tonnes by 2020. In line with steel policy of Government of India for production of 300MT of steel by 2030, utilisation of pellets to the tune of 25% for steel production will go a long way towards KIOCL contribution, says Aruna Sharma, secretary, ministry of steel. KIOCL will not stop with only marketing its own product but shall participate in programmes to promote usage of pellets in manufacture of steel and manufacture of special grade pellets, she added. Union Minister of Steel Chaudhary Birender Singh said that after getting a few statutory clearances from the state government, the KIOCL will start mining operations at Devadari mines at Ballari. The KIOCL is also planning to set up beneficiation and pelletisation plant at Devadari. The setting up of the plant will reduce the cost incurred on transporation of pellets to Mangaluru plant as well, he said. Samajwadi Party's attempt to form a grand alliance of the Opposition parties to counter the BJP in the forthcoming Lok Sabha bypolls at Gorakhpur and Phulpur constituencies suffered a setback as Congress and BSP skipped a crucial meeting convened by SP supremo Akhilesh Yadav on Saturday. Akhilesh had invited all the Opposition parties to formulate their strategy on the issue of EVMs and unitedly demand use of ballot papers in the two LS constituencies. Sources in the SP said that the issue of fielding an united Opposition candidate against BJP was also on the agenda. Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD), Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), Left parties and some other smaller outfits attended the meeting and supported the demand for using ballot papers instead of EVMs. SP leaders, however, claimed that the Congress had sent a letter conveying its support to the demand. Crucial for BJP Sources said that SP was likely to nominate candidates for both the seats where bypolls could be held in the next couple of months. The two seats were crucial for the BJP as Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath represented Gorakhpur and his deputy Keshav Prasad Maurya represented Phulpur before resigning. While BSP was not likely to put up its candidate in the bypolls, it was not clear if the Congress would follow suit. Akhilesh has been trying to form a grand alliance of the Opposition parties to counter BJP in the state in the next general elections in 2019. Demanding taluk status for Kushalnagar, the students of various colleges formed a human chain at Cariappa Circle in Kushalnagar on Saturday. The indefinite hunger strike under the aegis of Kaveri taluk Horata Kendriya Samithi president V P Shashidhar has entered the sixth day. The students of various colleges extended their support and staged a dharna on the occasion. The students had blocked the road for half an hour and disrupted the movement of vehicles. Trouble seems to be brewing for New Delhi's flagship initiative for connectivity to South-East Asia, as Nay Pyi Daw has dragged its feet on negotiation for an India-Myanmar-Thailand motor-vehicle agreement. The proposed agreement was intended to ensure hassle-flree movement of vehicles within India, Myanmar and Thailand, notwithstanding which of the three countries they are registered in. New Delhi was keen to ink the agreement with Nay Pyi Daw and Bangkok, as it would help reap the benefit of the proposed India-Myanmar-Thailand highway - one of its flagship initiatives for connectivity with South-East Asia. Nay Pyi Daw, however, of late conveyed to New Delhi and Bangkok that it was not immediately ready to sign the agreement. "Myanmar has conveyed that it would proceed with this agreement once it has comprehensively reviewed the implementation of similar arrangements it has with other countries," V K Singh, Minister of State for External Affairs, informed the Lok Sabha in written reply to a question. This is New Delhi's second connectivity initiative to be stalled by one of its friendlier neighbours. The Bhutan-Bangladesh-India-Nepal (BBIN) motor-vehicle agreeement too could not be implemented even after all the four nations signed it in June 2015. The National Council or upper house of Bhutan's Parliament declined to ratify the agreement, although India, Nepal and Bangladesh was ready to implement it. New Delhi has been keen to move fast on the 1360-kilometer-long India-Myanmar-Thailand trilateral highway, which is proposed to link Moreh in Manipur in north-eastern India to Mae Sot in Thailand through Tamu, Kalewa, Yargyi, Monywa, Mandalay, Meiktila, Baw Nat Gyi, Mawlamyine, Kawkareik and Myawaddy in Myanmar. India has already awarded contracts for construction of 69 bridges on the Tamu-Kyigone-Kalewa section of the proposed highway in Myanmar. India will also fund works for upgrading 120.74 km road on the Kalewa-Yargi section in Myanmar. Though the officials of the three nations had some preliminary meetings to discuss the proposed agreement, Nay Pyi Daw dragged feet recently. Prime Minister Narendra Modi discussed the issue with Myanmar's State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi, during his visit to Nay Pyi Daw in September 2017. Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar also took it up with senior officials of Myanmar Government during his visit to Nay Pyi Daw last month, sources told DH. Modi may get another opportunity later this month to nudge Suu Kyi to give her nod to the proposed agreement. Myanmar's de-facto Head of Government is likely to visit New Delhi for a commemorative summit, which is being hosted by Prime Minister to mark the 25th anniversary of India's partnership with the Association of South East Asian Nations or ASEAN. New Delhi, which has been opposed to the Belt-and-Road initiative of China, often highlighted the proposed India-Myanmar-Thailand trilateral highway as one of the examples of its own connectivity initiatives. India has been maintaining that its connectivity initiatives, unlike the BRI of China, are alll "based on universally recognized international norms, good governance, rule of law, openness, transparency and equality". Minister for Higher Education Basavaraj Rayareddy said that the state government will distribute free laptops within a week to 31,800 SC/ST students of first grade, polytechnic and 14 government engineering colleges. He was speaking after distributing laptops under Special Component Plan (SCP) and Tribal Sub Plan (TSP) of 2016-17 to SC/ST students of the Government First Grade College and Government Polytechnic College in Mangaluru on Saturday. The minister said that 1,50,000 general category students will get laptops by March. "In Dakshina Kannada, as many as 7,900 general category students will get laptops. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah had earmarked Rs 227 crore in the budget for the distribution of laptops," he said. "The youth power in the country should be empowered through knowledge. The youth should enrol for higher education. Out of 100 youths, only 24 youths become graduates, in India. In Karnataka, there are only 27.3% graduates in Karnataka. In the next five years, the government wants to increase it to 40%," he said. Residential colleges Rayareddy said that 175 residential colleges will be set up in Karnataka in a phased manner. There are 650 SC/ST beneficiary students in Dakshina Kannada, of whom 472 are first grade college students. District In-charge Minister B Ramanath Rai said that laptops are given to students to gain knowledge. "Lack of knowledge has affected the communal harmony in the district. The students should be cautious. Every step of students will decide the future of the country," he said. Legislator J R Lobo presided over the programme. The Departmentt of Shalya Tantra of Muniyal Institute of Ayurveda Medical Sciences, Manipal, will be conducting a free medical check up and treatment camp on Piles and Fissure in Ano from January 8 to 13 between 9 am and 4 pm at its premises. General public suffering from bleeding and pain while passing stools are requested to make use of this opportunity, stated a press release. Austin Prabhu visits Heggade Dr Austin D'Souza Prabhu, the first Indian origin Governor of Lions District 1A (Chicagoland, USA - Mother District of Lionism, where Lions movement came into existence and the headquarters of Lions International situated) visited Dharmadhikari D Veerendra Heggade at his residence in Dharmasthala. Maria Advertisers proprietor H R Alva and former student of Sri Dharmasthala Manjunatheshwara (SDM) Law College, Mangaluru, had accompanied Dr Austin. Austin was born (1950) and brought up in Nanthur, Mangaluru. He migrated to the US in 1981 and since then he resides in Chicago. Heggade hailed the services of Austin through Lions International and presented with him 'Abode of Dharma Dharmasthala' (Pictorial Information Book) and a memorial medal. Poster presentation winners Navaneetha and Eldhose Benny, fifth Pharm D students of Srinivas College of Pharmacy, Valachil, were declared winners of first prizes in scientific poster presentation and 'Pharma maze' competition respectively in the International conference on 'Evolving role of clinical Pharmacist' organised by Acharya and B M Reddy College of Pharmacy recently. CDE prog held A continuing dental education programme comprising a lecture and hands-on session on clinical chairside intraoral scanner was conducted by the Department of Conservative Dentistry and Endodontics, A B Shetty Memorial Institute of Dental Sciences, Nitte Deemed to be University recently. The inaugural session was followed by a lecture session on Clinical Chairside Intraoral Scanner by Dr Soumia Mohan, Product and Application Specialist, Planmeca, India. The participants were briefed about the novel ultra-fast intraoral scanning to sophisticated designing and high-precision chairside milling, cutting edge planmeca FIT system which includes all the necessary tools for a completely integrated and digital workflow. In the hands on session Santhoshkumar, National Service Manager, Panmeca India, demonstrated the use of the intraoral scanner. Selected for Atal Tinkering Lab Dr N Shankara Adyanthaya Memorial Senior Secondary School, Nitte has been selected for the award of grant-in-aid by the Government of India for the establishment of Atal Tinkering Lab, at Nitte. The Tinkering Lab aims to create scientific temper and cultivate the spirit of curiosity and innovation among young minds. Atal Tinkering Lab (ATL) is a workspace where young minds get hands on do- it-yourself mode and learn innovative skills. The main vision of ATL is to 'Cultivate one million children in India as innovators'. Vice President Venkaiah Naidu on Saturday hailed Google but said it can never replace a 'Guru' or teacher. Delivering his address at the 12th convocation of Malviya National Institute of Technology in Jaipur, he advised students to work with the community and be rooted in their traditions. "When old and new combines, gold is created. Students should assist smart city projects and share ideas with panchayat offices," he exhorted. The long-standing dream of Stella Maris Church parishioners at Kalmady became a reality on Saturday. The newly constructed church was inaugurated, blessed and dedicated to the people in the presence of three bishops, many priests and religious men and women from the diocese. Udupi Diocese Bishop Rev Dr Gerald Isaac Lobo, along with Shivamogga Diocese bishop Rev Dr Francis Serrao and Gulbarga Diocese Bishop Rev Dr Robert Miranda, inaugurated the new church by cutting the ribbon at the main door of the church. Bishop Lobo blessed and sanctified the water used to bless the people and the structure of the newly built church. The inaugural mass was concelebrated by the bishops and priests with Bishop Gerald Lobo as the chief celebrant. Shivamogga Diocese Bishop Rev Dr Francis Serrao, in his homily, traced the history of the building of the 'House of God' from the Old Testament. The Bishop stressed on the significance of the church and pointed out how it is very closely associated with the lives of the faithful. The Litany of Saints was recited after the homily. Bishop Lobo then anointed the main altar with the Chrism oil and sanctified it while Bishop Robert Miranda anointed the walls of the church at four main points. Bishop Lobo then recited the prayer of dedication of the church. Bishop Lobo handed over the lit candle to Parish priest Fr Alban D'Souza who lit the candles on the newly blessed altar. Meanwhile, all the lights within the church were switched on and the solemn mass continued. After the distribution of Holy Communion, the Tabernacle was blessed and sanctified. The ciborium containing the Holy Eucharist was placed inside the Tabernacle. A message and Apostolic Blessing from Pope Francis was read out by Louis Lobo, the convener of the church building committee. District In-charge Minister Pramod Madhwaraj said that there is a close relation between Krishna Mutt and Malpe as the statue of Shri Krishna was found in the Malpe Sea. Besides, Malpe being the centre of fishing community, the boat-shaped Stella Maris Church has created a record of communal harmony in this area. Bishop Lobo said worship homes are places that manifest the presence of God and preservation of the sanctity of such places is the responsibility of each and every faithful. The Bishop said that besides Catholics, people belonging to other religions also visit the church and get favours from Our Lady of Vailankanni. In Indian culture, temples have special meaning as they are symbols of developing a special bond between God and human beings. Temples provide spiritual satisfaction and God's blessings. Christians believe churches are gateways to heaven. In this way, people can experience the divine power. The Bishop hoped that temples and churches become symbols of our unity and provide us lessons of tolerance and brotherhood. The Central Institute of Indian Languages (CIIL), Mysuru, in collaboration with the Indian Institute of Language Studies (IILS), New Delhi, has organised the 13th International Conference of South Asian Languages and Literatures (ICOSAL-13), from January 8 to 10. Addressing a media conference here on Saturday, Director of CIIL D G Rao said that the linguistic and cultural diversity is a subject of growing social importance because a majority of the world's living languages are threatened in their continued existence. "Out of 7,099 living languages, South Asia is the most linguistically diverse area with four language families, comprising more than 650 individual languages. Apart from the languages that rank in the top 10 numbers of speakers worldwide, Hindi ranks second and many so-called minority languages are spoken by significantly greater numbers of people than more well-known and more-widely taught European languages," he said. "The South Asian languages belong to four major language families - Indo-Aryan, Dravidian, Austro-Asiatic, and Tibeto-Burman. The diversity of languages in South Asia and the different vitality of the languages, cultures, and literatures have strong implications on individuals and societies," he added. "This is the first time, the CIIL is directly hosting an ICOSAL, even though it has been a partner with the host universities, whenever they were held in India. ICOSAL is an international forum of scholars from across the globe that deliberates on various aspects of languages, cultures, and literatures of South Asia. Four of the past 12 conferences were hosted by the Institute of Asian and African Studies, Moscow State University. Eight conferences of ICOSAL have been held in India at Punjabi University, University of Hyderabad, Annamalai University, Osmania University, Punjabi University, Aligarh Muslim University, Banaras Hindu University and again in the University of Hyderabad. The previous conferences have attracted a large number of senior and young Indian and foreign scholars," he said. Rao said, "The focus of ICOSAL-13 would be on the differences and similarities between the languages, cultures, and literatures of South Asia, approached from the perspective of the typologies of individual linguistic and cultural phenomena, the historical development of language families, and the numerous contacts between languages spoken in South Asia." "The thrust areas for ICOSAL-13 are: Language Endangerment and Language Documentation; Linguistic Typology; Grammatical Tradition; Anthropological Linguistics; Cognitive Linguistics; Computational Linguistics; Language Contact and Language Change; Translation and Writing Systems. Besides this, there will be papers in general sessions that includes Applied Linguistics; Clinical Linguistics; Discourse Analysis; Forensic Linguistics; Genetic Classification; Historical Linguistics; Language Education; Lexicology and Lexicography; Literacy studies and literary theories; Literature; Morphology; Natural Language Processing; Neurolinguistics; Pragmatics; Phonetics and Phonology; Psycholinguistics; Semantics; Semiotics and Sign Language; Sociolinguistics; Stylistics and Syntax," he said. Participants Two hundred participants, including 20 scholars from Russia, the United States of America, Nepal, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Singapore, and other South Asian countries working on various aspects of South Asian languages, cultures and linguistics will participate in ICOSAL-13. Boris A Zakharyin and Liudmila Khokhlova of Moscow State University, Moscow, and Omkar N Koul, co-founders of ICOSAL, are the key participants. Deputy Director of CIIL and organising secretary of ICOSAL-13 Umarani Pappuswamy and co-organising secretary Ramamurthy were present. Over five years ago, when the National Commission for Human Resources in Health (NCHRH) bill, 2011, came before the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Health for review, one of the states that opposed the proposed legislation was Gujarat a then headed by chief minister Narendra Modi. Deposing before the House panel, the Gujarat representative argued, "it would be better to modify, amend and expand the role of the existing mechanism (Medical Council of India) rather than to create a new structure". He observed that "the correct way to go about a change was to improve the existing structure, build in safeguards and have a democratic and more consultative dispensation." Cut to 2018. The Narendra Modi-led NDA government at the Centre intends to do exactly what he opposed as chief minister a creating a new structure to replace the MCI, which is often accused of corruption. It is quite likely that when the National Medical Commission bill, 2017, comes to Parliament for approval, some of the questions raised by states like Gujarat, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal against the NCHRH bill will return to haunt the treasury benches. The NCHRH bill was conceived by the Congress-led UPA government as an umbrella body for better management and administration of four professional healthcare bodies a Medical Council of India, Dental Council of India, Pharmacy Council of India and the Indian Nursing Council. The central idea was to establish a national commission to deal with all kinds of human resources in the health sector. The proposed NMC would have three constituent bodies a National Board of Health Education; National Evaluation and Assessment Committee and the National Council, with distinct responsibilities for regulating educational standards, enforcing the standards and assuring quality, and governing medical practice and ethical norms. Had the NCHRH bill become law, the MCI would have been left with just the task of maintaining the national register of doctors and dealing with ethics complaints against doctors. There were several objections to the proposal. One of the key objections from the 31-member House panel was the almost negligible representation from the state governments in the proposed NCHRH even though health is a state subject and medical education figures in the Concurrent list. While the members of these panels were to be selected by various selection committees, the MPs raised questions on the ambiguous nature of choosing the members, who would sit on those panels. Mamata Banerjee's West Bengal government told the House panel it was not in favour of passing the bill as it proposed shifting self-regulation of professional bodies to a central and technocratic regulation. West Bengal argued that the NCHRH bill was top heavy, with more emphasis on "expertise" rather than on "states' participation," which could lead to a purely technical, highly centralised, over-regulated approach to a sector that impinges on public welfare and is on the Concurrent list in the Constitution. Six years down the line, TMC has similar objections to the NMC bill, which the party argued would lead to increased privatisation of the health sector. Tamil Nadu, under the late J Jayalalithaa, was another state that objected to a centralised regulatory structure for medical education. "The NCHRH bill effectively puts the leadership and decision-making process with regard to medical, dental and paramedical education in the hands of 25 persons, all of whom would be nominees of the central government. This would undermine the powers of the state government, which would be left with no role to play in policy issues," said the Tamil Nadu official. Objections from state governments were one of the main reasons for the parliamentary panel to reject the NCHRH bill even after recognising the need for a better regulator for medical education, which lies at the core of India having a poor doctor-patient ratio. That's the reason while introducing the NMC bill in the Lok Sabha, Union Health Minister J P Nadda said the new bill was drafted after taking into account the recommendations of the (previous) Standing Committee. In fact the controversial provision of creating an interface between modern medicine and Ayurveda and Homoeopathy appear to have its roots in the same parliamentary committee report that observed that instead of having two governing structures for two streams of medicines, the government should create a single body. The Union Health Ministry went a step ahead in the NMC bill to suggest that the practitioners of Indian systems of medicines and homoeopathy can prescribe modern medicines to some extent if they undergo a bridge course. While the contentious provision may have been introduced to help staff vacant sub-centres and primary health care centres in the countryside, it has opened a Pandora's Box. What has remained constant for both NCHRH and NMC is steadfast opposition from the Indian Medical Association a India's largest group of doctors. IMA resisted a 2005 amendment to the Indian Medical Council Act, 1956, as well as another set of amendments proposed by the government after the NCHRH bill was rejected. It continued to preach self-regulation but did little to rid the medical sector of corruption. Can the government stand up to all these challenges and deliver a clean and transparent regulator for the cash-rich sector? Bengaluru, dhns: BJP leader Shobha Karandlaje on Saturday said that the Congress party should reimburse to the government the expenses incurred by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah to organise the rallies and programmes undertaken as part of Navakarnataka Nirmana Yatra. Shobha said the chief minister's yatra was more of a political event than a tour to highlight the government's initiatives. She said Siddaramaiah was not only misusing the taxpayers' money, but also the government machinery for the rallies, where he attack his political opponents. Shobha demanded that Siddaramaiah put a stop to his whirlwind tours immediately in the light of a PIL filed before the High Court against it. She said the tours were a clear violation of the Supreme Court order of 2013, which said public funds should not be used for political or electoral gains. Mandya is considered the sugar bowl of Karnataka. But for the BJP, the electoral experience has been rather bitter here: The party has not been able to win a single seat in any of past Assembly polls in the Vokkaliga-dominant district. The BJP is pulling out all the stops to open its account in coming elections in Mandya. The party is trying to make best use of the factional feud in the rival parties to achieve its goal. Vokkaliga leader and Channapatna MLA C P Yogeeshwara, who recently joined the BJP, has been entrusted with the task of ensuring victory for the party in the district. He has been trying to woo disgruntled leaders in the Congress and the JD(S), besides farmers' leaders, sources in the BJP said. He recently managed to get influential leader of the farming community K S Nanjunde Gowda to the party. Induction of Nanjunde Gowda has come as a shot in the arm for the party. Gowda, had unsuccessfully contested from Srirangapatana for six times. And in 2004, he lost the election by a slender margin of about 1,500 votes. The BJP has drawn up a strategy to win at least three of the seven constituencies in Mandya: Srirangapatana, Malavalli and Maddur. While Nanjunde Gowda is most likely to be the party's candidate from Srirangapatana, former minister B Somashekar or retired IAS officer K Shivaram are among those considered for Malavalli (SC Reserve). Yogeeshwara himself is planning to contest from Maddur. The Congress is riddled with many factions in Mandya. Though senior leader S M Krishna quit the Congress and joined the BJP, many of his followers have remained in the Congress. But they are feeling sidelined. Actor-turned-politicians, M H Ambareesh and Ramya, are at loggerheads. Besides, a section of party leaders is upset with the decision to induct rebel JD(S) MLAs, N Chaluvarayaswamy (Nagamangala) and Ramesh Bandesidde Gowda (Srirangapatna). The JD(S), which has been rattled by the move of its two MLAs quitting the party, is looking for alternative leaders. In some constituencies, the party is facing the problem of plenty with too many leaders aspiring to contest the polls.Grapevine in the political circles is that top BJP leaders have assured Yogeeshwara that he will be rewarded with a ministerial berth if he helps the party open its account in Mandya district. Yogeeshwara, who who is known for his political astuteness, is said to have struck a deal with BJP state president B S Yeddyurappa in this regard. Bengaluru: JD(S) state president H D Kumaraswamy has been forced to put off his ambitious grama vastavya (village stay) programme, following strict advice from doctors, who have asked him to slow down his pace of poll campaign. Kumaraswamy, who underwent a second heart surgery September 2017, is still highly prone to chest infections. In fact, soon after he undertook his first grama vastavya at Mugulavalli in Mudigere taluk of Chikkamagalur on November 7 last year, Kumaraswamy fell ill, which restricted him to his residence in Bengaluru for nearly 10 days after that. After his surgery on September 23 last year, Kumaraswamy had announced that he would undertake grama vastavya in 50 Assembly constituencies by the end of December 2017. For this purpose, the party had even readied a Rs 1 crore, custom-made luxury bus - Karnataka Vikasa Vahini. All set, he restarted his campaigning activities by launching the Kumara Parva Vikasa Yatre from Chamundeshwari constituency in Mysuru, which was followed by the village stay in Chikkamagaluru. However, the long hours, travelling and over exertion took a toll on him. Leading cardiologist and Kumaraswamy's family doctor Dr C N Manjunath told DH that he had categorically asked his brother-in-law to put a stop to the grama vastavya programme. "I have advised him not to take up any more village stays. Though his heart is functioning normally, the minute he starts over exerting himself, he is developing infections. It's not that he is susceptible to infections all the time. But, everytime he is surrounded by large crowds who speak close to his ears and mouth, he is bound to develop an infection," Dr Manjunath said. Kumaraswamy suffered extreme exhaustion during the grama vastavya because he left Mysuru late and reached Chikkamgalur at 3.30 am, following which he addressed a series of meetings, he added. Sources said that upon hearing Kumaraswamy's prognosis, his father H D Deve Gowda is said to have advised him to cut short his statewide tours as much as possible. But, Kumaraswamy is not paying much heed to the concerns aired. Though he spent a large part of December in Bengaluru, he is presently on a three-day tour in Belagavi and Bagalkot. He is scheduled to return to Bengaluru on Sunday, following which he will be travelling to Mysuru, Mangaluru and Ramanagaram. Kumaraswamay's close associates however maintained that grama vastavya was not entirely off the agenda. Bengaluru, dhns: The BJP and the Congress will intensify the poll heat, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Congress president Rahul Gandhi arriving in Bengaluru later this month. Modi is slated to participate in the valedictory of the BJP's Nava Karnataka Nirmana Parivartana Yatra at Palace Grounds on January 28. Rahul is scheduled to address a rally at Palace Grounds or the Bengaluru International Exhibition Centre, off Tumakuru Road, the very next day on January 29. The last time Modi addressed party workers was during a brief pitstop at the HAL airport in October, 2017. Initially, Rahul was to visit state from January 21-23. This has now been pushed to January 27-29 after the party realised that it will be a disadvantage if his visit precedes Modi's. Sources in the Congress said Rahul will be addressing a ST convention at Hosapete in Ballari on January 27, followed by an interaction with farmers at Vidurashwatha in Chikkaballapur and students in Mysuru on January 28, before arriving in Bengaluru on January 29. After 43 years, the Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board is outsourcing the operation and maintenance (O&M) of the Cauvery I, II and III stages of water pumping under a public-private-partnership (PPP) model. Presently, the O&M of these pumping stations is handled by the board staff who operate the pumps and motors round the clock. The PPP model aims to increase the efficiency of the machinery and cut down on maintenance costs. The existing motors and pumps, some of which were manufactured by the New Government Electric Factory (NGEF), have been underperforming, with an efficiency of just 72%. It is a major reason for excess consumption of power. According to BWSSB chairman Tushar Girinath, the machinery is indeed old and can break down anytime. "We cannot afford to lose the reliability of water supply using such old machines, which not only consume more power, but are also under frequent repair. We are forced to spend on it regularly without carrying out any preventive maintenance," he added. In order to cut down on the cost of maintenance and shift to an energy-saving model, the BWSSB has prepared a proposal to hand over the O&M of all the nine pumping stations to private players and submit it to the state government. Explaining the project, Girinath said energy-saving companies would be invited to participate in the tendering that would work on the Viability Gap Funding (VGF). The work will be awarded to the company that shows the least VGF. The board has worked out the outlines of the proposed PPP model, whereby an estimated cost of Rs 170 crore is invested by the company, while the BWSSB invests around Rs 43 crore as part of the VGF. The model would expect the company to save up to 6% of the energy for 10 years. According to the conditions of the PPP model, the company will have to change the existing machinery at all the pumping stations, including motors, soft starters, control relays, electrical substations, transformers, breakers and switches, among others. The role of the engineers will be confined to monitoring the O&M of the company. The proposal is with the finance department. Once finalised, it will be placed before the Cabinet for approval, following which the tenders are expected to be floated. The BWSSB has been handling 54 pumping systems at nine pumping stations at TK Halli (Thorekadanahalli), Harohalli and Tataguni. These stations are handled by nine engineers, 16 operators from the board and 144 contract staff. Fares for cabs and traditional taxis are likely to shoot up as the transport department will soon allow them to charge three times the current rates. The maximum fare for a hatchback will be Rs 44 for four km. The Rs 44 is the base fare with the government set to allow Rs 22 as maxium fare for subsequent kilometres. For the first time, the department has fixed a minimum fare in addition to the maximum rate. Cars have been classified into four categories as per their on road price and each have different maximum and minimum fares. A notification to this effect will be out within a week, transport minister H M Revanna told DH. It will now be legal for cab-hailing services like Ola and Uber to charge much higher surge rates. The last revision of fares was in June 2013, when the government had set a maximum fare of Rs 14.50 for hatchbacks and Rs 19.50 for sedans. Under the new regime, operators can charge anywhere between Rs 19 and Rs 44 for hatchbacks. File moving Revanna confirmed he had cleared the file with the hike proposals. "It is a long-pending demand that we have addressed," he told DH. RTO sources said the fares had been fixed after a scientific assessment and several rounds of talks with commuters, conventional taxi operators and online cab aggregators. Prof Baladev Raj, renowned scientist and director of the National Institute of Advanced Studies (NIAS) here, died in Pune on Saturday. He was 70. He had gone to Pune to attend a conference. Known for his research in nuclear science, Baldev Raj held various eminent positions and won many fellowships before becoming the director of NIAS in 2014. He was the scientific officer in the Department of Atomic Energy, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Mumbai, in 1970. He became the director of Department of Atomic Energy, Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research, Kalpakkam, in 1993. His field of interest ranged from materials science and technologies to medical technologies, and cultural heritage and policies. He was also known for his contributions to the world of academic research. A Padma Shri, Baladev Raj has to his credit more than 1,300 publications, 80 books and over 100 articles in encyclopedia and handbooks besides achievements like patents. He was conferred with the lifetime achievement award by the Indian Nuclear Society, the Homi Bhabha gold medal and the Nayudamma memorial award. In an official statement, the NIAS said Baldev Raj took the institution to the new heights. "He not only bridged the gap between the institution and the government but also played a major part in decision-making. He took steps to increase the number of staff in the institution and bringing grants to the research projects," the statement added. A consumer court has directed a motorcycle manufacturer and its dealer to refund a customer who developed severe pain after riding a bike with a defect. The District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum at Bengaluru (Urban) accepted the customer's contention that the bike had a manufacturing defect. Bhoopathi B, a resident of B Narayanapura, Mahadevapura, had filed a complaint against India Yamaha Motor and Panache Enterprises in Indiranagar. Deputy manager in a private company in HSR Layout, he had bought a Yamaha FZS bike in September 2015 for Rs 98,416. The joy of his purchase did not last long. Bhoopathi felt a shooting pain in his left arm and neck soon after he started using the bike. By the end of a week, the pain in his back had become severe. He says he had to be hospitalised. The problem, according to Bhoopathi, was that the bike was veering left. As a result, he had to apply pressure to keep it straight. He left the bike at the service centre as they were unable to fix the problem. The dealer asked him to return after a month, but the problem persisted. A second visit didn't help either. He then decided to approach the consumer forum. The consumer forum, headed by president P V Singri, observed the problem had not been rectified even after the bike was given for service twice. Within the period of warranty, the customer is entitled to free repair, replacement or refund, he said. The forum ordered the company to refund Bhoopathi the price of the bike (Rs 98,416) and also pay Rs 4,000 as litigation costs. Unnerved by the Mumbai rooftop fire, pub hoppers in Bengaluru are now more aware of their surroundings, more observant of the safety rules. This came across clearly as DH went around the city to get a pulse of what they really feel. Shrey Jani, a student this newspaper spoke to at Easy Tiger on Church Street, notes that there are absolutely no safety measures in most pubs and bars in the city. Let alone inbuilt fire safety measures, he cannot even recall seeing a fire extinguisher exhibited prominently at any of the pubs and bars he has been to. At another pub on M G Road, Prateek, a businessman is convinced that safety norms are not followed at all. This, he says, is bad for customers if an incident does occur. However, this glaring gap does not stop people from going to bars. Suresh Eswar, a Chief Executive Officer at a bar in Koramangala laments, "None of the resto-bars have fire safety. In fact there needs to be more awareness on fire safety information such as emergency exits, fire extinguishers and other measures in place to tackle a fire." He says there should be a fire safety and rescue plan at every establishment, and this must be shared with the customers. "Fire safety drills must be done with bar employees and they must know how to react and what to do in case of a fire. But this is also a responsibility of all stakeholders and not just the establishment owners," adds Eswar. Another regular pub-goer, business manager Amitabh Satyam says, "fire safety regulations must be better implemented and authorities must carry through with enforcing it effectively." Otherwise, he warns, customer safety will be seriously compromised. "The government must not do this on an ad-hoc basis and should follow through the enforcement part consistently." Echoing similar sentiments, Judy notes: "It is the establishment's duty and responsibility to protect its customers. As of now we are not well prepared and very few places have fire safety." Giving his perspective as a risk engineer, Ujjwal Kumar talks about the need for splinkers and other inbuilt safety measures. The entire country and not just Bengaluru is severely lagging behind in this regard. Usage of fire resistant materials, he notes, will go a long way in minimising the fallout. But in many establishments, aesthetics is given priority over public safety. Evacuation drills are a must to educate people on what they must do in case of a fire to avoid chaos, says Kumar. Outside Three Dots and a Dash, a popular outlet in Indiranagar, Amazon executive Nikita offers more insights: "Bars and Pubs are ill prepared. I have been to many pubs and bars in Bengaluru, but don't see any fire safety equipment. And even if any bar has a fire extinguisher, if it is not visible, then what's the use?" Visibility and ease of access to fire safety measures are equally important, she notes. "Also, many of these places have a lot of wooden walls which will catch fire easily. There is also a complete lack of fire exits in most places. Public awareness on fire safety is very low." The State fire and emergency services department must also focus on educating the public apart from enforcing these measures. "The scariest part is we don't even know how to react in case of a fire," observes Nikita. Rajeshwari, who works in the retail industry feels that, "No matter where you go, be it a bar, pub or restaurant, it's the responsibility of every single person and not just the government and the owner. But the government must take the initiative on fire safety drills and proper education on fire safety as the layman's knowledge on such things is very minimal." Online fraudsters cheated a software engineer in the city of Rs 20 lakh under the pretext of offering him a business deal with high returns. In his complaint to the cyber crime police, H N Ravi Kumar, residing in JP Nagar 5th phase, said he received a call in September from a man introducing himself as Russell, the head of Nova Pharma company in the United States. Russell asked Kumar to source some cancer healing seeds available in India in return for a brokerage. Kumar ignored the call. Two weeks later, Kumar received a mail from Russell, from the email ID of nova-pharma.org. The American man had stated in the mail that Shukla in Maharashtra was his distributors, and asked Kumar to act as his Indian agent to purchase the seeds from them. The offer of Rs 50,000 per packet of seeds was too tempting to ignore, Kumar had said in his complaint. Russell further gave him the phone numbers of Girish and Shilpa, with instructions to call them. The American imposter also told Kumar that a packet of seeds actually costs Rs 2.5 lakh and he needs 10 packets of the seeds. Once Kumar purchased the seeds and dispatched them to the United States, Russell said he would wire him Rs 30 lakh, including brokerage. Kumar contacted Girish and Shilpa, who asked him to deposit the money in a Canara Bank account. To his horror, Kumar found their mobile phones switched off after he had deposited the money. Country United States of America US Virgin Islands United States Minor Outlying Islands Canada Mexico, United Mexican States Bahamas, Commonwealth of the Cuba, Republic of Dominican Republic Haiti, Republic of Jamaica Afghanistan Albania, People's Socialist Republic of Algeria, People's Democratic Republic of American Samoa Andorra, Principality of Angola, Republic of Anguilla Antarctica (the territory South of 60 deg S) Antigua and Barbuda Argentina, Argentine Republic Armenia Aruba Australia, Commonwealth of Austria, Republic of Azerbaijan, Republic of Bahrain, Kingdom of Bangladesh, People's Republic of Barbados Belarus Belgium, Kingdom of Belize Benin, People's Republic of Bermuda Bhutan, Kingdom of Bolivia, Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina Botswana, Republic of Bouvet Island (Bouvetoya) Brazil, Federative Republic of British Indian Ocean Territory (Chagos Archipelago) British Virgin Islands Brunei Darussalam Bulgaria, People's Republic of Burkina Faso Burundi, Republic of Cambodia, Kingdom of Cameroon, United Republic of Cape Verde, Republic of Cayman Islands Central African Republic Chad, Republic of Chile, Republic of China, People's Republic of Christmas Island Cocos (Keeling) Islands Colombia, Republic of Comoros, Union of the Congo, Democratic Republic of Congo, People's Republic of Cook Islands Costa Rica, Republic of Cote D'Ivoire, Ivory Coast, Republic of the Cyprus, Republic of Czech Republic Denmark, Kingdom of Djibouti, Republic of Dominica, Commonwealth of Ecuador, Republic of Egypt, Arab Republic of El Salvador, Republic of Equatorial Guinea, Republic of Eritrea Estonia Ethiopia Faeroe Islands Falkland Islands (Malvinas) Fiji, Republic of the Fiji Islands Finland, Republic of France, French Republic French Guiana French Polynesia French Southern Territories Gabon, Gabonese Republic Gambia, Republic of the Georgia Germany Ghana, Republic of Gibraltar Greece, Hellenic Republic Greenland Grenada Guadaloupe Guam Guatemala, Republic of Guinea, Revolutionary People's Rep'c of Guinea-Bissau, Republic of Guyana, Republic of Heard and McDonald Islands Holy See (Vatican City State) Honduras, Republic of Hong Kong, Special Administrative Region of China Hrvatska (Croatia) Hungary, Hungarian People's Republic Iceland, Republic of India, Republic of Indonesia, Republic of Iran, Islamic Republic of Iraq, Republic of Ireland Israel, State of Italy, Italian Republic Japan Jordan, Hashemite Kingdom of Kazakhstan, Republic of Kenya, Republic of Kiribati, Republic of Korea, Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Republic of Kuwait, State of Kyrgyz Republic Lao People's Democratic Republic Latvia Lebanon, Lebanese Republic Lesotho, Kingdom of Liberia, Republic of Libyan Arab Jamahiriya Liechtenstein, Principality of Lithuania Luxembourg, Grand Duchy of Macao, Special Administrative Region of China Macedonia, the former Yugoslav Republic of Madagascar, Republic of Malawi, Republic of Malaysia Maldives, Republic of Mali, Republic of Malta, Republic of Marshall Islands Martinique Mauritania, Islamic Republic of Mauritius Mayotte Micronesia, Federated States of Moldova, Republic of Monaco, Principality of Mongolia, Mongolian People's Republic Montserrat Morocco, Kingdom of Mozambique, People's Republic of Myanmar Namibia Nauru, Republic of Nepal, Kingdom of Netherlands Antilles Netherlands, Kingdom of the New Caledonia New Zealand Nicaragua, Republic of Niger, Republic of the Nigeria, Federal Republic of Niue, Republic of Norfolk Island Northern Mariana Islands Norway, Kingdom of Oman, Sultanate of Pakistan, Islamic Republic of Palau Palestinian Territory, Occupied Panama, Republic of Papua New Guinea Paraguay, Republic of Peru, Republic of Philippines, Republic of the Pitcairn Island Poland, Polish People's Republic Portugal, Portuguese Republic Puerto Rico Qatar, State of Reunion Romania, Socialist Republic of Russian Federation Rwanda, Rwandese Republic Samoa, Independent State of San 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 Uganda, Republic of Ukraine United Arab Emirates United Kingdom of Great Britain & N. Ireland Uruguay, Eastern Republic of Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of Viet Nam, Socialist Republic of Wallis and Futuna Islands Western Sahara Yemen Zambia, Republic of Zimbabwe Toshiba sells Westinghouse to Canada's Brookfield for $4.6 billion Bankrupt US nuclear firm Westinghouse Electric Co, which nearly brought its parent company Japan's Toshiba on the brink of collapse, is being sold to Canadian buy-out firm Brookfield Business Partners for $4.6 billion. Cranberry-based Westinghouse on Thursday announced the signing of a letter of intent with Brookfield, effectively barring other bidders from pursuing their offers. The deal is expected to close in the third quarter of 2018 and is subject to the approval of Westinghouse's bankruptcy judge. It is, however, still preliminary. Brookfield's parent company, Brookfield Asset Management, owns gas distribution networks, wastewater facilities, real estate, and wind farms. This would be its first entry into nuclear services. Brookfield's Westinghouse effort may be a big shift for the in business for the $265 billion assets giant, best known for its investments in office buildings and malls (Brookfield Property Partner, market cap $5.6B), infrastructure (Brookfield Infrastructure Partners, market cap $16.6B) and renewable energy (Brookfield Renewable Partners, market cap $10.8B). Reports said Brookfield Business Partners is expected to contribute about $1 billion in equity to finance the deal and raise billions more using debt. Brookfield Business Partners will itself finance 50 per cent of the equity check while limited partners and co-investors are likely to supply the rest. If approved by bankruptcy courts, expected in the third quarter of 2018, Westinghouse would be BBU's biggest ever deal. "Westinghouse is a high-quality business that has established itself as a leader in its field, with a long-term customer base and a reputation for innovation. We look forward to bringing our significant expertise and reputation as a long-term owner and operator of critical infrastructure in the US and globally, as well as our deep facilities management capabilities, to enhance the Company's position as a leading global infrastructure services provider to the power generation industry,'' Brookfield CEO Cyrus Madon said. It's not clear what will happen to Westinghouse's new reactor business, which triggered the company's bankruptcy as schedule delays and cost overruns shut down a project to build two AP1000 nuclear power plants in South Carolina and nearly crippled a similar project in Georgia. Brookfield spokesperson said the company won't pursue any new reactor projects in the US or abroad. Later on Thursday, Brookfield clarified that "it believes the AP1000 design and technology is core to the company" and said the firm "looks forward to investing in its growth in the US and around the world." The Toronto-based asset manager did not mention the AP1000 in its statement announcing the deal, focusing instead of Westinghouse's "strong market position" in servicing existing plants. "The majority of (Westinghouse's) profitability is delivered through regular scheduled services which are provided under long-term contracts" the statement said, referring to the company's nuclear fuel and plant outage activities. At present, there are only a handful of companies around the world that design nuclear power plants and there is little competition in the business at least in the US with other groups like GE not active in the space in recent years, say reports. Meanwhile, Westinghouse has submitted a bid for new AP1000 reactors in Saudi Arabia and has been involved in a molasses-paced effort to bring its plants to India. The deal "reaffirms our position as the leader of the global nuclear industry,'' Westinghouse CEO Jose Emeterio Gutierrez said in a statement on Thursday. Westinghouse spokesperson Sarah Cassella said there would be ''no changes to the current projects or bids expected as a result of the transaction.'' In a note sent to employees, Westinghouse said it does not expect staffing changes during the sales process. ''We do not currently anticipate any further layoffs once the transaction closes,'' she said. Westinghouse employs a total of about 11,000 personnel , including 3,400 in Western Pennsylvania. The deal also won't impact Westinghouse's role at Plant Vogtle, the Georgia site where possibly the last two AP1000 plants are being built. According to statements from both parties on Thursday morning, the deal provides for Brookfield to assume "certain pension, environmental and other operating obligations." Toshiba bought Westinghouse for $5.4 billion in 2006, a price that was widely considered too big at that time. Now the $4.6 billion price tag has also puzzled investors. Millions of US citizens hear ringing in their ears, a condition called tinnitus. According to new research an experimental device could help quiet the phantom sounds by targeting unruly nerve activity in the brain. In a new study in Science Translational Medicine, a team from the University of Michigan reported the results of the first animal tests and clinical trial of the approach, which included data from 20 human tinnitus patients. On the basis of years of scientific research into the root causes of the condition, the device uses precisely-timed sounds coupled with weak electrical pulses that activate touch-sensitive nerves, both aimed at restoring normal activity to damaged nerve cells. Human participants reported that the loudness of phantom sounds decreased following four weeks of daily use of the device. Also their tinnitus-related quality of life improved, but a sham "treatment" which only used sounds did not produce such effects. Results from studies with guinea pigs and a double-blind human study funded by the Coulter Foundation validate years of preclinical research funded by the National Institutes of Health, including previous tests in guinea pigs. "The brain, and specifically the region of the brainstem called the dorsal cochlear nucleus, is the root of tinnitus," said Susan Shore, the U-M Medical School professor who leads the research team. "When the main neurons in this region, called fusiform cells, become hyperactive and synchronize with one another, the phantom signal is transmitted into other centers where perception occurs. "If we can stop these signals, we can stop tinnitus. That is what our approach attempts to do, and we're encouraged by these initial parallel results in animals and humans." To do so, the researchers designed a gadget that perfectly times sound and skin stimulation to target the nerve activity that causes the signal. ''The device plays a sound into the ears, alternating it with precisely timed, mild electrical pulses delivered to the cheek or neck. This sets off a process called stimulus timing-dependent plasticity, or STDP. The approach aims to reset the activity of fusiform cells,'' the authors wrote. The invention was then tested on 20 humans, who used it for a half an hour every day for one month. After they analysed the results the researchers found that two of the participants were cured completely, and 11 reported reduced noise and pitch levels. This is how Democrats make it clear what we stand for Tammy Baldwin has every reason to be cautious. Republicans have already spent $3.1 million to unseat the first openly gay member of the U.S. Senate, which is more than what all the other Democratic Senate incumbents on the ballot this year have faced combined, according to the Huffington Posts Amanda Terkel. Baldwin is running for reelection in Wisconsin, a state that has been the political proving ground for Koch Industries and other billionaires like Diane Hendricks, who helped nudge fellow rich guy Ron Johnson over the finish line last November. Hendricks would have plenty of money to spare, even if she didnt often end up paying ZERO in state income taxes. With the help of every GOP dark art available, these robber barons have turned a progressive state mostly red and made mannequins like Scott Walker, Sean Duffy and Paul Ryan look like political geniuses. Still it took massive voter suppression in the Badger State, on top of the tsunami of right-wing cash and gerrymandering, for WIs electoral votes to end up in the GOP column. None of these cancers on Wisconsins democracy have been cured. They havent even been treated. You could argue theyve metastasized, but probably only if you know as little about actual cancer as I do. But the prognosis is the same Tammy Baldwin has every reason to run scared into the welcoming arms of centrism, as Democratic swing-state Senators in 2014 and 2010 did. RIP. And she isnt. Instead, Baldwin is one of 28 Dream Heroes in the U.S. Senate who have taken the Dreamer Pledge, which promises that these Senators will only vote for a continuing resolution if it contains the Dream Act. Numbers are key here because Democrats can only hold the GOP accountable for Trumps unnecessary attack on the Dreamers in the U.S. Senate. To do this, they need 40 of the 49 Senators who caucus with the party to take a stand in the next few weeks. Sherrod Brown, who may also face a tough re-election race this year, has taken the pledge. Michigans Senators Debbie Stabenow and Gary Peters have not. There are reasons for Stabenow to be cautious, of course. She faces re-election in a state Donnie won. And the idea of letting the GOP shut down the government over non-citizens could stoke the sort of hostile ethno-nationalism that many think boosted the GOP nominee in this state. But that would be a bad read of the political winds coming off Lake Michigan. Republicans have not been able to find a top-tier candidate to face Stabenow. Id argue the Senator needs to worry much more about the more than 51,000 Michiganders who voted for Jill Stein and less about 11,000 voters who have gave Don the edge over Clinton here. A December Quinnipiac Poll found that nearly 8 in 10 Americans believe undocumented children brought to the U.S. as children should be allowed to stay and to apply for citizenship. In contrast, the awful wall Trump is willing to shut down the government for is opposed by a majority of Americans, even 2/3 of voters in the swing border state of Arizona. And this is before Democrats get it together and start mocking Trump for giving up on making Mexico pay for the wall, a cornerstone political promise. On Friday, he sent Congress a budget request that would stick taxpayers with the $18 billion bill. (Check out this thread from MoveOns Ben Wikler for more on the polling and politics of these issues.) Im not questioning Stabenows good intentions or political acumen. Shes proven these qualities more than 99.9 percent of us will ever will. Polling has also found that anti-immigration sentiment tends to be worst in areas where voters have the least interaction with immigrants, much like the more rural parts of Michigan Stabenow must be competitive in to win. And shutdowns rarely benefit the party making a stand. But lets not pretend that what happens in January will be top of mind by even February 2, unless what happens in January is an extra crispy nuclear war. The political environment now revs faster than a first-generation Ford Fiesta. Details scroll out of mind faster than tweets. It took me a second to even remember the origin of Fire and Fury. What people will remember is that Democrats stood for something kids and the American Dream. Making it clear what we stand for, in addition to what we stand against, is a necessity right now. Dreamers were brought here before they could make any decisions on their own. The biggest choice theyve made is to devote their lives to this country, many by risking their current existence by bravely registering for DACA. REPUBLICANS CONTROL THE ENTIRE GOVERNMENT. If they want to shut down the government over something Donnie broke and all of America wants to fix, Democrats cannot lose unless they give in. Theres no moral argument for what Trump wants to do. Estimates suggest that deporting Dreamers would cost our economy almost half a trillion dollars. This all about the kind of politics politics that pretends cruelty is strength. If Democrats cant stand up to that now, its not going to get easier in November. Latest News New course: Amity introduces MTech in Defence Technology to meet increasing demands The programme will produce postgraduates with necessary skills in Defence technologies to carry out research, Central Universities to work on mission-mode to fill-up the 6,000 vacant posts by October 2021 Education minister appealed that universities should popularise and promote learning in Indian languages & CBSE releases sample papers for class X and XII board exams The sample papers have been released for the exams scheduled between November and December To build the largest and most complete Amateur Radio community site on the Internet - a "portal" that hams think of as the first place to go for information, to exchange ideas, and be part of whats happening with ham radio on the Internet. eHam.net provides recognition and enjoyment to the people who use, contribute, and build the site. This project involves a management team of volunteers who each take a topic of interest and manage it with passion. The site will stand above all other ham radio sites by employing the latest technology and professional design/programming standards, developed by a team of community programmers who contribute their skills to the effort. The site will be something of which everyone involved can be proud to say they were a part. We welcome your comments. The eHam.net Team, Revision 07/2020. United Airlines(BOSTON) -- Authorities are investigating an incident where a United Airlines flight failed to stop and hold short of an active runway and almost crossed into the path of a landing JetBlue flight at Boston Logan International Airport, the Federal Aviation Administration said in a statement. Friday evening, United Airlines flight 1946, was returning to the gate due to a maintenance issue. According to a Boston Logan spokesman, the Boeing 737 entered a safety area of the tarmac before the runway, which triggered a sensor that set off an alarm in the control tower. GD Pennington, a passenger on the plane, tweeted, Close call with our pilot slamming the brakes. Air traffic controllers told United Airlines flight 1946 at least five times to hold short of runway 27. The pilot of the United flight responded, Were short. As a precaution air traffic controllers told the approaching Jet Blue flight to execute a go around according to the airport spokesman. The United Airlines aircraft never actually got onto the runway, the airport spokesman said. This was an example of the system working perfectly. A United Airlines spokesman said the pilot of the Boeing 737 stopped the aircraft to avoid snow on the tarmac, and the JetBlue flights execution of a go around was completely unrelated and coincidental. A similar incident occurred last October at San Francisco International Airport when an Air Canada flight failed to respond to six separate calls from air traffic control tower to abort its landing because an aircraft was already on the ground. The FAA said they are investigating that incident as well. Copyright 2018, ABC Radio. All rights reserved. Any impartial observers would agree that House Intelligence Committee chairman Devin Nunes has been doing all he can do to sabotage his own committees bipartisan examination of the Russian activities that took place in regard to the 2016 presidential election. There are no progressives on the committee, just a pack of conservative New Dems (Adam Schiff, New Dem chairman Jim Himes, Terri Sewell, Andre Carson, Mike Quigley, Joaquin Castro, Denny Heck, plus moderates Eric Swalwell and Jackie Speier) so I have no way of getting any inside information. Watching Eric Swalwell on MSNBC frequently, I get the idea that the Democrats on the committee all feel Nunes has been functioning on the committee as a Trump enabler and cover-up puppet master. According to a Thursday night CNN report , it looks like Nunes may well have been getting his walking orders from none other than Speaker Paul Ryan. Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein and FBI head Christopher Wray paid an unscheduled visit to Ryans office about Nunes role in the Putin-Gate scandal on Wednesday. Ryan appears to have defended Nunes sabotage of the investigation. Over the summer Nunes served subpoenas seeking a broad range of documents connected to the dossier of compromising allegations about President Donald Trump's connections to the Kremlin, including those related to payments the FBI made to fund it (if any), efforts to corroborate any information contained in it and whether the FBI used information from the dossier to apply for warrants to conduct surveillance under the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act on Trump associates. The Justice Department has already allowed Intelligence Committee members and staff to review a number of highly classified materials at a secure location at the department, but last month Nunes escalated the feud, threatening top officials at Justice and the FBI with contempt of Congress if they did not meet all of his subpoena demands. At Wednesday's meeting-- initiated at Rosenstein's request-- Rosenstein and Wray tried to gauge where they stood with the House speaker in light of the looming potential contempt of Congress showdown and Nunes' outstanding subpoena demands, sources said. CNN is told the discussion did not involve details of the separate Russia investigation being led by special counsel Robert Mueller. While Ryan had already been in contact with Rosenstein for months about the dispute over documents, Rosenstein and Wray wanted to make one last effort to persuade him to support their position. The documents in dispute were mostly FBI investigative documents that are considered law enforcement sensitive and are rarely released or shared outside the bureau. During the meeting, however, it became clear that Ryan wasn't moved and the officials wouldn't have his support if they proceeded to resist Nunes' remaining highly classified requests, according to multiple sources with knowledge of the meeting. Sources also told CNN that the Justice Department and the FBI also had learned recently that the White House wasn't going to assert executive privilege or otherwise intervene to try to stop Nunes. Ryan spokeswoman AshLee Strong told CNN on Thursday, "The speaker always expects the administration to comply with the House's oversight requests," but would not address the details of the discussion. A compromise was reached later Wednesday that allows House Intelligence Committee members to go to a Justice Department facility to view the documents, sources said. Nunes said in a statement Wednesday night that he was being given "access" to the materials he had requested. Normally congressional committees want documents turned over to them. In this case, the documents can be reviewed but not taken from FBI and Justice Department possession. The Justice Department has also approved a slew of Justice and FBI officials to be interviewed by the committee in January, including former Associate Deputy Attorney General Bruce Ohr, an official with ties to Fusion GPS, the opposition research firm behind the Trump dossier; embattled FBI Special Agent Peter Strzok, whose text messages trashing the President became cannon fodder for congressional Republicans last month; and recently reassigned FBI General Counsel James Baker. The committee will also be permitted to interview FBI Attorney Lisa Page (who exchanged the texts with Strzok), FBI Attorney Sally Moyer, FBI Assistant Director for the Office of Congressional Affairs Greg Brower, FBI Assistant Director Bill Priestap and FBI Chief of Staff James Rybicki. CNN has also learned from a source with knowledge of the negotiations that a second batch of Strzok's text messages is expected to be produced for the committee next week. All the candidates who would like to replace Nunes in Congress, have spoken out against him and his role in the Putin-Gate coverup But one candidate, Andrew Janz, is extremely conservative-- a real Blue Dog type-- and another, Ricardo Franco, is a committed progressive who would like to see real changes in Congress. Franco told us that "In 16 years, Nunes has been in Congress and done nothing for his constituents from the Central Valley. Now he's actively driving the nation towards a potential constitutional crisis and puppet regime for Putin. Those of us here in the Valley like to think of ourselves as very practical people, and when we look at Nunes we just see pure incompetence. The biggest criticism I hear of Nunes from his fellow conservative constituents is not about what he's done concerning Russia, but rather that he's just incompetent, to put it politely. The rest of the country and the world got introduced to him from his midnight Uber ride to the White House. I think people then believed he was scheming and politicking his way into discrediting the Democratic party or the justice system as a whole. In reality, scheming and politicking is giving Nunes way too much credit. He's not competent enough to do that. We've known that here all along. To borrow some words from Lindsey Graham, he's more of an Inspector Clouseau than anything else." NY Times OpEd on Tuesday Wall Street Journal, have spun a succession of mendacious conspiracy theories about our motives and backers. What Nunes wants is all the information about the pee-pee dossier. Nunes may not want the public to see what that information leads to (Trumps money laundering) though as Glenn Simpson and Peter Fritsch, founders of Fusion GPS indicated in theirOpEd on Tuesday The Republicans Fake Investigations , theres plenty for Trump allies to cover-up. They wrote that In the year since the publication of the so-called Steele dossier the collection of intelligence reports we commissioned about Donald Trumps ties to Russia the president has repeatedly attacked us on Twitter. His allies in Congress have dug through our bank records and sought to tarnish our firm to punish us for highlighting his links to Russia. Conservative news outlets and even our former employer, the, have spun a succession of mendacious conspiracy theories about our motives and backers. Merkel to deport anti-Israel migrants German conservatives are working on a new law draft. Anti-Semites cannot have a place in country, draft legislation reads. According to Laurens Cerulus from Politico, German Chancellor Angela Merkels conservative alliance has said it will propose beefed-up legislation to deal with anti-Semitism among migrant groups, which would include the possibility of deportation. New law draft will include not only anti-Semites but also anti-Israelis who refuse to recognize Israel as a state. "THOSE WHO REFUSE JEWISH LIFE IN GERMANY CANNOT HAVE A PLACE IN OUR COUNTRY" The draft legislation calls on the absolute acceptance of Jewish life to be considered a benchmark for integration and stipulates that those who refuse Jewish life in Germany or question the right of existence of Israel, cannot have a place in our country. German newspaper Die Welt reported Saturday. Deputy chairman of the CDU-CSU group in the German Bundestag Stephan Harbarth said: We must resolutely oppose the anti-Semitism of migrants with an Arab background and from African countries. While deportation orders will have to comply with rules set by the German parliament in 2016, migrants found guilty of anti-Semitic hate speech would face deportation under the new law. The parties will propose the new rules by Holocaust memorial day on January 27. Celebrated talk show legend David Letterman has announced his first guest on his Netflix talk show, former President Barack Obama. Obama Reunites With Letterman Former President Obama will be the very first guest on Letterman's new Netflix series: My Next Guest Needs No Introduction. The interview will be the first time that Letterman sat down with the former President since the Chicago native paid farewell to the comedy icon on May 4, 2015. During President Obama's last visit to the Late Show with David Letterman, the two men talked about numerous topics such as First Lady Michelle Obama's final appearance on Letterman's CBS talk show to severe hot issues such as addressing bigotry and how to address incorporating veterans back into society. The former President also took time to pay homage to the talk show host and added that the entire country would miss the talk show host when he retired. Before President Obama concluded his third Presidential visit (and eighth overall visit) to the show, he offered Letterman a chance to hang out with him at Starbucks and play dominoes. There have been no reports or indications that the two men have done the said activity since Former President Obama left the White House on Jan. 20, 2017. Letterman aired his final episode of Late Show with David Letterman from the Ed Sullivan Theater on May 20, 2015. Comedian Stephen Colbert inherited the show and the legendary landmark theater once Letterman retired. My Next Guest 101 My Next Guest Needs No Introduction is expected to air six specials on Netflix. Netflix subscribers can expect to see a new episode once a month. Each chapter is expected to feature a special guest that Letterman admires. In addition to former President Obama, Letterman will interview freedom activist Malala Yousafzai, Jay-Z, and George Clooney. Also, Letterman's longtime friends Tina Fey and Howard Stern are expected to round out the first season's guest list. "In interviews that take both inside and outside of a studio setting, the conversations are intimate, in-depth, and far-reaching, with the levity and humor Dave's fans know and love," said a Netflix spokesperson. Netflix also added that the interview's field segments will be a major part of the new mini-series and will allow Letterman to dig deeper with his guests. While several fans expected Letterman to have a quiet retirement, the former CBS Late Night host has been busy. Letterman received the Mark Twain Prize in Humor in October 2017 and also visited acolyte (and heir apparent) Jimmy Kimmel during the ABC late night host's visit to Brooklyn that same month. My Next Guest Needs No Introduction will premiere on Netflix on Friday, Jan. 12. Paul Haggis, the Oscar-winning director who wrote the films: Crash and Million Dollar Baby, is being accused of sexual misconduct by four different women. Two of the women alleged that they were raped by Haggis. Haggis' Million Dollar Dilemma Three women, who have chosen to remain anonymous, have recently chosen to speak out against Canadian director in separate interviews to the AP Press. The women stated that they found the courage to recount what happened to them after publicist, Haleigh Breest, filed a civil lawsuit against the director, claiming he raped her. One of the three accusers claimed that Haggis asked her to perform oral sex on him and then proceeded to rape her. The victim was 28 years old at the time when Haggis asked to preview her photos from a previous show. "I thought it was odd, but I agreed. He was the ultimate boss. I didn't feel inclined to say no," the accuser stated. When she arrived at his office, no one else was present. The woman states that Haggis suggested they speak in the back office. Once there, Haggis began kissing on her and violently forced himself on her. "I just pulled away. He was just glaring at me and came at me again. I was really resisting. He said to me, 'Do you really want to continue working?' And then he really forced himself on me. I was just numb. I didn't know what to do," she continued. Breest alleges in her lawsuit that Haggis raped her in Jan. 31, 2013 in a New York City apartment. In the lawsuit, the publicist stated that Haggis forced Breest into the bedroom where he became sexually aggressive with her. She then stated that he forced her to perform oral sex on him, fondled her, and then raped her. The Terminator Salvation writer has denied the new allegations against him through his lawyer, Christine Lepera. Lepera also stated that the director denied Breest's allegations against him and that she and her lawyer tried to extort him for $9 million. Haggis was also the co-creator of the popular television series, Walker, Texas Ranger. Haggis won an Academy Award for the films Crash, Million Dollar Baby, and Letters from Iwo Jima. Haggis most recent film, Gold, premiered on Jan. 27, 2017, which starred: Matthew McConaughey, Edgar Ramirez, Bryce Dallas Howard, and Craig T. Nelson. Paris Hilton has hired 24/7 security to guard the huge $2 million diamond engagement ring she received from actor boyfriend Chris Zylka earlier this week. Around The Clock Security The hotel heiress doesn't want to take any chances and wants to make sure that the 22-carat diamond engagement ring is protected around the clock. "They've had 24/7 security shadowing them," sources told TMZ. "And specifically the ring - ever since last weekend." Hilton's friend, Kim Kardashian, was robbed at gunpoint of $10 million worth of jewelry, including a $4 million ring in Paris in 2016, and her aunt Kyle Richards was also a victim of a home invasion. Therefore, it seems logical for Hilton to take the extra precautions to protect herself and her ring. Hilton And Zylka's Engagement Hilton and Zylka got engaged during a ski trip in Aspen, Colorado, over the New Year's weekend after The Amazing Spider-Man actor got down on one knee and popped the question. "I said yas! So happy and excited to be engaged to the love of my life," she captioned the pictures. "My best friend & soulmate. Perfect for me in every way. So dedicated, loyal, loving & kindhearted. I feel like the luckiest girl in the world! You are my dream come true! Thank you for showing me that fairytales do exist." The Engagement Ring The Simple Life star announced the news of their engagement with a series of romantic pictures on her Instagram account, including a photo of the multi-million dollar sparkler. A post shared by Paris Hilton (@parishilton) on Jan 2, 2018 at 4:26pm PST According to E! News, the $2 million engagement ring was designed by renowned jewelry designer Michael Greene. Greene told the publication that after the engagement, Hilton called him to express her appreciation over the ring and said it was "her dream diamond." He added that she never imagined Zylka would think of something "so perfect" and she's quite "happy and excited." The jeweler also noted that the actor reached out to him and visited him in New York, where he told him what he was looking for. He pointed out that Zylka had spoken to Hilton's family members for tips and ideas and wanted the ring to be nothing short of perfect. Zylka surely got what he wanted because Hilton cannot stop showing off the ring and gushed about it in a recent interview with People. "The ring was so gorgeous and sparkling," she said. "I was shaking as I put it on. It is the most beautiful ring that I have ever seen!" Up to this point, the plan to establish the Bac Van Phong SEZ in Khanh Hoa province has been formulated. However, the plan still lacks an assessment report on the impact of the project in such aspects as population size, population distribution, government structure, socio-economic development, management of natural resources, environment, security and defense in the locality. Deputy Prime Minister Truong Hoa Binh requested Khanh Hoa Province to continue supplementing and finalizing the plan in order to clarify the need for establishing the Bac Van Phong SEZ. In addition, the province must show the situation and development direction of the Bac Van Phong SEZ with the expansion plan for the entire area of Van Ninh district. The project plan must highlight the comparative advantages of Bac Van Phong SEZ with Van Don SEZ in Quang Ninh province and Phu Quoc SEZ in Kien Giang province. Also, the plan must include the analysis and assessment of advantages and inadequacies in the selection of plans for the establishment of the SEZ. Khanh Hoa province also needs to clarify its orientation and general objectives by sectors; identify the model of local government and the plan on rearranging the organizational apparatus; It also needs to promptly complete the planning, paying special attention to the settlement of population distribution, environmental protection, strict management of land, and defense and security work for the smooth implementation of the project. The Deputy Prime Minister agreed on the policy of the province in completing the project on the entire natural area and population of Van Ninh district. At the same time, he agreed on the principle of seeking and selecting strategic investors which must be in line with the planning and development orientation of Bac Van Phong SEZ. The plan to establish Bac Van Phong SEZ on the basis of the entire natural area and population of Van Ninh district was approved by the Khanh Hoa People's Council in early December 2017. The plan clearly stated that Van Phong Bay in general and Bac Van Phong area, in particular, have a geo-economic position, which is important for the country and the region, conquering all favorable conditions to develop into a gateway area to the East Sea of Vietnam and the Indochinese Peninsula. Anti-Hindutva Dalit mobilisation at Bhima Koregaon goads upper castes into violence. The bicentenary commemoration of the battle at Bhima Koregaon on 1 January 2018 in Pune district, Maharashtra was marred by dispersed but organised attacks on Dalit participants who had congregated from all over the state. In response, an enraged Dalit community led protests against the attacks in city centres across Maharashtra. The key to these attacks seems to lie in the distinct anti-Hindutva theme underlying the commemoration, which was presided over by Dalit and minority leaders who have become the faces of dissent against dominant right-wing forces today. The battle of 1818 between the British imperial army and the Peshwa regime of the day at Bhima Koregaon is upheld as a watershed moment in Dalit history. The victory of the colonial forces was secured by a predominantly Mahar battalion, heralding the end of the Brahmanical Peshwa rule. This cultural memory was revitalised by B R Ambedkar himself, as a symbol of Dalit valour and victory over oppressive forces. Subsequently, the event became part of a longer list of milestones and anniversaries celebrated annually as part of Ambedkarite counterculturein opposition to and departure from caste-Hindu culture. Some milestones in the months of December and January include Ambedkars death anniversary on 6 December wherein Dalits congregate in thousands at Chaityabhoomi, Mumbai to pay homage to their leader; Ambedkars burning of the Manusmriti on 25 December (celebrated as Bharatiya Stree Mukti Divas by DalitBahujan feminists); anniversary of the victory at Bhima Koregaon on 1 January (celebrated by congregating at Koregaon village in Pune, the site of the battle); the birth anniversary of Savitribai Phule (also celebrated as teachers day) on 3 January; and Republic Day on 26 January when India adopted the Constitution drafted by Ambedkar. Participation in these events has harnessed the formation and internalisation of an Ambedkarite identity and consciousness among Dalits in the state. To reach me for collaborations, sponsorships, and event invitations, I am contactable at the-ice-angel@hotmail.com The key to writing a best-selling book: have the president of the United States blast it on Twitter and send a cease-and-desist letter to the publisher. Local booksellers and major retailers across the nation are struggling to keep in stock Fire and Fury: Inside the Trump White House, the new political tell-all by journalist Michael Wolff. Publisher Henry Holt and Co. added to the frenzy by releasing the book four days ahead of schedule Friday instead of complying with a cease-and-desist letter from President Donald Trumps personal lawyer delivered to the publisher Thursday. Trumps move to prevent the bombshell books release and his Twitter rant denouncing it as a phony book seem to have backfired. Amazon.com has a backlog of orders for Fire and Fury of up to four weeks. Barnes & Nobles website says the tome wont be available for shipping until Wednesday. Fire and Fury is out of stock on Walmarts site, with no indication of when the book will be back in stores or ready for shipment online. Dozens of prospective book buyers flooded The Twig Book Shop with calls when the store at the Pearl complex near downtown opened at 10 a.m. Friday, bookseller Sam Jimenez said. The independent store was sold out of all copies by 10:30 a.m., he said. With this high demand, I have no idea when were going to get them back in stock, Jimenez said. Fire and Fury sat at the top of Amazons sales charts for paper books as well as its Kindle e-book and Audible audiobook services, an Amazon spokesperson said in an email. A spike in interest and a last-minute change in the release date have the online retailer working with the publisher to fulfill print book orders as quickly as possible, the spokesperson said. Kenny Johnson, co-owner of Dead Tree Books on the South Side, said hes received a couple of phone calls inquiring about Fire and Fury but that so far no customers have requested him to order it. Henry Holt and Co. initially planned to release Fire and Fury Tuesday but moved up the release date after Trumps lawyer issued the cease-and-desist letter, leaving some retailers with little time to stock the book. H-E-B spokeswoman Dya Campos said the San Antonio-based supermarket chain hasnt received copies of the book but that some stores that sell books will have Fire and Fury in stock at a later date. None of Half Price Books five locations in the San Antonio area had received copies of the book as of noon Friday, company spokeswoman Emily Bruce said. But she said area stores had received a lot of calls about it. Only eight copies of the book were available among the companys 124 stores as of noon, likely because of the shift in release dates, Bruce said. BookPeople, an independent bookstore in Austin, ordered about 100 copies due to arrive early next week and had already presold 70 by 11:30 a.m., spokeswoman Abby Fennewald said. The store positioned three employees to staff the phone lines, which wasnt enough to field more than 100 calls inquiring about Fire and Fury, Fennewald said. Thats an unusual amount of interest for a book thats not penned by a major author or a writer slated to visit the store, Fennewald said. BookPeople sold out of Hillary Clintons book What Happened ahead of the Democratic presidential candidates appearance there Nov. 17, Fennewald said. For just a book thats out in the ether, nothing drives the preorders like, apparently, the president tweeting about them, Fennewald said. Political tell-alls dont usually get this much hype, Bruce said. Thats typically reserved for releases such as Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, the script for the 2016 stage play penned by J.K. Rowling and Jack Thorne. Half Price Books held midnight release parties for that publication, including one at its flagship store in Dallas that attracted more than 100 people, Bruce said. Its a different situation than weve seen in the past, Bruce said. The book, reportedly culled from hours of interviews by Wolff with Trump and his staffers, riled Trump and sparked a fiery statement insisting that his former chief strategist, Stephen Bannon, had lost his mind. In the book, Bannon was reportedly quoted as saying that Donald Trump Jr. had been treasonous and unpatriotic for meeting with Russians during the 2016 campaign and that Ivanka Trump was dumb as a brick. I authorized Zero access to White House (actually turned him down many times) for author of phony book! Trump tweeted Thursday about Wolff. I never spoke to him for book. Full of lies, misrepresentations and sources that dont exist. Look at this guys past and watch what happens to him and Sloppy Steve! Some early reviewers and political journalists have pointed out falsehoods and exaggerations in published excerpts. San Antonio entrepreneur Brad Parscale, an adviser to the Trump campaign who served as chief digital strategist for Trump during the 2016 presidential race, tweeted a thread of rebuttals using screenshots of excerpts from the book Friday morning. Only skimmed the #MichaelWolff book #fire and fury and already found tons of false statements, Parscale tweeted. Time for me to write a book. Im the only person that saw the entire campaign, family and knows what happened after. These are just more lies to continue the #FakeNews narrative! Joshua Fechter is a staff writer for mySA.com and ExpressNews.com. Read more of his stories here. | jfechter@express-news.net | Twitter: @JFreports Right around the corner from the Darien train station, an inconspicuous door in between storefronts is marked To And From. Reminiscent of a New York City apartment entrance, the door opens to a narrow staircase and up to a second-floor space that looks almost like someones living room, except for the rows of lounge chairs and work stations. The clean, cozy space is a nail salon that opened in October. To And From does not look like a typical nail salon, and thats because its not its a nail salon that steers clear of many of the harsh toxins found in nail polishes and manicure/pedicure products. The mindful nail salon is a passion project of best friends Henri Helander, 29, and Jeanne Bloom, 28, who met in college in New York City and have lived together on and off for about 10 years. The pair lives in Blooms hometown of Norwalk to be close to the salon. Were like best friend goals, Helander said. The business stemmed from an idea Blooms mother had and manifested into a mood board, which turned into a real-life salon. For the owners, who have a fashion background (Helandel was a buyer for Barneys in New York City), a nail salon didnt seem like a huge leap despite neither of them having salon experience. For us, nails are fashion. Theyre like an accessory, Helandel said. After working with a chemist and doing much research into industry standards and the potential hazards of typical nail products and procedures, Helander and Bloom decided they wanted to put a modern, healthy spin on their salon. We wanted to create something new for this area and an industry on the verge of very big changes, Bloom said. The two of us are from a generation where we want to know whats in our products, Helander said. And people in this area are shopping at Whole Foods, driving Teslas, working out theres a salt cave. We felt there was a really big void up here for a modern nail salon. They decided to work with four healthy nail polish brands that eliminate the main five toxins found in most nail polishes. Some of the nail polish toxins that have been getting the most attention from health advocates include: Formaldehyde (considered a carcinogen by the International Agency for Research on Cancer), triphenyl phosphate (suspected endocrine-disrupting chemical also used in a fire retardant a Duke University study found enters the human body via nail polish) and parabens, which have estrogen-like properties that are feared to be linked to breast cancer. Per the Cosmetics Act of 1938 (the most recent one in place), the FDA does not regulate cosmetics before they hit the shelves, but it does prohibit certain ingredients. Though none of the aforementioned toxins are prohibited, and there is no negative evidence linking nail polish to health issues, there is a movement toward cleaner, safer nail products. New York state assemblymember Linda B. Rosenthal, for example, is sponsoring a bill in the states legislature to prohibit the manufacture, distribution, sale and use of nail polish containing formaldehyde, and other chemicals. The organization Environmental Working Group has a petition to make nail polish producers stop using triphenyl phosphate. Removing harsh chemicals from nail polish isnt only about serious health risks, its also better for nail health. The FDA acknowledges that formaldehyde can cause dry, brittle nails. Helander also claims that the nontoxic nail polishes wont cause yellowing of the nails. Despite the difference in chemical composition, the nail polish brands used at To And From dont seem much different than regular ones. A manicure using Habit, the salons cleanest brand of nail polish, lasted almost a full week. A classic manicure at To And From costs $25, a bit more than a traditional manicure due to the special products and sanitation equipment, but Helander said it was important for them to keep the pricing low enough that customers could still afford a weekly manicure. Helander and Bloom dont stop at nail polish when it comes to making their salon healthy. They also use nontoxic skin care products, and there services are done a bit differently. Manicures dont use water because water expands the nail bed and can spread germs; pedicures are done in large bowls rather than tubs to make the sanitation process easier and more effective since drains in the traditional pedicure tubs can hide bacteria. They use medical-grade sanitation processes throughout. The products and practices are not just beneficial to customers; the owners take great pride and care into making sure the salon is a healthy working environment for their employees. Nail technicians at To And From are spared inhalation of nail glues and harsh removers as the salon does not apply or remove acrylic nails or traditional gel manicures. Based on customer feedback, the salon does do gel manicures, but its a soft gel that is much easier to remove and gentler on the nails. After learning Connecticut does not require any licensing for nail technicians, the owners decided they would require and pay for each technician to take a licensing course in New York City that teaches them the anatomy of the nail, about diseases and sanitation, the massage process and safety precautions, such as when to wear gloves and masks. When it comes to style, Helander and Bloom also have specific ideas. The pair consults with a nail artist from New York City who has worked with celebrities and has been featured in major fashion magazines. Natalie Pavloski lent her expertise in building the salons menu, training technicians and doing quality control. Pavloski and Bloom worked together to design the salons three sole nail art options, which consist of simple stripes and color blocking. The designs are available in different color combinations and will change seasonally. The reason for the limited design menu is consistency. Helandel said they wanted all of their nail technicians to become experts at each design. The art was based on how they see the Fairfield County customer. We wanted to do something that the woman up here would say, I can do this with my style, Helander said. Its super sophisticated and super chic. The Fairfield County woman was also the inspiration for the salons name and the reason they offer to stay open after hours for customers who cant make it from work before closing time. Our relationship has always been to and from New York City when he lived there and I was here, Bloom said. And then we also thought that women around here are always going to and from. Lidia Ryan is a freelance writer and New York City explorer. WASHINGTON The Obama-era policy of going easy on marijuana went up in smoke, but it remains to be seen whether the new directive of Attorney General Jeff Sessions will have any impact on Connecticuts nascent medical-marijuana industry. Some advocates and political leaders are warning the new Department of Justice guidance on marijuana prosecutions could have a negative impact on chronically ill patients for whom marijuana products provide a measure of relief. Especially during the midst of a national opioid crisis, medical marijuana provides an important alternative to opioids, and is counted on for relief by 22,000 Connecticut residents, said Gov. Dannel P. Malloy in a statement. Rather than diverting critical federal resources and infringing on the will of the American people, Attorney General Sessions would do well to take a leaf out of Connecticuts book, where our marijuana policies have allowed law enforcement professionals to focus on reducing violent crime, with demonstrated success. Malloy said Connecticut would continue to follow state law regarding marijuana policy despite this short-sighted decision. Marijuana is not legal for adult recreational use in Connecticut, unlike California, Colorado and several other states. But its medical-use statute has been on the books since 2012 for adults, and 2016 (in non-smoking form) for children with neurological conditions such as epilepsy. Growth industry The states Department of Consumer Protection has issued licenses for nine dispensaries and four grows places where marijuana is grown, processed into different forms and packaged. At last count, 22,424 patients in the state were being treated through some form of marijuana therapy, with 808 doctors participating in the program. Adults in Connecticut can get marijuana treatment for cancer, glaucoma, AIDS or HIV, Parkinsons disease, multiple sclerosis and a host of other serious, chronic conditions. Children can receive it for cerebral palsy, cystic fibrosis, spinal cord injury and several other conditions. Medical marijuana already enjoys legal protection through an amendment attached to congressional spending bills that limits DOJ action against state-sanctioned medical marijuana providers. That amendment must be re-inserted into the bill now under negotiation on Capitol Hill. Lawmakers face a Jan. 19 deadline on the bill. Absent a deal, the government would shut down. Obama-era guidance gave low priority to prosecutions of medical marijuana dispensed under state law. Sessions on Thursday called the policy unnecessary, stating that marijuana remains a dangerous drug under federal law and that marijuana activity is a serious crime. Therefore, he said, U.S. attorneys should exercise investigative and prosecutorial discretion in accordance with all applicable laws, regulations and appropriations. The Obama policy it replaces is contained in a series of memos authored by then Deputy Attorney General James Cole, who set priorities for federal involvement to cases involving distribution to minors, revenue going to criminal gangs, using state law as a cover to traffic marijuana to states without comparable laws, and prevention of drugged driving. States and localities not federal prosecutors would be responsible for low-level pot dealing and use, one of Coles memos said. And for medical marijuana, it is not likely an efficient use of federal resources to focus enforcement efforts on seriously ill individuals or their individual care givers. The marijuana landscape has shifted dramatically since those memos, the latest of which was authored in 2013. Several states have legalized marijuana for recreational use, notwithstanding federal prohibitions. Legalization has given a shot in the arm to the industry, attracting investors looking to cash in on the green rush. Backing the AG Opponents of legalized marijuana cheered Sessions. Its good news for public health and bad news for the marijuana industry, said Kevin Sabet, president of Smart Approaches to Marijuana, which supports decriminalizing marijuana but opposes legalization, citing health and safety reasons. The green rush from Wall Street and Silicon Valley will be slowed down by this memo. We hope today is the beginning of the end of this new big tobacco industry. While appearing to be diametrically opposed, the Cole memos and the Sessions guidance replacing them share one thing in common: maximum discretion to federal prosecutors to go after the marijuana cases they deem to be high priority, given limited resources. While it would seem unlikely that federal prosecutors in Connecticut would pursue medical-marijuana patients, practitioners, dispensaries and growers, there are no guarantees. Its too soon to tell right now, said Aaron Romano, a lawyer in Bloomfield who is legal counsel to the state chapter of NORML the National Organization for Reform of Marijuana Laws. While pursuit of criminal cases may seem unlikely, federal prosecutors in Connecticut could go the civil route, Romano said. Since marijuana remains illegal under U.S. law, a federal judge would have to sign off on a cease-and-desist order, Romano said. It could effectively shut down the program. The future of medical marijuana may well depend on whether the amendment protecting the industry is attached to the new spending bill by Jan. 19, or if permanent legislation incorporating it is put on a fast track on Capitol Hill. Thats going to dictate how DOJ will spend its money on enforcement, said Romano. Its all about the money. Staff writer Ken Dixon contributed to this report The new year begins with Canada relying on an old strategy for saving the North American Free Trade Agreement Three cabinet members are in the United States this week to promote trade, and more are expected to head south as part of Ottawas renewed charm offensive. Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale is in Kentucky for a series of meetings with high level officials, including Gov. Matt Bevin. The U.S. Ambassador to Canada, Kelly Craft, who is from Kentucky, will also be at the meetings. Environment Minister Catherine McKenna is in California for two days to discuss clean technology and trade. And starting Friday, Agriculture Minister Lawrence MacAulay will be in Tennessee for three days, attending the American Farm Bureau Federations annual trade show. Two government sources tell CBC News that more ministers and MPs will be taking part in the charm offensive, amid the tense NAFTA renegotiation process. The Liberal government launched the strategy about a year ago, with key members of the prime ministers inner circle meeting with hundreds of American politicians over the past 12 months. Canadian officials used the meetings to highlight the number of American jobs that depend on trade with Canada, and to lobby for wide support of NAFTA. Trump to speak with farmers Canadian officials said on Monday, U.S. President Donald Trump is expected to speak to delegates at the farming trade show that MacAuley is attending. The president could be facing a difficult audience, as his threats to kill NAFTA have not been entirely welcomed by the U.S. farming community. His own agricultural secretary, Sonny Perdue, has acknowledged the trade deal has been good for the U.S. farming industry, and farming lobbyists have been some of the loudest advocates to save the agreement. But Canada and the U.S have different views on the dairy farming industry, which has made it a contentious point in negotiations so far. The Americans wants the sector brought into the free trade agreement and have asked Canada to eventually dismantle its supply management quota system. Farmers in the U.S. have long complained about Canadian dairy regulations. Canada has said it will protect supply management. Canadian officials will be watching Trumps comments closely next week, as they continue to prepare for the next round of talks. Source : Canadian Meat Business A New Jersey-based real estate broker pleaded guilty Friday to trying to bribe a Qatari official to finance the sale of a high-rise building complex in Vietnam. Joo Hyun Bahn, also known as Dennis Bahn, 39, of Tenafly, New Jersey, pleaded guilty in federal court in Manhattan. He admitted one count of conspiracy to violate the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act and one count of violating the FCPA. He faces up to five years in prison on each count. Sentencing is scheduled for June 29. The bribes were intended to help a South Korean construction company Keangnam Enterprises Co., Ltd. sell the Landmark 72 building complex in Hanoi to Qatars sovereign wealth fund. The purported bribes were supposed to be $2.5 million. Landmark 72 was valued at $800 million. Bahn would have made $5 million for brokering the deal. He was charged with his father, Ban Ki Sang, 69, and Malcolm Harris in December 2016. Ban Ki Sang was a senior executive at Keangnam. Hes still at large. His brother is former United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon. Harris, 53, was sentenced to 42 months in prison in October last year. He pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud and one count of money laundering. Harris took $500,000 from Ban and Bahn by posing in text messages and emails as an agent of the Qatari official. Bahn and Ban transferred $500,000 to Harris for him to pass on to the foreign official, the DOJ said Friday. But Harris double-crossed Bahn and Ban and simply stole the $500,000 bribe, the DOJ said. Prosecutors said a fourth man, San Woo, also known as John Woo, 35, of Edgewater, New Jersey, allegedly helped secure the $500,000 for the upfront bribe. Woo was charged in a separate complaint with conspiracy to violate the FCPA. He was arrested at New Yorks JFK Airport in January 2017 and released on bail. Landmark 72, also known as Hanoi Landmark 72, opened in 2012. It includes two 50-story office buildings and one 72-floor tower, the tallest building in Vietnam. There are apartments, offices, and hotels in the complex. The chairman of Keangnam, Sung Woan-jong, committed suicide in April 2015 after being investigated for alleged corruption. He reportedly left a list of politicians in Korea he claimed to have bribed. _____ Richard L. Cassin is the publisher and editor of the FCPA Blog. Shane Lynch and Wayne Sleep have entered the 'Celebrity Big Brother' house. Shane Lynch The Boyzone star and the ballet dancer and actor are just two of the famous faces that joined the reality show on Friday night (05.01.18), which is celebrating it being a century since women won the right to vote in the United Kingdom. John Barnes, Courtney Act (Shane Janek) and 'Love Island's Jonny Mitchell also made their way into the house, joined by Daniel O'Reilly also known as Dapper Laughs, 'The Apprentice' contestant Andrew Brady and American rapper Ginuwine. It was a interesting turn of events for the girls, including Amanda Barrie, Jess Impiazzi and Malika Haqq, who have been in the house on their own since Tuesday (02.01.18). Once all the men arrived into the house, it was revealed to them that they wouldn't be able to have a say in who could be nominated to leave in the first eviction but would be able to be put up for eviction themselves. Big Brother also announced that the female housemates had decided what roles to put the men in - be that doing the cooking, cleaning the toilet or keeping the house tidy. Meanwhile, Wayne is most looking forward to seeing people he hasn't met before and learning about their careers. Speaking prior to his entry into the house, he said: "I am looking forward to Celebrity Big Brother most, because I will meet other thespians and people I might never have met in my life and it will be very interesting and share stories with about their careers." And Jonny promised he wouldn't be creating any drama in the house, adding: "I am looking forward to the experience. I am looking forward to meeting new people, having a good time. I want to make friends. I'm not going in to rattle cages." The show didn't get off to a great start for Shane Janek, whose skirt fell off when he tripped on the stairs, exposing his naked bottom to the live audience both in the studio and at home. And just when he thought the ordeal was over, his skirt fell off again when he was introducing himself to housemates. 'Celebrity Big Brother' continues on Saturday (06.01.18). HON PM BAINIMARAMA AT THE RAM LEELA PROGRAM IN SIGATOKA The Tuva Sanatan Ram Leela, Committee,Members of the Shree Satsang Ramayan Mandali,Tuva Primary and Secondary School, CommitteeDistinguished Guests,Ladies and Gentlemen.Bula vinaka and a very good evening to you all.Im very glad to be here as for the very first time I have the chance to take part in the Ramleela festival here in Sigatoka as we mark such an important celebration on the Hindu calendar.We are lucky to call home a nation so rich in different cultures and religions, and I am especially grateful that in Fijian society we so openly share in the traditions and celebration of our fellow Fijians, as we do so today in welcoming the Ramleela Festival.Every year, this festival brings colour, artistic expression and joy to communities across Fiji. Through the dramatic re-enactment of the life of the Hindu Lord Ram, poetry, singing and dancing, our Hindu brothers and sisters express the noble ideals lived out by Lord Ram, and the triumph over adversity that was the ultimate purpose of Ramas incarnation on earth.I have been told that the art form of Ram Leela has been practiced in Fiji for around 140 years, when it was first brought to Fiji by indentured labourers from British India in the early years of the Girmit Era. Then, it was a social gathering, a celebration that brought the comfort and familiarity of home to a strange and foreign land. And we can all be proud, that nearly a century and a half later, this festival continues as a joyous tradition in our nation life.I was very proud when, just over one year ago, Fijians from all backgrounds and walks of life came together to commemorate the 100th Anniversary of the arrival of the SS Sutlej the last ship of the Girmit era that brought 888 indentured labourers to Fiji in November 1916. It was a very special and emotional tribute to the ancestors of our fellow Fijians who suffered through that dark time in our history.I was grateful then, as I am grateful now, that Fiji is blessed with such a rich tapestry of religions, ethnicities and cultural heritage.While it has not always been an easy journey, today, that diversity is our nations greatest strength, and our unity has emerged as the foundation for the great progress weve made for Fiji over the past decade.In every religious tradition in Fiji there are values that every Fijian can appreciate and celebrate. The Ramleela festival is no different, as in the story of Ramas life are lessons that hold meaning for us all.It is a story of family, friendship and leadership. And as a father and grandfather myself, the story of Lord Rama puts forward ideals that I strive to meet in my own life, and I know mothers, fathers and grandparents across the country strive to do the same.The Story of Lord Ram is also a story of teamwork, unity and camaraderie. Values that have built the Fiji we know and love today. Values that bond us together in our great journey forward as a nation. And values that we have enshrined, for all time, in the Fijian Constitution. A Constitution that, for the first time, establishes common and equal citizenry in Fiji, regardless of our background, our beliefs, our socioeconomic status, or where we live.Under that Constitution, united in common purpose, the Fijian people have taken our nation to unprecedented heights at home, as weve grown our economy for eight straight years, and abroad, where weve assumed global leadership on causes critical to our secure future. Weve shown that when we respect one another, when we work alongside our fellow Fijians and embrace our differences, there is nothing we cannot achieve.We have just entered the New Year, as we look ahead to the rest of 2018, it is more important than ever that we continue to stand together as one nation and one people in building the new Fiji.We will be holding our national elections later this year, and, as we have seen before, we will again be confronted with old forces that seek to divide us and hold us back from our journey into the future. Again, we must reject that backwards way of thinking. Again, we must choose progress over prejudice and dirty politics. And again, we must renew our commitment to one another, as Fijians and as men and women dedicated to the betterment of our nation.We must continue our work to make Fiji a better, safer and more inclusive nation. We must continue the sound financial management and planning that has carried our economy to such success. We must continue opening doors of opportunity for our young people, through free education, subsidised bus fares for school children, and record funding towards scholarship programmes. We must continue our work to create a more knowledge-based society, one that rewards on the basis of merit, and merit alone. And we must continue to hold our great belief in what this nation can accomplish, as we strive to make every year an even better year to be a Fijian.Ladies and gentlemen,I would like to acknowledge the Tuva Sanatan Ram Leela Committee and our Hindu communities in Vulileka, Labasa and Navua that are also holding celebrations for the Ram Leela festival. Lastly Id like to give my thanks to the Sanatan Ram Leela Committee for continuing the tradition of Ramleela in the Sigatoka communityI wish you all happy New Year and a wonderful festival celebration.Vinaka vakalevu. Thank you. CANTON, OH / ACCESSWIRE / January 6, 2018 / Founder and Chairman of The Granted Wish Foundation, Rodney Napier, has successfully led the organization to be recognized as a Better Business Bureau accredited charity. It is the fourth consecutive year that the non-profit has achieved such a respected honor, and is a reflection of the foundation's dedication to helping and enriching the lives of those less fortunate. A Better Business Bureau accredited charity is any particular organization that meets all 20 of the Standards for Charity Accountability, based on a review of information and materials provided by The Granted Wish Foundation. Charities that receive this honor can participate in a charity seal program that allows them to show the Accredited Charity Seal on their website and in their written publications on websites or newsletters. If the organization is a seal holder, it appears in the heading of the bureau's reports. Rodney Napier is pleased with his foundation's accreditation, as it ensures a prosperous and positive future for children who seek the most help and assistance. Established in 2005, The Granted Wish Foundation is a 501(c)(3) registered charity dedicated to helping the dreams of physically challenged children and young adults come true. Other services are the annual local Adopt-A-Family program. Volunteers shop during the Christmas season to offer household items, groceries and toys for those in need. Napier's team also supports the running of 'Rosalie's House', a fully furnished home owned by the foundation that provides local low-income families the opportunity to live comfortably at a reduced cost. 'It is such an honor to be accredited,' says Rodney Napier. 'The Better Business Bureau is a great way for The Granted Wish Foundation to excel at what it does best: helping children from all over the U.S. Rodney Napier is the Founder and CEO of The Granted Wish Foundation. He launched Arthur Middleton Capital Holdings Inc. in 2001, which has grown from a single idea into a company with sales of over $50 million each year. AMCH has many companies and ventures under its umbrella, such as Lincoln Treasury, and Heat Surge, LLC Businesses can learn about sponsorship, and getting more involved in The Granted Wish Foundation, by emailing scoletti@grantedwish.org. Rodney Napier - Business Leader and Philanthropist: http://rodneynapiernews.com Rodney Napier - Brings Together Haitian Amputee With U.S. Family: https://finance.yahoo.com/news/rodney-napier-brings-together-haitian-171500674.html Rodney Napier - AMCH Proud to Support The Granted Wish Foundation: https://finance.yahoo.com/news/rodney-napier-amch-proud-support-035000174.html Contact Information: RodneyNapierNews.com http://rodneynapiernews.com contact@rodneynapiernews.com SOURCE: Rodney Napier Sophia, the robot-humanoid is developed by the head of the SingularityNET, Ben Goertzel. She looks very much like a human and she can express emotions, listen, speak and move independently. According to Ben Goertzel, Sophia is a complex of various technologies that imitate human feelings: the ability to speak, to see, to think She is capable of abstract thinking, there is a software for collecting and processing video. Sophia quickly learns languages and has already received the Saudi citizenship. The technologies used to create the intellect of Sophia will find application in Estonia for the development of innovative consulting marketplace. Ben Goertzel, the worlds leading specialist in the field of artificial intelligence (founder and CEO of SingularityNET, a blockchain-based AI marketplace) confirmed his intention to participate in the integration of the artificial intelligence system into the communication platform G-Global Business Portal. Mikhail Korb, a Member of Parliament and the Secretary-General of the Centre party of Estonia has endorsed the project. Openness to new financial instruments is an important step of digitalization of the country economy and strengthening its competitiveness in the worlds stage, said Mikhail Korb. The G-Global Business Portal is a blockchain-based consulting marketplace designed to unite experts from all over the world. The platform is developed as an auxiliary tool for digitalizing Estonian enterprises of the real sector of the economy. The application of the AI, developed by Ben Goertzel, will provide both experts and customers with quality technical support: communicating with the platform users, the AI will be able to find the best solutions and provide the necessary information. The AI will be able to recommend specific experts of the G-Global Business Portal platform based on the needs and objectives of the client or enterprise. David Chen (AngelVest Fund) and Sergei Sergienko (ChronoBank) have confirmed the integration of their companies into the G-Global Business Portal for the management of financial instruments and human resources. Sergei Sergienko has developed the TIME token, the use of which will ensure a stable evaluation of the productivity of an employee during his working hours. Using the possibilities of the AI and the methods of Ben Goertzel in the process of picking an expert or consultant will allow finding the necessary professional in the shortest possible time. Alvin Roth, the Nobel laureate in economics, an author of game theory models and one of the brightest specialists in the field of market design will take part in the development of matching mechanisms for the AI on the G-Global Business Portal platform. Two-sided matching models will help in the search for a necessary expert. Denis Tsyro, the head of the G-Global Business Portal, noted that it is also planned to develop an auxiliary application in cooperation with Ben Goertzel. Amartya Sen documentary, The Argumentative Indian, was refused the green signal by the Indian censor board over the use of the words 'cow', 'Gujarat', 'Hindu India' and 'Hindutva', by Sen in the film. Kolkata: Filmmaker Suman Ghosh whose documentary on Nobel laureate Amartya Sen was previously red flagged by the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC), on Friday (5 January) said the board has now allowed the film to be released without any modification to the previously objected words, except a reference to "Gujarat". The Argumentative Indian, originally scheduled for a 14 July, 2017 release, was refused the green signal by the Indian censor board over the use of the words "cow", "Gujarat", "Hindu India" and "Hindutva", by Sen in the film. "I have received the letter from the CBFC today. The board has removed the cuts it previously wanted except the word Gujarat," Ghosh told IANS . "I also had a very positive conversation with CBFC chairman Prasoon Joshi," he added. The director who previously refused to abide by the censor board's suggestion to mute those four words in the film and hinted he might release the film online, said he has not taken any decision on whether he would go ahead with the word in the film or drop it. "I have just received the letter today. So nothing has been decided yet. I will shortly take a decision on the film's release," he added. The hour-long documentary, structured as a free flowing conversation between Sen and his student and Cornell economics professor Kaushik Basu, shot in two parts in 2002 and 2017 and has Sen talking about the social choice theory, development economics, philosophy and the rise of right-wing nationalism across the world, including India. Awe, featuring an ensemble cast, gives cinema in 2018 a kick-start Awe, featuring an ensemble cast, gives cinema in 2018 a kick-start. Presented by Nani and starring Kajal Aggarwal, Nithya Menen, Regina Cassandra and Srinivas Avasarala among others, Awe looks like everything we are looking forward to from Tollywood this year. The first glimpse of Awe begins with Nani's intriguing voice over and later moves to introduce several quirky characters. Ravi Teja too accompanies Nani's narration of the story. The two are a goofy addition to this teaser and voice a fish and Bonsai plant, respectively (yes, you read that right). Awe definitely is packed with layers, with each character building-up the premise. It already teases some sleek and crisp cinematography. The plot, which is yet to be revealed, hints at some sort of a crazy puzzle. Awe surprises with a line-up of incredible woman leading this suspense drama. Nithya Menen is at her best, Regina is all things goth and Kajal Aggarwal seems to be relishing sweet revenge of a kind (or rather, her character is). Nani calls the content the 'hero', and we can't wait to watch how and why the various edgy characters of the movie come together. The film has been the subject of much buzz since late 2017, ever since Nani introduced us to the project. Like the tagline of the film suggests, we truly are expecting the unexpected. Directed by debutant Prasanth Varma, Nani turns producer for the first time with Awe. Watch the teaser here: In November last year, Huerta had alleged that Weinstein raped her twice in 2010. A lawsuit has been filed against Harvey Weinstein which claims that the disgraced Hollywood producer hired an attorney to spy on actor Paz de la Huerta. In November last year, Huerta had alleged that Weinstein raped her twice in 2010. The complaint claims that Weinstein hired attorney Michael F Rubin to gain information from Huerta, reported Variety. Rubin apparently also discouraged Huerta to not press charges against Weinstein. Huerta is represented by attorney Aaron Filler and his firm Tensor Law has filed the lawsuit. In the lawsuit, Filler claimed that Rubin interfered with his contractual relationship with Huerta, depriving him his legal fees of $20 million. Rubin, however, has the dismissed the claims made in the lawsuit and said he has never met Weinstein. "Every allegation in that lawsuit is false... I don't know Harvey Weinstein. I never met Harvey Weinstein. I had nothing but Paz de la Huerta's interests in mind. This guy is upset he lost a potential client," said Rubin. 'I shall kill Salman Khan and that too in Jodhpur,' threatens Rajasthan-based notorious gangster Lawrence Bishnoi. Jodhpur/ Jaipur: Gangster Lawrence Bishnoi of Rajasthan on Thursday (4 January) issued a death threat to Salman Khan, saying the Bollywood actor will be killed in Jodhpur. "Salman Khan will be killed here, in Jodhpur... Then he will come to know about our real identity," Bishnoi told media persons while being taken to a Jodhpur court in police security. Bishnoi was being produced in the court following his arrest on charges of terrorising traders and extorting them. The gangster claimed that he had been framed in false cases and that to date, not even a single witness had deposed in the court to prove the charges. "Now, if police want me to do some major crime, I shall kill Salman Khan and that too in Jodhpur," he added. Bishnoi's death threat to Salman is being linked with the black buck killing case of 1998, in which Salman and his co-actors are accused. It was the Bishnoi community which had brought up the black buck hunting case, and ever since the community considers the Bollywood actor a "villain". However, some onlookers felt that the gangster talked of killing Salman just to create a sensation. On Thursday, the actor appeared in the Jodhpur's Chief Judicial Magistrate (CJM) Rural Court in connection with the hearing in the black buck poaching case. Bishoi is a notious gangster and has been charged in over 20 cases of attempt to murder, carjacking, extortion, snatching and under the Arms Act in Punjab-Haryana belt. Bharatiya Janata Party chief Amit Shah will be on a three-day tour to the poll-bound north eastern states Meghalaya and Tripura, starting Saturday. New Delhi: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) chief Amit Shah will be on a three-day tour to the poll-bound north eastern states Meghalaya and Tripura, starting Saturday. Shah will reach Meghalya on Saturday to address a public rally and inaugurate the party's office in Shillong. He is also expected to address two rallies and attend party meetings in Tripura during his two-day stay on 7 and 8 January, a party leader said. The polls in Tripura and Meghalaya, which have 60 Assembly seats each, is likely to be held in February. In Tripura, the BJP has emerged as the main challenger to the ruling CPM, while in Meghalaya it is in contest with the Congress. Several MLAs, including those from the Congress, have joined the BJP ahead of the polls. Terming the Centre and Maharashtra government of being 'casteist' in nature, BSP chief Mayawati accused the latter of trying to save the two main accused in the violence that took place at Bhima-Koregaon near Pune in which one person was killed Lucknow: Terming the Centre and Maharashtra government of being "casteist" in nature, BSP chief Mayawati on Saturday accused the latter of trying to save the two main accused in the violence that took place at Bhima-Koregaon near Pune in which one person was killed. Milind Ekbote of Samast Hindu Aghadi and Sambhaji Bhide, the founder of Shiv Pratishthan Hindustan, were booked under relevant sections of SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act for allegedly "orchestrating" the violence at the anniversary celebrations of the battle fought 200 years ago in Bhima-Koregaon. In a statement in Lucknow on Saturday, Mayawati said, "Non-acceptance of holding a discussion on Bhima-Koregaon incident in the Rajya Sabha (as demanded by the BSP), shows the casteist attitude of the both the Centre and Maharashtra government." "If the Maharashtra government failed in giving protection to the Dalits, the Centre failed to fix responsibility," she said. The BSP supremo also claimed that despite an FIR registered against the two leaders, no arrests have been made so far. "This proves that the BJP government in Maharashtra is trying to save the culprits," she said. Mayawati claimed that people in Gujarat have given a befitting reply to the BJP in the recently-concluded Assembly elections, and the people in Maharashtra, too, are fed-up with their government. "This will not stop here, as under the BJP governments, atrocities against Dalits, poor and backward castes are continuing," she said. Meghalaya chief minister Mukul Sangma on Friday accused the BJP-led NDA central government at the Centre of trying to legalise immigrants by proposing to amend the Citizenship Act Shillong: Meghalaya chief minister Mukul Sangma on Friday accused the BJP-led NDA central government at the Centre of trying to legalise immigrants by proposing to amend the Citizenship Act. "On one hand they wanted to push illegal immigrants, but on the other, they wanted to legalise immigrants by amending the Citizenship Act. This is not acceptable to the people of Assam, Meghalaya and the Northeast," he told journalists after chairing a Cabinet meeting. "If this Act is amended, the whole fallout will be on the Northeast. Do you think those immigrants from Bangladesh will go to Punjab, Kerala or Rajasthan? They will look at the Northeast as their destination," Sangma said. He said that the government has instructed all deputy commissioners and superintendents of Police of the state districts bordering Assam to take all necessary measures to address the issue following the publication of first draft of National Register of Citizens (NRC) in Assam. He said steps were being taken according to mandate of the law including the Meghalaya Residents Safety and Security Act, 2016 that has been passed by the state Assembly as part of the comprehensive mechanisms to check influx and illegal immigrants. Even as various pockets of Maharashtra witnessed unrest in the past few days, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Saturday asserted that the law and order situation in the state was 'absolutely good'. Mumbai: Even as various pockets of Maharashtra witnessed unrest in the past few days, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Saturday asserted that the law and order situation in the state was "absolutely good". Over the past week, various pockets, especially the industrial ones like Pune and Mumbai, witnessed unruly mobs going on a rampage, damaging public property and bringing economic activity to a standstill through blockades. The unrest began after a group of Dalits observing the 200th anniversary of an Anglo-Maratha battle were allegedly attacked on the outskirts of Pune. "Even today, the law and order situation in Maharashtra is absolutely good, there is no problem with it," Fadnavis told reporters while addressing a curtain raiser event for a forthcoming investment summit to be hosted. Various groups called a state-wide band on 3 January, which managed to shut down most areas of the state and also turned violent at some places, leaving two people dead and hundreds others injured. Earlier, Fadnavis announced that Maharashtra is aiming to break into the trillion-dollar GSDP (Gross State Domestic Product) league in the next 7-10 years, assuming that it can continue with its current growth of over 10 percent per annum. At present, Maharashtra's GSDP is $ 400 billion. "Businesses can vouch for it that nobody is troubling them. And that is the strength of Maharashtra. The people of Maharashtra is the strength of Maharashtra," he added. Fadnavis said the state has "regained" its top spot in business now and announced the Magnetic Maharashtra Convergence, a three-day summit next month, aimed at increasing investments in the state. The three-day summit, to be inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 18 February, will focus on future industries and sustainability, employment and infrastructure, and will have dedicated sessions. He said the state has adopted an infrastructure-led development approach and will continue to stick to it. Answering those sceptical of such summits, Fadnavis listed successes from the national-level 'Make in India' summit organised in Mumbai in 2016 to make his point. He said 1,523 of the 2,984 memorandums of understanding signed with industry have fructified, which entail an investment of Rs 4.91 lakh crore (as against the overall Rs 8 lakh crore envisaged), and creation of 22 lakh jobs as against the target of 30 lakh. Stating that statistics are a "befitting reply" to sceptics, Fadnavis said the MoUs do not convert into action immediately on the ground and it takes up to eight years before an industry may move. He lauded the work done by the industries department, saying results achieved by it are 20 per cent above the rest. Industries Minister Subhash Desai said the state accounts for 15 percent of the national GDP and contributes a fourth of the total exports of the country and was entrenched in all the major sectors and was focusing on the upcoming ones. Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation's chief executive Sanjay Sethi said heads of state and business leaders from across the globe are expected to attend the Magnetic Maharashtra Convergence. The state also announced awards for start-ups which aim to encourage newer businesses with over Rs 1 crore in prize money for the first three winners. Four police officers were killed on Saturday in a massive IED blast in Jammu and Kashmir's Sopore. Four police officers were killed and two others injured on Saturday in a massive improvised explosive device (IED) blast in Jammu and Kashmir's Sopore, according to reports. News18 reported that a police vehicle ran over the planted IED causing the explosion. #BREAKING -- Four cops killed in a massive IED blast in Sopore, J&K | @islahmufti with more details pic.twitter.com/Fue5rMuXcR News18 (@CNNnews18) January 6, 2018 More #visuals from Baramulla where 4 Policemen have lost their lives after an IED blast by terrorists in Sopore #JammuAndKashmir pic.twitter.com/BLybHzhaFl ANI (@ANI) January 6, 2018 Jammu and Kashmir IGP Munir Khan told Greater Kashmir that three shops were also damaged. The report quoted a source as saying that the IED was planted beneath a shop. The report also identified three of the four policemen as ASI Irshad Ahmad from Doda, Muhammad Amin from Kupwara and Ghulam Nabi from Sopore. A police officer told IANS that the injured were shifted to the hospital and a search operation is underway. There was heavy deployment of police and paramilitary forces in Sopore at the time of the incident to prevent any protests in view of the shutdown called by separatists on Saturday, reported The Indian Express. Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Mehbooba Mufti condemned the attack in a tweet. Pained to hear that four policeman have been killed in an IED explosion in Sopore. My deepest condolences to their families. Mehbooba Mufti (@MehboobaMufti) January 6, 2018 She also said that the policemen were killed when they were on duty to protect the people in the town. It is highly unfortunate to see, she added. "The vortex of violence in the state needs to be broken and for that every section of society has to work shoulder to shoulder," the chief minister said. This comes just days after two heavily armed militants stormed a CRPF camp in Pulwama district of Jammu and Kashmir, killing a personnel and leaving two others injured. The militants had attacked the 185th battalion camp of the Central Reserve Police Force in Awantipora around 2 am on 31 December. According to CRPF officials, the militants "were armed with under-barrel grenade launchers and automatic weapons". The camp also serves as training centre for troops inducted for counter-militancy operations in Kashmir Valley With inputs from agencies An Islamic seminary based in Hyderabad Jamia Nizamia has issued a `fatwa' that Muslims should avoid eating prawns, saying they don't fall in the category of fish. Hyderabad: An Islamic seminary based in Hyderabad, Jamia Nizamia, has issued a `fatwa' that Muslims should avoid eating prawns. Prawns do not fall in the category of fish, and their consumption should be avoided, it said. Jamia Nizamia, a century-old seminary, is a highly-respected Islamic institution in the city. Fatwa is a legal pronouncement based on the Islamic law, issued usually when someone seeks to know the legal position on a particular issue. India wants to evolve a regional architecture based on the twin principles of shared security and shared prosperity, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj said Jakarta: India wants to evolve a regional architecture based on the twin principles of shared security and shared prosperity, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj said on Saturday as she called for a deeper economic integration with the "dynamic" ASEAN region. Swaraj, who inaugurated the 5th Round Table of Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) India Network of Think Tanks in Jakarta, emphasised on enhancing maritime security, trade and investment, education and cultural heritage among the grouping. "These are important markers in our engagement with South East Asia, in enhancing our strategic ties with ASEAN across 3 Cs. These 3Cs are commerce, connectivity and culture", she said. Swaraj, who arrived in Jakarta on Friday from Thailand on the second leg of her three-nation tour, said both India and ASEAN countries are maritime nations, with a rich and glorious history of maritime trade. "We have energised our ancient links in a contemporary setting, to become a driving force in Asia's resurgence", she said. "As a mature and responsible nation, one of Indias foreign policy interests, is to evolve a regional architecture based on the twin principles of shared security, and shared prosperity," she said. "This was enunciated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2015, in his vision of SAGAR (Security and Growth for All in the Region). It recognises the central role played by the seas and oceans around us in promoting sustainable economic progress in a secure and stable environment." She said the India Pacific region is increasingly seen as a connectivity pathway much of the worlds trade passes through these oceans. "These waters must not only get better connected, but remain free from traditional and non-traditional threats, that impede free movement of people, goods and ideas. Respect for international law, notably UNCLOS, in ensuring this is, therefore imperative," she said. She said India and ASEAN share a common vision for global commerce and maritime domain and New Delhi looks forward to working closely with the grouping in a range of activities. She called for cooperation in blue economy, coastal surveillance, building off- shore patrolling capabilities, hydrographic services and information sharing for increased maritime domain awareness. She noted that a deeper economic integration with the "dynamic" ASEAN region, is an important aspect of India's Act East Policy. ASEAN is India's 4th largest trading partner, accounting for 10.2 per cent of Indias total trade. India is ASEAN's 7th largest trading partner. Trade is back on track and registered an 8 percent increase in 2016-17, as compared to the previous year. She said India wants to promote dialogue among ASEAN and Indian business and trade associations to further enhance bilateral trade and investment. She invited the scholars, academics and think tanks present at the round table to offer new ideas, for a greater integration of ASEAN Economic Community with India and identify collaborative opportunities in investment, trade and services sector. Swaraj also held talks with ASEAN Secretary General Dato Paduka Lim Jock Hoi as India steps up efforts to strengthen engagements with the countries of the region under its 'Act East' policy. The Mumbai Police arrested Mojo's Bistro owner Yug Pathak on Saturday, a day after a BMC report Police revealed that the Kamala Mills fire actually originated at the high-end pub The Mumbai Police arrested Mojo's Bistro owner Yug Pathak on Saturday, a day after a Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) report revealed that the fire that killed 14 and injured 55 had actually originated at the high-end pub. Yug Pathak is reported to be the son of a retired DGP-rank IPS officer. Yug Pathak, one of the owners of Mojo's Bistro has been arrested by Mumbai Police #KamalaMillsFire ANI (@ANI) January 6, 2018 Earlier on Saturday, the police had booked the owners of Mojo's Bistro for culpable homicide not amounting to murder in connection with the massive fire that took place on 29 December, 2017. On Friday, a report by the Mumbai fire department stated that flying embers from illegal hookah being served at Mojo's Bistro was the probable cause of the blaze. This report painted a completely different picture as compared to initial reports which had blamed the 1Above bar for the fire. The two pubs share a terrace space. "On basis of the report by the fire bridge, we have booked the owners of Mojo's Bistro pub for culpable homicide," deputy commissioner of police and spokesperson of the Mumbai Police Sachin Patil had said. According to a senior police official, Pathak and Nagpur-based businessman Yug Tulli own Mojo's Bistro. Additional commissioner of police (Central Region) S Jaykumar told PTI that the owners were booked under sections 304 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder), 337 (causing hurt by act endangering life or personal safety of others), 338 (causing grievous hurt by act endangering life or personal safety of others) and 34 (acts done by several persons in furtherance of common intention) of the Indian Penal Code in the case that was registered on 29 December. Earlier, the police had booked 1Above owners Hitesh Sanghvi and Jigar Sanghvi, and co-owner Abhijeet Manka and others on various charges, including culpable homicide not amounting to murder under sections 304, 337, 338, 34 of the Indian Penal Code. The case was registered against the three at the NM Joshi Marg police station. On Friday, the police had also announced a reward of Rs 1 lakh for providing information about the three owners of 1Above who are absconding. With inputs from agencies Police have booked the owners of Mojo's Bistro for culpable homicide not amounting to murder in connection with last month's massive fire in Kamala Mills compound, a day after a probe revealed that the blaze started from the high-end pub. Mumbai: Police have booked the owners of Mojo's Bistro for culpable homicide not amounting to murder in connection with December's massive fire in Kamala Mills compound, a day after a probe revealed that the blaze started from the high-end pub. On Friday, a report by the Mumbai fire department stated that flying embers from illegal hookah being served at Mojo's Bistro was the probable cause of the deadly blaze, which claimed 14 lives on 29 December. "On basis of the report by the fire bridge, we have booked owners of Mojo's Bistro pub for culpable homicide," Deputy Commissioner of Police and spokesperson of Mumbai Police Sachin Patil said. A senior police official gave the names of Mojo's Bistro pub owners as Yug K Pathak and Nagpur-based businessman Yug Tulli. Yug Pathak's statement was recorded last week, he said. Additional Commissioner of Police (Central Region) S Jaykumar said the owners were booked under IPC sections 304 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder), 337 (causing hurt by act endangering life or personal safety of others), 338 (causing grievous hurt by act endangering life or personal safety of others) and 34 (acts done by several persons in furtherance of common intention) in the same case registered on 29 December. Earlier, the police had booked owners of 1Above pub, Hitesh Sanghvi and Jigar Sanghvi, co-owner Abhijeet Manka and others on various charges, including culpable homicide not amounting to murder. On Friday, the police had announced a reward of Rs 1 lakh for providing information about Jignesh Sanghvi, Kripesh Sanghvi and Abhijeet Mankar, who are absconding. RJD chief Lalu Prasad was on Saturday sentenced to three-and-a-half years in prison and fined Rs 5 lakh by a special CBI court in the second fodder scam case in which he was found guilty. RJD chief Lalu Prasad was on Saturday sentenced to three and a half years in prison and fined Rs 5 lakh by a special CBI court in the second fodder scam case. On 23 December, 2017, the special CBI court had convicted the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief and 15 others in a case related to the fraudulent withdrawal of Rs 84.5 lakh from the Deoghar district treasury in Bihar between 1990 and 1994. The former chief minister of Bihar has been lodged in Birsa Munda Central Jail in Ranchi since his conviction in the second case. The quantum of punishment was pronounced on Saturday after being postponed twice this week. Here is a timeline of the key developments in the case: With Lalu Prasad sentenced in a fodder scam case, CBI official who probed the case Upen Biswas said he was certain that the offenders would be punished. Kolkata: With RJD supremo Lalu Prasad sentenced to three and a half years jail in a fodder scam case, the CBI's retired Joint Director (East) Upen Biswas on Saturday said he was certain that the offenders would be punished as there was very strong documentary evidence against them. Biswas, who had relentlessly pursued Lalu Prasad and others accused in the fodder scam, said crores of rupees were taken from the treasury by the offenders to supply fodder by floating false tenders. "It is one of the most strong cases in the history of the CBI. There was plenty of documentary evidence against the accused. So someone or the other was bound to get punished in this case," Biswas said after the verdict was announced. "It was found that false tender was floated and the treasury did not have any record of the money spent on fodder... So we knew that the offenders would be punished," he added. A special CBI court sentenced the former Bihar chief minister to jail and imposed two fines of Rs 5 lakh each on him in a fodder scam case relating to fraudulent withdrawal of Rs 89.5 lakh from the Deoghar district treasury of then undivided Bihar. Denouncing the killing of four policemen in an IED blast in Sopore, Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Mehbooba Mufti on Saturday urged the people to work shoulder to shoulder to break the 'vortex of violence' Srinagar: Denouncing the killing of four policemen in an IED blast in Sopore, Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Mehbooba Mufti on Saturday urged the people to work shoulder to shoulder to break the "vortex of violence" in the state. These young policemen were killed when they were on duty to protect the people in the town. It is highly unfortunate to see, Mufti said. "The vortex of violence in the state needs to be broken and for that every section of society has to work shoulder to shoulder," the chief minister said. She wrote on Twitter, Pained to hear that four policeman have been killed in an IED explosion in Sopore. My deepest condolences to their families. Mehbooba Mufti (@MehboobaMufti) January 6, 2018 Four policemen on patrol duty were killed when an improvised explosive device (IED) planted by militants went off in Sopore in north Kashmir. Militants had planted the IED near a shop in a lane between the 'Chotta Bazaar' and 'Bada Bazaar' in Sopore in Baramulla district and detonated it when policemen reached the scene, an official said. Former chief minister Omar Abdullah tweeted, Very sad news from #Sopore. May the four brave J&K police personnel killed in the line of duty today rest in peace. Omar Abdullah (@OmarAbdullah) January 6, 2018 J-K Congress chief GA Mir condemned the killing and said the incident had exposed the tall claims of the Mehbooba government about the Kashmir situation being normal. The central and J&K governments were engaged in concealing the truth, he alleged. Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar inaugurated and laid foundation stones of around 750 projects, worth more than Rs 500 crore, in Khagaria and Begusarai districts of the state Patna: Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar inaugurated and laid foundation stones of around 750 projects, worth more than Rs 500 crore, in Khagaria and Begusarai districts of the state. As part of his 'Vikas Samiksha Yatra', Kumar began the day with a tour of Gauchhari Kataha village in Khagaria, where he flagged off 294 projects worth Rs 236 crore. Later, at Barbigghi village in Begusarai, he inaugurated another 462 projects totalling around Rs 321 crore, an official release said. The chief minister addressed public meetings at both the places, and laid stress on eradicating social evils like dowry and child marriage, against which his government has launched a campaign. He also spoke about the state government's measures for women empowerment and schemes introduced for young boys and girls pursuing studies or in search of employment after completing education. The Indian MPs sound good to the public like they care but the airlines are not duty bound to listen and would only do so by way of insincere promise to stay in the good books of the Ministry of Civil Aviation. It is all very well for a parliamentary committee to indict Indias private airlines for arbitrary practices but it is the government itself that gave the okay for deregulation in the aviation sector. It began this process in 1986 and by 1994 the cluster of private carriers had grown exponentially and was carrying nine times the passenger load into the new open skies era. With the changing rules, dynamic pricing or what the industry calls flexible pricing or cleverly, surge strategy, came to stay. Shorn of its verbal finery it is just plain price gouging. Spikes as high as 400 percent in festive periods or school holidays or even acts of force majeure (in August fares to Chandigarh and Amritsar rose dramatically because of the Dera violence as did the fares to Mumbai because of Ganesh Chaturthi and the North East because of floods.) The DGCA had to step in on two occasions to order the airlines to back off. Time-based pricing is an accepted practice. That airlines have no sense of decency and would even exploit a calamity has been known for years so floods, quakes, riots, ash clouds, drought, war, these are often good news for airline bean counters. The Indian MPs sound good to the public like they care but the airlines are not duty bound to listen and would only do so by way of insincere promise to stay in the good books of the Ministry of Civil Aviation. A month after Minister of State Mahesh Sharma had announced that fares would soon be capped his boss, Civil Aviation Minister Ashok Ganapathi Raju has backed off any such move. Even in the ministry, theyre not on the same page. He was quoted as saying that competition between airlines would take care of this issue. In a perfect world maybe but the cartel element in aviation springs into action and all airlines follow suit spurred as they are by yield, come hail, storm celebration or adversity. No airline has stood its ground and said the passenger comes first. Nor will they. Herein lies the irony. The minister believes that some carrier with its heart in the right place will snub the others and earn goodwill by keeping its fares at a lower level. It does not happen, not even with the government-owned Air India which has been known to spurt upwards during the Diwali, Christmas-New Year phase. Consequently, it is only a piece of tinsel thought and has no basis in reality. It is as impractical as expecting passengers not to fly because they are being fleeced. Boycotts are not feasible even though the US has seen some such groundswells of such action during the Hurricane Irma days when carriers upped the cost of tickets. The minister then goes on to say that such a command would jeopardise the regional transportation network which is clearly close to the governments heart with 32 airports derelict and non-functional at present. There is no connection between opportunistic greed disguised as a legitimate market practice and adopting new routes. Fly the right aircraft on the right routes with a studied schedule and connectivity will zip across the length and breadth of the country. The excuse is threadbare and city and town pairings that suit political agendas are never really going to fly with a carrier. A token agreement to absorb a certain route may be undertaken because that state or the Centre will offer some counter sop to that airline, some major compensatory concession to keep its bottom line in the black. Airlines are a business and they will run to make a profit. The only way to keep them from going berserk with their price surges is to boycott them as passengers and sit out their venal periods. Highly impractical but there is no other way once you have deregulated the skies. The government, to be honest, has no say in the matter and this seasonal piracy will not disappear because a committee has made mewling sounds. Congress President Rahul Gandhi will visit Bahrain on 8 January as part of his outreach to the Indian diaspora and will also meet the country's Prime Minister New Delhi: Congress President Rahul Gandhi will visit Bahrain on 8 January as part of his outreach to the Indian diaspora and will also meet the country's prime minister, Prince Khalifa Bin Salman Al Khalifa. Congress sources said Rahul's visit is part of his interactions with Persons of Indian Origin (PIOs). Gulf countries have the biggest Indian diaspora of more than 35 lakh. Rahul will be chief guest at the three-day valedictory function organised by 'Global Organisation of People of India Origin' (GOPIO) on 8 January. Delegates from 50 countries are participating in the event. The sources said the Crown Prince and First Deputy Premier Salman bin Hamad Al-Khalifa will host the lunch for Gandhi. Apart from meeting the Bahrain prime minister, Rahul is also likely to meet King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa. Gandhi will also have an interactive session with business leaders of Indian origin. It will be Rahul's first foreign visit since his elevation as party chief in December. Gandhi had visited the US in September and addressed students. Rahul's outreach is being seen as a move to popularise Congress among the large Indian diaspora. Prime Minister Narendra Modi engages with the diaspora during his visits abroad. Ramdas Athawale, a prominent Dalit leader, said there was tension in the area even prior to the 200th anniversary of the Bhima-Koregaon battle on 1 January Mumbai: While the Pune police has registered a case against Jignesh Mevani for a "provocative speech", Union minister Ramdas Athawale on Saturday said the Gujarat MLA was not responsible for the violence at Bhima-Koregaon in Pune district on 1 January. Speaking to reporters in Mumbai after meeting Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Athawale, a prominent Dalit leader, said there was tension in the area even prior to the 200th anniversary of the Bhima-Koregaon battle on 1 January. Dalits visiting the war memorial at Bhima-Koregaon had reportedly come under attack on 1 January. Dalit leaders had blamed certain pro-Hindutva leaders, who were opposed to the anniversary celebrations, for the attacks, while the latter sought to blame Mevani's "provocative speech", which was delivered a day earlier. "Jignesh is not responsible for the violence at Bhima-Koregaon. There was tension in the area prior to 1 January. I had visited the place and the tension had eased. So, I had returned to Delhi on 31 December. On the same day, Jignesh had delivered his speech at the Shaniwar Wada in Pune. He had not gone to Bhima-Koregaon. Some groups had held a meeting at night and the violence took place on 1 January," the Union minister of state for social justice said. "I have congratulated Jignesh on his Assembly election victory. It is good that a young, fresh Dalit face is emerging. My advice to him is that he should focus on uniting the society and not dividing it," said Athawale, who heads a faction of the Republican Party of India (RPI). On Mevani's demand that Prime Minister Narendra Modi speak on the 1 January anti-Dalit violence, Athawale said, "It is not necessary that the prime minister should comment on every development. After the Una incident (where Dalits were assaulted by cow vigilantes), Modi had criticised it." Fadnavis had assured him that those responsible for the Bhima-Koregaon violence would be punished and accepted his demand of compensation for those whose properties were damaged, the Union minister said. Athawale also said he was going to organise a "social harmony conference" in Pune on 13 January. Referring to a demand put forward by some leaders of the Maratha community, he said he was open to a debate on the "misuse" of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. If Dalits and tribals were treated with respect, there would not be any need for such a law, Athawale said, while ruling out the possibility of its abolition at present. The 3 January Maharashtra shutdown against the Bhima-Koregaon violence had put the Dalit community's strength in focus, the Union minister said. "If Dalits can come together to voice their anger, the RPI factions can also do so to lend political strength to the community," he added. He was ready to work under the leadership of Prakash Ambedkar (who had called for the Maharashtra Bandh on 3 January), Athawale said, adding, "United, we can decide if we should contest elections independently or align with the BJP or the Congress." The Pune police has lodged an FIR against Mevani and Jawaharlal Nehru University student leader Umar Khalid for their alleged provocative speeches during the "Elgar Parishad", organised in the city on 31 December to mark the 200th anniversary of the Bhima-Koregaon battle. The FIR was registered under IPC section 153(a) (promoting enmity between two groups). Dalit leaders commemorate the British victory over the Peshwa's army at Bhima-Koregaon in 1818 as it is believed that soldiers from the Mahar community were part of the East India Company's forces. The Peshwas were Brahmins and the victory is seen as a symbol of Dalit assertiveness. A Gurugram court will pronounce on Monday its order on the bail application of a 16-year-old student, accused of killing 7-year-old Pradyuman Thakur at Ryan International School. New Delhi: A Gurugram court will pronounce on Monday its order on the bail application of a 16-year-old student, accused of killing a seven-year-old student at Ryan International School. Additional Sessions Judge Jasbir Singh Kundu reserved the order after hearing arguments of the counsel for the accused, the CBI and the complainant. The defence counsel claimed the charge sheet in the matter was not filed within one month, as prescribed in the Juvenile Justice Act, and he was not given required documents. Opposing the contention, the CBI said the mandatory period for filing a charge sheet is 90 days under CrPC provisions. The counsel for the CBI said that "circumstances have changed" as the accused had been declared an adult by the Juvenile Justice Board (JJB). Therefore, the charge sheet needed to be filed within three months. Seeking dismissal of the bail plea, the CBI said the JJB order to try the accused as an adult spoke about his mental status and the fact that he committed a heinous crime. Advocate Sushil Tekriwal, appearing for the Class 2 student's father Barun Thakur, questioned the maintainability of the application and said the accused should file a fresh bail plea before the court due to the changed circumstances. On the contention of the accused that necessary documents were not provided to him, the CBI said the records had already been produced before the court and the accused never demanded any paper, nor any direction was passed by the court in this regard. The Class 2 student was found with his throat slit in the school's washroom on 8 September last year. The Gurugram Police had claimed the crime was committed by a school bus conductor, which was later refuted by the CBI. The probe agency had claimed the teenager had killed the seven-year-old in a bid to get the school closed so that a parent-teacher meeting and an examination could be deferred. The court was hearing an appeal filed by the accused against an order of the JJB denying him bail. Tekriwal had said the appeal for bail was at a "premature stage" as the investigation was yet to be concluded. The JJB had on 20 December held that the teenager would be tried as an adult and directed that he be produced before the Gurugram sessions court. The JJB had noted that the accused was mature enough to recognise the consequences of his actions. If convicted, the accused will stay in a correctional home till he is 21 years old after which the court can shift him to a jail or grant him bail, it had said. The board had earlier rejected the bail plea of the Class 11 Ryan International School student. It had set up a committee which included a psychologist from the PGI, Rohtak, for an expert opinion on the accused, who was taken into custody by the CBI in November 2017. The Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015 lowers the age of juveniles from 18 years to 16 years for heinous crimes such as rape, murder and dacoity-cum-murder, which warrant at least seven years of imprisonment. However, the JJB first decides whether the crime was "child-like" or was it committed in an "adult frame of mind", following which it orders the accused to be tried as juvenile or adult. Four policemen on patrol duty were killed when an improvised explosive device (IED) planted by militants went off in Sopore town in north Kashmir New Delhi: On a day an IED blast claimed the lives of four policemen in Jammu and Kashmir, the Congress questioned the recent covert meeting of the NSAs of India and Pakistan and alleged that the BJP-led Centre has "singularly failed" to protect the country's defence personnel. Senior Congress leader Anand Sharma said not a day goes without attacks on Army, paramilitary and police men and all that the government has to offer are "boastful" statements and tall claims. "The accountability of this government will have to be established. This government has singularly failed to reassure the country of its ability to protect defence establishments and personnel. "We are completely in the dark as to what was discussed during the recent meeting between National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and his Pakistani counterpart (retired Lt Gen) Nasser Khan Janjua. There have been similar meetings in the past. What has been their outcome?" Sharma asked. Four policemen on patrol duty were killed when an improvised explosive device (IED) planted by militants went off in Sopore town in north Kashmir on Saturday, an official said. Five CRPF men were killed on 31 December when heavily armed terrorists carried out a suicide attack on a camp of the paramilitary force in Pulwama in south Kashmir. US envoy to India Kenneth Juster met Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar on Friday to discuss how the US move to cut aid to Pakistan would impact India. Within hours of US announcing a massive $1.2 billion cut in security aid to Pakistan, US envoy to India Kenneth Juster met Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar in New Delhi in the early hours of Friday to discuss how the move would impact India. According to a report in The Wire, the two diplomats discussed the latest developments, including US move to slash military aid to Pakistan over its "inaction" against the Taliban and Haqqani network. Another report in The Times of India mentioned that the external affairs ministry had made no statement about the meeting or the US decision so far. The report also quoted sources as saying that the reason behind this could be that both US and India did not want to "gloat" or humiliate Pakistan further and that India has reasons to be pleased with the US decision. It is a welcome first step. (We) hope it will get Rawalpindi (Pakistans military) thinking, a senior official told The Hindu. On Friday, the Trump administration announced it was suspending $1.15 billion worth security assistance to Pakistan until the country resolves to fight against local militants who have attacked US troops in Afghanistan. On Saturday, reports claimed that the cut could go up to $2 billion and will also include funding granted to Islamabad to help US fight the war in Afghanistan. In response, the Pakistan government had reacted strongly, accusing the US of betrayal and decried "arbitrary deadlines" and "unilateral pronouncements". In an interview on Thursday with the Geo News channel, Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif said that the US was now neither a friend nor ally, but "a friend who always betrays". Earlier, he had accused Trump of "speaking the language of India". US Senator from Kentucky Rand Paul announced on Friday, that he will introduce a bill that would eliminate US aid to Pakistan and set the money aside for infrastructure funds to build roads in the US. To this, Donald Trump extended his support calling it a "good idea". Im introducing a bill to end aid to Pakistan in the coming days. My bill will take the money that would have gone to Pakistan and put it in an infrastructure fund to build roads and bridges here at home. pic.twitter.com/SHlA00rWEd Senator Rand Paul (@RandPaul) January 4, 2018 The freezing of all security assistance to Pakistan comes days after US president Donald Trump, in a new year tweet, accused Pakistan of giving nothing but "lies and deceit" to the US and providing "safe haven" to terrorists in return for $33 billion aid over the last 15 years. Prominent among the suspended amount includes $255 million in foreign military funding for the fiscal year 2016 as mandated by Congress. In addition, the Department of Defence has suspended the entire $900 million of the Coalition Support Fund (CSF) money to Pakistan for the fiscal year 2017. With inputs from agencies Facing flak for giving a bright saffron coat of paint to the boundary wall of the UP Haj Committee office in Lucknow, the BJP-led state government on Saturday went into damage control mode and admitted 'laxity' on part of the contractor tasked with the job Lucknow: Facing flak for giving a bright saffron coat of paint to the boundary wall of the UP Haj Committee office in Lucknow, the BJP-led state government on Saturday went into damage control mode and admitted "laxity" on part of the contractor tasked with the job. "Secretary of the UP Haj Committee RP Singh has taken immediate cognisance of the matter, and issued directives for its rectification," a statement issued by the government said. Singh said, "There was laxity by the contractor in the painting and maintenance work of the UP Haj Committee office. On inspecting the boundary wall of the office, it was found that there has been laxity, and a dark shade of paint has been used contrary to the instructions issued". "Further painting of the boundary wall has been stopped, and instructions have been issued to officials that painting and maintenance of the boundary wall should be done as per directives," he said. He also ordered action be initiated against the erring contractor. The boundary wall of the Uttar Pradesh Haj office, opposite the state legislature building in the heart of the capital, had been given a saffron look overnight, days after the secretariat building facade was given the same coat. The work was done by the UP estates department late on Thursday night and the Haj office staff was not immediately available for a reaction, Friday being a holiday. The saffron colour, mostly associated with Hinduism and especially with the Sangh Parivar of which the ruling BJP is a part, was also painted on the front portion of the Lal Bahadur Shastri Bhawan Annexe where the offices of the chief minister and top bureaucrats are located. The move prompted the opposition Samajwadi Party to accuse the BJP government of indulging in "blatant saffronisation". "The BJP is a party known for changing colours. It is indulging in these antics only to hide its faults and failures. If the BJP really considers the saffron colour as sacrosanct, it should not indulge in the politicisation of the colour and indulge in blatant saffronisation," SP spokesman Sunil Singh Sajan said. All India Shia Personal Law Board spokesperson Yasoob Abbas took strong exception to the change in colour. "What is this? The BJP will paint it saffron, the SP will choose green and the BSP blue...This is politics of colour and should be avoided," he said. Commenting on the matter, the lone Muslim minister in the UP government had on Friday said, "I fail to understand the problem of those having issues with the new colour. Is saffron an anti-national colour? Saffron is a colour which symbolises 'ujala' (brightness) and 'urja' (energy)". "When the first rays of the Sun fall on the Earth, it comes with saffron light," Minister of State for Minority Affairs Mohsin Raza had said. "Saffron is a colour, which is synonymous with positivity. It is a gift of God. I think those who are against the usage of saffron colour on the (boundary) wall of the UP Haj committee office, may also object to saffron on the national tricolour," he said. "This is peculiar politics. After all, only the outer wall of the government office has been painted and not the building or any personal property of any individual," he said. Rajya Sabha chairman M Venkaiah Naidu has referred the issue of privilege motion moved against Congress president Rahul Gandhi to the Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan Congress president Rahul Gandhi has landed in trouble over a tweet in which he referred to Finance Minister Arun Jaitley as "Jaitlie". A privilege motion against Rahul has been forwarded to Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan. The privilege motion was served by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Bhupendra Yadav, who accused Rahul of using "derogatory" language against Jaitley, The Indian Express reported. The privilege motion was raised in the Rajya Sabha, and chairman of the Upper House, M Venkaiah Naidu, has referred the matter to the Lok Sabha since Rahul is a member of the Lower House, the report added. On 27 December 2017, Rahul had tweeted: Dear Mr 'Jaitlie' - thank you for reminding India that our prime minister never means what he says or says what he means", in reponse to Jaitley's statement in Rajya Sabha. Dear Mr Jaitlie - thank you for reminding India that our PM never means what he says or says what he means. #BJPLies pic.twitter.com/I7n1f07GaX Office of RG (@OfficeOfRG) December 27, 2017 Rahul's remarks was in reference to Jaitleys statement after an agreement to end an impasse in the Upper House was reached between the treasury and Opposition benches over Prime Minister Narendra Modi's remarks against his predecessor Manmohan Singh during the Gujarat Assembly election campaign. Moving the privilege notice, Yadav had said that, "The members of this House have dignity. The name of the Leader of the House Arun Jaitley has been intentionally published by the Congress president with malafide intentions to defame this House." "The way his (Jaitley's) name has been twisted by the Congress President on his Twitter handle, it comes in the category of (breach of) privilege. There are precedents such as that of NC Chatterjee in 1954," he said. During Zero Hour on the last day of the Winter Session, Yadav wanted to know the fate of his privilege notice, to which Naidu replied saying it was under his consideration. "Your notice is under my consideration. I have already told you, I will be taking action immediately, but it's not within the purview of Rajya Sabha, finally it has to go to Lok Sabha. I will take necessary decision at the earliest," the chairman had said. With inputs from agencies The installation of a bunker at the SPS Museum in Srinagar invites a look into its place in Kashmir's landscape and history The bunker, one of the most enduring symbols of the raging conflict in Kashmir, has now become a cultural objet. The model of a bunker has been installed at the centre of the armaments section of the new building of the SPS Museum, established in 1896 during the Dogra monarchy, in Srinagar. The bunker installation is an octagonal wooden cabin; strips of glass and square cutouts provide visitors a peek inside. If it were not for an A4-size computer printout that reads Bunker Model/ Wooden/ Kashmir, one would mistake it for an office cubicle. Overlooking the bunker model from display cases are Dogra-era daggers, swords, knives, shields, a mace, rifles and pistols. A vintage machine gun and a small 18th century canon are the other objets in the armaments section of the museum, which is housed in a Dogra Maharajas summer guest house that suffered damages in the 2014 flood. Several artifacts are still to be shifted to the new building. The word model in the bunkers description needs some explanation. For Muhammad Zahid, director archives and museums, the model simply means a model of the bunkers that have, like elsewhere, been an integral part of any places martial history. It shows continuity. Bunkers were present in the Mughal period. They are present today also, said Zahid. Probably underscoring this continuity, noted Kashmiri short story writer, the late Akhtar Mohiuddin, once told a writer, pointing to the medieval Afghan-era fort on the Haripart Hill, This was the first bunker in Kashmir. However, the make of the model bunker at the museum has a contemporary resonance. In 2002, when there was relative calm in the Valley so much so that the then chief minister Mufti Muhammad Sayeed declared normalcy the government decided to gradually remove the majority of the sand bunkers in the city and beautify those that had to stay. Tourism authorities had told the government that the citys landscape, dotted with sand bunkers, looked menacing to the tourists. It was felt that it would be difficult to convince a potential tourist that Kashmir was safe for travel when bunkers a sign of war were everywhere. The customary olive green netting that covered a bunker, the razor wire that girded it and a machine gun barrel that protruded from a slit are hardly inspiring. The government then decided to beautify bunkers, to meld them into the landscape. Thus, the model bunker came into being. To the sand bunkers was added a layer of wooden paneling from the outside. These bunkers started looking like a watchmans cabin. At some places, which demanded bigger bunkers, bricks replaced sand bags. The ugly cousin of the model bunker can still be seen at a few places, though. The model bunker at the museum, said Zahid, is a work in progress. The other missing ingredients of a typical bunker will be added to it in the near future. The idea of putting up a bunker in the armaments section was conceived during the consultations with a renowned firm, M/S Matrika Design Collaborative, Mumbai. Once completed, the bunker diorama at the museum will mimic a typical Srinagar street of the '90s, only that the model bunker would be, aesthetically at least, not so repulsive. When the insurgency erupted in 1990, the state apparatus had nearly collapsed. Gradually, however, the state started to assert its authority. The bunker was one such measure to reclaim the place that had nearly slipped out of control. No security agency has kept a count of how many bunkers were constructed during the early years of the militancy. But there were several hundred scattered across every nook and corner of the city. To give you an idea about the density, there were four bunkers on the four corners of the bridge at Nawab Bazar, where I was born and brought up. One of these bunkers gradually overtook the uninhabited house of an affluent local family. Then there were two bunker-lings at the mouth of two small lanes of the mohalla. These were day posts. A single trooper manned each during the day before retreating into the biggest one at dusk. Over the years, only the biggest one, which had the house as a bonus, remained. It was finally dismantled about five years ago. The bunkers had become training targets for new recruits or newly-arrived-from-Pakistan militants. About 200 metres from the Nawab Bazar bunker cluster, there was one at Zaldagar. About the same distance, toward the right of the biggest Nawab Bazar bunker, there were two more on either side of the SMHS Hospital bridge. Then there was one at each of the four entrances to the hospital and Government Medical College complex. This was, more or less, the case for every major mohalla in Srinagar. Bunkers had become so integral to the life in the city, that they were new addresses. Even today, in Bemina, where I live currently, the ugly sand bags-and-net bunker outside a migrant Kashmiri Pandits house is cited more than the name of the residential colony, Gousia Colony, as a landmark. People say, 'Batte bunkaras nish' (near the Pandit bunker). Delhi Congress president Ajay Maken on Saturday filed an objection to nomination of AAP's Rajya Sabha candidate ND Gupta for allegedly holding an office of profit. New Delhi: Delhi Congress president Ajay Maken on Saturday filed an objection to nomination of Aam Aadmi Party's Rajya Sabha candidate ND Gupta for allegedly holding an office of profit. In his objection filed with the returning officer, Maken claimed that Gupta is "currently holding the office of a Trustee of the National Pension System Trust. He was appointed on 30 March". Gupta, along with two other Rajya Sabha candidates of the Aam Aadmi Party, Sanjay Singh and Sushil Gupta, had filed nomination papers on 4 January. The scrutiny of the nominations is Saturday. "ND Gupta's nomination is liable to be rejected under Section 36 of Representation of Peoples Act, 1951 read with Article 102 of the Constitution," Maken claimed. Meanwhile, AAP said that Maken was trying to gain "cheap publicity" through "frivolous" objections as the law does not forbid trustees from contesting. "Section 3, clause (L) of Parliament (Prevention of Disqualification) Act, 1959, gives exemption to a trustee from disqualification under office of profit," AAP leader Raghav Chadha tweeted. "Also, the returning officer is not the competent authority to adjudicate on office of profit; Election Commission is. Frivolous objections to gain cheap publicity by Congress," he added. Defending Rahul Gandhi over his tweet against Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, the Congress today said if it attracted a privilege notice, then the BJP should be held guilty on many such counts New Delhi: Defending Rahul Gandhi over his tweet against Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, the Congress today said if it attracted a privilege notice, then the BJP should be held guilty on many such counts. Hitting back at the ruling party, senior Congress leader Anand Sharma cited Prime Minister Narendra Modi's remarks against his predecessor Manmohan Singh and Vice President Hamid Ansari during the recent Gujarat polls. His response came after Rajya Sabha Chairman M Venkaiah sent a privilege notice against the Congress president moved by BJP Rajya Sabha member Bhupinder Yadav to Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan for further action. "If it comes to privilege, ministers in the government have made many such comments which will attract privilege notices. The prime minister made inappropriate remarks against people who held constitutional posts. "Later, the finance minister said that the prime minister did not mean what he said. If political comments and tweets have to become privilege matters then the ruling party stands exposed and shall invite many breach of privilege notices," Sharma told reporters. Naidu had sent the privilege notice against Gandhi to Mahajan while holding that "prima facie there is an issue of privilege", according to sources. Gandhi had tweeted: Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah on Saturday said the 'fight' in the upcoming Assembly polls in the state would be between between two ideologies - communalism and secularism Bengaluru: Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah on Saturday said the "fight" in the upcoming Assembly polls in the state would be between between two ideologies - communalism and secularism. "It's not between Siddaramaiah versus BJP, it is not between me versus Narendra Modi... it is not between Siddaramaiah and Yeddyurappa; it is between two ideologies - Congress versus BJP," he told reporters in Chikkamagalur. He termed the Congress a secular party and said, "We believe in secularism and are committed to it, while the BJP is a communal party." "This is the ideological difference between the BJP and the Congress. The fight would be between communalism and secularism," Siddaramaiah said. Assembly polls in Karnataka are scheduled this year. The chief minister reiterated that the government would take stringent action against organisations instigating "communal sentiments" in the state. "Any organisation that instigates communal sentiments, the government will be merciless against them, in accordance with the law," he said. Siddaramaiah's comments come at a time when the coastal region of the state remained on the edge over a spate of killings of "Hindu activists". In the latest incident, 28-year-old Deepak Rao, who was associated with the Bajrang Dal and the VHP, was hacked to death by a four-member gang on Wednesday, following which simmering tension prevailed in Dakshina Kannada district. The Congress on Friday held the BJP responsible for the impasse in the Rajya Sabha due to which the triple talaq bill could not be taken up New Delhi: The Congress on Friday held the BJP responsible for the impasse in the Rajya Sabha due to which the triple talaq bill could not be taken up, and accused the ruling party of trying to use Parliament as a "rubber stamp". Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad said for the first time in the country's parliamentary history, people could see ministers stalling proceedings leading to an impasse for the last three days and the triple talaq bill could not be taken up. "They (the ruling BJP) are squarely responsible for this impasse in the Rajya Sabha. For the first time, Union ministers and (ruling party) MPs were seen standing in the Rajya Sabha and stalling Parliament," he told reporters. Azad said the government was responsible for the situation and the House not being able to take the triple talaq bill for sending it to a select committee for further scrutiny. "The BJP does not want to pass the triple talaq bill. So, they are using it as a tool of propaganda against the Congress. The bill is not in favour of Muslim women as it renders them helpless after putting their husbands in jail, with nobody to fend for them," he said. The Congress leader said the current bill does not have provisions for taking care of Muslim women, whose husbands would be sent to jail for instant triple talaq. "This is the first time that the Winter Session and the Budget Session will be held in the same month. This is due to the government's delay in holding the Winter Session," he said. Holding the central government responsible for the impasse in Parliament, Azad said the ruling party did not allow the bill to be sent to a parliamentary committee, where every party is consulted to scrutinise bills introduced by them. "Unfortunately, the BJP doesn't believe in parliamentary democracy," he alleged. Azad said for the first time, the Opposition had an overwhelming majority and the ruling party had an absolute minority in the House, and it was the Opposition which wanted voting on the bill while the government was opposing it. He said the BJP was averse to sending the bill for scrutiny and this "brazenly displays the party's insecurity in democratic procedures". In the matter of triple talaq bill, Azad said the government states that the onus of aggrieved wife's sustenance lies on the jailed husband. But BJP government neither explains how this is possible nor takes responsibility of the aggrieved wife's financial securities. He also accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of converting his cabinet into a campaign committee for Gujarat polls at the cost of delaying parliamentary proceedings. Congress whip in the Lok Sabha Deepender Singh Hooda alleged that the government was not taking Parliament seriously and was using it only as a "rubber stamp". "They do not believe in Parliament. Today we are seeing an 'ordinance raj', where the BJP government has laid out the highest number of ordinances. They want to treat Parliament as a rubber stamp" he told reporters. Hooda said all the BJP has to do is hold a discussion on the bill and pass it. "But the BJP does not believe in discussion at all!" he alleged. During UPA II, Hooda said, 71 bills were sent to standing committees, where those were scrutinised by all political parties, but the BJP, in this session, has hardly sent a single bill to such a panel. GST is a prime example of consequences of when a law is not scrutinised, as there have been 301 rules that have been changed, he said. "We, in the Congress, will continue to strongly oppose the constant undermining of the Constitution and Parliament by the BJP," he said. Demanding Devendra Fadnavis' resignation, Ashok Chavan added that all leaders of the Congress in the state were unanimous that the violence was a failure of the state machinery Mumbai: The Congress party in the state on Friday demanded the resignation of Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on moral grounds for failing to prevent the violence that occurred at Bhima-Koregaon near Pune on 1 January. "The state government failed to prevent this incident. We discussed the chain of events leading to the violence and how the government had failed to take precautionary steps," Congress' state chief Ashok Chavan said on Friday. Demanding Fadnavis' resignation, Chavan added that all leaders of the Congress in the state were unanimous that the violence was a failure of the state machinery. Chavan alleged that attempts to stoke caste tensions in the state have been going on for the past three years in connivance with the government. He claimed that the government was not taking action against those involved. Informing about the party's plan to have district-wise shibirs (camps), Chavan said that the party wanted newly-elected chief Rahul Gandhi to address meetings in the state. He added that Gandhi might visit Western Maharashtra soon. Chavan also accused the government of "going soft" on investigations in the Kamala mill compound fire which claimed 14 lives. The Opposition parties on Saturday took serious umbrage at Brihanmumbai Municipal Commissioner Ajoy Mehta's shocking statement that he was under pressure 'to go slow' on the probe into the pub fire that killed 14 on 29 December, 2017. Mumbai: The Opposition parties on Saturday took serious umbrage at Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) commissioner Ajoy Mehta's shocking statement that he was under pressure "to go slow" on the probe into the pub fire that killed 14 on 29 December, 2017. Mumbai Congress president Sanjay Nirupam lashed out at Mehta and challenged him to "reveal" and expose the politician who pressurised the civic body, ruled by the Shiv Sena. "Mehta should not talk like a politician. Don't make vague statements. Disclose the names of those who pressurised you to drag the probe," Nirupam said. "I reiterate that he is responsible for the incident and must be booked for it," Nirupam said. He also asked the BMC chief to declare all the names of the owners of the 17-18 high-end pubs and bars functioning within the Kamala Mills compound which was the scene of the inferno last week that left another 55 injured. Maharashtra Navnirman Sena spokesperson Sandeep Deshpande demanded that Mehta should be made to undergo "narco test" to get to the truth in the matter. "Who called up Mehta 'to go slow' on the action against illegal constructions in the Kamala Mills compound, whether it's from the ruling (Shiv Sena) or the Opposition 'bhaiyyas' (Congress)," Deshpande asked. However, Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray said he has asked him "not to succumb to any pressures" and continue the drive against illegal constructions in the city. "Its outrageous to announce a reward (for the absconders)... They are not terrorists, the police department's role is in question," Thackeray added, indirectly hitting out at Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis who handles the home portfolio. On the other hand, Mayor Vishwanath Mahadeshwar said the Mumbai Fire Brigade's report "would be studied in detail to ascertain whether it is accurate or not" before it could be discussed. Mehta's controversial statement was made late Friday after the fire brigade submitted its probe report into the pub blaze. The fire brigade report has clearly confirmed that the blaze erupted in Mojo's Bistro and quickly spread to the adjacent 1Above and other premises, trapping an estimated 400-500 people present there that fateful night. BMC officials had earlier said that the fire was first noticed in Mojo's Bistro. BMC chief Mehta will submit the report to Fadnavis next week and it effectively corroborates the oft-made contentions of 1Above pub in the matter that the cause of fire was in Mojo's Bistro, which the latter has countered. In a stinging indictment, the fire brigade said that even after the fire broke out, not a single staffer or security personnel bothered to raise an alarm or intimate the fire brigade. The cause of the fire is stated as the illegal hookahs served on the premises, no proper exit signs and availability of heavy stocks of liquor highly on the pub premises. The burning coals of a hookah came in contact with a curtain at Mojo's Bistro in the south-end corner, which quickly spread into the pub and then onto the adjoining 1Above pub. The fire brigade said an illegal shed with thatched roof, both made of highly combustible materials, further spread the fire blocking emergency exits which even the security personnel were not aware of. The lift was the only way out of the burning premises, a passage on the eastern side was blocked as it was used for storages and it was in an illegal toilet where the 14 persons who took refuge were killed, mostly by toxic fumes. "It is clear that the fire originated in Mojo's Bistro restaurant and further spread to 1Above," the fire brigade said, referring to videos, eyewitness reports, tweets and newsclips of the incident. The fire brigade investigators found remnants of hookahs, charcoal, standpipes, pedestal fans, and other evidences in the south-east corner of Mojo's Bistro and also repeatedly hit out at the unauthorised thatched roof in the 1Above. Mehta said his report to the Chief Minister would be a comprehensive one comprising the administrative lapses, illegalities and actions taken against officials, the demolition drives, etc. Late on Friday, the Mumbai Police announced a reward of Rs 1,00,000 to anyone providing information on the absconding owners of 1Above pub, who have reportedly gone underground since 29 December. The owner-partners, Kripesh M Sanghavi, Jigar Sanghavi and Abhijeet Mankar who are "wanted" to face various charges, including the stringent IPC Section 304 pertaining to culpable homicide not amounting to murder, in the complaints registered by NM Joshi Marg Police Station. By posting the 'Jaitlie' tweet, Rahul Gandhi effectively denigrated his own party's leadership structure and processes, and also the Leader of Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad and former prime minister Manmohan Singh Rahul Gandhi's 'Dear Mr Jaitlie' tweet has landed the Congress president in trouble. On 27 December, Rahul had sent out the following tweet: Dear Mr Jaitlie - thank you for reminding India that our PM never means what he says or says what he means. #BJPLies pic.twitter.com/I7n1f07GaX Office of RG (@OfficeOfRG) December 27, 2017 Rajya Sabha chairman M Venkaiah Naidu has found merit in a privilege motion moved against Rahul following this tweet, and after due consideration, admitted it and sent it to Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan for further action. The move itself is extraordinary with huge political ramifications, not just because it is against the Congress president but also because Rahul is a member of Lok Sabha and not Rajya Sabha. This would inflame Congress' passions and has the potential to snowball into a major controversy, one that may disrupt Parliament proceedings in the Budget Session, which begins on 29 January. Interestingly, the news of Naidu accepting the motion against Rahul was broken by Rajya Sabha TV, which essentially means that the official broadcaster had clearance from the Rajya Sabha chairman's office to break the news and make it official. Rajya Sabha TV tweeted: Rajya Sabha Chairman: Prima facie there is a question of privilege against Rahul Gandhi Rajya Sabha TV (@rajyasabhatv) January 6, 2018 Rajya Sabha Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu refers privilege notice against Rahul Gandhi to Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajanhttps://t.co/sYJLe0osu1 Rajya Sabha TV (@rajyasabhatv) January 6, 2018 What was the controversy about Following days of logjam in Parliament, where Congress was demanding Prime Minister Narendra Modi apologise to former prime minister Manmohan Singh and former vice-president Hamid Ansari for insinuating they colluded with Pakistan ahead of the Gujarat Assembly elections, the Congress and BJP reached a negotiated settlement in order to allow Parliament to function smoothly. This settlement took place inside the chairman's chambers. Since the meeting between leaders of both parties was held in the chairman's chamber and related to previous and incoming proceedings of the house, the settlement too became part of the proceedings, sources said. On 27 December, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, who also happens to be Leader of House in Rajya Sabha, told Parliament, "The prime minister in his speeches did not question, nor meant to question, the commitment to this nation of either former prime minister Manmohan Singh or former vice-president Hamid Ansari. Any such perception is erroneous. We hold these leaders in high esteem, as well as their commitment to India." As per the negotiated script, Leader of Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad responded to this by saying, "I want to thank the Leader of House that he issued a clarification on the issue which was causing a deadlock for the last one week I, on behalf of my (Congress) party, say that we disassociate from any comments made by any member during the elections that may have hurt the prime minister's dignity. We also do not want any such thing to be said in future." With this, Parliament began functioning smoothly. But then, Rahul Gandhi posted the tweet referring to Jaitley as "Jaitlie". Sources told Firstpost that a draft of Jaitley's statement was shown to Azad and Manmohan Singh. Jaitley had read his statement only after due consultation and approval from top Congress leaders. The issue has two parts: One technical and the other political Consider the political part of it first. The move would arguably worsen the relationship between BJP and Congress. But what is even more significant is its internal bearings on the Congress party. By posting the "Jaitlie" tweet, Rahul Gandhi effectively denigrated his own party's leadership structure and processes, and also the Leader of Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad and former prime minister Manmohan Singh. He proved that he has scant regard for seniors in his own party. Just as he had done in September 2013, when he tore an ordinance drafted by his own Congress government at a time when the then prime minister Manmohan Singh was touring abroad. But as Manmohan Singh suffered the humiliation and remained silent then, he again remained silent now. Though nobody in the Congress would speak anything against their president, Naidu's move has provided fodder for private talks within the ranks of the main Opposition party. Sources told Firstpost that Naidu had prima facie found merit in the privilege motion moved by a BJP member on the following counts: Through his tweet, Rahul denigrated and condemned proceedings of the House, and also an officially negotiated settlement of which Congress was also part of. Jaitley made this statement in his capacity as Leader of House after a settlement was arrived at. Rahul thus lowered the dignity of the House and its proceedings. The House is competent to accept privilege motions against anyone whether or not he is part of that House. In this case, since he is a Lok Sabha MP, the chairman has written sent a note to the Speaker of Lok Sabha. "On perusing the documents on record, matters seem to involve prima facie a question of privilege. I am accordingly referring this matter to you in terms of the procedure laid down in the report of the committee of both Houses of Parliament mentioned above for further action as may be deemed appropriate," he said in his letter. He also urged the Speaker to intimate him of "action taken in the matter". By doing so, Naidu has also added pressure on Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan to take action. She has no option but to accept the privilege motion against Rahul. The Congress wouldn't take that lying down. Congress president Rahul Gandhi attacked the Centre for the economic slump in the country and described 'GDP' as the 'Gross Divisive Politics' of Prime Minister Narendra Modi New Delhi: Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Saturday attacked the Centre for the economic slump in the country and described "GDP" as the "Gross Divisive Politics" of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Rahul Gandhi targeted both Modi and Finance Minister Arun Jaitley for the slowdown in investment, bank credit growth, job creation and agricultural growth. "FM Jaitley's genius combines with Modi's Gross Divisive Politics (GDP) to give India: New Investments: 13 year (low), Bank credit Growth: 63 year (low), Job creation: 8 year (low), Agriculture GVA growth: 1.7% (low) Fiscal Deficit: 8 year (high), Stalled Projects (high)," Rahul Gandhi tweeted. FM Jaitleys genius combines with Mr Modis Gross Divisive Politics (GDP) to give India: New Investments: 13 year Bank credit Growth: 63 year Job creation: 8 year Agriculture GVA growth: 1.7% Fiscal Deficit: 8 year Stalled Projects https://t.co/bZdPnREYiE Office of RG (@OfficeOfRG) January 6, 2018 Rahul also tweeted a news report in which the Central Statistics Office (CSO) has projected that economic growth rate for 2017-18 will be lower than the 7.1 percent that was achieved in 2016-2017. Implementation of the Goods and Services Tax and subsequent slowdown in the manufacturing sector was expected to drag down India's growth to 6.5 per cent in 2017-18, official data showed on Friday. A meeting called by Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav to bring together Opposition parties on the issue of using ballot papers instead of EVMs in elections saw ally Congress and Mayawati's BSP staying away A meeting called by Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav to bring together Opposition parties on the issue of using ballot papers instead of EVMs in elections saw ally Congress and Mayawati's BSP staying away. The meeting called by Yadav at the Janeshwar Mishra Trust office to discuss the issue was attended by senior leaders of his party as well as representatives of NCP, CPI, CPM, Apna Dal (Krishna Patel faction), Peace Party, AAP, RLD and RJD. "There was also a communication from the BSP and Congress representatives that they will not be able to attend the meeting because of some preoccupation," Samajwadi Party spokesman Rajendra Chaudahry said. "BSP state unit president Ram Achal Rajbhar called to say that he is unable to attend the meeting, but his party has already expressed its views against EVMs. UPCC president Raj Babbar informed that he was out of station today," Chaudhary said. On discussions held during the meeting, Chaudhary said all the parties, barring CPM, were of the view that all future elections should be held through the ballot papers. "The CPM said that it will have to discuss the issue with its national leadership," he said. "All agreed that there are flaws in the conduct of elections through the EVMs and the VVPAT were also not being used," Chaudhary said. "The impartiality of the electoral system is proved only when people have faith in it... besides the use of EVMs is not easy for the countrymen, as they do not understand its working," Chaudhary added. The SP president had initiated efforts to mobilise opinion among different political parties for holding elections using ballot paper instead of EVMs and had invited their leaders. The move was also seen as an effort to evolve consensus on holding bye-elections to Phulpur and Gorakhpur Lok Sabha constituencies through ballot paper and send out a message of Opposition unity ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. With the political activities gradually picking up ahead of the crucial Assembly elections in February in Left-ruled Tripura, tribal parties are negotiating with BJP and Congress for electoral alliances Agartala/Shillong: With the political activities gradually picking up ahead of the crucial Assembly elections in February in Left-ruled Tripura, tribal parties are negotiating with BJP and Congress for electoral alliances, informed sources said on Saturday. Meanwhile, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) President Amit Shah began a three-day tour to Meghalaya and Tripura on Saturday to formally kick off the party's election campaign in the two northeastern states. Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPM) politburo member Brinda Karat is now on a five-day election campaign in Tripura while party general secretary Sitaram Yechury has already addressed a central election rally in Agartala earlier this week. Assembly polls would be held in three northeastern states Tripura, Meghalaya, and Nagaland with 60 Assembly seats each, in February. The five-year terms of the Meghalaya, Nagaland and Tripura assemblies would expire on 6, 13 and 14 March respectively. While the Left Front holds power in Tripura, Congress is in power in Meghalaya and the Naga People's Front-led Democratic Alliance of Nagaland (DAN) in Nagaland. The DAN is supported by BJP. Tripura's main tribal based party, the Indigenous People's Front of Tripura (IPFT), which has been agitating since 2009 for upgrading the Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council into a separate tribal state, held a series of meetings in New Delhi on Thursday and Friday with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Rajnath Singh, Minister of State for PMO Jitendra Singh and central BJP leaders. Assam's Himanta Biswa Sarma, who holds the Finance, Health and Family Welfare and Education portfolios in the BJP-led state government, arranged these politically significant meetings. Sarma, who is also the convener of the BJP-led North East Democratic Alliance (NEDA) anti-Congress front, is the party's election in-charge of Tripura. "Our meetings about our separate state demand with the prime minister, Union home minister and other ministers and BJP leaders are positive. The Union home ministry would announce a committee on 8 January about our long pending demand," IPFT's president Narendra Chandra Debbarma told IANS over phone from Delhi. Leading a ten-member IPFT delegation to Delhi, the veteran tribal leader said: "After returning to Agartala, we would hold meetings with the state BJP leaders to finalise the electoral alliance and seat sharing strategies. Now the long pending hurdles about the alliance with BJP have been settled." Most of the political parties, including the ruling CPM, Congress and BJP had earlier rejected IPFT's demands saying it is not practical to divide the small state. Two other important tribal based parties Indigenous Nationalist Party of Tripura (INPT) and National Conference of Tripura (NCT) have also started talks since Friday to form an electoral alliance with Congress and Trinamool Congress (TMC) in Tripura. The INPT and NCT also opposed IPFT's separate state demand. "We are holding talks with the Congress and TMC leaders to form an anti-BJP and anti-Left electoral alliance to fight against both the ruling Left Front and opposition BJP," INPT spokesman Srota Ranjan Khisa told IANS. A top official of the Tripura Election Department said that the Election Commission is likely to announce the election schedule in Tripura, Meghalaya, and Nagaland next week. After about a four-and-half-month-long summary revision of the voters' list, the final photo-affixed electoral rolls were published on Friday simultaneously across Tripura with January 1, 2018, as the qualifying date of age. "With the regular instructions from the Election Commission, we are readying ourselves to conduct the elections in the state. The commission is in close touch with us about the preparations of the elections," Tripura Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Sriram Taranikanti said. The just-concluded winter session of the Rajya Sabha, the first session for new Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu, saw a few 'firsts' as part of reforms he brought in the proceedings in the upper House New Delhi: The just-concluded winter session of the Rajya Sabha, the first session for new Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu, saw a few "firsts" as part of reforms he brought in the proceedings in the upper House. On the very first day of the session on 15 December, Naidu, who was elected as vice-president, told the Ministers to stop saying "I beg to..." before laying papers on the table, something that he repeated a few days later. Normally, Ministers say "I beg to lay on the table of the House papers listed under my name" while laying papers or reports in the House. Naidu told the Ministers and other members of the House to do away with this colonial lexicon. "Just say, I rise to lay the papers or simply, I lay the papers on the table of the House," Naidu told them. He also proved to be quite a disciplinarian as Chairman. He chided Union Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Vijay Goel for indulging in an argument directly with a member. "No cross arguments...only address the Chair," he told the Minister and other Members. On another occasion, he reprimanded the members for "constantly" talking with each other. "Some members keep talking with each other. I noticed this even when I was reading obituary references. Sometimes the mic gets on automatically and the voice comes out. This does not send a good message. So please don't do this," he said. On one occasion, he termed the Members' absence from the House during the Question Hour a"bad practice". He also asked the members to be crisp with their questions as well as Zero Hour submissions so that more members could be accommodated. He told the ministers to be precise with their replies. And his efforts did bear fruit. On 2 January, the Rajya Sabha could take up even an extra Zero Hour submission besides all the listed 10 mentions. All Special Mentions were also made, a feat achieved for the first time in 15 years. Also, the House completed all the starred questions (meant to be orally answered by the Ministers concerned) on the same day. "I am glad to note that the leaders of all the parties in the House and the Members as well were delighted over the positive media reports of the House creating a record of taking up all the listed Starred Questions on 2 January after 15 long years," he said in his valedictory remarks on Friday. "I am happy to note that there has been a certain degree of change in the way the proceedings were held in this august House." He advised the Ministers to make it a point to get back to the members about their concerns and queries raised in the House either as Zero Hour submissions or as Special Mentions. Known for his witty one-liners, Naidu did not let go of this habit as Chair. "No change of dress, only change of address," he remarked about his change of accommodation after becoming the vice-president although he still wears his traditional dhoti and shirt. On one occasion he told an MP, who raised a Point of Order: "There is no order in your Point of Order". Pleased with the completion of all the listed business of Zero Hour on 2 January, Naidu told the Members: "My operation depends on your cooperation." On occasions, he also indulged in some light-hearted banter with the members. Once during the Question Hour, as Members raised questions about consumer protection against misleading advertisements, Naidu related his personal experience of how he was once duped by a shady company selling weight loss medicines. However, for the first time perhaps, the live telecast of the House on Rajya Sabha Television was blacked out on two occasions during a ruckus in the House. Naidu instructed that nothing would go on TV as he did not want the world to see "such scenes" in the upper House. In an evolving political drama over US aid to Pakistan, President Donald Trump tweeted on Saturday supporting Senator Rand Paul's proposal for a bill to end all American aid to Islamabad. In an evolving political drama over US aid to Pakistan, President Donald Trump tweeted on Saturday supporting Senator Rand Paul's proposal for a bill to end all American aid to Islamabad. On Friday, the Trump administration announced it was suspending more than $1.15 billion worth security assistance to Pakistan until the country resolves to fight against local militants who have attacked US troops in Afghanistan. What I find particularly troubling is that the U.S. continues to fund, we continue to give money to Pakistan over a billion dollars of U.S. taxpayer money is sent to Pakistan. I'll be introducing legislation to end their funding and use that money here at home. pic.twitter.com/xBpdlo3Otm Senator Rand Paul (@RandPaul) January 5, 2018 "I'm introducing a bill to end aid to Pakistan in the coming days. My bill will take the money that would have gone to Pakistan and put it in an infrastructure fund to build roads and bridges here at home," Republican senator Paul had said after the administration's decision was announced. "US should not give one penny to countries that burn our flag and chant Death to America. Countries like Pakistan that stonewall access to key information in fighting terrorism don't deserve our money," he said. "We should stop now sending hard earned tax dollars to Pakistan. We sent Pakistan over $33 billion since 2002. What did we get for? Pakistan didn't even help us find (Osama) bin Laden even though he was living in one of their cities for years," he alleged. The freezing of all security assistance to Pakistan comes days after President Donald Trump, in a new year tweet, accused Pakistan of giving nothing to the US but "lies and deceit" and providing "safe haven" to terrorists in return for $33 billion aid over the last 15 years. Prominent among the suspended amount includes $255 million in foreign military funding for the fiscal year 2016 as mandated by Congress. In addition, the Department of Defence has suspended the entire $900 million of the Coalition Support Fund (CSF) money to Pakistan for the fiscal year 2017. The rhetoric has raised hackles in Islamabad and fears the row could undermine Pakistan's support for US operations in Afghanistan. The announcement ignited some small protests in Pakistan on Friday, including in Chaman, one of the two main crossings on the border with Afghanistan where several hundred people gathered to chant anti-US slogans. "We don't need any type of aid. Almighty Allah is with us and he is giving us everything," protester Mohammad Saleem said, adding that he had a message for Trump: "Don't threaten us." But Pakistan's foreign ministry issued a cautious statement in which it said it was "engaged" with US officials and awaiting further details. Without referring to the decision directly, it warned that "arbitrary deadlines, unilateral pronouncements and shifting goalposts are counterproductive in addressing common threats." With inputs from agencies Donald Trump's freeze on aid to Pakistan could be worth almost two billion dollars, a senior US administration official said - substantially more than first thought. Washington: US president Donald Trump's freeze on aid to Pakistan could be worth almost two billion dollars, a senior US administration official said on Friday - substantially more than first thought. The move designed to force Pakistan's military and intelligence apparatus to cut support for the Taliban and other Islamist groups will include both US military assistance and Afghanistan coalition funding to Islamabad. It is "approximately two billion worth of equipment and coalition support funding that is in play," the senior official said on condition of anonymity. The source added that "all options are on the table" when it comes to further moves, including stripping Pakistan of its status as a "major non-NATO ally" or calling in vital IMF loans. After more than a decade of simmering US anger at Islamabad's links with the Afghan Taliban and the Haqqani network a Taliban affiliate the Trump administration is trying to draw a line in the sand. "The United States has foolishly given Pakistan more than 33 billion dollars in aid over the last 15 years, and they have given us nothing but lies & deceit, thinking of our leaders as fools," Trump tweeted on New Year's Day. "They give safe haven to the terrorists we hunt in Afghanistan, with little help. No more!" The United States has foolishly given Pakistan more than 33 billion dollars in aid over the last 15 years, and they have given us nothing but lies & deceit, thinking of our leaders as fools. They give safe haven to the terrorists we hunt in Afghanistan, with little help. No more! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 1, 2018 On the hook is almost $1 billion of US military equipment that has allowed Pakistan access to advanced military technology, but also funding that is meant to pay Pakistan for helping to get US and NATO material into Afghanistan. Analysts believe the United States is highly unlikely to freeze all that funding, which, according to the source, totals $1.9 billion. US officials have already indicated that there could be "exemptions" for programs deemed vital to US national security - likely including cash for keeping Pakistan's nuclear weapons safe. But nevertheless, the total figure of $1.9 billion is much higher than first indicated and is a signal of Washington's seriousness. "We are still working with Pakistan and we would restore the aid if we see decisive movements against the terrorists who are as much of a threat against Pakistan as they are against us," said Defense Secretary Jim Mattis. Hackles in Islamabad Pakistan has fought fierce campaigns against homegrown Islamist groups, and says it has lost thousands of lives and spent billions of dollars in its long war on extremism. But US officials accuse Islamabad of ignoring or even collaborating with groups that attack Afghanistan from safe havens along the border between the two countries. The White House believes that Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence agency and other military bodies have long helped fund and arm the Taliban for ideological reasons, but also to counter rising Indian influence in Afghanistan. It also believes that a Pakistani crackdown could be pivotal in deciding the outcome of the war in Afghanistan now entering its 17th year by weakening the Taliban militarily and forcing the organization to the negotiating table. "Unless we deal with the Pakistan sanctuary issue, it will undermine all of our other efforts in Afghanistan," the senior official said. "We can no longer accept Pakistan's dual policies of fighting some terrorists while supporting others." In September last year, the US suspended $255 million in funding to help Pakistan buy high-tech weaponry from American manufacturers. Now, the Defense Department has been instructed to stop making payments from "coalition support funds" set aside to refund Pakistani spending on counter-terrorist operations. The rhetoric has raised hackles in Islamabad and fears the row could undermine Pakistan's support for US operations in Afghanistan. The announcement ignited some small protests in Pakistan on Friday, including in Chaman, one of the two main crossings on the border with Afghanistan where several hundred people gathered to chant anti-US slogans. "We don't need any type of aid. Almighty Allah is with us and he is giving us everything," protester Mohammad Saleem told AFP, adding that he had a message for President Donald Trump: "Don't threaten us." But Pakistan's foreign ministry issued a cautious statement in which it said it was "engaged" with US officials and awaiting further details. Without referring to the decision directly, it warned that "arbitrary deadlines, unilateral pronouncements and shifting goalposts are counterproductive in addressing common threats." Afghanistan welcomes move US officials admit that Pakistan could make life difficult for Washington by closing land routes that are vital to supply US troops in Afghanistan. This year's fighting season will begin again within months. But, the official said, it was "difficult but not impossible" to find other ways to get equipment in, and the US was also worried about its credibility if it continues to fund a country harboring America's enemies. The move, which US officials had hinted at for months, was greeted optimistically in Afghanistan. "We have been saying for years that neighboring Pakistan is providing safe haven to terrorist groups, and they were also funding the terrorist groups," Nasrat Rahim, deputy interior ministry spokesman, told reporters in Kabul. On Thursday, the US State Department also tweeted that it has placed deeply conservative Muslim Pakistan on a special watch list for severe violations of religious freedom. Pakistan, whose religious minorities have long been marginalized and targeted, said it rejects the designation and would seek a clarification from Washington. The FBI is investigating whether the Clinton Foundation engaged in any pay-to-play politics when Hillary Clinton was the secretary of state in the first term of the Obama administration Washington: The FBI is investigating whether the Clinton Foundation engaged in any pay-to-play politics when Hillary Clinton was the secretary of state in the first term of the Obama administration, media reports have said. US president Donald Trump has repeatedly called for an investigation into Clinton, her aides and the foundation. During the presidential campaign, Trump branded his rival "Crooked Hillary" and promised to send her to jail if he won. He briefly struck a more magnanimous tone after the election and said he had no interest in pushing for a prosecution. The FBI agents are now "trying to determine if any donations made to the foundation were linked to official acts when Hillary Clinton was secretary of state from 2009 to 2013," The Washington Post reported citing unnamed sources. "The people did not identify what specific donations or interactions agents are scrutinising," the daily said. According to The Hill, which first reported about it, the FBI agents from Little Rock, Arkansas, where the foundation was started, have taken the lead in the investigation and have interviewed at least one witness in the last month. Established in 1997 by the former US president Bill Clinton, the Clinton Foundation has so far raised an estimated $2 billion from American and foreign corporations, foreign governments and individuals. Funds are used for humanitarian programmes across the globe. Several of the donors are companies and individuals from India. During the election campaign, Trump had accused the Clinton Foundation of pay-to-play politics. The FBI is also looking into whether the Clinton Foundation violated tax laws. The Foundation has denied the allegations. "Time after time, the Clinton Foundation has been subjected to politically motivated allegations, and time after time these allegations have been proven false. None of this has made us waver in our mission to help people," said Clinton Foundation spokesman Craig Minassian. Nick Merrill, a spokesperson of Hillary, alleged that the goal of such an FBI investigation is to distract from the indictments, guilty pleas, and accusations of treason from Trump's own people at the expense of our justice system's integrity. "It's disgraceful, and should be concerning to all Americans," he alleged. Daily Beast said the FBI is also reviewing Clinton's use of private email server when she was Secretary of State. Michael Wolff said that his conclusion in Fire and Fury: Inside the Trump White House that Trump is not fit to do the job was becoming a widespread view London: The author of a book that is highly critical of Donald Trumps first year as U.S. president said his revelations were likely to bring an end to Trumps time in the White House. Michael Wolff told BBC radio that his conclusion in Fire and Fury: Inside the Trump White House that Trump is not fit to do the job was becoming a widespread view. I think one of the interesting effects of the book so far is a very clear emperor-has-no-clothes effect, Wolff said in an interview broadcast on Saturday. The story that I have told seems to present this presidency in such a way that it says he cant do his job, Wolff said. Suddenly everywhere people are going oh my God, its true, he has no clothes. Thats the background to the perception and the understanding that will finally end ... this presidency. Trump has dismissed the book as full of lies. It depicts a chaotic White House, a president who was ill-prepared to win the office in 2016, and Trump aides who scorned his abilities. There is a high level of tension in Pakistan between different elements of the civilian government and the military which complicates the US' ability to have an effective dialogue with the country Washington: There is a very high level of tension in Pakistan between different elements of the civilian government and the military which complicates the US' ability to have an effective dialogue with the country over combating terrorism, a senior American official said. The remarks by the Trump administration official came as the US stepped up efforts to put pressure on Pakistan to take decisive action against the Taliban and the Haqqani network. The US, the official said, will continue to engage with both the military and the civilian leadership and be clear and consistent about the things that it is looking for and about how it wants to work with Islamabad. "Pakistan is in a state of flux right now, as we're looking at new elections maybe in six to seven months' time. There is certainly a high level of tension between the military and many of the civilian elements. So it does complicate our ability to have an effective dialogue," said the official on condition of anonymity. The official said it was important for the civilians and military leadership to work together to deal with extremist groups. "We recognise there are civil military tensions which complicate our ability, but we engage with both civilian and military leaders. We make our requests very clear to both institutions," said the White House official. "We are simply seeking to convince the Pakistanis to change their policies toward the Taliban and the Haqqani Network and to cooperate more fully with us in our Afghanistan strategy. We're not you know evaluating the internal political situation," the official said. Rohingya Muslim insurgents ambushed a military vehicle in Myanmars Rakhine State, wounding five members of the security forces, state media and officials said, and the rebels claimed responsibility for the rare attack. Yangon: Rohingya Muslim insurgents ambushed a military vehicle in Myanmars Rakhine State, wounding five members of the security forces, state media and officials said, and the rebels claimed responsibility for the rare attack. A wave of raids by the insurgents on security force posts on 25 August sparked sweeping army counter-insurgency operations in the Muslim-majority north of the state that led to widespread violence and arson and an exodus of some 6,50,000 Rohingya villagers to neighbouring Bangladesh. The United Nations condemned the Myanmar military campaign as ethnic cleansing. Buddhist-majority Myanmar rejected that. But since 25 August, the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA) insurgents, who claimed responsibility for the coordinated raids on 30 security posts, have mounted only a few sporadic attacks. The military said extremist Bengali terrorists ARSA carried out the Friday attack on a truck taking someone to hospital. A vehicle ... was attacked by 20 insurgents from the mountain using homemade mines and small arms, the government said. The military said there were about 10 attackers. An ARSA spokesman said his group had carried out the attack. Yes, ARSA takes responsibility for the latest military movement, the spokesman told Reuters through a messaging service. He said further details may be revealed later. The ARSA dismisses any links to Islamist militant groups and says it is fighting to end the oppression of the Rohingya people. The Yangon-based Frontier Myanmar magazine quoted a resident of a nearby village as saying sporadic gunfire had been heard at the time of the ambush. A state-run newspaper reported on Saturday that fighting continued after the ambush. The area is largely off-limits to reporters. Myanmar and Bangladesh have been discussing a plan to repatriate the Rohingya refugees but more insecurity in Myanmar is likely to raise doubts about how quickly that might take place. Saudi authorities have detained 11 princes after they gathered at a royal palace in Riyadh in a rare protest against austerity measures that included suspending payment of their utility bills Riyadh: Saudi authorities have detained 11 princes after they gathered at a royal palace in Riyadh in a rare protest against austerity measures that included suspending payment of their utility bills, Saudi media reported on Saturday. Saudi officials did not respond immediately to a request for a comment on the report. Saudi Arabia, the worlds top oil exporter, has introduced reforms that included cutting subsidies, introducing value added tax (VAT) and cutting perks to royal family members to try to cope with a drop in crude prices that has caused a budget deficit estimated at 195 billion riyals in 2018. Online news website sabq.org said the princes had gathered at the Qasr a-Hokm, a historic royal palace, demanding the cancellation of a royal decree that stopped state payment of water and electricity bills for royal family members. They were also demanding compensation for a death sentence issued against a relative, sabq.org said. "They were informed of the error of their demands, but they refused to leave Qasr al-Hokm," Sabq said, quoting unidentified sources. "A royal order was issued to the royal guards ... to intervene and they were detained and put into al-Hayer prison in preparation to put them on trial." It gave no details on the identity of the princes but said the leader of the group had been identified by the initials S.A.S. "Everybody is equal before the law and anyone who does not implement regulations and instructions will be held accountable, no matter who he is," the website added. Arabic-language Okaz daily carried a similar report. Reuters could not immediately verify the report. Saudi Arabia last year rounded up dozens of royal family members, current and former senior officials in a crackdown on corruption that has also strengthened the power of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. They were held at the five-star Ritz Hotel in the capital Riyadh while government officials negotiated financial settlements. Pakistan Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi has declared himself mystified by the US threats to cut off funding, saying that Washington's financial assistance was 'very, very insignificant' Islamabad: Pakistan Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi has declared himself mystified by the US threats to cut off funding, saying that Washington's financial assistance was "very, very insignificant" and that Islamabad was "on the forefront of the war on terror". In an interview with the Guardian, Abbasi said that reports about the US was considering cuts of up to $2 billion in security assistance were bewildering because of the total aid Pakistan civilian and military actually received was a tiny fraction of that amount. "I am not sure what US aid has been talked here", Abbasi said in his office in Islamabad. "The aid in the last five years at least has been less than $10 million a year. It is a very, very insignificant amount. So when I read in the paper that aid at the level of $250 million or 500 or 900 has been cut, we at least are not aware of that aid." US President Donald Trump used his first tweet of 2018 to threaten to withhold aid to Pakistan because of what he called its "lies and deceit" over terrorism, claiming: "They give safe haven to the terrorists we hunt in Afghanistan, with little help." The president said that the US had "foolishly" given Pakistan $33 billion over the past 15 years. According to the US Agency for International Development, the US gave $778 million to Pakistan in assistance in 2016, of which 35 per cent was military and the rest economic. Abbasi rejected Trump's charge of duplicity over the fight against terrorism, calling his claim that Pakistan was harbouring terrorists a "fallacy". "Pakistan is a sovereign country and it has always abided by international conventions," he said. "We are today fighting the largest war on terror in the world. We are fighting the world's war on terror with our own resources. That is something the world has to appreciate. "Today we are fighting terrorists. So if somebody says we are harbouring terrorists, there is no greater fallacy," Abbasi said. "We have engaged US at every level from President Trump down. We have explained to them. What Pakistan has done we have explained to the rest of the world also." Iran's foreign minister ridiculed Donald Trump on Saturday over what he called the foreign policy 'blunder' of trying to raise its recent protests at the UNSC. Tehran: Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif ridiculed US President Donald Trump on Saturday over what he called the foreign policy "blunder" of trying to raise its recent protests at the UN Security Council. The Security Council "rebuffed the US' naked attempt to hijack its mandate", wrote Zarif on Twitter. "Majority emphasised the need to fully implement the JCPOA (nuclear deal) and to refrain from interfering in the internal affairs of others. Another FP (foreign policy) blunder for the Trump administration." The United States had pushed for the UN meeting on Friday to discuss the five days of protests that hit Iran last week, leading to the deaths of 21 people and hundreds of arrests. US Ambassador Nikki Haley argued the unrest could escalate into full-blown conflict and drew a comparison with Syria. "The Iranian regime is now on notice: the world will be watching what you do," Haley warned. But Russia's envoy shot back that if the US view holds, the council should have also discussed the 2014 unrest in the US suburb of Ferguson, Missouri over the police shooting of a black teenager or the US crackdown on the Occupy Wall Street movement. Britain and France reiterated that Iran must respect the rights of protesters, but French Ambassador Francois Delattre said the "events of the past days do not constitute a threat to peace and international security". China also described the meeting as meddling in Iran's affairs, while Ethiopia, Kuwait and Sweden expressed reservations about the discussion. Iran's Ambassador Gholamali Khoshroo slammed the meeting as a "farce" and a "waste of time" and said the council should instead focus on addressing the Israeli-Palestinian conflict or the war in Yemen. Iranian authorities have declared the unrest over, and held three days of large pro-government rallies across the country between Wednesday and Friday. Iran signed a nuclear deal with the United States, Britain, France, Germany, Russia and China in 2015, easing sanctions in exchange for curbs to the country's nuclear programme. US president Donald Trump has fiercely opposed the deal, but the other signatories remain firmly behind it. Trump must decide every few months whether to continue waiving nuclear sanctions. Analysts say there is a chance he may use the latest unrest as a pretext to reimpose sanctions. US Ambassador Nikki Haley warned Iranian authorities on Friday that the world is watching as Tehran responds to anti-government protests. United Nations: US Ambassador Nikki Haley warned Iranian authorities on Friday that the world is watching as Tehran responds to anti-government protests. "The Iranian regime is now on notice: the world will be watching what you do," Haley told an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council on the situation in the Islamic republic. The United States called the meeting despite fierce criticism from Russia, which accused Washington of interfering in Iran's internal affairs. "The Iranian people are rising up in over 79 locations throughout the country," Haley told the council. "It is a powerful exhibition of brave people who have become so fed up with their oppressive government that they are willing to risk their lives in protest." Haley accused the government of funding a pro-regime military campaign in Syria, backing Shiite militias in Iraq and supporting a crony elite while ordinary Iranians struggle. The Iranian people are telling their government to "stop the support for terrorism, stop giving billions of our money to killers and dictators, stop taking our wealth and spending it on foreign fighters and proxy wars," said Haley. A total of 21 people have died and hundreds have been arrested since 28 December as protests over economic woes turned against the Iranian regime, with attacks on government buildings and police stations. Pro-regime rallies were held in Tehran after Friday prayers, the third straight day of marches in support of the government, which has declared the unrest over. Diplomats had expected Russia to call a procedural vote to try to block the meeting, but in the end, Moscow's envoy did not make that request. Heading into the council chamber, Haley gave reporters a thumbs-up and answered "yes" when asked if she had the nine votes needed for the meeting to go ahead. Over the past days, the United States has lobbied hard to win support for the Security Council meeting, especially from the six new non-permanent council members, diplomats said. For a new agenda item to be discussed at the Security Council, at least nine of the 15 council members must support holding the meeting. No vetoes apply. 2017 ended on a high note for the space program -- Russia's space program. Ever since NASA canceled its Space Shuttle program in 2011, America has depended on Russian rockets to provide access to the International Space Station. Buying tickets for its astronauts on Russian Soyuz spacecraft for as much as $82 million a seat, NASA in effect subsidized the Russian space program (Roscosmos) at the expense of our own. And now we're doing it again. As The Wall Street Journal reported last month, NASA has contracted to buy three more Russian rocket rides for NASA astronauts over the next two years, and at a cost in excess of $200 million. For this, you can blame Boeing (NYSE: BA)... and SpaceX. Examining the fine print The specifics of this transaction are a bit convoluted, but bear with me and I'll straighten them out. In May 2016, Boeing won a $320 million court judgment (stemming from a dispute related to the bankrupt Sea Launch joint venture) against Russian space company RSC Energia. According to data from S&P Global Market Intelligence, RSC Energia was at the time majority-owned by The United Rocket and Space Corporation JSC, which was in the process of being merged into (and is now part of) the Russian-state-owned corporation Roscosmos (literally "Russian Space"). This makes RSC Energia itself essentially a subsidiary of Roscosmos -- Russia's version of NASA. In settlement of its dispute with Boeing, Energia (i.e., Roscosmos) transferred to Boeing the right to fill two "seats" on Roscosmos Soyuz flights in 2017 and 2018, with the option to buy a further three seats for flights in 2019. (It's not entirely clear from the details of NASA's announcement whether exercising the option requires Boeing to pay any additional funds to Roscosmos, but this seems unlikely.) In turn, Boeing sold its two Soyuz seats, plus the option for three more seats, to NASA in February 2017. The potential cost of all five seats, assuming the option was exercised, totaled $373.5 million -- about $74.7 million per seat. Now, NASA is exercising the option, obligating it to pay the full contracted amount to Boeing. Upon Energia/Roscosmos providing the seats (i.e., filling them with astronauts and sending them to space), its obligation to Boeing will be satisfied in full. Thus in effect, by paying Boeing for the seats, NASA is paying off Roscosmos' debt. Progress... delayed It wasn't supposed to be this way. In 2014, NASA awarded Boeing (and privately held SpaceX) twin contracts to develop human-rated spacecraft capable of ferrying astronauts to the International Space Station. Boeing would receive $4.2 billion to launch up to six crewed missions to ISS aboard its new CST-100 space capsule. SpaceX would receive $2.6 billion to do the same with its new Crew Dragon spaceship. As originally planned, both companies would conduct "at least one crewed flight test per company with at least one NASA astronaut aboard to verify the fully integrated rocket and spacecraft system can launch, maneuver in orbit, and dock to the space station" in 2017. In case you haven't noticed, though, it's now 2018, and neither company has conducted so much as an uncrewed test flight -- much less put an astronaut in space. Delays in development at both Boeing and SpaceX have now pushed back SpaceX's first unmanned test flight to April 2018, and Boeing's to August 2018. SpaceX is hoping to conduct a manned mission in August; Boeing hopes to squeeze in its first test flight by November. Hope for the best, pay for the worst Worse, according to the Journal, "senior NASA officials increasingly are concerned the current 2018 timetable for switching to U.S. vehicles may prove too ambitious." I.e., after repeated delays, NASA has little confidence that either SpaceX or Boeing will launch capsules this year at all. That's why NASA is exercising its option to buy the additional Soyuz rocket rides from Roscosmos via Boeing -- at $75 million per seat. The longer SpaceX and Boeing delay, the more money we'll be paying Russia to keep Americans in orbit. 10 stocks we like better than BoeingWhen 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 Boeing 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. President Donald Trump will meet with Republican congressional leaders at Camp David over the weekend to come up with a plan for the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program. DACA, the Obama-era program that prevents young immigrants from being deported, was rescinded by Trump with a six-month delay for current recipients. In Trump We Trust author Ann Coulter told FOX Business Lou Dobbs Friday that protecting the so-called Dreamers with legislation should not be Congress first focus after Trumps election win was based on deporting illegal immigrants and building a stronger border wall. Id deport the Dreamers before deporting MS-13 members. You catch them they at least say, Ok, you got me, Coulter said. Coulter said any limit set by Congress on Dreamers requesting pardons would provide amnesty for the entire world. I promise you Lou Dobbs any amnesty, it could be only for nuclear scientist that is an amnesty for everyone. It is an amnesty for illegals who are not even in this country, she said. Steve Bannons vitriol against President Donald Trumps administration and his family have forced him into exile from his financial backers and retaliation from his own party, as some Republican lawmakers look to eliminate any influence he may have over their constituents. Many within the GOP have remained silent in reacting to the recent slew of attacks from the former White House chief strategist that were made public in excerpts of Michael Wolffs book, Fire and Fury. However, two members of the House of Representatives that are up for reelection in 2018 tell FOX Business they agree with the presidents decision to distance himself from him and suggested Breitbart News, the conservative news website led by Bannon, should move on from the controversial firebrand. In his first public comments since Bannon was quoted in Wolffs book claiming that Donald Trump Jr., the presidents son, committed a treasonous act when he met with a Russian lawyer during the 2016 election, Rep. Dan Donovan (R-N.Y.) told FOX Business in an interview he believed that Trump was betrayed by Bannon. Bannon betrayed the president. The president allowed him access to the White House and his inner circle, Donovan said. He took that information he gained from the trusting relationship and, what I expect the president believed was confidential, gave that information to a reporter, he added. Rep. Peter King (R-N.Y.) told FOX Business that both during and after Bannons tenure within the administration, White House officials informed him that Bannon was leaking negative and sometimes fabricated stories about the president to the press in order to publicize his nationalist agenda. People I know within the White House were telling me all along that he would be leaking. You dont leak against your own president. He was blaming everyone else when something went wrong, King said. Both King and Donovan agreed that Bannon should be removed from his post as Breitbarts executive chairman after his attacks on Trump and his allies. When asked if Bannon should be removed as chairman, King said, I think everybody should move on from Steve Bannon. Leave him out on an island by himself. The president on Wednesday responded to Bannons shocking assertions in a statement by echoing Kings criticism of the former chief strategist spreading false information.Steve pretends to be at war with the media, which he calls the opposition party, yet he spent his time at the White House leaking false information to the media to make himself seem far more important than he was, Trump said in a statement. He also blasted Bannon for attempting to take credit for Trumps election victory. Steve Bannon has nothing to do with me or my presidency. When he was fired, he not only lost his job, he lost his mind, the statement read. After Bannon departed the White House in August, he vowed to fight for the presidents agenda outside the administration by recruiting anti-establishment candidates as a means to fight Republican lawmakers who he deemed were opponents of Trumps legislative priorities. As he moved forward with nominees like Roy Moore in the race for Alabamas Senate seat, who was later accused by numerous women of sexual assault, leaders of the congressional fundraising committees publicly denounced Bannon and since he took on the president, the Breitbart chairmans access to campaign fundscontinues to dwindle. Officials at the National Republican Senatorial Committee, the fundraising arm dedicated to electing Republican candidates for the Senate and the same group that pulled their funding for Moore when the accusations of sexual assault surfaced, turned their attacks on Bannon himself after he disparaged the presidents family and administration. I didnt expect Steve Bannon to become relevant in the first place because its not deserved. I guess if you back a child predator and lose a ruby red state and then talk bad about the presidents son on the record, you know whats coming at you, said one official who spoke on the condition of anonymity. That same official would not comment directly on whether Bannon deserves to be fired from Breitbart but did say theres a growing consensus that the conservative publication should return to its roots. Theres a huge appetite among conservatives for Breitbart to go back to the way it was under [founder]Andrew Breitbart, the official said. A spokeswoman for the NRSC declined to comment. Bannon did not respond to requests for comment. The usually quiet Republican mega-donor and majority stakeholder in Breitbart, Rebekah Mercer, also shut the door on any potential contributions following Bannons remarks. In a statement to the Washington Post on Thursday, Mercer declared she would not be contributing to any of Bannons future political endeavors but declined to acknowledge his future at Breitbart. Experts say theres a high chance you won't stick to your New Years resolutions, but it may not be completely your fault. It turns out where you live may increase or decrease your odds of following through on your big plans for 2018. According to a recent study compiled by WalletHub, 42 to 92 percent of people will fail to achieve their New Years resolutions. Jill Gonzalez, a senior analyst for WalletHub, says the report analyzed some of the most popular resolutions, and fitness was at the top of most Americans list. WANT TO KEEP A NEW YEAR'S RESOLUTION? HERE'S HOW This is all based on what the most popular New Years resolutions are, Gonzalez told Fox News, adding that other popular resolutions include losing weight, stressing less and saving more. "So based on those things, weve actually developed metrics that say which cities are best at those things. The report uses 52 different data points to compare 182 cities across the country, including the two largest cities in each state. Gonzalez noted this is the first time that WalletHub has included cities from every state in the report. If you live in Seattle, San Francisco or San Diego, you have the best chance at holding to your fitness, financial or life-plan goals. But for those who live in Gulfport, Miss., Shreveport, La., and Newark, New Jersey, which are all at the bottom of the list, the odds are stacked against you. 6 MORE WAYS TO MAKE A RESOLUTION STICK Parameters such as gyms per capita, access to healthy foods, financial literacy and the local economy were included in the study. Gulfport, Miss., ranked lowest overall and is also the second-lowest-ranking city for least active adults. In Gulfport, were seeing a lot of numbers that are unfortunately lower than national averages, Gonzalez said. Some of those include the obesity rate [and] the number of people that have been inactive which is over 50 percent in the past 30 days. Gulfport Mayor Bill Hewes says he thinks the study may have missed the mark in rating his city. He added there are plenty of opportunities and places for people to get out and stay active if getting fit is at the top of their New Years resolution list. I think theyre off a bit, or by a great mark, Hewes said. You can find everything [including] gyms that are low cost. You have outdoor recreation [along] the beach front [and] along the bike paths that we have along our communities in south Mississippi. Youll find folks out on the front beach just about anytime of the year kite-surfing. If you want to get [outdoors], this is the place to be. He also pointed out a new gym that will open soon, a major renovation to the citys sport complex and a new bird-watching trail. Gonzalez adds that cities like Gulfport can always improve their fitness resolution rankings by hosting community fitness programs or by adding more gyms. She also says people can stick to their New Years resolutions by setting realistic goals for themselves and joining a group fitness session. GET FIT AND STAY FIT WITH THIS 'ANIMAL' WORKOUT TREND Dean Morrow, a former firefighter and co-owner of a running shoe and apparel store called Run-N-Tri, says hes not surprised by the report from WalletHub. He notes that there are limited health food store options and only a few gyms in the area. His store hosts a free running event every week to get people out and active. We have a fun run every Monday night, Morrow said. People come down, some local fitness people come in [and] other fitness-related businesses come in and sponsor the event that night. Fox News spoke to several gym-goers at Rhodes Fitness in Gulfport who also said they werent surprised by the findings in the report. The gym has been a go-to spot for those interested in fitness for decades. Each person talked about ways they plan to stick to their fitness goals and resolution for 2018. Gulfport resident Miller Baugh said she recently started working on her New Years resolution. She's also not surprised by the report. I can see that a lot of people dont [exercise] but I also see that a lot of people do get out there and exercise. This gym is always very busy. FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK FOR MORE FOX LIFESTYLE NEWS Other gym-goers commented on how food plays an important role in sticking with their fitness goals. Gulfport has plenty of fast food choices and Mayor Hewes has pointed out an array of healthy and international options within the city limits as well. He said portion control is important, but it may be too good to limit yourself in the Gulf coast. If you make a resolution revolving around food, youre going to cave in because its just too good and [theres] too much to offer, Hewes said. NEW You can now listen to Fox News articles! The Trump economy is strong. The stock market is at record highs and the unemployment rate is at a 17-year low. This is thanks largely to the Trump Administrations aggressive regulatory reforms and the passage of historic tax cuts. Business after business is celebrating the passage of Tax Cuts and Jobs Act by announcing new investments, bonuses, and pay raises. But despite soaring business confidence and a strong economy, businesses are scrambling to find workers to fill 6 million open jobs. And now, their primary challenge is to get people who have been sitting on the sidelines back to work. President Trump knows our broken welfare system is a major barrier to achieving this goal, and he has vowed to tackle welfare reform next. And its a good thing, because welfare definitely is, as the President put it, out of control. In 2000, over 17 million Americans received food stamps, officially known as Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits. That number has swelled to more than 42 million today. As a result of Obama Administrations policies, the number of Americans on food stamps is now greater than the population of Canada. Nationwide spending on the program is roughly $70 billion annually 20 percent of which is wasted on junk food, candy, soda, and other sugary drinks. Consider California, which spent more than $1 billion on food stamp benefits in August and September alone. Nationwide spending on the program is roughly $70 billion annually 20 percent of which is wasted on junk food, candy, soda, and other sugary drinks. Consider California, which spent more than $1 billion on food stamp benefits in August and September alone. During the Obama years, liberals argued that the program was expanding rapidly due to the recession. But that was only half the story, as the Obama Administration also expanded program eligibility through aggressive administrative actions. And now, despite the booming economy and employers who are desperate for more workers, enrollment in food stamps remains high and is not expected to return to pre-recession levels any time soon, if ever. The good news is that President Trump has a chance to take on food stamps in the upcoming Farm Bill, which funds the program and is reauthorized every five years. The bad news is that unfortunately, the food stamp program is not the only runaway welfare program. Medicaid enrollment has soared to nearly 75 million, with almost one out of every five Americans on the program. Medicaid spending is now 30 percent of state budgets, and the number of working age, able-bodied adults on the program has more than quadrupled since 2000. Even worse, 52 percent of non-disabled adult enrollees do not work at all. Let me repeat, these are able-bodied Americans who have decided not to work. Similarly, Social Security Disability for working-age adults nearly doubled from 1996 to 2015, increasing from 7.7 million to 13 million and pulling more working-age adults out of the workforce. Are we to believe, with all of our workplace safety and health care advancements in the past 20 years, that Americans are now nearly twice as likely to become disabled as they were two decades ago? Or are there simply now more people collecting disability who are actually fully capable of working? This is why President Trumps plan to tackle welfare reform is so important. With no major federal welfare reform in over 20 years, these programs have continued to consume more public funds and encourage more Americans to seek dependency, rather than a productive work life. When we worked with President Clinton to pass welfare reform in 1996, it helped drive the boom of the late 1990s. The welfare rolls shrunk by 60 percent nationwide and low-income families formerly on welfare went to work and saw their incomes increase by 25 percent. As a result, child poverty rates fell every year through 2000. In fact, it was the largest improvement in children leaving poverty in American history. To do this again, we must get people back to work. One of the reasons that Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) cash welfare dependency hasnt grown out of control, while enrollment in other welfare programs has dramatically increased, is that TANF has a work requirement and a time limit. Conversely, the food stamp program has a work requirement for only a narrow segment of adults and has been largely waived, and Medicaid has none at all, although states are now asking that it be added. The Trump Administrations budget wisely proposes applying work requirements more broadly in the welfare system. Its smart because work requirements help lift people out of poverty. Maine and Kansas have shown that work requirements in TANF and food stamps helped people more than double their earnings. The President should take an all-of-the-above approach to welfare reform. He should pull back on some of the Obama Administration's overreaches, approve waiver requests, advocate for Congress to reform food stamps in the upcoming Farm Bill, and work with Congress on additional legislation. Now is not the time for structural entitlement reform of Social Security or Medicare, but there is no better time economically and politically to tackle welfare reform and enable millions of Americans to experience the power of work. There is no more powerful economic force than an American experiencing the dignity of work and pride in a paycheck, earning the admiration of their children and the respect of their community. Lets unleash it. NEW You can now listen to Fox News articles! The news Friday that two Republican senators have recommended the FBI and Justice Department to investigate the author of the Steele dossier a collection of memos filled with wild and unsubstantiated allegations involving President Trump and Russia gives a black eye to the mainstream media that have devoted enormous news coverage to the dossier. Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, and Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., called for the investigation of former British spy Christopher Steele, who wrote the dossier after he was hired by opposition research firm Fusion GPS. Fusion GPS initially received funding from the Washington Free Beacon, and then was paid by Hillary Clintons presidential campaign and the Democratic National Committee for the dossier that Steele produced. The New York Times first reported that Grassley and Graham had reason to believe that a former British spy, Christopher Steele, lied to federal authorities about his contacts with reporters regarding information in the dossier, and they urged the (Justice) department to investigate. The news organizations that have devoted so much attention to the Steele dossier the New York Times, the Washington Post, CNN, you get the idea inflated its importance to such a disproportionate extent that they became active participants in Russias effort to influence the 2016 presidential election. Back in the fall and winter of 2016 the media even reported that the dossier was providing the FBI with a roadmap for its investigation of alleged ties between the Trump campaign and Russia. But now its clear that the dossier was nothing more than an expensive political dirty trick by the Russians, the Democratic Party and Clinton campaign. The media are now trying to change their story about why they blew the dossier up beyond all proportion a classic case of making a mountain out of a molehill. We cant allow that to happen. The media failed the American people and they must be held accountable. Recall that back in the October 2016 the New York Times and Politico breathlessly reported that then-Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., sent a letter a FBI director James Comey. In it Reid claimed that he was aware that Comey held explosive information about close ties between the Russians and the Trump campaign. Reid was referring to the Steele dossier. How did Reid know about this dossier? A couple of ways. First, then-CIA director John Brennan briefed him on the matter. Second, a reporter friendly to the Clinton campaign David Corn of Mother Jones had already been reporting on the dossier, despite the now rewritten history that the dossier was first published by BuzzFeed in January 2017. The medias reporting on the material in the Steele dossier and reporting that senior Obama administration officials were sharing the information in official government briefings with senators was the best outcome the Russians, the Democratic National Committee and the Clinton campaign could have hoped for. All this created a patina of legitimacy around the unverified allegations in the Steele dossier despite the fact that the dossier had never been vetted by the CIA or FBI for accuracy. Well into October and after the election, the media were still reporting that the dossier was being used as a road map by the FBI in its investigation into alleged Trump campaign collusion with the Russians a baseless accusation that remains unproven to this day. We now know that the Fusion GPS dossier was nothing more than propaganda, much of it fed to Steele and Fusion GPS by current and former Russian intelligence operatives. In short, the Democrats, the Clinton campaign and the media facilitated the Russians most effective campaign tactic to undercut Americans faith in two important institutions: government and the media. To be clear, it would appear that many in the mainstream media, our government and one of our major political parties were willing stooges in a massive Russian misinformation campaign. Because the dossier fed into their biases against Donald Trump, many ate it up hook, line and sinker. Yet, rather than own up to their failures, the media are doing what most people do when caught in a lie or a serious error in judgment: changing the narrative, shifting the blame and just making up another story. In recent days, weve seen coordinated pushback, from yet another anonymously sourced piece by the New York Times, a supporting op-ed by the founders of Fusion GPS in the same newspaper, and now Democratic members of Congress loudly proclaiming that the dossier is really not that significant in the Russia investigation. Really? CNN reported in April of 2017 : The FBI last year used a dossier of allegations of Russian ties to Donald Trump's campaign as part of the justification to win approval to secretly monitor a Trump associate, according to US officials briefed on the investigation. In other words, our government was weaponized against private citizens based on a piece of partisan propaganda. Thats one hell of a story. Yet members of the left and the media are now working to reverse themselves, to undermine the very role they reported the dossier played in the investigation, to find something else anything else to blame for triggering the Russia investigation. This is happening because the continued highlighting of the fake dossiers role in the investigation reveals the medias complicity in the fairytale of collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia. But no matter how many times this phony story gets repeated, it remains nothing more than an anti-Trump smear job without a basis in fact. The stakes for the media and those pursuing President Trump are incredibly high thus the desperation we see now to change the story. If the fake dossier funded by Democrats spurred on the Russia investigation and was in many ways the impetus for the probe, this calls into question the entire legitimacy of the investigation. In addition, it would confirm in many ways what President Trump has been saying all along: that Special Counsel Robert Muellers investigation is in fact nothing but a political witch hunt meant to nullify the 2016 elections. But its another issue that should give every American regardless of political affiliation pause. Did a political party in power weaponize government against its opponents in an attempt to hold onto power? And was the self-appointed watchdog of government a free, but at many times dishonest press unwittingly or wittingly complicit in the effort? The very troubling aspect, and an ironic one, is that for 90-plus years phony dossiers, rumors and innuendo were used by the Soviet Unions KGB spy agency to send innocent people to imprisonment in the gulags. The state-controlled media did nothing to expose this, and were in fact used as tools by the government. And we should never forget that the New York Times won a Pulitzer Prize in 1931 for what turned out to be propaganda fed to its Moscow correspondent by the Russian government. In the 1980s, the Times finally admitted the truth: Taking Soviet propaganda at face value this way was completely misleading, as talking with ordinary Russians might have revealed even at the time. Some folks never learn. We are now seeing some of the same behavior: a phony dossier used as justification to spy on American citizens, used to spin up investigations that are illegitimate, all wrapped in whisper and rumor campaigns and anonymously sourced stories. This is why Rep. Devin Nunes, R-Calif., (chairman of the House Intelligence Committee) and Senators Grassley and Graham should redouble their efforts regarding finding out the facts about the Steele dossier. If the lawmakers keep pulling the thread on Steeles work of fiction, going where it leads them, it will take them to where some of us have suspected: a deeply corrupt Department of Justice and FBI badly in need of reform, and a media that must be forced to confront their own massive mistakes and report on one of their greatest failures. NEW You can now listen to Fox News articles! Democratic warnings that President Trump would make life worse for minorities were discredited once again Friday, with the release of new unemployment statistics for December. In just under one year in office, the president and the Republican Congress have helped minorities make dramatic gains. Since taking the reins from President Obama, President Trump and the GOP-controlled Congress have embraced free-market and pro-liberty economic policies. Now after a year of reducing regulations, approving a tax cut, and encouraging stricter standards for numerous welfare programs at the state level the economy is thriving. Working-age minorities are benefitting in ways they have rarely, if ever, have enjoyed in the modern era. The U.S. Labor Department reported Friday that the unemployment rate for African-Americans fell to 6.8 percent in December the lowest rate since recordkeeping began in 1972. Thats an astounding drop from the 8.3 percent black unemployment rate in October 2016, just before Donald Trump was elected president. Hispanic unemployment was at a near-record low of 4.9 percent in December down from 5.7 percent the month before the election of President Trump. Additionally, there were four months in 2017 in which the Hispanic seasonal unemployment fell below 5 percent the only time that has occurred in a single year over the past 44 years. Asian-Americans, the demographic group that typically has the lowest unemployment rate, enjoyed a 2.5 percent unemployment rate in December the lowest figure since 2006. The overall U.S. unemployment rate in December was 4.1 percent, matching the lowest level in 17 years down from 4.9 percent in October 2016. In addition to putting more Americans to work, President Trumps economic and job-creation policies are creating once-in-a-lifetime economic opportunities. The Trump-era economic gains are allowing more and more families to move off welfare rolls and enjoy self-sufficiency and the pride that comes with regular work. Under the Obama administration, welfare programs were expanded dramatically. Many policies that have a proven record of keeping people from getting trapped in a cycle of poverty such as work requirements and time limits for working-age able-bodied people collecting government assistance were temporarily removed or watered down. This disproportionately affected blacks and Hispanics, especially in lower-income urban regions. The economic gains made because of the Trump administrations policies, coupled with states efforts to improve welfare programs, have had the opposite effect. For instance, from October 2015 to October 2016, enrollment in Medicaid and the Childrens Health Insurance Program (CHIP) expanded by 2.9 million people, to 74.7 million. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services reported, thanks in large part to the Affordable Care Acts Medicaid expansion provisions, that Medicaid rolls increased by 37.8 percent from September 2013 to November 2016. But in what can only be described as a remarkable turnaround, preliminary Medicaid data for October 2017 (the most recent period available), show Medicaid enrollment fell by about 500,000. Food stamp rolls also experienced a significant decrease. The U.S. Department of Agriculture reports total enrollment declined by 2.7 percent nationally from September 2016 to September 2017, with enrollment increasing in only six states. Supporters of President Obama might attempt to argue that these incredible economic achievements should be credited to him, not to President Trump. But that would be wishful thinking without a basis in fact. The truth is that although the economy has been slowly improving for several years, the rate at which the economy has experienced gains increased rapidly once President Trump was elected. It doesnt take a genius or a mathematician to understand why. Unlike the Obama administration, which added more than 20,000 new regulations over eight years, President Trump has slashed unneeded regulations, freeing up businesses to operate without the burden of an overbearing national government. Within the first 11 months, we canceled or delayed over 1,500 planned regulatory actions, more than any previous president, by far, President Trump said in December. And you see the results, when you look at the stock market, the results of companies, and when you see companies coming back into our country. The Trump administration says its cut in regulations will amount to a savings of $8.1 billion in net regulatory costs. Business can use a big chunk of those savings to create yet more jobs. In addition to reducing regulatory burdens, President Trump approved the Dakota Access and Keystone XL oil pipelines; announced plans to auction off oil and natural gas drilling leases to roughly 77 million acres in the Gulf of Mexico; stopped President Obamas war on the coal industry; and signed one of the largest tax cuts in American history, which has already led to major corporations such as AT&T, Boeing, and Southwest Airlines giving huge bonuses to hundreds of thousands of employees. And on Thursday the Trump administration announced yet another move to create jobs and strengthen our economy an expansion of offshore drilling for oil and natural gas to almost all U.S. coastal waters. This will also make our nation less dependent on imported oil and gas and reduce our trade deficit with other nations. All these policies along with promises from President Trump and congressional Republicans to do even more in the coming months have catalyzed Americas previously sluggish economy. Minority groups are some of the nations biggest winners. NEW You can now listen to Fox News articles! The world economy has reached its strongest point since the global financial crisis a decade ago, but rising political risks may cloud prospects in 2018 and perhaps beyond. At the World BankInternational Monetary Fund (IMF) meetings last fall, IMF managing director Christine Lagarde announced that in 2017 global growth would be stronger (3.6 percent) and more broadly based than in recent years, and that this year growth would be slightly higher. But she also pointed to economic risks, such as financial tightening, volatile capital markets, trade protectionism, and technology disruptions such as crypto-currencies. Another class of risks political is also becoming more or a worry. Three types of these risks, often intertwined, may sap growth. Consider the worlds largest markets: China, Europe, and America. Economic nationalism is a key source of political risk. In Europe, Brexit has created unprecedented uncertainty in the continents second-largest economy. Brexit threatens to sunder sophisticated cross-border supply chains, as in auto manufacturing, and scatter much of Londons highly efficient financial market. RAND modeling reveals that under most plausible scenarios, the UKs economy will be worse-off outside the European Union. Russia, burdened by low oil prices, structural impediments, and Western sanctions, resorts to wasteful import substitution and state economic interference. In America, President Donald Trumps renegotiation of the North American Free Trade Agreement sparks anxiety and uncertainty. The United States is the largest trading partner for Mexico and Canada, and together they account for one-quarter of all U.S. trade. In 2016, U.S. trade with the two countries totaled more than $1.2 trillion. The Trump Administration is also unwisely tightening visa issuance for skilled foreign workers, essential to the tech industry. Political unwillingness to make economic reforms is a second source of risk. Although President Xi Jinping stage-managed good news at the 19th Communist Party Congress last November, economic anxieties are rampant. In remarks riddled with nationalist themes, he touted state enterprise and downplayed market forces. But state entities may have distressed assets of several trillion dollars. In a sell-off last July some equity shares fell to trading limits as authorities signaled plans for tighter financial regulation and deleveraging. In August, the IMF warned that China was not immune to a debt-driven financial crisis. It has been recognized for years that China must reform its economy, changing from export- and manufacturing-led growth to consumption- and innovation-led. But nearly five years into Xi Jinpings presidency, reforms have stalled. His Made in China 2025 manufacturing plan will create barriers to foreign business, in part through subsidies to domestic producers. Beset by structural barriers, France and Italy have lagged in making reforms. French President Emmanuel Macron is launching some labor and other reforms, but his is a country where street protests and trade unions have derailed earlier attempts. Security troubles are a third source of political risk. Trump unnerves others by threatening fire and fury on North Korea, and a U.S. pull-out from the 2015 multilateral Iran nuclear deal. China undermines freedom of navigation and others resource rights with land grabs in the South and East China Seas. Russia is waging a simmering war in eastern Ukraine, where over 10,000 have been killed. Over the past quarter century, most major countries have offered a reasonably stable policy environment, with economic growth, increased openness, and wider integration. Now in the worlds largest markets, heightened political risk is compounding economic risk. The world economy has faced numerous financial risks, as in the 1992 UK exit from the European Exchange Rate Mechanism, the 1997 Asian crisis, the 1998 Russian crisis, the 1999 Brazilian crisis, the 2001 Argentinian default, the 2008-2009 global crisis, and the Eurozone crisis. Although often wrong about predicting financial crises, policymakers have a variety of tools for mitigating and resolving them. This helps explain the current global recovery. The remedies to economic risk, such as greater labor market flexibility and easing market entry and exit by firms, are well known. But since reforms often harm specific business sectors or groups in society, and many governments are reluctant to employ them. Political risk is at least as complicated as economic risk, and forecasting may be harder. Consider North Korean provocations, Russian adventures, Chinese power plays, Middle Eastern instability, and U.S. unilateralism. Moreover, political risks often persist or defy consensus solutions. That political risks can exacerbate financial and economic ones compounds the challenge for policymakers. To address it, they should intensify reforms, bolster diplomacy to lessen foreign risks, and not count too much on global growth to lift all boats. Overturning 33 years of energy policy, the Trump administration on Thursday proposed opening as much as 90 percent of the U.S. coast to oil and gas development. The move, praised by some experts as a potential avenue to expanded energy opportunities, also inspired criticism from some Democratic governors as well as environmentalists. "This is a dramatic departure from previous policy," said Karen Harbert of the Global Energy Institute. "Currently, 94 percent of our offshore resources are off-limits. This is an opportunity to open up more of those areas to supply growing demand." In unveiling the administration's five-year blueprint, Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke said the U.S. can be a reliable, clean and safe supplier for growing worldwide oil demand. "Under President Trump, we're going to have the strongest energy policy and become the strongest energy superpower," Zinke said in a conference call. Trump's plan takes a wrecking ball to President Obama's environmental legacy. In June 2010, after the Deepwater Horizon spill off Louisiana, Obama rescinded his own plan to open the eastern Gulf of Mexico and parts of the Atlantic Ocean to drilling. "I have issued a six-month moratorium on deep water drilling," Obama told the nation from the oval office. "We need to know the facts before we allow deep water drilling to continue." Currently, the U.S. produces about 15 percent of its oil offshore, mostly from the Gulf of Mexico. The Trump plan opens up 47 new areas for leasing: 19 off Alaska, 12 in the Gulf of Mexico, seven in California and nine in the Atlantic. Each leasing block represents thousands of acres where, if approved, companies can explore and potentially drill for oil and natural gas. However, overcoming opposition on both coasts will be difficult. Almost any new drilling proposal faces political and legal hurdles. Offshore exploration is especially risky and expensive because of the threat to tourism and wildlife. Those issues may force some companies to go overseas or drill on land. "Offshore drilling is inherently dirty," says John Fleming, staff scientist at the Arizona-based Center for Biological Diversity. "It's inevitable that there will be an oil spill." The leasing block most observers believe could be easily pried loose for development is in the eastern Gulf of Mexico, west of Florida and south of Louisiana. Florida Gov. Rick Scott has reportedly called President Trump to discuss his concerns. The governors of three Western states, all Democrats, voiced their opposition to the plan on Thursday. "We are united in our opposition to this move by the President," said Oregon Gov. Kate Brown. "I am appalled that our President would move contrary to Oregon values, frankly contrary to West Coast values and frankly these moves would be damaging to our coastal economies." Not everyone sees it that way. Oil and gas production in 16 states produced roughly $270 billion in 2013, of which state governments took home $30 billion in taxes, or roughly 10 percent of the production value. Experts say that due to the long moratorium on outer continental shelf drilling, no one really knows how much oil there is and how expensive it is to produce. Generally, the drillers' axiom is the shallower the rig, the cheaper the oil. That's especially true in the Gulf of Mexico, where existing infrastructure makes transportation relatively cheap. While the U.S. is not considered a 'low cost' producer like Saudi Arabia or Iran, competition from American shale drillers have kept world oil prices relatively low. Many say the U.S., with the most advanced seismic mapping available, could discover large new offshore oil deposits if given the chance. "There's got to be a process," said Zinke. "We're working together with the states. We're working together with the stakeholders. The Interior [Department] should not be in the role of being an adversary, we should be a partner." The Trump administration has asked Congress to set aside $18 billion over the next decade to install or replace more than 700 miles of the barrier along the U.S.-Mexico border, The Wall Street Journal reported Friday. The proposal by U.S. Customs and Border Protection would extend the barrier's coverage to 970 miles, nearly half the distance of the southern border. It includes 316 miles of new construction and 407 miles of replacement or secondary fencing, a U.S. official with direct knowledge of the matter told the Associated Press. The request is one of the most detailed insights into how the administration plans to carry out Trump's signature campaign promise. Trump has repeatedly promised to construct "a big, beautiful wall," but offered few details of where it would be built, when and at what cost. His administration asked for $1.6 billion this year to build or replace 74 miles of fencing in Texas and California, and officials have said they also will seek $1.6 billion next year. The 10-year plan resulted from discussions with senators who asked the agency what it would take to secure the border, the official said. CONTRACTOR HOPES FOR A PIECE OF TRUMP'S BORDER WALL -- NO MATTER WHO PAYS FOR IT The plan also comes as the administration intensifies negotiations in Congress on a package that may include granting legal status to about 800,000 people who were temporarily shielded from deportation under an Obama-era program, Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, or DACA. Trump said last year that he was ending DACA but gave Congress until early March to deliver a legislative fix. House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., described the CBP proposal as "alarming" in a letter to fellow House Democrats Friday morning. Senate Minority Whip Dick Durbin, D-Ill., told The Wall Street Journal that the plan threatened to undermine negotiations on a spending bill needed to keep the government open later this month. "Its outrageous that the White House would undercut months of bipartisan efforts by again trying to put its entire wish list of hard-line anti-immigrant bills plus an additional $18 billion in wall fundingon the backs of these young people," Durbin said. The plan on border security came in response to a request by Sen. Jeff Flake, R-Ariz., according to Flake spokesman Jason Samuels. An administration official confirmed the document was prepared at the request of congressional negotiators and said funding for the wall and other security measures must be part of any legislative package on immigration. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because the plan has not been made public. Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen told The Associated Press on Tuesday that the wall would be "first and foremost" in any package that includes new protections for DACA recipients. She also said the administration wanted to close "loopholes" on issues that include handling asylum claims and local police working with immigration authorities. Nielsen called the $3.2 billion requests for fencing during the administration's first two years a down payment. "This is not going to get us the whole wall we need, but it's a start," she said. Mexico has steadfastly rejected Trump's demand that it pay for the wall and few doubt that U.S. taxpayers will foot the bill if the wall is built. The CBP document includes $5.7 billion for towers, surveillance equipment and other technology; $1 billion over five years for road construction and maintenance; and $8.5 billion over seven years for 5,000 new Border Patrol agents, 2,500 border inspectors and other personnel, the U.S. official said. The document doesn't specify where the extended wall should be built. Fox News' Chad Pergram and The Associated Press contributed to this report. Click for more from The Wall Street Journal. Few words in the congressional vocabulary are as profane as earmark. Capitol Hill leaders essentially scrubbed earmarks from the congressional experience a few years ago. They toppled the earmarking process like statues of Communist dictators in Eastern Europe, circa 1989. Earmarks were dispatched to the dustbin of history. The problem is that congressional earmarks epitomized what the public viewed was wrong with Washington. So the House and Senate -- along with President Barack Obama -- ditched them. But the earmarks could soon rise from the dead. Fox has learned that House Rules Committee Chairman Pete Sessions, R-Texas, under the direction of House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., plans to conduct hearings evaluating the merits and demerits of restoring some forms of earmarks. Republicans nearly reinstated earmarks in the fall of 2016 before Ryan singlehandedly spiked the effort. In mid-November 2016, House GOPers huddled in the ornate House Ways and Means Committee hearing room, in the Longworth Office Building, across the street from the Capitol. They plotted new internal rules for the 115th Congress that would start in January, 2017. GOP Reps. Tom Rooney, Florida, and John Culberson, Texas, each crafted proposals to resuscitate limited forms of earmarks. The House Republican Conference was moments away from voting on the Rooney-Culberson plans. Then Ryan interceded. The speaker reminded his colleagues they were just days removed from a drain the swamp election. It was bad optics to immediately return to the old way of doing business, though earmarking was an accepted practice under Democrats and Republicans more than a decade ago. Ryan promised his colleagues hed address the earmark question in the first quarter of 2017. Well, that didnt happen. Last year was wild. House Republicans incinerated the first quarter trying to pass a bill to repeal and replace ObamaCare. The GOP brass finally yanked the initial plan off the floor in late March, only to pass an altered version in mid-May. But the endeavor died in the Senate. Then it was on to tax reform. Thats to say nothing of the political vortex that churned all year on Capitol Hill. Special elections. Administration scandals. Russia. North Korea. Sexual harassment. Government funding. General pandemonium. There are only so many hours in the day. The earmark issue never again gurgled to the surface. Earmarks are funny topic on Capitol Hill. When Ryan claimed the speakership in October 2015, he argued that Congress should reassert legislative authorities as prescribed under Article I of the Constitution. That includes spending power. Article I, Section 9, Clause 7 of the Constitution declares No money shall be drawn from the Treasury but in Consequence of Appropriations made by Law. Thats why House Majority Whip Steve Scalise, R-La., said at that time, Youre going to see a very refreshing movement to get that power (of the purse) back to the people. First, lets consider what defines an earmark: House Rule XXI defines earmarks as a provision or report language included primarily at the request of a Member, Delegate, Resident Commissioner, or Senator providing, authorizing or recommending a specific amount of discretionary budget authority, credit authority, or other spending authority for a contract, loan, loan guarantee, grant, loan authority, or other expenditure with or to an entity, or targeted to a specific State, locality or Congressional district, other than through a statutory or administrative formula driven or competitive award process. In other words, specific money designated for a specific project at a specific place by a specific lawmaker. But heres where it gets tricky. Earmarks pale in comparison when it comes to actual federal spending. Some earmarks in 2007 cost as little as tens of thousands of dollars. Thats nothing when compared to trillions spent on federal entitlements like Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security. The public loves to have federal money go toward projects in their home states and districts. Money for museums. Bridges. Roadways. Dams. Locks. Levies. Research centers at universities. New equipment for police departments. But youre liable to get an earful if you ask voters if they like earmarks. Voters turned against lawmakers and earmarks from 2005 to 2008. They didnt like how House GOP leaders often larded up legislation with earmarks to persuade reluctant lawmakers to support bills they otherwise opposed. So-called good government groups interpreted those efforts as bribes. Scandals erupted about the Bridge to Nowhere in Alaska. Coconut Road in Florida. There were questions about then-House Speaker Dennis Hastert, R-Ill., buying land near his farm in Illinois -- followed by $207 million in earmarks to extend a highway close to Hasterts land. Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., lit up then-Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-N.Y., for an earmark to help construct a museum near Max Yasgurs farm in upstate New York to commemorate Woodstock. Im sure it was a cultural and pharmaceutical event, McCain said. Authorities probed influence peddling involving numerous lawmakers. Several former lawmakers were put on trial or did jail time. Democrats focused their campaign efforts on what voters interpreted as a culture of corruption in Washington. But veteran members of both parties argue there is merit in limited earmarks. The 2016 plan from Culberson would allow earmarks for federal, state and local governments and would originate in subcommittees. Crafting earmarks at the subcommittee level would grant them proper vetting by members and staff as a bill moves to the floor. Earmarks wouldnt just appear magically at the end as an afterthought -- and perhaps an effort to coax a lawmaker to vote yes on a bill they otherwise opposed. Rooneys 2016 effort would allow earmarks for Army Corps of Engineers projects. Its easy for the public to lampoon earmarks like the $500,000 National Science Foundation study on crustacean mobility. It involved putting shrimp on treadmills. The same with money for a teapot museum in North Carolina. But heres the conundrum in the upcoming earmark debate: what some constituents and lawmakers view as crucial is seen by others as a boondoggle. The Constitution clearly asserts its up to Congress to direct federal spending. That lack of focus means unnamed federal bureaucrats at agencies decide how to spend taxpayer dollars instead of elected representatives. Ask voters if they want invisible bureaucrats calling the shots -- or their members of Congress. Its unclear if lawmakers will get anywhere with earmarks this time or forge a consensus on bringing them back. The drain the swamp mantra still resonates. That phrase rhymes with the Democrats 2006 culture of corruption slogan. And thats why earmark could remain a dirty word in Washington. The White House is working with lawmakers on a legislative fix that could allow the U.S. to remain in the Iran nuclear deal, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson told the Associated Press during an interview Friday. Changes to the U.S. law codifying U.S. participation the 2015 agreement could come as early as next week Tillerson said. President Donald Trump faces approaching deadlines for how to proceed with an Obama-era accord he has threatened to tear up, describing it as the worst deal ever and too soft on Iran. The president said he is either going to fix it or cancel it, Tillerson said. We are in the process of trying to deliver on the promise he made to fix it. "The president said he is either going to fix it or cancel it. We are in the process of trying to deliver on the promise he made to fix it." Rex Tillerson, U.S. secretary of state, discussing the 2015 Iran nuclear deal Tillerson said the administration was speaking with congressional leaders on a very active basis about a fix. He suggested Trump might be inclined to preserve the deal by waiving sanctions again Thursday if Congress shows signs of acting in short order. Extremely challenging However, getting an agreement in Congress on such a short timeline could be extremely challenging. A congressional aide confirmed there has been significant progress in discussions between key lawmakers and the administration, but said formal negotiations havent started yet. While the talks involving the White House, State Department and Congress wouldnt impose new restrictions on Irans nuclear activity, which Trump wants, they could strengthen the way the U.S. enforces the agreement, perhaps convincing Trump that its worthwhile for the U.S. to remain in the pact. The president hasnt yet decided what hell do about Iran next week, when he must decide yet again whether to certify Tehrans compliance with the pact and continue granting it relief from U.S. economic sanctions. Regardless, Trump waived the sanctions for another three months, something aides have said he loathed doing. He left the ultimate decision on whether to quit the deal for later while urging Congress to change the U.S. law concerning certification. Consequently, lawmakers were discussing with the White House the option of removing a requirement that Trump certify Iranian compliance, which yields another possibility for a fix: changing the law so certification occurs far less often, officials said. Any changes would have to get significant support among Republicans, including many die-hard opponents of the nuclear deal, and some Democrats who largely support it. Discontent with the EU In the AP interview, Tillerson also voiced his discontent with the European Union for failing to support protesters in Iran. Were a bit disappointed that the European Union has not taken a more definitive stance in supporting those voices in the country that are calling for reform, he said. "Were a bit disappointed that the European Union has not taken a more definitive stance in supporting those voices in [Iran] that are calling for reform." Rex Tillerson, U.S. secretary of state The former Exxon Mobil CEO also discussed next weeks inter-Korean talks, about which he was cautious. He said the rare talks between South Korea and the North about February's Winter Olympics could offer clues regarding Pyongyangs willingness to discuss broader issues, including its nuclear weapons. The meeting will be the first such session in two years, and Tillerson said it could be a platform for the North to indicate interest in talks with the U.S. Is this the beginning of something? I think its premature, he said. Well see if the North Koreans come with more than just wanting to talk about the Olympics. President Donald Trump took to Twitter on Friday evening to once again take shots at "Fire and Fury" author Michael Wolff -- and former White House strategist Steve Bannon. Trump retweeted a parody cover of the book that the Republican Party had tweeted earlier Friday, and used it as a springboard for his latest criticisms -- calling Wolff a total loser and saying Bannon "cried when he got fired" and has been "dumped like a dog by almost everyone" since leaving the White House in August. The GOP's parody cover retitles the book "Liar and Phony," and surrounds a photo of Wolff with blurbs from actual reviews of his much-criticized White House expose. "He gets basic details wrong," a New York Times writer says about Wolff. "Real factual errors ... makes you wonder about the overall content," notes a CNN reporter. Then there's the full content of Trump's tweet: Michael Wolff is a total loser who made up stories in order to sell this really boring and untruthful book. He used Sloppy Steve Bannon, who cried when he got fired and begged for his job. Now Sloppy Steve has been dumped like a dog by almost everyone. Too bad! Tweets unleashed In recent days Trump has unleashed a series of tweets attacking Wolff and the content of Fire and Fury: Inside the Trump White House, which went on sale Friday. Trump has also targeted Bannon, whose trash-talking of the president and his family have sparked the media frenzy surounding the book's release. For example, the book quotes Bannon dismissing Trump's daughter, Ivanka Trump: She became a White House staffer and thats when people suddenly realized shes as dumb as a brick. The book's Friday release was moved up from its original Jan. 9 release date, in part because of the swirl of publicity and also because Trump's legal team has demanded that the publication and release be halted. In addition, the date was pushed up due to unprecedented demand, a spokesman for publisher Henry Holt and Company told Fox News in an email. Earlier Friday, Trump claimed the book was merely a distraction from the investigation into the Trump team's possible collusion with Russia turning out to be a hoax. Well, now that collusion with Russia is proving to be a total hoax and the only collusion is with Hillary Clinton and the FBI/Russia, the Fake News Media (Mainstream) and this phony new book are hitting out at every new front imaginable. They should try winning an election. Sad! Trump tweeted Friday morning. In a tweet Thursday, the president attacked Wolffs credibility, claiming he authorized Zero access to White House (actually turned him down many times), and that he never spoke to him for book. Wolff fires back However, Wolff fired back Friday morning during an interview with NBCs Today, insisting that he did speak to the president, and whether he realized it was an interview or not it certainly was not off the record. Wolff claimed he spoke to the president for several hours over the course of the 2016 presidential campaign and after he took office, adding that his window into Donald Trump is pretty significant. The author said he stands by his work. White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders on Thursday dismissed the book as tabloid gossip that was laced with false and fraudulent claims. Among some of the claims in the book, Wolff writes that candidate Trump told his wife Melania there was no way he would win the presidential election, and that the president and first lady spend relatively little time together. Wolff wrote the book over 18 months, in which he claims to have spoken with more than 200 people. He said he had access to top officials inside the Trump administration, including the president, according to an interview Thursday with the Hollywood Reporter that details the backstory to the book's publishing. Fox News Brooke Singman, Alex Pappas, Bill Mears, NuNu Japardize, Kristin Brown, Ryan Gaydos and the Associated Press contributed to this report. Las Vegas gunman Stephen Paddock reportedly encountered employees at the Mandalay Bay Hotel and Casino more than 10 times" in the days prior to the deadly concert shooting ambush in October, MGM Resorts International said. Mandalay Bay staff, room service and housekeeping had contact with Paddock or entered his suite more than 10 times over the course of his stay, including the three days leading up to October 1, a statement obtained by the Las Vegas Review-Journal from the hotel group said. As a result of these interactions, there was no need to conduct a welfare check. LAS VEGAS SHOOTING VICTIMS ALL DIED OF GUNSHOT WOUNDS, CORONERS REPORT FINDS There were numerous interactions with Stephen Paddock every day at the resort, including a room service delivery and a call with housekeeping on Oct. 1, all of which were normal in nature, the statement continued. Paddock was the lone gunman in the deadly Oct. 1 ambush at the Mandalay Bay Hotel and Casino on the Strip that killed 58 people and injured more than 500 others. More than 1,100 rounds were fired from his room on the 32nd floor into a crowd of concertgoers at the Route 91 Harvest Festival. Paddock killed himself as police approached his suite. LAS VEGAS SHOOTER STEPHEN PADDOCK KILLED HIMSELF WITH GUNSHOT TO MOUTH: CORONER The statement from MGM followed an inquiry by the Review-Journal, the outlet said, regarding potential policy adjustments focusing on entering guest rooms. The company reportedly didnt provide information on the nature of the interactions. The hotel chain was reportedly criticized in the wake of the Paddock episode, the deadliest mass shooting in American history, under the argument that had hotel employees entered and cleaned Paddocks room, they would have likely found his weapons, the outlet said. The gunman reportedly left a do-not-disturb sign on his door. A police lieutenant in New Jersey who was killed early Friday morning died a hero trying to help someone else, police said. In a news conference, Jersey City Police Chief Michael Kelly described fallen Jersey City Police Lt. Christopher Robateau as an unbelievable family man and one of the most decorated police officers in the department, ABC News reported. Robateau, 49, was reportedly involved in a crash with a Freighliner box truck around 6 a.m., leaving the officer's Toyota Rav4 "disabled on the right shoulder" of the New Jersey Turnpike, State Police said on Facebook. He was then fatally hit by a Ford Ranger pickup truck after exiting his vehicle, they said. "Lt. Robateau's instincts are always to help and save others and that's what he was doing when he was struck," Kelly added, according to the outlet. HONOR SOUGHT FOR US SOLDIER WHO DIED IN BRONX FIRE RESCUE Police said he sustained serious injuries and was pronounced dead at the scene. We have over 900 police officers in the Jersey City, Kelly said of Robateau, per ABC News. He may be our best. Thats how good that this man was. State Police said everyone involved in the incident stayed at the scene and are working with authorities. Nobody was charged or reported serious injuries, they said. FLEEING IN TRUCK, SHOT SUSPECT DRAGS FBI AGENT THROUGH ATLANTA SUBURB Kelly said a funeral will be held for the fallen officer and the department will mourn the way that we mourn when we lose one of our heroes, ABC reported. Robateau was a 23-year veteran of the force after joining in 1994, ABC 7 NY reported. He was reportedly promoted to lieutenant in 2014. The officer was married with three children, the outlet said. Jersey City Mayor Steven Fulop said in a tweet that the city lost a great officer. We consider him on duty in JC being that he was looking to help someone which is what we want all JC officers to do all the time R.I.P Lt Chris Robateau, he said. When authorities entered Arthur Rathburn's warehouse in December 2013, it was "filthy," an FBI agent testified Friday as the body-parts broker's trial opened in a Detroit courtroom. FBI agent Leslie Larsen and her colleagues found dead flies, dried blood on the floor -- plus human body parts in paint cans, beer coolers and plastic containers, she told the court. Some body parts were found frozen together inside a refrigerator, next to ingredients for sandwiches, she said. We seized human remains, documents and tools, Larsen testified, according to the Detroit Free Press. "We seized human remains, documents and tools." FBI agent Leslie Larsen Authorities also allegedly found four fetuses preserved in liquid alongside human brain tissue, Reuters reported last month. Rathburn, 64, is accused of selling diseased body parts. He faces 13 federal charges, including wire fraud, transport of hazardous material and making false statements to a public official, MLive reported. He and his now ex-wife Elizabeth, were accused of fraud for misrepresenting the human body parts sold by their company, International Biological Inc. However, Elizabeth pleaded guilty to one count of fraud, and has agreed to work with the government as a witness in her ex-husbands case, the website reported. Rathburn caught the eye of authorities after U.S. Customs agents seized a severed head he provided for a dental seminar while transporting it from Tel Aviv to Chicago. The head was infected with sepsis, authorities said, and its packaging failed to meet shipping standards. It was packed in a trash bag in some fluid, inside a cooler, U.S. Attorney John Neal said during his opening statements, MLive reported. Rathburn allegedly lied about the liquid, claiming it was mouth wash, and that he had embalmed the head, Neal said. The defendant's attorney, James C. Howarth, argued that the case should not be a criminal matter, but merely a contractual dispute, MLive reported. The trial is scheduled to resume Monday, with testimony expected to continue through early February, MLive reported. Cindy Rolow said she didn't really know the family that lived five doors away from her, but she would often see the father and son walking through the neighborhood holding hands. "We always thought that was cute," she said. On Friday, the father and son -- plus the mother and another child, were found dead in their Southern California home. Authorities believe the man shot and killed his wife and two children before turning the gun on himself. "This is just awful, it's horrific," Rolow said. "It's so sad to hear somebody would take their family's life and their own life." Los Angeles County sheriff's deputies went to the house in Santa Clarita -- about 35 miles north of downtown L.A. -- early Friday after getting a call from someone concerned about the family, Lt. Rodney Moore said. Found fatally shot were Michael Birnkrant, 51, wife, Amy, 47, their college-age daughter, Drew, and 11-year-old son, in what appeared to be a murder-suicide carried out by the father, KTLA reported. Police were not looking for any suspects. According to investigators, the family members were found shot in the chest, with the gun discovered close to Michaels body. The house is in a neighborhood of modern, two-story homes in a development below the foothills of the Angeles National Forest. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Gypsy Rose Blanchard, the young Missouri woman who is serving 10 years in prison for second-degree murder in her mothers death, said she felt like a prisoner before the fatal day. Blanchard, 26, opened up in an ABC 20/20 interview that aired Friday about the abuse she endured at the hands of her mother, Dee Dee Blanchard. The prison that I was living in before, with my mom, it's, like, I couldn't walk. I couldn't eat. I couldn't have friends. I couldn't go outside, you know, and play with friends or anything, she said. Over here, I feel like I'm freer in prison, than with living with my mom. Because now, I'm allowed to just live like a normal woman. Blanchard is serving time at Missouris Chillicothe Correctional Center home for the 2015 death of her mother. Dee Dee Blanchard, a single mother, likely suffered from a mental illness called Munchausen syndrome by proxy (MSBP), which occurs when a person attempts to produce psychological or physical symptoms in another person. Dee Dee claimed from the time Gypsy was 7 years old that her daughter could not walk and had the mindset of a child. She also claimed Gypsy suffered from epilepsy, leukemia and muscular dystrophy. However, Gypsy could walk and did not have any of the ailments or cancer. The only thing I had wrong with me is I have a little bit of a lazy eye. Not all the time, but I have better vision in [my left] eye than I do [in my right] eye, Gypsy said. Thats it. MOMMY DEAD AND DEAREST: WHAT IS MUNCHAUSEN SYNDROME BY PROXY? The young woman said she knew she could walk but was told by Dee Dee to use the wheelchair. I was so young, so me looking up to her so much and just believing she knows best -- I didnt question it, said Gypsy. Its sad because I think about all the times that I could have been walking around like a normal person, skating, riding bikes and stuff, and I've never done any of that. When asked if she thought about walking to expose her mothers lies, Gypsy said she was terrified of the consequences. I honestly didnt think about that, Blanchard said. I was always so afraid of her afraid of the consequences after. Dee Dee and Gypsy were well-known in the community and were gifted a Make-a-Wish trip to Disney World after they lost everything in Hurricane Katrina. Their house in Missouri was built and donated to them by Habitat for Humanity. Police found Dee Dee, 48, dead on June 14, 2015 in their Missouri home. Two days later, Gypsy and her boyfriend, Nicholas Paul Godejohn, were arrested in connection with the murder. Gypsy said she and her mother started to fight after she wanted to leave the home and live a normal life. The arguments would last a couple of days and sometimes become physical. The 26-year-old claimed her mother beat her with a coat hanger and she was chained to her bed after she attempted to run away. She physically chained me to the bed, and put bells on the doors, and told anybody that I probably would have trusted that I was going through a phase, and to tell her if I was doing anything behind her back, Gypsy said. Gypsy said after she fell in love with Godejohn, whom she met online, Dee Dee became jealous and ordered me to stay away from him. Needless to say, that was a very long argument that lasted a couple weeks, Gypsy said. Yelling, throwing things, calling me names: b----, s---, w----. It all came to a boiling point. It was not because I hated her. It was because I wanted to escape her, Gypsy said. CALIFORNIA FAMILY DEAD IN APPARENT MURDER-SUICIDE Godejohn went to Dee Dees home where Gypsy gave him the materials needed to stab her mother. After the attack, the couple fled and were spotted in a surveillance video camera at a Walmart in Springfield, Mo. Authorities caught Gypsy after they traced a cryptic Facebook post she had written about her mother to Godejohns home in Wisconsin. Gypsy said she wrote the post: That b---- is dead so police would search and discover Dee Dees body. I couldn't stand the thought of her just there because what happens if it would have taken months to find her, so I wanted her found so she could have a proper burial, she said. Godejohn, who is behind bars in Greene County Jail, claimed Gypsy planned the whole murder. All the planning she did, every bit of it. She pretty much willed the knife in my hand to commit the deed herself. She is the mastermind behind the entire thing, Godejohn said. Gypsy claimed Godejohn had no remorse for her mothers murder. I don't hate him. I feel sorry for him, and just that somebody could do something so heartless and not express remorse and not feel like he's responsible for it, she said. Gypsy told 20/20 she was doing well in prison and was working on getting her GED. She said there was not a day that passed by that she did not think of her mother. All I could hope is that wherever she is, that she still loves me in some small way, she said in between tears. And I want her to know that I am sorry. I am so sorry. A married small-town Pennsylvania police chief was arrested Friday and accused of trying to solicit sex online from an undercover agent posing as a 14-year-old girl. The state attorney general's office said Leechburg Police Chief Michael Diebold, 40, was arrested at a spot in Westmoreland County where he thought he had made plans to meet the girl. Diebold is charged with unlawful contact with a minor and criminal attempt to commit involuntary deviate sexual intercourse, both felonies. "This case is particularly heinous because the perpetrator is a public official, sworn to serve and protect the community," Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro said in a statement. "We have a zero tolerance policy for the sexual abuse of children and my office will prosecute any offender to the fullest extent of the law, no matter who they are." WTAE, citing court documents, reported that Diebold sent explicit messages and photos to the agent using the Kik messaging app under the username "Kutecop4you." The agent said he began communicating with Diebold after responding to an online ad in which the chief described himself as a "dom male ... looking for a female sub for ongoing play sessions. "I do not have a set type of woman so any age, race or status may email me," the alleged posting said. According to an affidavit, Diebold was interviewed without an attorney present and admitted to sending the messages. "Diebold admitted that he knew that sexual contact with a 14 year [old] child was wrong and illegal and that his life was totally over," the agent wrote in the affidavit, according to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Part of Diebold's left arm was amputated last year in a fireworks accident during a fire company carnival. The chief got married fewer than three weeks later. The Post-Gazette reported that Diebold's wife recently gave birth to a boy. Diebold was scheduled to return to work last month, but city officials placed him on leave Dec. 11. Leechburg Mayor Wayne Dobos told the Post-Gazette Friday that he was not aware that Diebold was under investigation when he was placed on leave. "This is all a surprise to me," Dobos said. "I'm just as shocked as everyone else." The Associated Press contributed to this report. Philadelphia's new district attorney fired 31 staffers Friday as part of a promised shakeup of an office tarnished by scandal. DA Larry Krasner, 56, made the personnel moves on only his fourth day on the job. Spokesman Ben Waxman said the changes shouldnt be surprising, given that Krasner, a longtime civil rights lawyer, campaigned on a promise to clean up the DAs office, which he previously called "off the rails," the Philadelphia Inquirer reported. Reorganization and a change in some key personnel are necessary to fulfill that promise, Waxman said. Krasner's campaign platform included reducing incarceration rates, ending cash bail and favoring lighter punishments for gun and drug offenders. His disgraced predecessor, Seth Williams, was sentenced to five years in prison for accepting bribes. Assistant DAs fired Friday included some veterans of the office. The head of the Republican Party of Philadelphia said the firings were what we might expect from a defense attorney who made a career out of suing the police. Krasner places victims on the back burner from day one. Change is never easy," spokesman Waxner said. "But DA Krasner was given a clear mandate from the voters for transformational change. A Philadelphia fire lieutenant and a resident were killed Saturday morning when a fast-moving fire tore through a row house on the city's north side. Philadelphia Fire Commissioner Adam Thiel told reporters that Lt. Matthew LeTourneau, 42, was pinned under debris inside the home when it collapsed. LeTourneau was pronounced dead at Temple University Hospital after being rescued by fellow firefighters. "Our hearts are breaking," said Thiel. "We are without words." He said it took about 30 minutes for firefighters to free LeTourneau from the debris caused by the interior structure collapse. Letourneau was an 11-year veteran of the Philadelphia Fire Department and was promoted to lieutenant in 2015. He had received a unit citation in 2010 and a letter of commendation for his service during the World Meeting of Families in 2015. Letourneau is the first city firefighter killed in the line of duty since 2014, when Lt. Joyce Craig was fatally injured while battling a wind-whipped house fire. Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney praised the work of firefighters who "on every shift put themselves in harm's way for us" and vowed the city will "be there for [LeTourneaus] family forever." Thiel said LeTourneau would receive a fire department funeral with full honors, but said it had not yet been scheduled. The fast-moving fire was reported shortly before 9 a.m., and dozens of firefighters battled the blaze for nearly two hours before it was brought under control. Two other firefighters were also injured and were being treated at a hospital. Their injuries were not considered life-threatening and they were expected to be released later Saturday. Authorities say a person found inside the home died in the fire, while another person from a neighboring home was taken to the hospital and was listed in critical condition. Their names and further details about their injuries were not disclosed. The cause of the blaze remains under investigation. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Click for more from Fox29.com. President Donald Trump on Friday evening issued support for U.S. Sen. Rand Paul's proposal to fund infrastructure projects in the U.S. with foreign aid halted from going to Pakistan. "Good idea Rand!" came the president's response. In a tweet Thursday, Rand, a Kentucky Republican, said he planned to introduce his proposal soon. "My bill will take the money that would have gone to Pakistan and put it in an infrastructure fund to build roads and bridges here at home," the senator tweeted. On Thursday, the U.S. announced plans to end up to $2 billion in security assistance to Pakistan. The reasoning: The U.S. State Department contended that Pakistan had failed to take "decisive action" against Taliban militants targeting U.S. personnel in neighboring Afghanistan. The figure represents about $1 billion in planned military assistance, including $255 million that was placed on hold in August, and about $900 million in Coalition Support Funds intended to reimburse Pakistan for counterterrorism operations. Earlier in the week, President Trump contended that the U.S. had foolishly given Pakistan more than $33 billion in aid over the last 15 years and had gotten nothing in return but lies & deceit. Nikki Haley, U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, accused Pakistan of playing a double game for years, at times working with the U.S. while harboring terrorists who attack American troops in Afghanistan. That game is not acceptable in this administration. We expect far more cooperation from Pakistan in the fight against terrorism, she said. But officials in Pakistan expressed disappointment with the U.S. plans, saying the suspension of aid would be detrimental to bilateral relations. Pakistan's Foreign Ministry asserted that the country had spent more than $120 billion of its own funds on the war on terror in recent years. It contended that Pakistan's cooperation with the U.S. had helped "decimate" Al Qaeda and drive other militant groups away from the Pakistan-Afghanistan border region. "Arbitrary deadlines, unilateral pronouncements and shifting goalposts are counterproductive in addressing common threats," Pakistan's Foreign Ministry said in a statement Friday. The United States is currently holding up more than $200 million in foreign aid to Pakistan. A senior U.S. administration official emphasized the money could potentially still be available if Pakistan were to change course. But Paul went a step further Thursday, arguing that Pakistan has been of little use in the war on terrorism, and proposed cutting off aid to Pakistan altogether. Weve sent Pakistan $33 billion since 2002. What did we get for it? Well Pakistan didnt even help us find Bin Laden, even though he was living in one of their cities for years. Then they jailed the informant who helped us to get Bin Laden. Theyve allowed suspected terrorists to operate in their country. Some say Pakistani intelligence agents actually aid and abet the terrorists. Its wrong. Paul, who said he has been fighting to end aid to Pakistan for years, called Trumps recent proposal to suspend aid a breakthrough. The widow of the man who killed dozens of people at a gay Florida nightclub in the name of ISIS told investigators she knew her husband was going to do something bad before the 2016 attack. Noor Salman told investigators she was in denial that her husband, Omar Mateen, could hurt other people when he left their home with guns and ammunition, the Orlando Sentinel reported citing a statement written by an FBI agent and signed by the widow. I knew when he left the house he was going to Orlando to attack the Pulse Night Club, Salman said. FBI ARRESTS WIFE OF ORLANDO NIGHTCLUB MASSACRE GUNMAN OMAR MATEEN I knew on Saturday, when Omar left the house about 5 p.m. that this was the time that he was going to do something bad. I knew this because of the way he left and took the gun and backpack with ammunition, Salman said. Salman faces charges of aiding a terrorist organization and obstruction of justice. Mateen killed 49 people and wounded at least 68 others during the mass shooting at Pulse nightclub on June 12, 2016. I knew later, when I could not get ahold of him that my fears had come true and he did what he said he was going to do, Salman said. I was in denial and I could not believe that the father of my child was going to hurt other people. Salmans attorneys and federal prosecutors attended a hearing Friday to discuss whether sealed evidence and an expert witness testimony should be allowed at her March trial. A judge ruled in favor of allowing the expert to testify. The hearing was closed to the public. PULSE NIGHTCLUB SHOOTERS WIFE TO STAND TRIAL IN ORLANDO Salman said her husband became obsessed with ISIS and fighting in the Middle East two years prior to the shooting. He also purchased a rifle, toys and jewelry before the shooting, spending thousands of dollars. The widow said her husband considered other places before they drove around the Pulse Night Club about a week before the attack. Salman apologized at the end of her statement. Im very sorry I lied to the FBI, she said. These are my words. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Government airstrikes and shelling of suburbs of the Syrian capital Damascus have killed 17 people as government forces press to retake areas they recently lost. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said 17 people were killed Saturday, 12 of them in the suburb of Hamouriyeh. The volunteer first-responders Syrian Civil Defense, known as the White Helmets, reported 12 people killed in Hamouriyeh saying they included four children. They said five others were killed in other areas. The Observatory reported more than 40 airstrikes on the suburbs known as eastern Ghouta. Syrian government forces have been trying to reach a force trapped inside the suburb of Harasta for a week without success. The U.N. says government forces are holding 400,000 people under siege in eastern Ghouta. Police in Austria say a woman has been arrested for allegedly suffocating her 8-month-old son in a Vienna hospital. Vienna police said Saturday that the suffocation took place Wednesday in a room at the hospital where the 37-year-old mother and her baby had been admitted. A police statement issued Saturday said the mother then fled and tried to kill herself. The statement from Vienna police said the "obviously mentally ill" woman was arrested on suspicion of murder and taken to a secure psychiatric unit. The Malaysian government has approved a new attempt to find the wreckage of Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 in the Indian Ocean. A U.S.-based company early this week dispatched a search vessel to look for debris in the southern Indian Ocean, 3 years after the Boeing 777 disappeared on a flight from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing with 227 passengers and 12 crew. Malaysia, China and Australia called off the 1,046-day official search last year without solving the mystery. Malaysian Transport Minister Liow Tiong Lai said Saturday that the government remains committed to continue with the search and the offer from Ocean Infinity is based on the company finding the wreckage. A new expedition to search for the wreckage of Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 was approved by the countrys government, officials announced Saturday, nearly four years after the unsolved disappearance. The U.S.-based company Ocean Infinity has undertaken the task of continuing the hunt, which set off Tuesday for the southern Indian Ocean. Malaysian Transport Minister Liow Tiong Lai said the companys offer to search for the plane debris was agreed to on the condition of "no cure, no fee, meaning that payment will only be made if the team finds the wreckage. "That means they are willing to search the area of 25,000 square kilometers (9,653 square miles) pointed out by the expert group near the Australian waters," he said. SUB-EQUIPPED BOAT DEPARTS SOUTH AFRICA TO SEARCH FOR MISSING MALAYSIA AIRLINES FLIGHT Flight 370 took off from Kuala Lumpur on March 8, 2014, and was headed to Beijing when it disappeared. There were 227 passengers and 12 crew members on board. Lai said his government has not wavered in its mission to find the plane, however he doesnt want to evoke too much optimism among the victims' families. The companys search vessel Seabed Constructor was dispatched from the South African port of Durban on Tuesday, according to a statement from Ocean Infinity. The company said it was taking advantage of favorable weather to move the vessel towards the vicinity of the possible search zone. The ship has unmanned submarines that can descend deep into the ocean. After more than 1,000 days searching, the mission was called off last January by governments in Malaysia, China and Australia without a concrete conclusion as to where or why the Boeing 777 vanished. MYSTERY OF MALAYSIA AIRLINES FLIGHT MH370 IS ALMOST INCONCEIVABLE, REPORT SAYS However, the understanding of where the plane may be is better now as a result of studying debris that washed ashore in 2015 and 2016 that showed the plane was "not configured for a ditching at the end-of-flight," meaning it had run out of fuel. The search team also looked back at satellite imagery that showed objects in the ocean that may have been MH370 debris. The Associated Press contributed to this report. President Donald Trump said Saturday he would be open to talking with the North Korean dictator he has nicknamed "Little Rocket Man." Trump, who last year took his chief diplomat to task for talking about negotiations with the nuclear-armed North, told reporters at Camp David that some dialogue with Kim Jong Un was not out of the question. This, as the dictator has inflamed tensions on the world stage with his nation's aggressive pursuit of a nuclear weapons and missile program. "Sure, I always believe in talking," Trump said, according to a report in The AP on Saturday. "Absolutely I would do that, I wouldn't have a problem with that at all." But he was quick to add that any talks would come with conditions, and he did not specify terms. The first formal talks between North and South in more than two years are set to take place in a border town on the Korean peninsula on Tuesday as the rivals try to find ways to cooperate on the Winter Olympics in Seoul -- and perhaps generally improve relations. "Right now they're talking Olympics. It's a start, it's a big start," Trump said after meetings with GOP leaders in Congress and Cabinet members on the Whie House's legislative goals for this new year. The AP quote Trump sas saying that "if something can happen and something can come out of those talks, that would be a great thing for all of humanity. That would be a great thing for the world." "You have to have a certain attitude and you have to be prepared to do certain things and I'm totally prepared to do that," Trump said, maintaining that his tough words on the North Korea situation helped persuade the North to sit down with the South. Trump and Kim have traded barbs recently about their nuclear arsenals and their respective nuclear "buttons." 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. Hey Long Beach! The end of summer is almost upon us, but there's still plenty of sunshine and warm weather outside, which makes for a fun day with the pups at Rosie's Dog Beach. We talked to the beach's creator,... Welcome to my genealogy blog. Genea-Musings features genealogy research tips and techniques, genealogy news items and commentary, genealogy humor, San Diego genealogy society news, family history research and some family history stories from the keyboard of Randy Seaver (of Chula Vista CA), who thinks that Genealogy Research Is really FUN! Copyright (c) Randall J. Seaver, 2006-2021. kacylee at 6-01-2018 12:20 PM (3 years ago) (f) The Nsobundus, the Nigerian couple living in the Houston-area of the United States has been ordered by an American court to pay $121,000 as restitution to the Nigerian woman who worked for 20 hours a day for two years as the nanny to their five children. The Nsobundus, the Nigerian couple living in the Houston-area of the United States has been ordered by an American court to pay $121,000 as restitution to the Nigerian woman who worked for 20 hours a day for two years as the nanny to their five children. The nanny was not paid throughout the period. Now she has a N44m windfall. Chudy Nsobundu, 57, and his wife Sandra Nsobundu, 49, also were sentenced by U.S. District Judge Nancy Atlas to seven months in jail and seven months of home confinement, plus three years on probation, the Associated Press reported. The naturalized U.S. citizens originally from Nigeria recruited the woman there with the promise of a $100 monthly wage. Instead, authorities said they abused her physically and verbally while she worked at their home in the Houston suburb of Katy from September 2013 to October 2015. Chudy Nsobundu in 2016 pleaded guilty to visa fraud while his wife pleaded guilty to unlawful conduct with respect to documents in furtherance of forced labor. According to court documents, the nanny would work every day from 5:30 a.m. to 1 a.m., couldnt take breaks and had to eat leftovers and not fresh food, including being forced to only drink milk left in bowls in which the children had eaten cereal. She also couldnt take hot showers. Authorities said the Nsobundus prevented the nanny from leaving their employment by keeping her passport and by threatening her with physical and mental abuse. The nanny reached out for help and was rescued following a tip to the National Human Trafficking Resource Center. Her name has not been released. Prosecutors say the couple knowingly caused a false visa application for the victim to be submitted to the Department of State with numerous pieces of false information. The womans date of birth was incorrect on the application, listing her 20 years older than she was, said she was married when she was not, incorrectly indicated the purpose of her travel was to attend a nieces graduation and falsely identified her in a letter that Chudy Nsobundu was her brother. Prosecutors also said he made false representations under oath on the visa application to increase the chances that the application would be accepted and to hide the fact shed be working for his family as a housemaid and nanny under conditions that violated U.S. labor laws. Federal prosecutors said Sandra Nsobundu took the nanny to the U.S. Embassy in Lagos, Nigeria, to obtain her visa and provided her with a letter indicating she didnt speak English well, that she was to attend a family graduation and gave her a picture of her husband with instructions that she tell embassy officials he was the nannys brother and that she was married. The nannys husband listed on the visa application actually was the Nsobundus driver in Nigeria. The nanny was not paid throughout the period. Now she has a N44m windfall. Chudy Nsobundu, 57, and his wife Sandra Nsobundu, 49, also were sentenced by U.S. District Judge Nancy Atlas to seven months in jail and seven months of home confinement, plus three years on probation, the Associated Press reported. The naturalized U.S. citizens originally from Nigeria recruited the woman there with the promise of a $100 monthly wage. Instead, authorities said they abused her physically and verbally while she worked at their home in the Houston suburb of Katy from September 2013 to October 2015. Chudy Nsobundu in 2016 pleaded guilty to visa fraud while his wife pleaded guilty to unlawful conduct with respect to documents in furtherance of forced labor. According to court documents, the nanny would work every day from 5:30 a.m. to 1 a.m., couldnt take breaks and had to eat leftovers and not fresh food, including being forced to only drink milk left in bowls in which the children had eaten cereal. She also couldnt take hot showers. Authorities said the Nsobundus prevented the nanny from leaving their employment by keeping her passport and by threatening her with physical and mental abuse.The nanny reached out for help and was rescued following a tip to the National Human Trafficking Resource Center. Her name has not been released. Prosecutors say the couple knowingly caused a false visa application for the victim to be submitted to the Department of State with numerous pieces of false information. The womans date of birth was incorrect on the application, listing her 20 years older than she was, said she was married when she was not, incorrectly indicated the purpose of her travel was to attend a nieces graduation and falsely identified her in a letter that Chudy Nsobundu was her brother. Prosecutors also said he made false representations under oath on the visa application to increase the chances that the application would be accepted and to hide the fact shed be working for his family as a housemaid and nanny under conditions that violated U.S. labor laws. Federal prosecutors said Sandra Nsobundu took the nanny to the U.S. Embassy in Lagos, Nigeria, to obtain her visa and provided her with a letter indicating she didnt speak English well, that she was to attend a family graduation and gave her a picture of her husband with instructions that she tell embassy officials he was the nannys brother and that she was married. The nannys husband listed on the visa application actually was the Nsobundus driver in Nigeria. Post Reply I have been reporting for several years now and I am very interested in visual news reportage with strong inclusion of photos and video multimedia. Posted: at 6-01-2018 12:20 PM (3 years ago) | Addicted Hero Vancouver, British Columbia (FSCwire) - GREAT ATLANTIC RESOURCES CORP. (TSXV.GR) (the Company or Great Atlantic) announces that as a result of a review by the British Columbia Securities Commission, we are issuing the following news release to clarify our disclosure. The information contained in this news release is intended to provide clarification to disclosure on the Companys May 31, 2016 news release (the May 31, 2016 News Release), its website (the Website), and disclosure contained in the corporate presentation (the Corporate Presentation), contained on the Website. The Company has temporarily shut-down the Website and has removed the Corporate Presentation and will amend the technical disclosure to comply with the requirements of National Instrument 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Properties (NI 43-101). News Release dated May 31, 2016 In its May 31, 2016 news release, the Company disclosed a mineral resource estimate on its Golden Promise Project. It constituted the first-time disclosure of a mineral resource estimate for the Golden Promise Project, and triggered the requirement for the Company to file an independent technical report under s. 4.2(1)(j)(i) of NI 43-101. The statements in the above noted news release regarding mineral resources on the Golden Promise Project are not supported by a NI 43-101 compliant technical report, contrary to NI 43-101, such that mineral resource estimates should not be relied on until they have been verified and supported by a NI 43-101 compliant technical report on the Golden Promise Project. A NI 43-101 compliant technical report is in preparation and will be filed as soon as practicable. Website The Company is amending all disclosure relating to historical estimates on its Pilleys Mine Project contained on the Website. The disclosures were of historical estimates on its Pilleys Mine Project, but without providing all of the information required by s. 2.4 of NI 43-101. These historical estimates did not include any more recent data or estimates, and a qualified person (as defined under NI 43-101) has not done sufficient work to classify these historical estimates as current mineral resources. Corporate Presentation The Company retracts the Corporate Presentation which contained statements regarding potentially more Au (gold) than previously indicated on the Golden Promise Project. The disclosure is restricted by section 2.3(1)(a) of NI 43-101 because it does not include the information and cautionary language required by s. 2.3(2) of NI 43-101. Disclosures of potential quantity and grade, expressed as a range, of a target for further exploration must include with equal prominence that the potential quantity and grade is conceptual in nature, that there has been insufficient exploration to define a mineral resource and that it is uncertain if further exploration will result in the target being delineated as a mineral resource; and state the basis on which the disclosed potential quantity and grade has been determined. The Company cautions investors that all non-compliant disclosure contained on any website or any other written disclosure document is not to be relied upon. Website and IR Materials The Website and investor relations materials disclosed certain exploration information that did not include all of the information required by sections 3.2 and 3.3 of NI 43-101. The Company and its qualified person did not verify exploration information. Additionally, contrary to s. 3.2(c) of NI 43-101, the Company did not provide an explanation as to why the information has not been verified by a QP. As such, the Company retracts all disclosure relating to the exploration information and has removed such disclosure from its Website and investor relations materials. The Company retracts all non-compliant disclosures referenced above, and is amending its website and corporate presentation. Failure to Name the Qualified Person The Company did not name a Qualified Person in its Corporate Presentation or on its Website. The Company is in the process of preparing new website materials under the review of a Qualified Person. The Company advises that the technical information disclosed should not be relied upon until it has been reviewed and approved by a Qualified Person. The Company has temporarily shut-down the Website and has removed the Corporate Presentation and will amend the technical disclosure to comply with the requirements of NI 43-101. Technical material in this news release has been reviewed by David Martin, P.Geo., a Qualified Person as defined in NI 43-101. About Great Atlantic Resources Corp.: Great Atlantic Resources Corp. is a Canadian exploration company focused on the discovery and development of mineral assets in Atlantic Canada. Great Atlantic is currently building the company utilizing a project generation model, with a focus on antimony, tungsten and gold. On Behalf of the board of directors Christopher R Anderson Mr Christopher R Anderson " Always be positive, strive for solutions, and never give up " President CEO Director 604-488-3900 Dir Investor Relations: Kaye Wynn Consulting Inc.: 604-558-2630, Toll Free 888-280-8128 E-mail: info@kayewynn.com Forward-Looking Information This news release may contain forward-looking statements including but not limited to the completion of a NI 43-101 compliant technical report, geological interpretations, updating the Website and disclosures, and statements that address activities, events or developments that the Company expects or anticipates will or may occur in the future. Forward-looking statements address future events and conditions and therefore involve inherent risks and uncertainties. Forward-looking statements consist of statements that are not purely historical, including any statements regarding beliefs, plans, expectations or intentions regarding the future. Such information can generally be identified by the use of forwarding-looking wording such as may, expect, estimate, will, anticipate, intend, believe and continue or the negative thereof or similar variations. Actual results may differ materially from those currently anticipated in such statements and the Company undertakes no obligation to update such statements, except as required by law. The reader is cautioned not to place undue reliance on any forward-looking information. Forward-looking statements are based on the then-current expectations, beliefs, assumptions, estimates and forecasts about the business and the industry and markets in which the Company operates, including that: the current price of and demand for minerals being targeted by the Company will be sustained or will improve; the Companys current exploration programs and objectives can be achieved; results of exploration activities; the Company will be able to obtain required exploration licences and other permits; general business and economic conditions will not change in a material adverse manner; financing will be available if and when needed on reasonable terms; the Company will not experience any material accident; and the Company will be able to identify and acquire additional mineral interests on reasonable terms or at all. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve risks, uncertainties and assumptions which are difficult to predict. Investors are cautioned that all forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties, including: that resource exploration and development is a speculative business; that the Company may lose or abandon its property interests or may fail to receive necessary licences and permits; equipment breakdowns; labour disputes; the increase in cost estimates and the potential for unexpected costs and expenses; the results of exploration activities; that environmental laws and regulations may become more onerous; that the Company may not be able to raise additional funds when necessary; potential defects in title to the Companys properties; fluctuating prices of commodities; operating hazards and risks; competition; potential inability to find suitable acquisition opportunities and/or complete the same; and other risks and uncertainties listed in the Companys public filings. These risks, as well as others, could cause actual results and events to vary significantly. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements and information, which are qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement. There can be no assurance that that economic resources will be discovered or developed on any properties. Accordingly, actual results may differ materially from those currently anticipated in such statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in forward looking statements include, but are not limited to, continued availability of capital and financing and general economic, market or business conditions, commodity prices, title dispute claims, government regulations, equipment failures, increase in costs, the loss of key directors, employees, advisors or consultants and fees charged by service providers. Investors are cautioned that forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance or events and, accordingly are cautioned not to put undue reliance on forward-looking statements due to the inherent uncertainty of such statements. There can be no assurance that forward-looking information, or the material factors or assumptions used to develop such forward-looking information, will prove to be accurate. The Company does not undertake any obligations to release publicly any revisions for updating any voluntary forward-looking statements, except as required by applicable securities law. Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. To view this press release as a PDF file, click onto the following link:public://news_release_pdf/GreatAtlantic01052018.pdfSource: Great Atlantic Resources Corp. (TSX Venture:GR, FWB:PH01) To follow Great Atlantic Resources Corp. on your favorite social media platform or financial websites, please click on the icons below. Maximum News Dissemination by FSCwire. https://www.fscwire.com Copyright 2018 FSCwire (TNS) - Citing a long-term systemic failure at the California Department of Water Resources, independent forensic investigators released their final report Friday on the nearly-catastrophic emergency last February at Oroville Dam.In a 584-page dissection of the disaster at Americas tallest dam, the investigative team said Oroville Dam was designed and built with flaws from the beginning, which were exacerbated by inadequate repairs in the years that followed.Due to the unrecognized inherent vulnerability of the design and as-constructed conditions and the chute slab deterioration, the spillway chute slab failure, although inevitable, was unexpected, the panel reported.The panel also said the Department of Water Resources, which runs the dam, has been somewhat overconfident and complacent and gave inadequate priority for dam safety. At the same time, the investigators said the entire dam industry, including federal regulators who oversee the facilitys operations, needs to heed the lessons learned at Oroville.Although the practice of dam safety has certainly improved since the 1970s, the fact that this incident happened to the owner of the tallest dam in the United States, under regulation of a federal agency, with repeated evaluation by reputable outside consultants, in a state with a leading dam safety regulatory program, is a wake-up call for everyone involved in dam safety, the panel wrote. Challenging current assumptions on what constitutes best practice in our industry is overdue.Made up of six independent engineering consultants from around the country, the investigative team said there was no single root cause for the crisis, which began Feb. 7. Rather, the panel pointed to a complex interaction of relatively common physical, human, organizational and industry factors. The giant crater that erupted in the concrete chute set off a slow-motion emergency that culminated five days later with the evacuation of 188,000 downstream residents.Problems emerged almost immediately after the dam, the linchpin of the State Water Project, opened in 1968. The concrete chute slab cracked above and along underdrain pipes, leading to higher-than-expected flows of water directly beneath the chute, the panel wrote.The slab cracking and underdrain flows, although originally thought of as unusual, were quickly deemed to be normal, and as simply requiring on-going repairs, the panel wrote. However, repeated repairs were ineffective and possibly detrimental.The 3,000-foot-long chute deteriorated over the years, with its steel rebar and anchors corroding. The chute was also plagued by poor foundation conditions directly beneath the concrete, which were documented in geological reports but werent properly addressed in the design and construction of the spillway, the panel wrote.All these factors came together Feb. 7, as the dam was releasing water down the spillway to lower reservoir levels during a massive rainstorm. Water that crept into the cracks and joints of the concrete chute resulted in uplift forces beneath the slab, causing the spillway to erupt.The panels findings are in line with its interim reports, although the final report ventures into new territory by criticizing Department of Water Resources officials for their handling of the first few days of the emergency once the initial fracture appeared in the main spillway.After the crater formed, dam operators decided to curtail water releases on the chute the next few days in an effort to limit the damage. Water levels at Lake Oroville, the states second largest reservoir, rose so high that water started pouring over the nearby emergency spillway, which consists of a concrete lip sitting on an unlined hillside, for the first time since the dam opened.The forensic team said the DWR dam operators didnt realize just how risky it was to let water pour over the emergency spillway.The decisions were made with the best of intentions, but against the advice of civil engineering and geological personnel, who had by then recognized the poor bedrock conditions and the potential for unsatisfactory performance of the previously untested emergency spillway, the forensic team wrote.One day after water started running over the emergency structure, the hillside had eroded so badly that dam officials feared the lip of the emergency spillway would crumble, releasing a wall of water on communities below the dam. That necessitated the evacuation. Faced with imminent disaster, dam operators then dramatically ramped up water releases over the main spillway, which lowered lake levels to the point that water stopped flowing over the emergency spillway.The evacuation ended two days later, although the heavy water releases over the main spillway turned the initial fracture into a massive canyon that would take months to fix.The panel had other criticisms for DWR, calling it a somewhat insular organization that hasnt tapped industry knowledge to improve its technical expertise.Lake many other large dam owners, DWR has been somewhat overconfident and complacent regarding the integrity of its civil infrastructure and has tended to emphasize shorter-term operational considerations, the panel added.The report was a blow for an agency that has built a reputation for diligently policing Californias dams. An audit in 2016 by the Association of State Dam Safety Officials concluded that California operates the leading dam safety program in the nation. Yet a Sacramento Bee investigation last fall showed that dam owners are allowed to let flaws and deficiencies go unrepaired for years, even after repeated notifications from DWRs inspectors.The independent investigation was ordered by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, which licenses Oroville Dam. State officials said they welcomed the investigation and incorporated its preliminary findings into the massive repair project that has been underway since last spring.DWR Director Grant Davis, in a prepared statement, said we will carefully assess this report, share it with the entire dam safety community and incorporate the lessons learned going forward to ensure California continues to lead the nation on dam safety.The flood control spillway has been largely repaired in time for the rainy season, although portions of the chute have been patched or partially replaced and are awaiting further repairs later in 2018.The total emergency, including the repairs, is expected to cost around $500 million or more. State officials are expecting the Federal Emergency Management Agency to pick up most of the expense. Any leftover costs are to be covered by the water agencies that store water behind Oroville Dam, such as the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California.2018 The Sacramento Bee (Sacramento, Calif.)Visit The Sacramento Bee (Sacramento, Calif.) at www.sacbee.comDistributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. To hear a wireless trade group tell it, deploying small cell antenna technology will enhance a citys ability to compete in the next 5G technology race that pits the United States against the likes of China, the European Union, Japan and South Korea.Small cell antennas are defined by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) as low-powered wireless base stations that typically provide coverage for targeted indoor or localized outdoor areas ranging in size from homes and offices to stadiums, shopping malls, hospitals and urban outdoor spaces. The towers are roughly the size of a shoebox.According to the Cellular Telecommunications and Internet Association (CTIA), which represents the wireless communications industry in the United States, Americans invented the cell phone, the smartphone and the app industry and 4G networks, and they argue that now is the time to jump forward and beat the competition for wireless dominance. But at what cost?Often, what benefits wireless service providers and their customers comes at the cost of local control, where public infrastructure and private equipment meet.For the state of Arizona, which dreams of usurping California's technological dominance, passing the CTIA-sponsored bill could not happen fast enough.The state Legislature passed the bill in spring 2017 and paved the way for 5G deployment as quickly as possible. "I was proud to sign House Bill 2365 on March 31," said Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey, adding that it would expand capacity to existing wireless networks while improving infrastructure.According to Ducey, in an editorial published on LinkedIn, tech companies like Uber, Google, Apple and Yelp have flocked to Arizona for reasons that signing the small cell bill make sense. Were making it clear to them that our state is laying the groundwork for the future: streamlining the deployment of 'small cell' wireless facilities, reforming our regulatory framework to meet the needs of today, and accelerating investments in our economy."HB 2365 also found support from four major wireless companies, AT&T, T-Mobile, Verizon and Sprint, as part of a nationwide effort to end overly-burdensome siting ordinances and excessive fees to gain access to municipal rights of way. To date, some 13 states have enacted small cell bills sponsored by the CTIA, these include Colorado, Delaware, Florida, Iowa, Indiana, Kansas, Ohio, Minnesota, North Carolina, Texas, Rhode Island and Virginia.In all these states, each bill is different, but they all have common elements:1) expedited timelines for processing applications;2) reduced and capped fees for right-of-way use and applications;3) presumed application approvals and limited scope for local governments to deny requests; and4) prohibited or limited zoning authority over attachments and new poles.But the harsh reality is that this legislation is not only burdensome to implement for smaller cities that want to be on the cutting edge, it also takes control away from cities and counties.On Dec. 4, 2017, Gilbert announced that it was the first Arizona community to implement a streamlined program permitting small wireless facilities in municipal rights-of-way, bringing in the infrastructure needed for future technologies.This is a critical step in preparing our community for future jobs and technologies, and will help us tremendously as Gilbert continues to grow, Gilbert Mayor Jenn Daniels said.Nichole McCarty, transportation planner for the city of Gilbert, has been heading up the effort to adopt a whole new process and fees that would align the city with the legislation. No one had a process in place with this bill.She said the city had to make important changes in zoning, small cell equipment review and fees. There was a huge hustle to get this together, she explained.Gilbert is in Maricopa County and is within the Phoenix metropolitan area. Once known as the hay shipping capital of the world, Gilbert has grown exponentially from 5,700 in 1980 to over 200,000 in 2010. It encompasses 76 square miles and is the most populous incorporated town in the United States.We have tried to smooth the process for carriers, McCarty said. To do this the city, which she says has the lowest public-servant-to-population ratios in the state, brought together 26 city employees for four hours of training, so each could help process applications and smooth permitting licenses. The city does not expect to hire more staff to help out. Our approach was to get everyone involved, so we each had a hand in it.While Gilbert has good cell coverage already, they believe that the deployment of 5G will allow for more autonomous car coverage. We are bracing for the impact of autonomous vehicles. To do this, the city had to examine public access spots that cell carriers might want to cover. We have had to map our above-ground infrastructure and release them publicly. Because their experience has been limited to larger cell towers, officials aren't sure quite what to expect.We expect a rush and a ton of discovery, she said. Though the city has never released infrastructure maps before, a GIS map will be released on the city website soon. This is a lot of work for us.And while Gilbert sees the opportunity to enact state law as a business proposition, what about a much more massive state that does not worry so much about attracting business?For the state of California, with eyes on competing on a global level, passing the CTIA-sponsored bill was an unnecessary step that would have taken away local control and revenue.Even though the state Assembly passed the measure without issue, there was so much ruckus raised publicly about the bill that Gov. Jerry Brown vetoed the measure in October 2017 . In his signing memo, Brown said he saw the value in extending this innovative technology rapidly and efficiently, but added that the bill took too much control away from cities and counties.The bill, Senate Bill 649, was co-authored by Sen. Ben Hueso, D-San Diego, and Assemblyman Bill Quirk, D-Hayward. It alarmed many local government officials because it would have capped how much they could charge cell companies for leases on city-owned infrastructure. Other, grass-roots activists and scientists raised concerns about the risk to public health from the cell towers.The bills sponsor was disappointed with the veto. We spent a lot of time working on amendments to address many of the concerns raised during the year, said Quirk. However, the lawmaker said he has some hope that the governor is willing to reconsider the issue down the line. Public and internal online services in Mecklenburg County, N.C., where hackers last month penetrated defenses and froze key data, are nearly completely restored but the incident has changed the countys security posture and strategy, its county manager told commissioners this week.Mecklenburg County temporarily shuttered all online systems as a precaution, but has already relaunched core, critical Tier One services and should restart any remaining Tier Two internal-facing applications by weeks end, County Manager Dena Diorio told the Board of County Commissioners at its Jan. 3 meeting Those public-facing areas include online tax payments and access to code enforcement, human resources; and the departments of social services, and parks and recreation, she said, emphasizing that while tremendous progress has been made, much work remains.In an email, Assistant County Manager Mark Foster said Information Technology Services (ITS) staff have worked around the clock for the past few weeks to restore applications and systems, utilizing backups and other sources.But the Dec. 5 hack, believed to have been perpetrated by criminals from Iran or the Ukraine who froze data with a new strain of ransomware known as LockCrypt, then demanded a ransom payment of two Bitcoin, has further galvanized the countys top tech officials and its dedicated IT staff of 151 employees.The county, which serves more than 1 million residents and includes Charlotte, the states most populous city, must further enhance its cybersecurity position and tactics, Diorio told the commission.We must strengthen our security systems to stop the ability of hackers to successfully attack us again. I am determined that Mecklenburg County will lead the way with a new normal security posture, Diorio told the commission, indicating staff has already taken concrete steps to make networks more secure and will redouble threat education and training for employees.Members were generally receptive and complimentary praising the manager for her decision, announced Dec. 6, to not pay the ransom, which would have cost more than $23,000 at the time.The financial impact and ongoing cost of the breach, which affected 48 of the countys 500 servers, are unclear, but the manager told commissioners that staff is updating and moving up elements of its security plan on a two-year timeline.IT services is developing a revised comprehensive security plan that will accelerate components of their three-year strategic business plan in Fiscal Year 2018. Implementation of these projects will continue into FY 2019 and beyond, Diorio said, adding that she intends to bring the plan and recommendations to the commission over the coming weeks.Diorio did not mention specific details about ITS new normal posture or the revised security plan. She noted, when she answered a request from Commissioner Trevor Fuller for a little more granular examination of the incident, that such an up-close look would likely come during the closed session portion of a future meeting.Charlotte-based forensic company Fortalice Solutions is assisting onsite with forensic analysis and will provide the agency with a report, the county manager told commissioners. Foster said via email that the county has also worked throughout its recovery with legal team Mullen Coughlin LLC, and cyber technical consulting firm Kivu Consulting Inc.Commissioners praised the work of Diorio and IT staffers and commended the manager for standing up to the hackers.The community sees it, that you guys are working overtime to get systems back up and get servers back up. A lot of organizations buckle and say, Well just go ahead and pay. I just want to commend you for that decision. I know it was a tough one to make, said Commissioner Matthew Ridenhour, who pronounced himself excited to hear about the IT teams progress and some of the things we plan to accelerate to keep Mecklenburg County up and running and data-secure. GREENWICH YWCA Greenwich will hold a panel discussion on human trafficking as a tribute to the memory and legacy of Martin Luther King Jr. The discussion, which is free and open to the public, is set for 6:30 to 8 p.m. Thursday at 259 East Putnam Ave. The discussion will focus on the fight to end what is a multi-billion dollar criminal industry that transports people from one country or area to another, typically for forced labor or prostitution. Topics include how to recognize human trafficking, how to charge the abusers and how to support the victims. Human trafficking is modern day slavery, Mary Lee Kiernan, YWCA Greenwich president and CEO, said. This is a topic we believe that Dr. King would be very involved with if he were still alive today. Kiernan said fighting human trafficking is deeply connected to the central mission of the YWCA: eliminating racism and empowering women. She said overall 71 percent of the victims of human trafficking are women; 99 percent of victims of human trafficking sexual crimes are women. Krishna Patel, the general counsel and director of justice initiatives for the Grace Farms Foundation and the former deputy chief of National Security and Major Crimes in the District of Connecticut will serve as moderator. The panel will be made up of Jillian Gilchrest, chair of the Connecticut Trafficking in Persons Council; Joette Katz, commissioner of the Connecticut Department of Children and Families; Rod Khattabi, the former head of Homeland Security for the State of Connecticut and Vincent Nappo, a lawyer on the case against Backpage.com, a classified ad website used by human traffickers to sell sex, including with children. The panelists will discuss the use of data to identify and track the traffickers and their victims. And it will also focus what is being done to help survivors and how the general public can support victims and law enforcement efforts to stop trafficking. YWCA Greenwich has partnered with 30 other local non-profits and houses of worship for the event. That list includes Kids in Crisis, the Boys and Girls Club of Greenwich, Christ Church, the Center for Sexual Assault Crisis Counseling and Education, Temple Sholom, Family Centers, the Greenwich Public Schools and the Greenwich Police Department. The town of Greenwich is also serving as a partner. We want to educate the public on the full extent of the problem as well as what they can do about it, Kiernan said. They can learn to better identify the signs of a victim of trafficking as well as become a better educated consumer when it comes to identifying products that are made by forced labor and child labor. Hopefully it will inspire the public to be more involved with organizations that are fighting against trafficking and helping out the victims of trafficking. Reservations are suggested. People can RSVP by sending an email to rsvp@ywcagreenwich.org. kborsuk@greenwichtime.com Haiti - Social : Death of Professor Rachel Beauvoir Dominique The Rectorate of the State University of Haiti (UEH) learned, with infinite sorrow the sad news of the death Friday, January 5, 2018 at his residence in Mariani, of the manbo (Voodoo Priestess) and Anthropology Professor Rachel Dominique Beauvoir, daughter of the deceased Ati National (Supreme Chief of Haitian Voodoo) Max Gesner Beauvoir. "The Rectorate, on behalf of the university community, salutes the departure of this researcher and this eminent intellectual figure, who has contributed enormously to the development of studies on Haitian culture and on Voodoo The Rectorate offers its condolences to her husband, Mr. Didier Dominique, Professor at the Faculty of Sciences, her family, colleagues, friends and fellow Vodouizan." Learn more about Rachel Dominique Beauvoir : After studying cultural anthropology at Tufts University in the United States of America, in social anthropology at Oxford University in England, Rachel Beauvoir-Dominique taught anthropology and Haitian culture in two (2) entities of the State University of Haiti: the Faculty of Human Sciences (FASCH) and the Faculty of Ethnology (FE). She collaborated with the Vice-Rectorate for Research and participated in various research projects, including the research project on the history of ethnology in Haiti implemented by the Faculty of Ethnology and its research unit, the laboratory LADIREP. Engaged politically in the battle against dictatorship in the 1980s, Rachel Beauvoir-Dominique was part of the contingent of young graduates who rushed to return to the country to help rebuild. Voodoo Priestess, she was a vigilant defender of this popular religion, founder and active member of two Foundations dedicated to the preservation of Haitian cultural traditions. HL/ HaitiLibre BEC WORSHIP, a new imprint of BEC Recordings, announces the new signing of River Valley Worship. Kicking off 2018 with a declaration song, River Valley Worship recently released their label debut single, "World Needs Jesus," available now at Spotify and Apple music (http://smarturl.it/WorldNeedsJesus). "Unfortunately this song will always be relevant," shares River Valley Worship leader Ryan Williams. "We live in a broken world that will always need an anthem to rise above the brokenness. 'World Needs Jesus' has reminded me that my worship and my world don't run along separate lines, but they need to intersect. Let's be brave enough to sing about the darkness and sing that dark straight to the light of Jesus." River Valley Worship is a collection of artists, musicians and songwriters who are an extension of the vibrant creative culture within River Valley Church. With campuses spread across the greater Minneapolis, MN area as well as an international campus in Swaziland, Africa, River Valley Worship is making a global impact. This new single is the debut song from their upcoming full-release Million Lifetimes that will be available on March 2, 2018 on BEC Worship. River Valley Church began in 1995 in Minnesota and has grown as a multisite church with weekly attendance of more than 9,000 with eight U.S. campuses and one international campus with plans to continue to grow. The church is led by Pastor Rob Ketterling. Supporting the new song, River Valley Worship has also released the official lyric video for the song that is an anthem for the nation and world as the new year begins. Click below to watch the lyric video. ABOUT BEC WORSHIP: BEC Recordings recently launched the new imprint, BEC WORSHIP, to feature their new worship-focused artists and projects. BEC WORSHIP aims at bringing music that will both impact the listener and resource the local church. In partnering with River Valley Worship, they are excited to release music that is unique and powerful, while remaining accessible for the church to sing. Visit BEC WORSHIP (http://becworship.com) for resources. HAWAII SUPREME COURT DECISION STOPS WEST HAWAII FISHING PERMITS PENDING AN ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW News Release from DLNR, January 5, 2018 (Honolulu) - DLNR announced today that after applying a Hawaii Supreme Court ruling from last year to an existing DLNR rule, no aquatic life may be taken for commercial aquarium purposes off West Hawaii until an environmental review is completed. The court ruled on September 6, 2017, that an environmental review must first occur before permits can be used to catch aquatic life for the commercial aquarium trade. Following that ruling, State Circuit Court Judge Jeffrey P. Crabtree terminated and canceled all fine mesh net permits. DLNR rules state that a Hawaii State Aquarium Permit is also required to take any aquatic life from waters off of West Hawaii for commercial aquarium purposes. Although the state permit referenced in the rules is not defined, the intent of the Supreme Court decision is clear, said Bruce Anderson, Administrator of the DLNR Division of Aquatic Resources. As a result of these court decisions it is clear that fine mesh nets cannot be used anywhere in Hawaii in the commercial aquarium trade until the environmental review process has been completed. Given the intent of the court ruling, any taking of aquarium fish or other animals for the commercial pet trade in West Hawaii is prohibited until the environmental review has been completed, said Anderson. # # # KGI: Ban on taking fish for aquariums now statewide WHT: DLNR shuts down aquarium fishing in West Hawaii pending environmental review Related: Oct 2017: Judge Invalidates Aquarium Collectors Permits Tulsi Gabbard say that she doesnt control the Russian bots that support her, but she did control the hiring of Chris Cooper, the smear campaigner who was paid by Natalia Veselnitskaya and her Russian backed sponsors to smear me and try to repeal the Magnitsky Act in DC https://t.co/pxS1eBmln8 Bill Browder (@Billbrowder) October 20, 2019 Tulsi Gabbard Hires Russian Agent to Keep Hawaii Media in Check by Andrew Walden, www.HawaiiFreePress.com, January 5, 2018 Russia has lots of experience in media censorship. So perhaps it is logical that Rep Tulsi Gabbard (D-HI-2) hires an agent of the Russian government as a consultant to keep Hawaii media under control. But Gabbards consultant, Chris Cooper of the Potomac Square Group, is no ordinary Russian agent. Cooper is allegedly one of seven identified as being at the center of illegal Russian lobbying efforts reaching into the Trump campaign and Congress. Inquiries with Gabbards DC office last June by reporter Christine Gralowthen stringing an article for Honolulu Magazine--must have piqued the attentions of the numerous Hare Krishna cultists employed there . Within 24 hours a letter from Cooper, identifying himself as a consultant to Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, riddled with misspellings and inaccuracies, landed in the in-box of Honolulu Magazines editors. It worked. Honolulu Magazine suddenly lost interest in Gralows articles which she eventually published on her own website, www.MeanwhileinHawaii.org . And confirming its obsequience, on November 20, Honolulu Magazine characterized a Gabbard cult expose in the New Yorker as another project in otherizing Gabbards faith journey. Gralow says she became aware of the Cooper letter in November when a source sent her a copy. She posted the letter on her website December 31, 2017 . Cooperwho has not previously been publicly known to be tied to Gabbardis one of seven people named by Hermitage Capital Management CEO William Browder in a July 15, 2016 memo to the US Department of Justice identifying unregistered agents working illegally in the US under the direction/control/influence of the Russian Government. The seven are seeking repeal of the now-famous 2012 Magnitsky Act signed into law by President Obama in response to the imprisonment and 2009 murder of Hermitages anti-corruption investigator, Sergei Magnitsky , by agents of Russian dictator Vladimir Putin . Russian lawyer, Natalia Veselnitskaya is also among the seven agents cited by Hermitage. Repeal of the Magnitsky Act was the subject of a well-known June 9, 2016 Trump Tower meeting between Veselnitskaya and Trump campaign officials. This meeting is a focus for numerous Trump-Russia conspiracy investigations. The interests of Russias Syrian client-dictator Bashar al-Assad were front and center when Gabbard met personally with then President-elect Trump November 21, 2016 . Gabbard afterwards told reporters, I shared with (Trump) my grave concerns that escalating the war in Syria by implementing a so-called no fly/safe zone would be disastrous for the Syrian people, our country, and the world. In January, 2017, Gabbard travelled to Syria and met with Assad in a highly criticized trip organized by a pro-Assad political party . Gabbard has repeatedly argued that President Obama was arming ISIS and al-Qaeda via his support of anti-Assad rebels. Gabbards Hare Krishna guru Chris Butler seeks recognition from mainstream Hinduism in India. Gabbard has developed close ties with the Hindu nationalist government of India. Indias foreign policy is traditionally aligned with Russia. The Hindu nationalists are anti-Islamist. By aligning with Indias foreign policy, Gabbards work relating to Russia and Syria dovetails with Butlers drive for recognition from India. International intrigue is nothing new for the Butler Cult. Cult followers were convicted in New Zealand in 2008 and 2010 for trafficking 240 tonnes of hashish into the US--in part from Taliban-controlled Afghanistan. According to Hermitage, Cooper arranged a June 13, 2016 Washington, DC showing of an anti-Magnitsky Act documentary along with Rinat Akhmetshin a former member of the Russian military intelligence services (GRU). Hermitage continues: the day after the Newseum event, Congressman Royce chaired a House Foreign Affairs Committee hearing on U.S. policy towards Putins Russia attended byNatalia Veselnitskaya and Rinat Akhmetshin. Coopers website informs readers that he help(s) clients define and disseminate their narratives and client work focuses on interests in the US and Europe and countries that include Russia. The New York Times buttonholed Cooper at the documentary showing and reports: Mr. Cooper rented the theater in the Newseum and declined to say who was paying his company. Asked who paid him to write the letter to Honolulu Magazine, Cooper likewise did not respond to Hawaii Free Press. Gabbards FEC records and the Congressional Statement of Disbursements for the timeframe show no payment of campaign funds or Congressional office funds to Cooper or Potomac Square. Neither Gabbard nor her office responded to our query. ---30--- PDF: Cooper Letter to Honolulu Magazine The support of Vietnams court sector to its Lao counterpart is a vivid manifestation of the special relationship between the two countries Parties and States, the official said. He affirmed that the Vietnamese Government always backs the bilateral judicial ties, contributing to the development in each nation. Deputy Prime Minister Truong Hoa Binh (R) and Chief Judge of the Lao Supreme Peoples Court Khamphanh Sithidampha (Photo: VNA) The Deputy PM asked the Lao court to continue implementing contents of cooperation agreements reached by the two sides, and organise visits and exchanges for Vietnamese and Lao judicial officials. The Communist Party, State and Government of Vietnam always do their best, in any circumstances, to preserve the traditional relationship and special solidarity between Vietnam and Laos, he emphasised. In reply, Khamphanh Sitthidampha told his host that the Vietnamese and Lao court sectors have carried a range of cooperation activities with a focus on judge training, over the past time and increased the exchange of delegations at both central and local levels. Hailing the Vietnamese court sectors assistance in personnel training, the guest said ten Lao court officials will be sent to Vietnam to attend training courses at the Vietnam Court Academy in 2018. On this occasion, Khamphanh Sitthidampha handed over an insignia of the Lao court sector to Deputy PM Binh to honour his contributions to the formation and development of the Lao Peoples Supreme Court. On January 4th, on behalf of Vietnamese Party and State leaders, Chief Judge of the Supreme Peoples Court of Vietnam Nguyen Hoa Binh presented a first-class Independence Order to the Supreme Peoples Court of Laos./. Joe Satriani isnt trying to be like the late comedian/actor Robin Williams these days. But the guitar great remembers a random encounter he had with Williams that illustrates, at least to an extent, a process hes gone through in evaluating his public and private personality traits over the past few years. Going back maybe 25, 26 years, we lived on this street in San Francisco that was right around the corner from a school, a kindergarten through eighth grade school, Satriani recounted in a mid-December phone interview. One morning, my wife and I are in the garage and were packing the car for something. We hear what sounds like an absolute crazy person walking up the street. It really sounded like a crazy, deranged person, right? So we kind of froze and looked and we were waiting for this person to come into view. All of a sudden, who comes walking by, but its Robin Williams walking his son to school. Of course, hes entertaining his son like youve seen him in music and television shows, the guitarist said. It reminds me that he was such a wonderful person and a great performer, but I suppose there wasnt a line there. If he was doing that at 7:30 in the morning with his son just to put a smile on his sons face, thats pretty remarkable. So it comes to mind when I think about that whole thing about performers have two lives, one for home and one for the stage. For many years, Satriani who is appearing with fellow guitarists John Petrucci and Phil Collen as part of the G3 tour on Tuesday at the Eccles Theater in Salt Lake saw a marked difference in who he was in private and how he tried to come across on stage. Like many musicians, he was quite shy when he first started touring. In fact, on the first run of dates promoting his 1987 breakthrough second album, Surfing With the Alien, he spent much of the time with his back to audiences as a way to deal with his shyness. To help him come out of his shell, Satriani over the years developed a series of on-stage personas the latest he named Shockwave Supernova that allowed him to be a flashier performer who embraced stunts like playing the guitar with his teeth in order to entertain audiences. But especially in making his 2015 album, Shockwave Supernova, and then touring to promote that release, Satriani began to question whether his persona was overtaking him. The concluding song on that album, Goodbye Supernova, hinted at the emerging conflict. And then Satriani got to further examine his alter ego when his son, ZZ, joined the touring to film a documentary, finding his father at a place where he was trying to reconcile his on-stage persona with his natural traits and personality. In the end, Satriani found a way forward. I think one of the things he (ZZ Satriani) discovered is it wasnt so much a discarding of an alter ego as it was me accepting that it was really part of me all along, he said. I had sort of separated it as a way of maybe trying to distance myself from something I was uncomfortable with. Satriani put his decision to express a truer version of himself into practice in writing for his newly released 16th studio album, What Happens Next. One factor that helped him focus on where to go musically was playing the straight-forward hard rock music he makes with Sammy Hagar, Chad Smith (drummer of the Red Hot Chili Peppers) and Michael Anthony (former bassist in Van Halen) in the side group Chickenfoot. It was just one of those things where you go, Thats where I want to be. Thats what I want to do. Ive got to write material that is more natural feeling, that has more elements of that rock and soul, and less elements of clever progressive rock arrangement ideas, Satriani said. Recruiting Smith and bassist Glenn Hughes (of Deep Purple fame) to form his studio band, Satriani dispensed almost entirely with the progressive rock influences and science fiction motifs that had flavored his past several albums and pursued a sound rooted in rock and soul. This pushed Satriani to look more inward and use his songs, which remain all instrumental, to express more basic human emotions. The result is a potent album with songs that are more concise and direct in their emotions, but still feature plenty of expressive and accomplished playing. Several songs, including Energy, Catbot and Headrush are among the hardest rocking but still catchy songs Satriani has created. At the same time, tunes like Smooth Soul, Righteous and Forever and Ever, dial back on the voltage and showcase a more fluid and highly melodic feel that draws strongly from soul and rock, and brings a nice balance to the album. Now Satriani is embarking on upwards of two years of touring. The first round of touring behind What Happens Next will find Satriani joined by Dream Theater guitarist Petrucci and Def Leppard guitarist Collen for the latest edition of his G3 tour. Each guitarist will play a set running 45 minutes to an hour and then the trio will perform together to finish the night. The G3 tour first happened in 1996, and past outings have found Satriani joined by such top-tier guitarists as Steve Vai, Petrucci, Eric Johnson and Robert Fripp. The wild card on this years tour would seem to be Collen. Unlike other G3 artists, Collen is not known for extended soloing or complex technique largely because Def Leppards songs are centered around fairly tight arrangements and vocal melodies. But Satriani said after getting to know Collen at his G4 guitar camp last summer and seeing Collen play, he knew he wanted to have him join this years G3 tour. Collen, in a separate mid-December phone interview said he jumped at the chance. I love guitar, obviously. I just thought I could add something a little different, Collen said, explaining why he wanted to do the G3 tour. Im not an instrumental guitarist. Im a song-based, firepower rock player, if you want to put it in those terms, very loud and aggressive, hard rocking and all of that. Im a rock player. I think its a nice blend. Collen said much of his show will feature instrumentals and music he has done in his blues-rock-soul band Delta Deep, which has a new concert release, East Coast Live, arriving in January. As for Satriani, he said he plans to showcase several songs from What Happens Next in his set, along with fan favorites from his back catalog. Given the changes Satriani has gone through in reconciling his Shockwave Supernova persona and his real personality, will audiences see a different kind of performer when Satriani hits the stage for his G3 sets? Even Satriani wasnt sure. Im curious to see what happens, he said. But my guess is Ill probably hit the stage with renewed excitement and maybe Ill go even further with the performance. I know that period of laying myself open, allowing myself to be sort of dissected during the filming of (the ZZ Satriani documentary) Beyond The Supernova, really was a healthy thing. It helped unlock the emotions to create a new album, finish it and then feel comfortable to prepare to bring it out on tour. All the things that seemed to be part of the pathos behind the Shockwave Supernova character were somehow excised during that whole process. So Im looking forward to it, like its the final step. It should be very interesting. G3 What: Tour featuring top-tier guitarists Joe Satriani (Chickenfoot), John Petrucci (Dream Theater) and Phil Collen (Def Leppard) When: Tuesday at 7 p.m. Where: Eccles Theater, 131 N. Main St., Salt Lake City Tickets: $35-$95 Info: (385) 468-1010, artssaltlake.org/venue/eccles-theater SALT LAKE CITY A state lawmaker from Spanish Fork wants to specifically outlaw assisted suicide after a man was accused of helping a teenager kill herself and filming the act. The case brought to light what State Rep. Michael McKell called potential flaws in state law. Hes sponsoring a bill that would amend the statute on manslaughter to include assisted suicide, The Salt Lake Tribune reported. The change would mean that a person could be convicted of a second-degree felony if prosecutors prove that person provided the means for someone to perform the act. The crime would be punishable by up to 15 years in prison. The Republican lawmaker said his proposed bill stemmed from the case of Tyerell Przybycien. Prosecutors filed a murder charge against Przybycien, but McKell worries authorities could be stymied in future cases without clear assisted-suicide laws. We need to make sure we empower prosecutors to have the tools necessary to seek justice in an appropriate way, McKell said. Przybycien, 18, has pleaded not guilty to the murder charge and a misdemeanor charge of failing to report a dead body. A trial date has not yet been scheduled. Przybycien is accused of assisting in the 16-year-old girls suicide near Maple Lake in Spanish Fork Canyon. Prosecutors said Przybycien bought the rope, tied the noose and filmed the death on a cellphone. Prosecutors have argued that the girl likely would not have killed herself without the assistance from Przybycien. According to court documents, Przybyciens attorneys have argued that the girl could have changed her mind at any time and ultimately made the decision herself. If the McKells bill becomes law, it would not retroactively apply to Przybyciens case. Even if Utah law included a statute on assisted suicide, Deputy Utah County Attorney Chad Grunander said Przybycien probably would not have been charged differently. Under the facts of the case, Grunander said prosecutors believe a murder charge is warranted. However, having language about assisted suicides on the books would provide prosecutors another tool to use when making charging decisions, he said. McKell told The Associated Press the plan isnt aimed at terminal ill people who want to end their lives on their own terms, though he acknowledged there could be some overlap. As a death with dignity movement gained steam in the U.S., the Utah Legislature has considered allowing the terminally ill to end their own lives, though the idea hasnt gotten significant traction. McKell said he doesnt take a stance on the death with dignity issue. His proposal now excludes people who obey patient do-not-resuscitate orders and he said he would be open to possible revisions. Hello, my Utah County friends, this is the beginning of what I hope is a long string of columns where I write about my observations on life through the lens of a former mayor. I want to write about politics this time because our campaign season has ended and the newly elected officials are now being sworn in. Let me just say that the vast majority of elected officials are very decent and honest people who mean to do the best they can for their constituents. However, and this is a big however, we constantly complain as a society about our politicians, often for good reason. Even many of the honest and decent politicians underwhelm us, not because they are not well-intended or nice people, but because they are not qualified for the job. If we were to consider the scope of their assignment from a private sector perspective, most of them would not be hired based upon their objective qualifications. Lets dive into this a bit. I believe the legislative branch should be very diverse and include anyone that meets the constitutional age criteria all genders, creeds, ethnicities and political beliefs. But they should all understand budgets and finance. So much of what they do involves large amounts of money. So much so that if they dont understand how large budgets work, then they will make mistakes and often they do. Overseeing a large government budget is much different than managing a family budget or the budget of a small business. This is a cold, hard reality. The executive branch should also be very diverse. But it should be filled with people who have real world executive experience. Would a private sector company hire someone as CEO who has never run a business of a similar size and who has no analogous real world experience in such a position? Yet, this is what the electorate does when it chooses an elected official to serve in the executive branch despite having little or no experience managing large budgets. In my view, this is the problem that plagues much of the current process. We choose our elected officials the same way we choose student body presidents, making the election process more of a popularity contest rather than a vetting of the candidates objective qualifications. A different, much more rigorous, vetting process is needed. No, I am not talking about the caucus convention system. Too often the only thing that gets vetted there is party loyalty and how doctrinaire, dogmatic and conservative (or liberal) a candidate is and not whether the candidate is actually capable of the task at hand. Effectively running the executive branch of government requires more than a friendly smile, firm handshake and the ability to speak party platitudes on cue. We need people who are experienced, competent, trustworthy, and wise. Someone once told me that if you are going to complain about something, have a solution. I am going to attempt a solution here, but this is not going to be easy. The application process to run for an executive office needs to be revamped to better vet candidate qualifications. Applications for executive office should not just ask who you are and how old you are. They should ask what relevant experience the candidate has for the office sought. What size budgets have you been responsible for? What size companies have you managed? How many employees did you oversee and maybe most importantly how successful were you? We should also not forget the type of education or training they have. These types of questions are asked of public servants serving in other branches of government. For example, those serving in the judicial branch of government must fill out extensive applications that require applicants to identify the percentage of time they have spent on each type of legal work (i.e., 20 percent criminal defense, 25 percent domestic law, 35 percent personal injury, etc.), how many years of experience they have, their educational background, any awards, honors or distinctions they have received, and other objective criteria that vets their qualifications to serve in the judicial branch. If, as a society, we have recognized that serving in the judicial branch of government requires a certain level of training, education and experience, why dont we recognize that choosing the CEO of our state and local governments demands an analogously rigorous selection? The media should also take a larger role in the selection and vetting process for elected officials. After all, it is the media that most often fills the role of the job interviewer in elections. Therefore, the media should be asking the same questions as any competent job interviewer would ask. I recognize the voters can still disregard the fruits of a better vetting process and choose candidates based upon criteria other than their objective qualifications. But at least candidates would be aware that some voters will not. Moreover, wouldnt such a revamping of the process better serve to educate the public as to what really qualifies someone to hold public office? Perhaps even the inevitable public discussion and public debate about whether we should tinker with the selection process in the way that I propose would trigger a dialogue that makes us think more deeply about how we choose our elected officials. As Martha Stewart would say, that would be a good thing. Let me finish with Macbeth in a blatant attempt to curry favor with lovers of the Bard Act 5, Scene 5, page 2, where Macbeth is talking to Seyton about the dead queen. Macbeth illustrates his point by analogizing to an actor, who struts and frets his hour upon the stage, [a]nd then is heard no more. It is essentially a tale [t]old by an idiot, full of sound and fury, [s]ignifying nothing. If we dont start to hire our politicians as we should then it is on us and our complaints are just that, sound and fury. Donald Trump is given to lurid rhetoric, and in the MS-13 gang he has finally met a subject beyond his ability to exaggerate. He calls members of the largely Salvadoran gang animals. He charges them with spreading gruesome bloodshed. He says they kidnap, they extort, they rape and they rob, they prey on children. And, finally, he insists that they shouldnt be here. Hes right on every count. If there is any aspect of the Trump immigration agenda that should command universal support, it is his crackdown on an immigrant gang whose motto is murder, rape and control, and whose signature weapon is the machete. Yet the Trump administrations focus on MS-13 has occasioned criticism from the usual quarters, for the usual reasons. A piece in The Boston Globe objected to the administration blaming crime on highly organized gangs of immigrants. Well, what if a highly organized gang of immigrants is indeed responsible for its own crime wave? Philip Bump of The Washington Post objected to Trump at an Ohio rally speaking of the brutal stabbing death of a teenage girl at the hands of MS-13. It was a graphic depiction of Hispanic immigrants in the United States, Bump wrote, as violent, bloodthirsty animals. As it happens, MS-13 are, indeed, bloodthirsty, and they are Hispanic immigrants. Jamelle Bouie of Slate accused the president of undertaking a political plan to demagogue Hispanic immigrants as imminent threats to white Americans, and white women in particular. This has it backward. The chances of a white person getting extorted, assaulted or killed by MS-13 is vanishingly small compared with the poor Hispanic immigrants who live and work in the communities blighted by the gang. As Jessica Vaughan and Jon Feere noted in a report for the restrictionist Center for Immigration Studies, a surge of more than 2 million immigrants came to the United States from Central America during the 1980s and 1990s, most settling in Los Angeles, most illegal immigrants. Nurtured on violence in the guerrilla wars of Central America, members of the incipient MS-13 were well-prepared to fight it out in the worst gang-ridden neighborhoods in the city. Law enforcement substantially disrupted the gang in the United States during the 2000s, but it has made a comeback. The gangs leaders in El Salvador professionalized its U.S. operations. And the flow of so-called unaccompanied children from Central America across the southern border has replenished the gangs ranks; MS-13 members have been among the migrants, and the influx of non-English-speaking young males with no connections to the U.S. provides a ready base of recruitment. This has led to horrifying headlines in places across the U.S. with large Central American populations, from Long Island to Houston to the Washington, D.C., area. In a lengthy report on Langley Park, Maryland, The Washington Post detailed the depredations of MS-13 seven miles from the White House. According to the Post, It took Abigail Bautista less than a month of living in Langley Park to learn that her new neighborhood in Maryland had its own set of laws, written not in statutes but in gang graffiti and blood. Needless to say, Bautista is not a white woman. Shes an illegal immigrant and mother of five, whose street vending business made her a prime target for extortion by the gang. The tragedy of immigrants in places like Langley Park is that they encounter in the U.S. exactly the breakdown in civil society and lack of rule of law that they thought they were escaping in Central America. It will only stop if we continue the newly invigorated campaign against MS-13 members, and get a better handle on migrants coming here from Central America. The commentators tsk-tsking Trumps focus on MS-13 surely dont, by and large, live in neighborhood dominated by savage gangs. Why should anyone else? Minh called on the UK Government to encourage British businesses to step up their investment and business in Vietnam, closely coordinate with the Vietnamese side to raise the efficiency of the use of capital sourced from the UK Commonwealth Foundation and create favourable conditions for the country to access the fund. He also suggested the UK Government continue coordination with its Vietnamese counterpart in building a long-term development pathway for the Vietnam-UK Institute for Research and Executive Education and make it easier for the entry and residence of Vietnamese students in the country. For his part, Mark Field highly valued achievements Vietnam has recorded in socio-economic development as well as in international integration in general and trade liberalisation in particular. He affirmed that the UK Government will prioritise deepening the strategic partnership across fields in the time ahead. Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh (R) and UK Foreign Office Minister for Asia and the Pacific Mark Field. (Source: VNA) Earlier the same day, Mark Field and Vietnamese Permanent Deputy Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son co-chaired the sixth Vietnam-UK Strategic Dialogue, which took place in an open atmosphere and on the basis of mutual respect and understanding.The two sides discussed orientations and concrete measures to beef up the strategic partnership in a more practical and effective manner, particularly in politics-diplomacy, trade-investment, education-training, science-technology and national defence-security, in the context that the two countries are celebrating the 45th anniversary of bilateral diplomatic ties (1973-2018).They agreed to increase the exchange of all-level delegations while fruitfully implementing the strategic dialogue mechanism on diplomacy, national defence and security.At the same time, they will increase the promotion of trade, investment, culture and tourism, and people-to-people exchange, along with intensifying their cooperation in international forums such as the UN, the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) and within the framework of the ASEAN-EU cooperation. Both sides stressed that economic cooperation will continue being a key pillar of the Vietnam-UK strategic partnership. Son affirmed that the Vietnamese Government will continue creating favourable conditions for UK enterprises to do effective business in the country in the fields of infrastructure development, finance-banking, insurance, oil and gas, energy and pharmacy. The two sides agreed to foster cooperation to ensure the continuity of key cooperative fields, especially trade and investment, after Brexit. The two countries will also boost connection in vocational training to develop high-quality human resources for Vietnam as well as effectively implement activities of the Vietnam-UK Institute for Research and Executive Education in Da Nang University and scientific research projects in the framework of the Newton Programme Vietnam funded by the UK Government. Regarding defence cooperation, Mark Field praised the fruitful relations between the two countries Defence Ministries, reaffirming the continued implementation of bilateral cooperation mechanisms and the Defence Cooperation Memorandum of Understanding between the two ministries. The UK will continue supporting Vietnam in joining UN peace-keeping activities, he said. The two sides reaffirmed their commitment to closely coordinating in fighting organised crimes, human trafficking, illegal migration, and illegal trade of wildlife. In the framework of the dialogue, the two officials compared notes on regional and international issues of common concern, agreeing on the importance of improving the efficiency of global administration as well as regional linkages, and the role of international law in resolving global issues. Concerning the East Sea issue, they called on involved parties to show their goodwill in implementing international obligations, avoid activities that can complicate the situation and increase tension in the region. They also stressed the increasingly important role played by ASEAN in maintaining peace and stability in the region, reiterating that disputes must be solved by peaceful measures in line with international law, including the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (1982 UNCLOS). The two sides also issued a joint press release on the outcomes of the dialogue./. 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 China has invested billions of dollars to increase its soft power, but it has recently suffered a backlash in democratic countries. A new report by the National Endowment for Democracy argues that we need to re-think soft power, because the conceptual vocabulary that has been used since the Cold Wars end no longer seems adequate to the contemporary situation. The report describes the new authoritarian influences being felt around the world as sharp power. A recent cover article in The Economist defines sharp power by its reliance on subversion, bullying and pressure, which combine to promote self-censorship. Whereas soft power harnesses the allure of culture and values to augment a countrys strength, sharp power helps authoritarian regimes compel behaviour at home and manipulate opinion abroad. The term soft power the ability to affect others by attraction and persuasion rather than the hard power of coercion and payment is sometimes used to describe any exercise of power that does not involve the use of force. But that is a mistake. Power sometimes depends on whose army or economy wins, but it can also depend on whose story wins. A strong narrative is a source of power. Chinas economic success has generated both hard and soft power, but within limits. A Chinese economic aid package under the Belt and Road Initiative may appear benign and attractive, but not if the terms turn sour, as was recently the case in a Sri Lankan port project. Likewise, other exercises of economic hard power undercut the soft power of Chinas narrative. For example, China punished Norway for awarding a Nobel Peace Prize to Liu Xiaobo. It also threatened to restrict access to the Chinese market for an Australian publisher of a book critical of China. If we use the term sharp power as shorthand for information warfare, the contrast with soft power becomes plain. Sharp power is a type of hard power. It manipulates information, which is intangible, but intangibility is not the distinguishing characteristic of soft power. Verbal threats, for example, are both intangible and coercive. When I introduced the concept of soft power in 1990, I wrote that it is characterised by voluntarism and indirection, while hard power rests on threats and inducements. If someone aims a gun at you, demands your money, and takes your wallet, what you think and want is irrelevant. That is hard power. If he persuades you to give him your money, he has changed what you think and want. That is soft power. Truth and openness create a dividing line between soft and sharp power in public diplomacy. When Chinas official news agency, Xinhua, broadcasts openly in other countries, it is employing soft-power techniques, and we should accept that. When China Radio International covertly backs 33 radio stations in 14 countries, the boundary of sharp power has been crossed, and we should expose the breach of voluntarism. Of course, advertising and persuasion always involve some degree of framing, which limits voluntarism, as do structural features of the social environment. But extreme deception in framing can be viewed as coercive; though not violent, it prevents meaningful choice. Techniques of public diplomacy that are widely viewed as propaganda cannot produce soft power. In an age of information, the scarcest resources are attention and credibility. That is why exchange programmes that develop two-way communication and personal relations among students and young leaders are often far more effective generators of soft power than, say, official broadcasting. The United States has long had programmes enabling visits by young foreign leaders, and now China is successfully following suit. That is a smart exercise of soft power. But when visas are manipulated or access is limited to restrain criticism and encourage self-censorship, even such exchange programmes can shade into sharp power. As democracies respond to Chinas sharp power and information warfare, they have to be careful not to overreact. Much of the soft power democracies wield comes from civil society, which means that openness is a crucial asset. China could generate more soft power if it would relax some of its tight party control over civil society. Similarly, manipulation of media and reliance on covert channels of communication often reduces soft power. Democracies should avoid the temptation to imitate these authoritarian sharp-power tools. Moreover, shutting down legitimate Chinese soft-power tools can be counter-productive. Soft power is often used for competitive, zero-sum purposes; but it can also have positive sum aspects. For example, if both China and the US wish to avoid conflict, exchange programmes that increase American attraction to China, and vice-versa, would benefit both countries. And on transnational issues such as climate change, where both countries can benefit from cooperation, soft power can help build the trust and create the networks that make such cooperation possible. While it would be a mistake to prohibit Chinese soft-power efforts just because they sometimes shade into sharp power, it is also important to monitor the dividing line carefully. For example, the Hanban, the government agency that manages the 500 Confucius Institutes and 1,000 Confucius classrooms that China supports in universities and schools around the world to teach Chinese language and culture, must resist the temptation to set restrictions that limit academic freedom. Crossing that line has led to the disbanding of some Confucius Institutes. As such cases show, the best defence against Chinas use of soft-power programmes as sharp-power tools is open exposure of such efforts. And this is where democracies have an advantage. Joseph Nye is a professor at Harvard and author of The Future of Power. The views expressed are personal Teaching young people to dream again is the vision of a Moroccan cultural centre in a rundown Casablanca district, once home to a group of suicide bombers who killed 33 people in 2003. Based in a white building next to a tramline and opposite a mosque, the Stars Cultural Centre in Sidi Moumen regularly hosts more than 300 young people for classes in music and music theory, classical dance, hip-hop, English and French. When we tell young people that violence is not a means to express themselves, we must find them other means, said filmmaker Nabil Ayouch, who co-founded the centre with artist Mahi Binebine. Ayouchs connection with the district began with his film Horses of God, which looked at how young people in the neighbourhood were becoming radicalised. When he organised a screening of the film in Sidi Moumen, Ayouch realised something: Even in an area without rights, there is the right to hope. That seed of an idea eventually led him to set up the centre in the district that was home to 12 suicide bombers, who carried out the May 2003 attacks in Casablanca. Yacine, 14, is studying piano and music theory and hopes that one day he can become a concert musician and perform with an orchestra. The training is much better than at the Casablanca Conservatoire, he said. Students families pay for the lessons but those on limited means receive subsidised rates. The centre offers free film screenings, hosts foreign artists and gives shows that attract spectators from far and wide. The centre hopes to change the way people see a neighbourhood many would previously have avoided. (AFP) Conservative society Back in 2014, there was nothing -- no culture, no cinema, said the centres assistant manager, Soumia Errahmani. But funded by private donations and foreign cultural institutes, the centre has shown that there are also stars and not only terrorists in the district, she said. The 24-year-old, her hair covered with an Islamic headscarf, said the project had taught her that if you want, you can. She herself signed up for a class because she had always dreamed of playing guitar and percussion. She put together a band, Africa Vibes, and stayed. Now she manages student registrations at the centre and works to reassure parents. In Moroccos conservative society, the relationship with art in general, and with dance in particular, is very difficult, she said. But today, parents come to see the shows, they are proud of their children, she said. Mothers, who were worried about seeing their daughters dancing, come to ask for advice, some borrow books. Local Moroccan children attend a music class at the Stars Cultural Centre in Casablanca's northeastern suburb of Sidi Moumen. (AFP) Invisible walls Performances and lessons at the centre take breaks around Muslim prayer times. Ayouch, who grew up among the tower blocks of the working-class Paris suburb of Sarcelles, said the centre aims to break down the invisible walls both mental and geographical, which confine culture to the city centre. In November, he opened a similar centre in the Beni Makada district of Tangiers, a neglected, over-crowded neighbourhood known for drug dealing and police raids. Director Annafs Azzakia Ben Sbih told AFP the centre aimed to show that there are also young talents and change the way people see a neighbourhood many would previously have avoided. Further centres are planned in disadvantaged districts of Marrakesh and Fes. Ayouch said the idea is to create a network with similar programmes and shared programmes, with passionate teachers who are trained and rewarded, who can make openings for young people to jump into, Ayouch said. It was through the centre that Meriem, 21, became a rapper. She is working on a new record, What belongs to girls, and dreams of going on tour. Her father opposes her hobby but her mother is supportive. She encourages me and tells me go ahead, she said. Follow @htlifeandstyle for more After inspiring industry-wide introspection with her comments about nepotism on Karan Johars chat show, Koffee With Karan, star Kangana Ranaut found herself blacklisted from a certain section of the film industry, by her own admittance. Karan has now said that despite being called the flagbearer of nepotism on his own show, he would welcome Kangana on his new reality show, Indias Next Superstar. I am sure when Star Plus (the channel which will air the show) invites her we will be happy to have her, he told PTI. Our heart is big, our house is open to all. We will happily, lovingly and respectfully welcome her on the show, he added. In the show, Karan will judge contestants along with filmmaker Rohit Shetty. Actor Priyanka Chopra will be the first guest. Karan and Rohit will judge 20 contestants of which two will be given an opportunity to work with the filmmakers. The show will air from January 13. Our job as a director is to find talent and with this show we are just going to continue doing that. Our aim is to provide new talent to the industry, Karan said. Kangana recently appeared in Simran and will next be seen in Manikarnika, playing the Rani of Jhansi. Karans last film as director was Ae Dil Hai Mushkil. He is currently producing the ambitious trilogy Brahmastra with Alia Bhatt and Ranbir Kapoor. Follow @htshowbiz for more I last wrote about the best meals I had eaten in 2017 in a May issue of Brunch. Heres a list that takes up from that date. Rather than list them chronologically however, I have tried to distinguish the chef-driven restaurants from the others. The chefs Sergi Arola: Arola is one of Spains most famous chefs, with two Michelin stars at his flagship restaurant and branches all over the world including (very briefly) a restaurant at the JW Marriott in Juhu, Mumbai. I ate at his restaurant at the stunning Penha Longa Ritz-Carlton resort in Portugal. Much to my surprise, Arola was not only present (celebrity chefs are usually only seen on TV) but was actually cooking. Chef Sergi Arola has two Michelin stars at his flagship restaurant (Getty Images) I ordered the Menu Loco, which is tasting portions of every single dish on the menu and Arola (who I know slightly from his time in Mumbai) added a few off-menu choices. I was very full by the end of it but it was worth it. A standout was the seafood pot-au-feu, Arolas homage to the great French chef Michel Guerard. Jose Avillez, Portugals most famous chef, runs Belcanto in Lisbon Jose Avillez: Belcanto in Lisbon has two Michelin stars but would I dare say have won three stars if it was in France. It is run by Jose Avillez, Portugals most famous chef and his tasting menu was exquisite. I loved his signature Golden Egg, slow cooked and served on a bed of mushroom, and his Roast Pork which was a tribute to Sunday lunch: a square of roast pork with crisp crackling, hand-cut chips and the heart of a lettuce. Scallops served at chef Giorgio Locatellis restaurant Locatelli in London Giorgio Locatelli: Locatelli has run a Michelin-starred Italian restaurant for over a decade in the heart of London without ever trying to push himself or infuse the food with gimmicks. This time, I ate a typical Locatelli meal: first rate ingredients (including a wonderful tartare of Italian beef) cooked perfectly in a simple and unshowy way. Masaharu Morimoto: Most guests at Wasabi (in Delhi and Mumbai) think of Morimotos food in terms of Nobu where he was once executive chef (at the first Nobu in New York). But Morimoto has gone far beyond that phase and his food is now far more complex and varied. I ate at Wasabi, Delhi, when he was visiting and he cooked himself (some of it at the counter in the restaurant) and while all of the food was good, I have memories of the sea-urchin dish, which will not fade easily. Gaggan Anand: Every three months or so, Gaggan changes his menu. Over the last few years I have usually been able to go to Bangkok and keep up with the changes. This year too, I must have eaten his food at least four times. Each menu is different, each one is more of a dive into the deep end. Somehow, he manages to make it work, to reinvent his food and to keep me astonished! Martin Berasategui: The least globally famous of Spains many three star chefs, Berasategui, is among the most consistent. I ate at his San Sebastian restaurant and was bowled over: parfait of foie gras and smoked eel, a tiny omelette filled with truffles, a foamy mushroom broth and more. Mugaritz in Spain is the global laboratory for modern cuisine techniques Andoni Luis Aduriz: Andoni is the chefs chef. His restaurant, Mugaritz, is among the worlds most famous but what makes his food special is his creativity with techniques. I ate 27 courses and with each dish I was reminded of something some other chef had copied and done. Mugaritz is pretty much the global laboratory for modern cuisine techniques. Manish Mehrotra: Indias greatest chef. I ate this year at both the old Indian Accent and the new one at The Lodhi hotel. The difference was that Manishs food has got even better. He has just opened in London to great word-of-mouth and I only hope it does not mean that we see less of him in Delhi. Sriram Aylur and Srijith Gopinath: The two stars of the Taj group: Sriram runs Quilon in London and Srijith is chef at San Franciscos Campton Place. Both have Michelin stars but their food is very different. Sriram (who was chef at Bengalurus Karavali) is a master of South Indian flavours and seafood while Srijith is more California-influenced and ingredient-focused. The Taj brought them both back to India in 2017. Srijith cooked at the stunning dining room at Hyderabads Falaknuma Palace and then both did a joint dinner at Varq at the Delhi Taj. Their food is always terrific. But both are at their best in their own restaurants. Brett Graham: I have never worked out why Michelin does not regard Grahams food at Londons The Ledbury as worthy of three stars he is stuck at two. I had the single best meal of my trips to London there and the sophistication of the cooking was breathtaking. Andrew Wong, the man behind A. Wong, the best Chinese restaurant in London Andrew Wong: A. Wong is probably the best Chinese restaurant in London. Run by Andrew Wong (who has just opened at the Delhi Oberoi) it serves a modern take on the food of China: a single scallop wrapped in slithery cheung fan skin, Wagyu fried rice, pork with frozen foie gras and more. Thomas Zacharias: Thomas is probably the youngest chef on this list and he is slightly handicapped by working in the shadow of the great Floyd Cardoz, the influential New York chef behind both The Bombay Canteen, where Thomas is the executive chef, and O Pedro, its sister restaurant which does a fun version of Goan food. But Thomas has found his own voice now, routinely creates great dishes and has a distinct philosophy which is reflected in his food. The Bombay Canteen continues to be terrific and I ate better Goan food at O Pedro (in Mumbai) than I did at any of Goas trendy restaurants. Restaurants There are too many to mention. But here are some that served me meals that I remember. Rustoms: This Delhi Parsi restaurant is a labour of love and the food is truly outstanding. Nara, an elegant mini-chain, serves outstanding Thai food in Bangkok and has recently opened in Mumbai Nara: I go to a branch of Nara every time I am in Bangkok so I had two reasons to be delighted. One: they opened the wonderful spin-off Lady Nara at Bangkoks Central Embassy Mall. And two: best of all, there is now a Nara in Mumbai that matches the high standards of the Bangkok branches. Bukhara: One day someone will open a better kebab place than Bukhara. Till then, however, this is the gold standard. The cooking is excellent but the secret lies in the ingredients: the finest quality available. Given what Bukharas prices are, they can afford it. Shang Palace: I had so many fabulous meals at the Delhi outlet and I still cant wait to go back. The roast pork is a classic. Wasabi: The Delhi Wasabi has never ever been better even when Morimoto is not around. The best modern Japanese in India. Avartana: The first truly great concept created by ITC Hotels in a decade, this modern South Indian place at Chennais Grand Chola is a real breakthrough. I wait for more Avartanas at other ITC hotels. Masala Library: How Zorawar Kalra manages to keep opening so many new restaurants and still maintain such high standards at the Delhi Masala Library is a mystery. Obviously the food is good when the brilliant Saurabh Udinia is cooking; but the restaurant is so consistent that standards hold up in his absence. POH: Vikramjeet Roy has made a success of this modern Asian in Mumbais Parel because of his dogged vision and commitment to quality. Elkano: Just outside San Sebastian, this is one of the worlds greatest fish restaurants. Everything is local and simply cooked. And every mouthful is a delight. China Kitchen: The pioneering restaurant at Delhis Hyatt Regency went through a bad patch but is now back on form. Leave the menu to chef Zhang. Duck egg custard buns at A. Wong, London There were other great meals too in the period from May to December 2017. Sadly, Ive run out of space. Besides, this is quite a list... From HT Brunch, January 7, 2018 Follow us on twitter.com/HTBrunch Connect with us on facebook.com/hindustantimesbrunch Wafts of freshly-browned onions and possibly a mean haleem - boiling away in some cauldron interpolated by the aroma from freshly squeezed lemons guide my nostrils to the home of Sadia Dehlvi. A familiar face in the media and social circuits, Sadias now added a new feather to her cap thats heavy with titles ranging from author, writer, columnist and activist - and turned chef! Its not hard for me to spot her lovely home in the upscale Nizamuddin East locality of New Delhi where on the second floor curtains at the entrance bear life-size block prints of Islamic greetings as well as the smell of sumptuous spreads from the homes of Old Delhi. These, however, must not be mistaken for the rich Mughlai dishes doused in dollops of spices and ghee, but what Sadia is bringing to the table are authentic and some forgotten recipes from the Muslim households of North India. At 60, Ive found a new career and Im having a lot of fun as a chef. I feel food is as much about memories as it is about spices, festivity, culture as well as love and compassion, says Sadia who recently tied up with ITC to celebrate the Capitals authentic cuisine over a six-day dinner buffet festival - Delhi Tablespread. It was in the hotel kitchen that she was referred to as chef by the helpers and though initially she was a little take aback, now she revels in the new designation she has earned. Thought for food After finishing my cookbook (Jasmine and Jinns: Memories and Recipes of my Delhi) I felt the need to share recipes that are cooked in our homes and some things in particular to the community that I belong to, which is the Punjabi Saudagaran and they are a very isolated and insular community. These recipes need to be enjoyed and documented and a lot of youngsters in the community are not cooking these, says a concerned Sadia, taking breaks and to keep an eye on her signature alu ka saalan that shes cooking today. Haleem is one of Sadias many signature dishes Take for instance the kela (unripe banana) and sangri (beans from Khejri tree) saalan or the kachnar (Butterfly ash) ka bharta, I havent had these since my grandmother and Apa Sayeeda (their family retainer and governess) taught me how to cook before I moved to New York. I had made these after 20 years when I was working on my book! says Sadia, quickly adding goolar ka bharta to the list of forgotten recipes and reading my amusement shows me the goolar tree touching her balcony and explaining that its called country or cluster fig tree in English. She adds: Goolar ki sabzi is my sons favourite and I learnt the recipe from my aunt because nobody is cooking it anymore. But like a lot of the food we eat, goolar and kachnar have medicinal value. You see our communitys hub was Ballimaran the residential area of the hakims of the city and what they advised came into our cuisine. Wondering how cooking has taken centre-stage in her life at the moment, I ask Sadia how the cookbook and then the food festival figured in the scheme of things. She laughs and readily tells me the stories of her fairytale-like childhood days at Shama Kothi, her ancestral home studded with ponds and lilies and fountains on Sardar Patel Marg. Sadia prepares nehari - winter favourite garnished with lemon, coriander and ginger Sadia takes great pride in growing up in a culturally-rich household that impacted her very deeply. So, now she wants to share stories of her childhood through her cooking and food as it played a central role our lives and culture. I was born in 1957 in Shama Kothi where very glamorous and lavish banquets were thrown by my grandfather. We grew up entertaining film stars and literary figures because of Shama, our literary and film magazine, says Sadia and adds how their home was a stopover for film stars like Meena Kumari, Nargis, Raj Kapoor, Waheeda Rehman, Rakhi Gulzar, Dharmendra and Dimple Kapadia to literary greats like Ismat Chughtai and Ainee Apa (or Qurratulain Hyder) and poets like Kaifi Azmi, Majrooh Sultanpuri and the like who would attend mehfils, mushairas and qawwalis at Shama Kothi. Now events have shifted to the auditoriums but in those days in Delhi mehfils were in peoples homes, explains Sadia. Whoever would get married would come to seek blessings of my abba (father) whod give them an asharfi and there would be a huge dinner. There was a grand reception for Nargis when she became MP, she says and I listen with child-like amusement only to be interrupted by a whiff of alu saalan and corriander leaves from the kitchen. Alu ka saalan is a favourite of Sadias guests She goes to share memories of their monsoon picnics in Mehrauli and how all kids would look forward to eating hari mirch keema, besan ki roti and aam ki chutney and her longing to write about these memories and how food was an integral part of them. Hari mirch keema was part of the menu during the monsoon picnics at Mehrauli I worked on Jamine and Jinns for about two years and its the easiest book Ive written as it was always in my head. My other books are research-oriented and deal with Sufiism and dargahs. This was light writing but the most difficult part was to writing the measurements for the recipes because I cook with andaaz or a sense of proportion and never measure the ingredients. But when you are writing a recipe it has to be accurate, she says. And how did she learn cooking? By observing my Apa Sayeeda and chaachis (paternal aunts) in the kitchen. My mother is a disaster when it comes to cooking. She never cooked in her life and she doesnt like me cooking and thinks I waste my time. She always tells me I havent educated you to work in the kitchen, only women with oppressive husbands cook well, she says. Sadias smoked kachri keema is a huge hit among family and friends A spiritual edge However, Sadia herself is not a foodie. Her everyday home cooking comprises light salads, soups and fish or chicken prepared using Turkish and continental recipes passed on to her by her friends around the globe. But she enjoys cooking and feeding people. Im often told that I must reserve some recipes and not share everything, but Im a great follower of the Sufi path and frankly I think if Gods given me a skill or knowledge I must share it and bring joy to peoples lives. And the more I share the more I get, whether its food or recipes, says Sadia. In fact the festival came along because of her desire to feed people. Says Sadia: I approached ITC and expressed my desire to showcase Delhi cuisine. They said I could start with Delhi Pavilion and do a food festival there. But what I didnt realise was the hard work it involved. Shahi tukra was among the desserts that shone bright at the eight-day food festival at ITC in New Delhi She was allotted a station in the kitchen and got some help with cutting and chopping but was physically cooking from 11am to 6.30pm every day only taking namaz and coffee breaks in between. The eight-day festival featured starters like keema golis, chicken pasanda and kalmi vada and desserts ranging from regular shahi tukra to off beat shakarkandi ki kheer and gajar bharta, all prepared by Sadia. She made a menu for four days and then repeated it. It had six vegetarian dishes, so she tried out new recipes like paneer stew, paneer korma, shalgam bharta, ghotwa saag, diwani handiya, safed maash ki daal with laal pyaaz, pudina and dhania and bhuni moong dal tempered with masalas used for pulao. Bhuni maash ki dal was among the vegetarian dishes featured at the food festival The quantities never rattle her as Sadia has earlier manned the kitchen for food festivals with IIC and can easily cook for up to 100 people who she hosts for mehfils and during eid and bakra-eid dinners at home. What was challenging was the number of dishes that had to be prepared in a certain time, like six vegetarian, two mutton and one chicken-based dish along with things which are usually stand-alone like shabdeg, nehari, haleem and smoked kachri keema, which was the biggest hit, she says. Shabdeg, a dish typically cooked in Muslim households of North India, found favour with the guests at ITC She worked with her late brothers wife and was happy to have a co-chef from the family, and considers the experience to be a very rewarding one. This, of course was a winter spread but going forward Sadia plans to don the chefs cap yet again and is hoping to do these food festivals seasonally on a long term now. As for me, I was happy to taste the now ready alu saalan with hot chapatis off the tawa! Follow @lubnasalim1234 on Twitter From HT Brunch, January 7, 2018 Follow us on twitter.com/HTBrunch Connect with us on facebook.com/hindustantimesbrunch I would say the theatre is a better reflection of a people, their values and attitudes, than the cinema. For instance, make belief or escapist fantasy is more difficult on stage than on celluloid. Conversely, the immediacy of a play can be more telling than the directness of a film. A musical drama I saw in London last week is the example Im going to tell you about today. Called Everybodys Talking About Jamie and set in the British Midlands town of Sheffield, its about a young teenage boy who wants to dress like a girl. Jamie is not a transgender and he is not necessarily gay. His dream is to be a drag queen. The play is about how its fulfilled and how he emerges a hero for the audience. Before I tell you more, let me put this play in perspective. At the moment the hip-hop American musical Hamilton is the talk of the town. Its completely sold out and touts are said to be selling tickets in the black market for over a thousand pounds. The truth is everyones talking about Hamilton and Jamie is hardly mentioned. But thats a travesty. Ive seen both and I wont deny Hamilton is very good. But Jamie is not just outstanding and exceptional, its unique. Ultimately, Hamilton isnt worth the kings ransom you pay to see it. Jamie deserves every penny and considerably more of the normal theatre price it costs. Now back to why Jamie is a play Britain should be very proud of. In many, if not most, societies a boy wanting to dress as a girl would be a family tragedy and a public embarrassment. He would be consigned to the shadows, shut up behind locked doors and never spoken of. Lets be honest, thats how we would treat him in India. But not in this play which is what makes it so special. In its working class Yorkshire setting, Jamies ambition is treated as a joyous celebration of life. Be true to yourself and what the rest of the world thinks doesnt matter, is one half of the lesson this play teaches. The other is even more important. When you are, the world will accept you for what you want to be and many will, eventually, come to respect you for it. For two and a half hours the audience laughs and cries with Jamie and his Mum who encourages and defends him. His school chums, who support him, unlike his teacher, who cannot accept and doesnt realise shes being horribly cruel, forcefuly make the point that the young are often wiser than the elderly. Finally, when Jamie attends the school prom in a cream dress, matching stiletto heels, a blonde wig and make up the play reaches its beautiful climax. No doubt Jamie makes a stunning girl but the real magic of the moment youre witnessing is the beauty of a fulfilled human dream and, though it defies custom and convention, its acceptance and respect by Jamies friends and neighbours. Only his Dad, an old curmudgeon, is the odd man out. The applause when the play ended was thunderous and prolonged. It quickly turned into a standing ovation. Not surprisingly, Dad was booed. So, if youre planning a visit to London this year beg, borrow or steal a ticket to see Jamie. Youll never see anything like it in India. In fact, Id bet you wont see anything like it again in your life. The views expressed are personal Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat Saturday criticised the madrasas in the state for their refusal to put up a portrait of Prime Minister Narendra Modi inside their premises, asking them to give up their conservatism on the issue. Theres a catch though. The Uttarakhand Madrasa Education Board has already brushed aside a similar directive to educational institutions for installing PMs portrait, issued after the Independence Day last year, saying such orders were applicable only on government and aided schools. Of the total 297 madrasas in Uttarakhand, only one at Rehmaniya Road in Roorkee receives government aid. Installing the prime ministers portrait in all government institutions and those being run on government grants has been an established practice. The madrasas should give up their conservatism on the issue, CM told reporters here. Madrasas are also educational institutions. They should not have any objection to installing a portrait of the PM. They should view the issue from the Indian point of view, Rawat added. His statement is being taken as an apparent reaction to the madrasas refusal to comply with the state government orders on religious grounds.Islam prohibits installation of pictures of living beings inside mosques and madarsas, Deputy Registrar of Uttarakhand Madrasa Board Haji Akhlaq Ahmad Ansari had told news agencies a day ago. However, he had also said that the refusal to install the picture of the prime minister inside the madrsas should not be interpreted as their opposition to an individual. It was after the Independence Day last year that the Uttarakhand government directed all state-run and aided schools to put up a portrait of the PM and to take a pledge to implement Modis vision of a new India by 2022. Uttarakhand has a total of 297 madarsas of which only one at Rehmaniya Road in Roorkee received government aid an arrangement that was put in place even before the state came into existence. After the state was carved out of Uttar Pradesh in the 2000, Uttarakhand Madrasa Education Board a government institution was formed to look after the affairs of the madrasas. When BC Khanduri was the chief minister, he constituted the madrasa education board. But, the Congress government didnt move an inch on this issue because of which 99.99% madrasas are still not aided by the government, Madrasa Welfare Society chairman Sibte Nabi told Hindustan Times. Incidentally, the madrasas are functioning in a pitiable condition. Over 5,300 students enrolled in these madrasas will appear for the board exam this year. The teachers at the madrasas are provided salaries from the fund received under the Centres Scheme to Provide Quality Education in Madrasas (SPEQM). The welfare society plans to take up the matter with chief minister so that quality education can be imparted in the madarsas. The directive is meant for offices. The madrsas dont come under the purview of the directive. Therefore, theres no question of putting up pictures of the PM. The offices too havent received any verbal or written instruction regarding the direction s|o far, Haji Akhlaq Ahmad Ansari, deputy registrar of the board, informed. Thousands of fliers into and out of Delhi will be affected with at least 100 flights a day being cancelled for a little over a week between January 18 and Republic Day on January 26. Starting January 19 every year, airspace over Delhi is closed for 60-90 minutes for rehearsals for the air flypast that is a regular feature of the Republic Day parade. Previously, flights scheduled in this window used to be rescheduled, but this year, thanks to congestion at the Delhi airport, the airport operator says it will be unable to reschedule the flights by providing alternative slots. According to people familiar with the matter, this years notice from the Airport Authority of India to the airlines (the so-called Notice to Airmen) says that the airspace over Delhi will be closed between 10.35 am and 12.15 pm, and between January 18 and January 26. The airlines and DIAL have agreed to cancel domestic flights scheduled during this period, the people familiar with the matter said. DIAL confirmed the cancellations of the domestic flights. Approximately 15,000 passengers a day are likely to be affected by the shutdown. On an average, Delhi airport handled 1,350 flights every day in 2017, around 150 more per day than the previous year. Officials say while the number of flight handled by the Delhi airport has been going up by 10-15% every year, and number of passengers by 20%, there has been no commensurate increase in the airspace and terminal capacity. Rescheduling flights is not an option anymore because we have no extra slots. If we try to adjust, it will disrupt the entire days schedule. So we have decided to cancel the domestic flights that were meant to operate during the shutdown period, said an airport official on condition of anonymity. The people familiar with the matter said it is not possible to cancel international flights because they are long-distance and many connect more than one destination, and that these airlines have been asked to either advance or push back their timings to avoid the restricted window. For domestic flights, airlines have been asked to inform the passengers about the changes. We have also told them to accommodate passengers in other flights scheduled during the day, the airport official added. Keeping in consideration the capacity constraints and to minimize inconvenience to the passengers, Airports Authority of India-Air Navigation Services, several major airlines, and DIAL have consulted on various options and jointly agreed that the best and safest course of action is to cancel domestic flights scheduled during the NOTAM (Notice to Airmen) period. International carriers have been requested to reschedule and not cancel their flights, DIAL said in an email . The citys two ambitious projects the Delhi-Meerut high-speed rail corridor and Metro Phase-IV have been stuck for over a year with the Delhi government due to financial reasons, according to sources. Once commissioned, the projects will not only strengthen the public transport system, but will also reduce nearly 20 lakh vehicles from the road every day and as much as 19 lakh tonnes of pollutants annually. Sources said that the files, especially of the Delhi-Meerut Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS), have been doing the rounds of various departments, but to no avail. One reason for the delay is lack of funds, sources said. As soon as the Delhi government gives its approval, it will have to disburse a total of Rs 13,671 crore for the two projects within 3-4 months. Its share for the 104-kilometre Metro Phase-IV project is Rs 12,597 crore out of its total cost of Rs 52,625 crore. For the Delhi-Meerut RRTS corridor, the Delhi government will have to give Rs 1074.2 crore of the total project cost of Rs 32,598.6 crore. Speaking to Hindustan Times, transport minister Kailash Gahlot, however, said that the approvals were stuck because of the new tax regime. We are waiting for the GST implications on both the projects and only after that will the government be able to approve them, Gahlot said. Even as the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) claimed of having submitted the revised funding pattern under GST to the Delhi governments transport department, Gahlot said he was not aware of the same. The National Capital Region Transport Corporation Limited (NCRTC), which is implementing the RRTS, however, is yet to give the fresh funding pattern as per GST. It claimed that it was a minor issue and should not be a reason to hold up the project. The 90-km-long RRTS project was placed before the Delhi government in December last year for approval, whereas, the Metro Phase-IV project report was first submitted on October 7, 2014. The Uttar Pradesh government has already given its approval. Vinay Kumar Singh, managing director of NCRTC, said the company is ready to start construction as soon as it gets the Delhi governments green signal. In the recent meeting of NCR planning board, we have been assured of getting the approval at the earliest. As soon as we get it, construction work shall begin, Kumar said. For Metro Phase-IV, the Delhi Cabinet had first approved the project with riders about its funding pattern. Later, it agreed to withdraw its conditions. But, no fresh approval has been given ever since as the Cabinet is yet to take up the matter. Traffic decongestion According to an internal report of NCRTC accessed by HT, 36% commuters travelling between Delhi and Meerut use cars, 32% use the sub-urban railways and 27% use two-wheelers to commute. But, once the Delhi-Meerut RRTS is ready, the share of car users is expected to go down to 22%, and the share of two-wheelers to 15%. Almost 46% of the traffic is expected to shift to RRTS. It is expected to carry about 7 lakh passengers daily. The Metro Phase-IV network is expected to have a daily ridership of 8.5 lakh and will expand the reach of the Metro network to 434 kilometres with its six new lines. As per the projection, by 2018, when Phase-III of Delhi Metro network will be fully operational, about 7 lakh cars will go off roads per day and the number is expected to double by 2023 when Phase-IV is completed. But for that, we need to start construction. The cost is already increased by 5-7% and the contractors, who are part of construction of Phase-III, will started moving out now. Bringing them back will increase the cost, a DMRC official said. Official sources said that the delay of both the projects is expected to increase the cost by Rs 1,200 crore, which is more than the share of Delhi government in these projects. A key panel of Indias apex education reforms body is likely to recommend bringing pre-school and classes nine and 10 within the ambit of the Right to Education (RTE) Act, thereby expanding the range of free education for children across India, members of the panel said on Saturday. Currently, the landmark law applies to children between six and 14 years of age studying in Classes 1 to 8. The sub-committee of the Central Advisory Board of Education (CABE) will meet on January 11 to finalise its recommendation before sending the report, the officials indicated. The CABE meets on January 15, which will be chaired by Union HRD minister Prakash Javadekar. Education ministers of most states will attend the event at which the change in the RTE Act will be discussed and a decision could be taken. A final decision will be taken in consultation with all the states. The report of the committee once it is tabled at the CABE meeting will be circulated and discussed at length, said a senior official, who asked not to be named. If the recommendation is accepted by the government, the act will have to be amended in Parliament to accommodate the changes. The 29-member CABE sub-committee headed by Union minister of state for HRD Satyapal Singh, who is in charge of higher education, was formed three years ago to study the feasibility of extending the law from pre-school to secondary education. If the government approves the suggestion, it will be a key step in ensuring continuity in free school education and arresting dropouts. The dropout rate is more than 17% at the secondary level classes nine and 10 as against 4% in elementary school in 2015-16, according to government data. There is broad consensus among all the members to extend the RTE Act, a member of the sub-committee said. The sub-panel was also asked to prepare a detailed estimate on the cost of providing free education from pre-school to Class 10. A change will have financial implications for the government and, so, a broader consensus is required, the official said. The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) had also pitched for extending the right to education to pre-schools, officials said. The CABE meeting assumes importance as the board in the past had taken significant decisions, including discarding the contentious no-detention policy in schools. Extension of the act has been a longstanding demand, according to Annie Namala, a member of the National Advisory Council for implementation of the act in 2010. Class 10 is considered the bare minimum these days. Studying till Class 8 does not ensure a better future, said Namala, who is now the executive director with the Centre for Social Equity and Inclusion. But several educationists feel the move will not help improve the quality of education, especially in government schools. This is just populism, said Janaki Rajan of Jamia Millia Islamia. (With inputs from A Mariyam Alavi) Oscar-winning Canadian filmmaker Paul Haggis is now accused of sexual abuse by four women, according to an amended civil suit filed on Friday in New York. Haggis, who wrote and produced Crash, and penned the screenplay for Million Dollar Baby, is also known for his high-profile split almost a decade ago from the Church of Scientology. The allegations against him are the latest in a torrent of accusations made against powerful men that began with the fall of film mogul Harvey Weinstein in October, over numerous accusations including rape. Three women alleging to be victims of Haggiss abuse are referred to in the lawsuit amended Friday and initially filed on December 15 at a New York court by a film publicist, Haleigh Breest. A December 2017 civil lawsuit charging the Oscar-winning filmmaker with rape has prompted three other women to come forward with their own accusations, including a publicist who says he forced her to perform oral sex, then raped her. Haggis has denied the allegations in the lawsuit, and when asked about the new accusations, his lawyer said, "He didn't rape anybody." (AP) She accused Haggis of abusing and raping her in January 2013 when she was 26. On the same day Haggis, 64, filed his own action against Breest, denying the accusation and accusing her of seeking to extract many millions of dollars from him. Breests lawsuit says that since she filed her claim three other women have accused Paul Haggis of rape and sexual abuse. Those three are identified only as Jane Doe one, two and three. The first woman, a publicist who worked with Haggis on a television program, alleged that in 1996 he forcefully kissed her before making her perform oral sex and then raping her. Another woman, who wanted to propose an idea for a show, alleged that she had to flee from his office in 2008 when he kissed her by force. The third woman, whom Haggis met at a film festival, said she was abused in 2015 when he tried to forcefully kiss her. According to the law firm of Emery Celli Brinckerhoff & Abady, who are acting for the plaintiff and passed the allegations to AFP, the claims show that Haggis is a serial predator who has preyed upon women for many years. A lawyer for the film-maker, Christine Lepera, did not immediately comment when reached by AFP but in a statement to the Deadline.com website said he denies these anonymous claims in whole. She said that Haggis views the fact that these reports appear to be spearheaded from the law-firm representing Ms Breest, as a further tactic to try to harm him and continue their effort to obtain money. Follow @htshowbiz for more Eleven people, including a two-year-old child and an engineer of the Border Roads Organisation (BRO), were killed as an avalanche hit north Kashmirs Kupwara district on Friday evening, officials said on Saturday. In one incident the avalanche swept away twelve people -- including seven in a passenger vehicle -- while at another the BRO official MP Singh was hit while on duty on Friday evening, a senior police officer said. Both the incidents occurred near the Sadhna Top area of the district. The search operation concluded Saturday evening and we have recovered ten bodies. A little girl, around two-year-old girl, is among the dead, SHO police station Kralpora, Waseem Ahmad, said. Of those affected by the avalanche in the area, two people were saved. Led by the police and the army, locals also helped in the massive search operation in the snow-lined hilly terrain, officials said. A passenger was pulled out of the snow in the early hours of Saturday morning, while a child was rescued soon after the accident last evening. The driver of a passenger vehicle affected by the avalanche had escaped unhurt, Kupwara deputy commissioner Khalid Jahangir told Hindustan Times. Ghulam Nabi Bhat (45) and the seven-year-old rescued child are both undergoing treatment and their condition is said to be stable, officials added. Chief minister Mehbooba Mufti expressed grief and sorrow over the deaths and directed the Kupwara district administration to ensure all possible medical assistance to the injured in the accident. The state government announced an ex-gratia relief of Rs 4 lakh each to the next of kin of those killed and a compensation of Rs 12,600 each to two other people who were injured condition in the accident, an official spokesperson said. Minister for Disaster Management, Relief Rehabilitation Reconstruction and Floriculture Javaid Mustafa Mir announced the compensation under the State Disaster Relief Fund (SDRF) for the victims families. Since December 21, Kashmir has been experiencing the Chilai Kalan -- the 40-day harshest period of winter in the region marked by frequent snowfall. On Friday, there was snowfall in the upper reaches while the entire valley shivered under sub-zero temperatures. On Saturday, Srinagar recorded a minimum of minus 1.2 degrees Celsius while the ski resort of Gulmarg shivered at minus 9.4 degrees. Leh recorded a low of 16.6 degrees. (With PTI inputs) Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president Amit Shah arrived in Assam on Saturday, enroute to Meghalaya, and visited the ancient Kamakhya temple situated on the Nilachal Hill in Guwahati. Shah is on a two-day visit to northeast and is scheduled to address a public rally at Tikrikilla in the Garo Hills region in Meghalaya on Saturday. He is all set to woo voters in the Garo Hills belt in the Congress-ruled state. Shah will spend the night in Shillong and leave for Tripura on Sunday morning. His visit assumes significance considering the fact that Meghalaya and Tripura are going to polls in February this year. Senior BJP leaders like Ram Madhav, Mahendra Singh also accompanied Shah while Assam finance minister Himanta Biswa Sarma is also likely to accompany Shah during his visit. Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Meghalaya in December last year and addressed a public rally in Shillong to kick start the poll campaign. An intense cold wave in Uttarakhand has killed six people in Haridwar district in the past one week. Four people have died in Haridwar town, and two in Roorkee. Two unidentified persons died in Haridwar on Friday one at a night shelter, the other in a hospital. Their last rites were performed by Sewa Samiti, a religious and social organization in the service of the poor. With the minimum temperature plunging to seven degrees Celsius and fog prevailing till noon, its a nightmare for those living on streets and open slums. District magistrate Deepak Rawat has ordered closure of all schools and anganbadi centers till January 15 because of the cold wave. Assistant town commissioner Sanjay Kumar told HT that Chidiyapur depot of Forest Corporation has been asked to provide additional supply of wood for bonfires to keep the underprivileged people warm. About 80 public points in the city woods for bonfire lighting has been provided by the Municipal Corporation since past fortnight, Haridwar mayor Manoj Garg told HT. From railway station, bus stand, Har-Ki-Pauri, Ranipur, Jwalapur, shrines, temples, intersections, and other public places we have made arrangements for bonfire so that poor people can keep themselves warm, Garg said. But social activist JP Baduni cites more than a dozen points like Chandighat, Dudhadhari square, Bharat Mata Mandir, Sukhi Nadi, Tibdi stretch, Upper Road, Devpura Road, Rishikul, Arya Nagar stretch and parts of sub-urban Jwalapur where no such arrangements has been provided by the civic corporation. Sewa Samiti is also providing free of cost wood and twigs for lighting fire at public places like Har-Ki-Pauri Ganga ghats, vegetable market, post office barrier and upper road. Additional district magistrate Lalit Narain Mishra distributed more than 100 blankets to poor and needy people in past two days. Ten long distance trains have been cancelled in past two days due to heavy fog. The cold and fog has also led to led to fewer pilgrims at Ganga ghats. According to a Met department forecast, partly cloudy and foggy condition will continue for the next few days.Rain is unlikely before January 15.Snowfall is forecast in the upper reaches of Garhwal division while the plains will face foggy and chilly weather till January 10. Teerth purohit Pandit Avikshit Raman said the cold is likely to lessen after January 13. From January 14 as per Hindu calendar Hemant Ritu phase will pave way for Shishir Ritu and Makar Sakranti festive baths will be observed followed by Mauni Amawasya. The suns intensity will gradually increase and the cold will then lessen, Pandit Raman said. Asserting that communal harmony in the country was intact, Union home minister Rajnath Singh on Saturday asked state police and paramilitary forces to effectively combat communal incidents that have marginally increased in India. Singh was speaking at the inauguration of a three-day conference at the BSF academy in Tekanpur, Madhya Pradesh. PM Narendra Modi and National Security Adviser Ajit Doval will also take part in the conference that will be attended by officers of director general of police (DGP) and inspector general of police (IGP) ranks from all states and central police organisations. Singh spoke about the law and order situation in the country with special focus on Kashmir, northeastern states, and Left-wing extremism. He mentioned that while allover communal harmony in the country was intact, there was a marginal rise in communal incidents. The reasons for these are varied such as religious processions and ceremonies, desecrating religious places, illegal construction, slaughter of cows and their illegal trade and land disputes. He asked police forces to deal with such incidents effectively and mentioned that the government had recently allocated Rs25,000 crore for modernisation of police forces so that such incidents are effectively combated, a senior ministry official said. Other government officials said Singh spoke about the prevailing situation in Kashmir and expressed satisfaction over counter-insurgency operations. He also appreciated the efforts made by the government by initiating a peace dialogue. The home minister awarded 10 police stations for their performance. While the top three rank holders were RS Puram police station (Coimbatore City), Panjagutta (Hyderabad) and Gudamba (Lucknow), Delhis Kirti Nagar station ranked tenth. A Ranchi court on Saturday sentenced former Bihar chief minister Lalu Prasad to three-and-a-half years in jail and fined him Rs 10 lakh in a fodder scam case relating to fraudulent withdrawal of Rs 89.27 lakh from a government treasury 21 years ago. Special CBI judge Shivpal Singh pronounced the quantum of punishment to Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief Prasad and 15 more convicts in the case through video conference, after the court convicted them on December 23 last year. Prasad is lodged in Ranchis Birsa Munda Central Jail since his conviction. The jail terms for the convicts range from three-and-a-half years to seven years, and fines between Rs 5 and Rs 10 lakh. The fraud was part of the fodder scam that came to light in 1996, and a CBI probe allegedly found that more than Rs 900 crore had been siphoned off from several local treasuries by showing spends for fictitious medicines and fodder for cattle. Prasad didnt speak throughout the sentencing, but a tweet from his Twitter handle targeted the BJP. Rather than practising BJPs Simple Rule - Follow us or We will Fix you. I will die happily fixing myself for Social justice, harmony & equality, read the post shortly after the verdict. Prasads younger son, Tejashwi Yadav, said in Patna that the special CBI courts verdict will be challenged in the Jharkhand high court. He also accused the BJP and chief minister Nitish Kumar of conspiring against his father, saying his mass appeal and courage to take on communal forces have left his detractors insecure. Lalu is not the name of a person but of an ideology. We, his followers, will not be cowed, said the 28-year-old former Bihar deputy chief minister. A sentence exceeding three years means 69-year-old Prasad, who had undergone a heart surgery in 2014 and is under strict dietary restrictions, cannot immediately apply for bail in the lower court and must wait until the high court hears his petition. We will move an appeal-cum-bail petition before the high court, his lawyer Prabhat Kumar said. The special CBI court acquitted six of 22 accused in the case, including Jagannath Mishra, another former chief minister. The BJP praised the verdict. Conviction is conviction. Either 3.5 yrs or 7 yrs. Our charges against Lalu has been vindicated by Court (sic), tweeted Bihars deputy chief minister Sushil Kumar Modi. The Congress said the ruling will not affect the alliance with Prasads RJD. The special courts judgement to convict and sentence Lalu Prasad will not have impact on forces fighting for secularism and social justice. Congress-RJD alliance will continue in Bihar, Bihar Pradesh Congress committees acting president Kaukab Qadri said. Prasad was sentenced for offences of cheating, along with criminal conspiracy, and other sections under the Indian Penal Code (IPC). He was also given a jail term of 3.5 years in the case under the anti-corruption law. The sentences will run concurrently. This is the second fodder scam case in which Prasad has been convicted. He was convicted in September 2013 in a case of swindling Rs 37.70 crore from Chaibasa treasury and was given a sentence of five years. The ruling led to his disqualification from Parliament and a ban on contesting elections. He was given bail by the Supreme Court in December 2013. Prasad is named in three more cases illegal withdrawal of Rs 33.61 crore from Chaibasa treasury, Rs 3.97 crore from the Dumka treasury and Rs 184 crore from the Doranda treasury in the fodder scam. On Thursday, judge Singh said he had received several phone calls from well-wishers of the RJD chief. Prasad had also moved a petition on Friday for a lenient sentence, citing his health and jail conditions. On Saturday, judge Singh gave the maximum punishment of seven years in jail to seven convicts, including former Janata Dal (United) parliamentarian Jagdish Sharma. When one of the convicts, bureaucrat Subir Kumar Bhattacharya, requested for a leniency citing his ailing wife, the judge suggested he could be shifted to an open jail. You people have a vast experience of cattle rearing. You would enjoy open jail with your wife where you can feed the cattle with fodder. The government has invested huge money to construct these open jails, take benefit of this, he said. Bhattacharya withdrew his request after the judges response. (with inputs from Anirban Guha Roy and PTI in Patna) The mood at former Bihar chief minister Rabri Devis residence oscillated between hope and despair, as the CBI special court in Ranchi prepared to announce the quantum of punishment for incarcerated RJD chief Lalu Prasad on Saturday afternoon. A ripple of excitement spread through the party leaders, including Prasads son and leader of opposition Tejashwi Prasad Yadav and his mother Rabri Devi, when a media person broke the news in the middle of partys press conference that their leader had been given a three-year jail term. Smiles appeared on the faces of those present, with some even standing up to applaud the verdict, terming it a victory of the people. Unable to contain his excitement, Tejashwi said, this would mean he (Lalu) will be able to seek bail from the lower court. Rabri Devi, sitting next to Tejashwi, engaged in an animated discussion with former Union minister Kanti Singh, a broad smile covering her face. Moments later, she called up Prasads counsel in Ranchi for details of the special courts proceedings. However, the excitement turned out to be short-lived. A sense of despondency descended on the gathering, as Sanjay Yadav, a close confidant of Tejashwi, said the jail term was of three and half years along with a fine of Rs 10 lakh. Barely able to deal with the swing in mood, Tejashwi said appropriate steps would be taken after analysing the sentence. The high court will be approached for bail, he said, even as the young scion continued briefing the media. Unaware about technical details of the sentence, party workers, however, viewed it as a relief for their leader and started shouting slogans in favour of Prasad. He (Lalu) will soon be with us, as he has been awarded only three year jail. The jail term will be of three years and six months only if he does not furnish the fine of Rs 10 lakh, explained former minister Alok Mehta to the jubilant party workers, who started raising slogans like, Jail ka tala tutega, Lalu Yadav chhutega. A huge poster of Prasad, portraying him as an avatar of Lord Krishna, was the centre of attraction for party workers. There is striking similarity between Lord Krishna and Lalu Prasad. Both have spent parts of their lives in jail and both have fought against demons, said Krishna Rai of Sota village in Madhupura. Apparently enthused by the hope that Prasad would soon be with them, some party workers were seen discussing their plans to shake up Bihar and Jharkhand, if their leader was handed out an unreasonable quantum of punishment. People of Bihar are desperate to teach the JD(U) and BJP a lesson in the coming polls for their opportunistic politics, said a worker, urging the media not to record their discussions. They would fan out into the interiors of Bihar and Jharkhand to take Prasads message to one and all, the supporters avowed. Minutes after the CBI court pronounced jail term for him, Prasad tweeted, Rather than practising BJPs Simple Rule Follow us or We Will Fix you. I will die happily fixing myself for Social Justice, harmony and equality. A parliamentary panel has asked the government to establish an institutionalised mechanism for better security coordination, particularly along the Pakistan border. In its latest report to Parliament, the standing committee on external affairs pitched for an institutionalised mechanism for coordination in maritime security to counter sea borne threats. It also wants a new mechanism between the different wings of the military. In order to bolster comprehensive security of our border with all neighbouring countries, particularly Pakistan, the government should establish a joint coordination mechanism of all the three services the Army, the Navy and the Air Force and the security forces guarding the borders, said the report. The panel headed by Congress MP Shashi Tharoor wants the Centre to take tangible steps to strengthen and modernise border security. Congress president Rahul Gandhi, who is an MP from Amethi, is also a member of the committee. India has suffered a number of terror attacks in the recent past, including the one on a BSF camp in Pulwama and the attack on an airbase in Pathankot. While experts have argued in favour of resumption of dialogue at the top level, they have also called for strengthening the security mechanism. While underlining the need for modern technological means, including sophisticated electronic sensors and powerful satellites, the panel expressed its concern over poor road conditions in border areas. It asked the government to ensure proper and all-weather connectivity roads along the border in order to strengthen border security. Dalit rights activist and Gujarat MLA Jignesh Mevani and JNU student leader Umar Khalid were not responsible for the violence at Bhima-Koregaon near Pune, said Ramdas Athawale, Union minister of state for social justice and president of Republican Party of India (A). Addressing a press conference on Saturday, Athawale said Mevani may have made provocative statements but that was not the actual reason for the unrest. Tension started after a meeting held by the Marathas at midnight on January 31, he alleged. Athawale also met chief minister Devendra Fadnavis on Saturday morning and demanded action against those responsible for the violence in which a 28-year-old man died and also an end to harassment of Dalit youth by the police. The Pune police have booked Mevani and Khalid for allegedly making inflammatory statements at the Elgar Parishad event in Punes Shaniwarwada on December 31. The case was registered after a complaint by a 22-year-old student. He (Mewani) may have said something provocative but is not responsible for the unrest. Tension between the two communities erupted after a banner put up by a Dalit youth explaining the history of Govind Mahar, a Dalit farmer who cremated Sambhaji Maharajs body against the order of a Mughal emperor was torn down, Athawale said. The tension was defused after several leaders, including me, intervened. But a meeting by the Marathas took place around midnight on January 31, and the very next day, Dalits, who had come to mark the bicentenary of the Bhima-Koregaon battle, were attacked and vehicles burnt, he added. When asked about right-wing leaders Sambhaji Bhide and Milind Ekbote, prime accused for the violence, he said Fadnavis had assured action against the guilty be it Bhide or Ekbote. Athawale, however, advised Mevani to exercise restraint in his statements. Dont provoke youth, instead, start making efforts for unity and social harmony, the RPI chief said. He also announced a social reconciliation conference in Pune on January 13. He said leaders from all communities will be invited to restore peace. He defended PM Narendra Modi for his silence on the Bhima-Koregaon violence, saying it was not necessary for him to react on every incident. Mevani had taunted Modi for his silence on the incident. Meanwhile, the Congress demanded resignation of Fadnavis over the clashes. Blaming the BJP-led state government, state Congress chief Ashok Chavan on Saturday said the violence erupted and snowballed because of the failure of the state government. Manual scavenging, an abominable practice that claims several lives across the country every year, could soon be a thing of the past with a group of young engineers from Kerala developing a robot to do the sewage cleaning job. The Kerala Water Authority that manages the sewage department in the state has already placed orders for 50 robots, christened as Bandicoot. To market their invention, the young engineers have started a startup called Genrobotics. After receiving patent for the robot from India, the company has now applied for the world patent, applicable in 150 countries. Manual scavenging is a caste-based occupation mainly involving cleaning septic tanks, sewers and gutters. Despite legal bans, the dehumanising practice continues in the country. According to one estimate more than 1200 people died from manual scavenging related activities between 2014 and 2016 in the country. The start-up claims the Bandicoot is the tech solution to the social malaise. Genrobotics says it will go global only after fixing the countrys nagging problem. Apart from sewer lines the robots can also be pressed into service for other under-water activities. Death of three sewage workers on the outskirts of Bangalure two years ago prompted the young techies to think something out of the box to tackle the problem, which is often being called Indias shame, said Vimal Govind, the 24-year-old CEO of Genrobotics. Govind is a mechanical engineer. I worked more than one year in the TCS to earn some money to fund the stage one of the project. We all nine classmates of MES Engineering College in Kuttipuram came around quickly and developed the first prototype in six months, added Rashid K, a software engineer. Initially they struggled to find fund for the project, but now they say money is pouring in from different sources. Manufacturing cost of the machine is somewhere between Rs 3lakh and Rs 5 lakh, Rashid said. Their machine weighs 80kg but the main operating part that goes into the hole weighs only 30 kg. Once installed atop a clogged sewage line, a wire carrying camera goes inside the hole and beams pictures of the problem on the screen atop. After gauging the problem, the robot dismantles itself from the main machine and goes into the hole taking tools such as a shovel or a jet pipe, depending on the magnitude of the problem, and cleans the system. Young scientists claim a robot can manage three workers three-hour schedule in 30 minutes. To operate the machine, the Genrobotics wants to engage manual scavengers so that they dont become jobless. Even a small boy can operate our system. We will train these workers. It is their product. We are planning to move a proposal under the Prime Ministers flagship Swachh Bharat scheme to train them, said Govind, who recently visited Taiwan for a presentation. Our guiding spirit is our former President A P J Abdul Kalam. He always used to say dream, dream. The young India is committed to fulfil his dream of becoming a fully developed nation sans hunger and strife, said Jaleesh, another member of the team. He said talks are on to produce these machines commercially. Keralas IT department, which is the first in the country to formulate a start-up policy is upbeat over the achievement of the youngsters. The noble product shows social commitment of these youngsters. Many firms including the BPCL promised help to take their innovation to the next stage, said state IT Secretary M Sivasankar. In an international conference conducted recently by the American Society of Research, out of 13 papers submitted, a paper on Bandicoot was selected as the best. The paper was published in the International Journal of Mechanical Engineering and Robotics Research. In 1977, posters of a jailed George Fernandes, post emergency, made such an impact, that he won the Muzaffarpur parliamentary seat in absentia by a huge margin to become the union minister for industries in the subsequent Janata Party government. Rashtriya Janata Dal sympathisers and workers believe, the party would be strengthened by the incarceration of their leader Lalu Prasad, and their leader would emerge from the dumps to rule India a la George. The confidence may be infectious to the cadres, but its difficult to predict yet the impact of Lalus fresh incarceration on the party or his political career. For, there are a series of three more cases lined up after the verdict in Dumka treasury fodder scam worth Rs 90 crore is done and dusted. The next hearing in the fodder scam pertaining to fraudulent withdrawal from Deoghar treasury, (Jharkhand), could come up in the CBI special court in Patna as early as January 10. Even that would not be the end of it all. The RJD had risen like a colossus, decimating the Congress in 1990 and reached its apogee in 1995, making a clean sweep of the Assembly elections winning over 167 out of the then 324 seats in combined Bihar-Jharkhand. The huge win, was cemented against the backdrop of a huge social change, sparked off by his rise-the son of a charvaha-as Lalu himself described it- and upturning the upper caste hegemony in governance, services and politics itself. It was a plebeian government, led by the poor with the strength of 15% of the Yadavs as the vanguard and Muslims at its core. The MY combination, weighing in with 28% votes assured that Yadav would be unchallenged for some time. The combination put an end to communal riots too, as had happened in Bhagalpur, just before Lalus rise, with over a 1000 losing their lives, mainly at the hands of Lalus castemen. Lalus rise, as a commoners CM who had tamed the upper caste made for signature politics and a churning of the caste cauldron, which dominated thereafter. However, what added to the hype was his mannerism--sometimes bordering on the comical and a careful cultivation of a language tempered in local dialects--in which all followers saw themselves in power. His rise spawned many fables-- invented, added and propelled by people themselves. In his shabby treatment of bureaucrats and high police officers, they saw a revenge being exacted from those in power and created a new bond. However, Lalus catapulting to national fame rode the singular act of stopping BJP leader LK Advanis rath yatra to Ayodhya in 1998 at Samastipur, resulting in latters incarceration. The action propelled him as the frontline secular leader whom Muslims could trust. That trust among Muslims for RJD was to be fashioned into his political spearhead, resulting in spectacular wins. Thereafter, it has been downhill, especially after the fodder scam was reported in 1996 in Chaibasa treasury, and by 1997, had started sullying his carefully built image. First jailed in 2001 and seven times since then, including the one on Saturday, Lalus downhill march has since riveted all, except the brief party revival in 2014, together with Nitish Kumar. The man who spawned films, Diwali crackers, merchandise across the board after his name, however, has larger worries today. As in 1995 and 2005, when tallest Janata Dal leaders, including Sharad Yadav, Nitish Kumar and George Fernandes, left him forcing him to float the RJD, there is the fear, that a party , built with many but purged of the best to be turned into a family asset, could disintegrate sooner. But then, RJD stalwarts like Jagtanand and Raghuvansh Narain Singh believe, it cannot die. Laluji may be within jail, but his counsel will always prevail. His following can only increase. Party spokesman, Manoj Jha, said, We have just been strengthened. The problem is that while stalwarts like Singh are not the happiest at the mention of Lalus younger son Tejashwi Prasad Yadav leading the side in his fathers absence, the majority of the 81 party legislators, were always dependant on Lalu waves to win their constituencies. Can Tejashwi emerge as the winnable mascot whom they can trust. To that question there is a silence. The family too is a bunch of ambitious and fiery individuals with eldest daughter Misa Yadav also gunning for the top post, but for the ED cases now piled up against her for money laundering charges, elder son Tej Pratap Yadav, sidelined by the suave younger brother, is also in as much hurry to establish himself. The cat among the pigeons was sprung last week by JD(U)s man of few words, RCP Singh, who said The situation is such, that many RJD leaders are in touch with us, though some do not subscribe to our party philosophy. We cannot accommodate them all. The RJD stoutly denies such a possibility. The problems for Lalu are many, though he still has a chance to mitigate the sentence in higher courts, without his physical presence, there is every possibility that his longer absence, could spark an exodus. Lalu in jail is an asset, if the assembly polls are to happen this year; 2019 could be a different ball game, said a top RJD leader, not willing to be quoted. The main worry within the family is, the boys are far from settled in politics, and how many of the RJD first family could manage to stay out of similar trouble, he added. The party is being cornered politically, for the ruling party at the Centre knows that only Lalu Prasad can tame its storm. He was emerging as the leader of a combined national opposition. Crowding him with cases is a tactic, which will ultimately fail, Tejashwi told his partymen on Saturday, even as his father was handed down a sentence of 3.5 years in Ranchi. JD(U) leader KC Tyagi believes, the latest jail term, closes the RJD chapter. Its difficult for it to emerge out of this abyss, he said. But betting against Lalu, a man known to rebound into national contention every time he looked to be down and out, can still be a political miscalculation. Myanmar sought time to review the implementation of connectivity arrangements in the region before proceeding with a motor vehicle agreement to operationalise the India-Myanmar-Thailand (IMT) highway that New Delhi wants to speed up, officials familiar with the developments said. Ahead of the India-Asean Commemorative summit later this month, New Delhi is keen on making progress in the 1,360km IMT highway that could eventually extend up to Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam as a showpiece connectivity project of the region. The way Myanmar figures in Chinas One Belt, One Road project has lent a sense of urgency to the project, the idea for which was first floated in 2003. It missed the 2015 deadline and may now miss the 2020 one, too. The three countries (India, Myanmar and Thailand) are negotiating a motor vehicle agreement. An inter-ministerial meeting reviewed the progress of the project last month. Myanmar informed India it would want to study and do a thorough review of the connectivity arrangements it has with other countries and in the region before proceeding with the agreement, an official said on the condition of anonymity, adding that it was an understandable position. Another official said, Eventually, as it happens in some cases, we could also explore the possibility of whether we need a bilateral or a trilateral motor vehicle agreement. The development comes in the background of several sub-regional connectivity projects such as the BBIN (Bhutan, Bangladesh, India and Nepal) that were stalled in the region. BBIN was touted as an alternative after Pakistan stalled a motor vehicle agreement among Saarc countries. The government, meanwhile, has decided to speed up the IMT. A joint venture between Punj Lloyd and Varaha has been given the contract to upgrade a 120.74km road on the Kalewa-Yargi section in Myanmar. Some experts believe Indias slow pace in completing such projects inspires little confidence among other countries. We have been lax. The government is expediting many projects now. Early or timely completion of projects will inspire confidence, said professor Sachin Chaturvedi, director general at the Research and Information System for Developing Countries, a New Delhi-based think tank. The Indian economy was forecast to slow down; the United States read the riot act to Pakistan over fighting terrorism, and Lalu Prasad pleaded before a court for leniency. These were the top stories on Thursday. Here is more about them. Indias GDP growth seen decelerating The economy is expected to decelerate to 6.5% in 2017-18 from 7.1% in the previous year, marred by demonetisation and hasty implementation of the Goods and Services Tax. The Central Statistics Office data showed that the agriculture sector is expected to grow at 2.1% in FY18, slower than 4.9% in the previous year, while manufacturing is likely to grow at 4.6%, compared with 7.9% a year ago. US suspends security assistance to Pakistan The United States has said it was suspending at least $1.15 billion in security assistance to Pakistan until it takes action against the Afghan Taliban and the Haqqani network militant groups. The US State Department said the decision reflected the Trump administrations frustration that Pakistan has not done more against the two groups, which have long used sanctuaries in Pakistan to launch attacks in neighboring Afghanistan that have killed US, Afghan and other forces. Lalu Prasad pleads before Ranchi court Former Bihar chief minister Lalu Prasad asked a court in Ranchi to be lenient when it sentences him in a corruption case. I have no role in this scam directly; consider minimum punishment keeping in view my age and health grounds, Lalu said. He has been convicted in a case relating to the fraudulent withdrawal of Rs 89.27 lakh from the Deoghar treasury 21 years ago. US lawmakers oppose proposed change to H-1B visa rules Influential US lawmakers and advocacy groups have criticised the Trump administrations proposal to change rules for H-1B visa which is used by highly skilled workers--mostly Indians--to work in the country. The proposal seeks to end the provision of granting extensions to H-1B visa holders whose applications for permanent residency (Green Card) has been accepted. It could result in 500,000-750,000 Indian Americans being deported. Jignesh Mevani asks Modi to speak up on violence against Dalits Jignesh Mevani, Gujarat MLA and Dalit leader, has criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his alleged silence on caste violence and accused his government of harassing him. Why arent Dalits safe in this country? Why is the monster of caste still alive when we are trying to find out if there is water on Mars, he said. The Mumbai Police have filed a case against Mevani and student leader Umar Khalid for allegedly provoking people about Dalit protests in Maharashtra this week. Mumbai restaurant where 14 died was a fire-trap: Police Mumbai rooftop restaurant 1Above had a cramped exit and its staff didnt help customers when a fire broke out on December 29, police said after a preliminary investigation. Fourteen people died in the fire, all of them suffocating when the covered terrace of the restaurant filled up with smoke. Professor arrested for murdering ailing mother in Gujarat A pharmacy college professor has been arrested in Rajkot, Gujarat, for allegedly killing his 64-year-old mother by pushing her off a terrace in September last year, police said. Sandip Nathwani, 36, was allegedly fed up with his mothers illness. US shivers under brutal cold spell A giant winter bomb cyclone walloped the US East Coast on Thursday with heavy snow and freezing cold that made for treacherous travel conditions and bone-chilling misery. The brutal cold spell has killed more than a dozen people in the United States. In the wake of caste violence in Maharashtras Bhima Koregaon, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) has asked its affiliates, including the BJP, to scotch the growing differences between communities. Caste fault lines, the Sangh has cautioned, will not bode well for future politics of the country. The incidents of caste violence were discussed at a meeting of the RSS and its affiliates in Ujjain on Friday. The Sangh, which is the ideological mentor of the BJP, is concerned by the escalating friction between Hindu caste groups. People familiar with the meeting told HT that the RSS has been pushing for improving ties between caste groups to ensure there is no division in the Hindu vote bank. It is concerned that the growing hostility of Dalits towards the BJP will not augur well for the party that is aiming to repeat its 2014 performance in the next polls. Sangh also rebuffed the allegations made against it by the Congress and BSP, accusing them of inciting violence. Boundary wall of the Uttar Pradesh Haj Committees office got back its original cream colour on Friday, within 24 hours of the structure being painted in saffron which evoked criticism. The committee blamed the contractor for the blooper and said action is being taken against him. Chief executive officer and secretary of the committee RP Singh told HT on Saturday: We had asked the contractor to paint the building matching the colour of the nearby structures. While the two main buildings near the Haj office -- the Vidhan Bhawan and Lok Bhawan (chief ministers secretariat) are stone structured, the other important building in the vicinity-- the BJP state headquarterswears the same dark and light shades of saffron that the contractor applied on the Haj offices boundary wall. Singh said the wall is now repainted in cream. He also issued a press note on Saturday, which says that the contractor was negligent in painting the wall in a bit darker shade than what was approved. Immediate cognisance of the negligence done by the contractor in colouring and the building was taken and corrective measure as well as action against him (the contractor) was initiated, the press note said. The office facilitates annual Haj pilgrimage to Mecca. The committee also manages the UP Haj House that is located near the Lucknow airport on Kanpur road. On Friday the UP Haj minister Mohsin Raza, who often wears a saffron coloured waistcoat, had defended the new colour. There is no need for any controversy over such things. Saffron is a bright and energetic colour and it has rendered the building more beautiful. The opposition has no big issues against us, so they raise inconsequential matters. Critics of the states ruling BJP, however, claimed the move aimed at imposing the party colour on other. The BJP is often associated with the saffron, which is regarded as the holiest colour in Hinduism. State chief minister Yogi Adityanath, a monk-turned politician, is always clad in saffron. In September last year, the state government painted its secretariat annexe building (Shastri Bhawan) in shades of saffron and then launched a rural bus service with saffron coloured buses. Rajya Sabha chairman M Venkaiah Naidu on Saturday forwarded to Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan a privilege motion against Congress president Rahul Gandhi for allegedly mocking finance minister Arun Jaitley. BJP MP Bhupendra Yadav had on December 28 submitted a privilege notice under Rule 187, alleging that Gandhi had intentionally, maliciously and disrespectfully twisted the name of Leader of the House and Arun Jaitley in a tweet. In the tweet, Gandhi had questioned Jaitleys claim that Prime Minister Narendra Modi did not question his predecessor Dr Manmohan Singhs commitment to the nation when he accused him of conspiring with Pakistan to affect the outcome of the Gujarat elections. Gandhi had spelt the finance ministers surname differently while thanking him for reminding India that our PM never means what he says or says what he means. Dear Mr Jaitlie thank you for reminding India that our PM never means what he says or says what he means. #BJPLies, Gandhi said, while putting out a video of the prime ministers speech against his predecessor and Jaitleys remarks made in Rajya Sabha. At a rally in Palanpur earlier this month, Modi had triggered a controversy by asking Singh and former vice-president Hamid Ansari to reveal the purpose behind their secret meeting with Pakistan diplomats at Congress leader Mani Shankar Aiyars house during the assembly elections in Gujarat. Naidu had rebuked Congress for demanding an apology from Modi for his controversial remark. Nobody is going to give apology. Nothing happened in the House. The statement was not made here, Naidu had said. Your notice is under my consideration. I have already told you, I will be taking action immediately, but its not within the purview of Rajya Sabha, finally it has to go to Lok Sabha. I will take necessary decision at the earliest, Naidu told Yadav during the winter session of Parliament. In 2016, the Congress president was sent a show-cause notice by a parliamentary ethics committee over allegations made by BJP leader Subramanian Swamy that Rahul was a British citizen. (With agency inputs) Hundreds of people gathered at the Pipliyapala crematorium in Indore city on Saturday morning and bid a tearful adieu to the four DPS students who died in a bus-truck collision on Friday. As a mark of respect, all the CBSE schools of Indore remained closed and the main markets too did not open for the first half of the day. The tragedy-struck city also hailed the parents of three students who donated their childrens organs. Shruti Ludhyanvi of class 1, Harmit Kaur of class 3, Swastik Pandya of class 6 and Kruti Agrawal of class 8 and bus driver Rahul Yadav (35) were killed when the school bus rammed into a truck at the Bicholi Hapsi bridge on Indore bypass road. The parents of Swastik, Shruti and Kruti have donated their cornea and skin, according to officials of Indore Society for Organ Donation. The bus driver, Rahul Yadav (35), who also died in the accident was cremated at his village in Kanadia. #MadhyaPradesh: 5 school children and bus driver killed after a school bus collided with a truck on Indore's Kanadia Road. pic.twitter.com/Q7k8WQ4GoX ANI (@ANI) January 5, 2018 There were 16 students in the bus at the time of the accident. The cleaner of the bus, Balram alias Ballu (30) succumbed to his injuries this afternoon. The condition of two other students who are on ventilator remains critical. Meanwhile, police have launched an investigation into the cause of the accident, and according to preliminary reports, the speed governor of the bus had been tampered with. It is mandatory for all school buses to have speed governors to avoid over-speeding. District collector Nishant Warwade said a magisterial inquiry has been ordered into the incident. The responsibility of schools in such cases would be fixed to ensure childrens safety in the future. The government has issued guidelines for schools after a school bus accident in Bhopal. We will fix the responsibility on schools to ensure the safety of children, Warwade said. State home minister Bhupendra Singh had directed that report on the cause behind the accident be submitted within 24 hours. Madhya Pradesh chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan and Bhupendra Singh ordered an immediate inquiry into the matter. Chouhan expressed condolences on Twitter saying, I pray to God for the peace of the innocent children who lost their lives in the road accident in Indore and strength to their families. (With ANI inputs) The inquiry report on Fridays accident involving a Delhi Public School (DPS) bus and a truck on Indore bypass has held the school management accountable. Six people including four school students were killed. A letter issued by the state home minister to the DIG Indore directing him to register an FIR against the school management and the company that had fitted the speed governor in the bus, and also arrest the accused. The letter said the probe has found that the driver had told the school management about a technical problem in the bus, but the latter did nothing, thereby showing gross negligence. Read | Indore bids tearful adieu to DPS students killed in bus accident; 3 donate organs The probe report also said that at the time of the accident, the bus was travelling at a speed of 80km per hour, way above the limit, which means that the speed governor was not working. The letter also recommended that a high level technical agency should be appointed to probe the fitness of the bus. The bus, which was 14 years old, had received a fitness certificate for a year from the Indore RTO just a month ago. The probe had been ordered by the home minister and the DIG Indore had been directed to see that it was submitted within 24 hours. Bharatpur: Residents of a village, adopted by the governor under the smart village initiative, came down on a meeting held by officials, saying the promised benefits have not reached them. The Rajasthan government came up with the smart village initiative in 2016 on the lines of the Centres smart cities mission, promising good internal road connectivity, public health care, computers in schools, and so on. Barso village under Sewar panchayat samiti in Bharatpur district was adopted under the initiative, and Maharaja Surajmal Brij University was given the onus of overseeing the progress. It was promised that central and state government schemes will be implemented in the village. Nearly one and a half years after the adoption, district officials reached the village for the first time to prepare a progress report at a co-ordination committee meeting held on Saturday. A state-level celebration of the 69th Republic Day will be held at Lohagarh stadium in Bharatpur, and governor Kalyan Singh will stay here for two days. The officials went to Barso, anticipating that the governor might visit the village, located on Jaipur-Agra highway and nearly 5km away from the district headquarters. Additional district magistrate OP Jain held the committee meeting at the government Adarsh middle school in Barso. Additional superintendent of police (rural) Dharmendra Singh, Bharatpur sub-divisional magistrate Pushkar Mittal and officials from all departments participated in the meeting. A meeting was held to ensure development at the smart village. We have directed officials to provide all facilities to the village, said OP Jain. The villagers have a different take. Lakhmi Chand, a villager, said, After the village was adopted, officials held a meeting for the first time over development. The Adarsh middle school has no furniture for students. The RO plant has been closed for the last three months and students bring water from their houses, the villagers said. With 441 households, the village under Bachhamadi panchayat has 2034 residents; it records 79.94% literacy rate. We do not get water supply; we have been using saline groundwater for the past five years, said Tej Singh, a villager. Sher Singh said, Villagers are forced to buy water with Rs 300 for a tanker. Each household needs to pay for three water tankers in a month. Hari Singh said, The district administration has constructed an overhead water tank to supply Chambal water from Mallah, but water does not come. All 33 gram panchayats under Sewar panchayat samiti have been declared open defecation free, but villagers alleged that half of the households have not got payments for toilets under the Swachch Bharat Abhiyan. Hari Singh said, Nearly 200 households have been waiting for payments for toilets constructed under SBM. Tej Singh said, Villagers go to agriculture fields for open defecation as there is no enough water to use toilets. Around 400 saplings were planted on pasture land and a worker was deployed to take care of the plants. Villagers said the plants were not to be seen as the land was illegally possessed to grow mustard crops. Villagers alleged that they get power for only five to six hours a day. Farmers are worried as they find it difficult to irrigate rabi crops due to power cuts. Villagers demand construction of a boundary wall around a crematorium built by Lupin Human Welfare and Research Foundation at Rs 2.31 lakh. Doctors and 10 medical associations on Saturday urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi not to reverse 85% pictorial warnings on all tobacco products as directed by the Karnataka high court. In December, the high court struck down the Cigarette and other Tobacco Products (Packaging and Labelling) Amendment Rules, 2014. The rules mandated 85% pictorial warnings on both sides of packages of cigarettes, bidis and all forms of chewing tobacco products. In a letter to Modi, 453 doctors and the medical associations said: Your government implemented 85% pictorial warnings on tobacco products with effect from April 1, 2016 and it was a world leading step towards progressive public health. With these warnings, India rose to third place in global ranking of the pictorial warnings on tobacco products from 136th position. The medical associations include Indian Dental Association, Bhopal Divisional Ophthalmic Society and Indian Dental Association Madhya Pradesh chapter. Voice of Tobacco Victims campaign Rajasthan patron Dr Pawan Singhal said on December 15, 2017, the high court reversed all this good work by the Modi government by quashing the large pictorial warnings, which will take India back to 146th position in the world even behind Pakistan. The Karnataka high court, in its judgment, said: It is unnecessary to have pictorial and textual warnings suggestive of cancer particularly when the contents of the said warnings are not universally accepted as medically proven. Singhal said: As doctors, we see these cases on daily basis, are horrified that the court has used this view to strike down such an effective rule. Singhal, who is also the head and neck cancer surgeon of Sawai Man Singh Hospital in Jaipur, citing the findings of Global Adult Tobacco Survey-2, 2017 said larger pictorial warnings on tobacco packets were highly effective. The percentage of people thinking of quitting tobacco after seeing these warnings rose from 38% in GATS-1 to 62.1% for cigarettes, from 29% to 54% for bidis and 34% to 46% for chewing tobacco, he said. India is a country where people use several languages and dialects, pictorial warning transcends the language and in many case illiteracy barrier. These 85% graphic warnings were appreciated globally and research has also proven the success of these, too. India must continue with 85% pictorial warnings for a progressive public health, as our prime minister wishes a healthier nation, he said. The letter also mentioned that tobacco was literally a product that was leaving millions of people widows and orphans. Every year, 10 lakh Indians die due to using tobacco and it is the single most preventable cause of death, it said. A war of words broke out between the BJP and Congress on Saturday over the Barmer refinery as former chief minister Ashok Gehlot said Prime Minister Narendra Modi should reconsider his decision to re-lay the foundation stone while the ruling party said it had saved the state Rs 40,000 crore under a revised agreement. Modi is expected to lay the foundation stone for the refinery proposed in Pachpadra, 120km from Barmer, on January 16. Addressing media persons, Gehlot said he had written to Modi on August 12, 2017 and again on January 5, requesting him to re-think his visit for foundation stone laying as this had already been laid by former Congress president Sonia Gandhi in 2013. He said chief minister Vasundhara Rajes obstinate attitude had delayed the project and caused a cost overrun of Rs 6000 crore from Rs 37,000 crore to Rs 43,129 crore. The former Congress government had signed an MoU with HPCL for putting up the 9MMT capacity refinery and petrochemical complex at a cost of Rs 37,229 crore. The chief minister should apologise to the public for misleading them and for her anti-development stance. Gehlots outburst comes at a time when the BJP government is showcasing the refinery as a major achievement. Raje has often said the agreement signed earlier with HPCL by the Congress agreement was an unprofitable proposition for the state. She said her government renegotiated the terms of agreement, saving the state Rs 40,000 crore. State BJP president Ashok Parnami said since the earlier MoU has been cancelled, there is no question of re-laying the foundation stone. He claimed the groundwork for the refinery had been laid in 2005 by Raje who was chief minister then. As the Congress was in power at the Centre then, it did not give us permission to go ahead with the project. He said when Gehlot became chief minister, he initiated the project in a hurry in the last year of his tenure. No expert committee was set up nor was any survey done. They signed the agreement under which the government would have to give Rs 56,000 crore to HPCL for 30 years to set up the refinery despite giving them land, water and electricity, Parnami said The agreement signed by the Congress government would have burdened the state with a debt of Rs 1,57,000 crore. We renegotiated the terms and brought down the payment to Rs 16,000 crore. Gehlot should apologise to the people for his ill-considered decision. Gehlot said as per the agreement signed by the Congress government with HPCL, an incentive of Rs3736 crore was to be paid by the government to HPCL for 15 years. However this was only in the event that the crude output was 4.5 MMTPA. If the crude output was more, then the government would not have to pay the interest free loan. The current crude output is 9MMTPA and so there is no need to give interest-free loan. Gehlot also said to repeat the mantras and pooja done at the time of foundation stone laying was against religious sanctity and re-laying the foundation stone was not a healthy tradition. Cong not against triple talaq bill, BJP playing politics Former CM Ashok Gehlot on Saturday said Congress has always favoured womens empowerment and is not against the triple talaq bill but only wants the shortcomings to be ironed out. It was (former Congress president) Sonia Gandhi who had raised the demand for 33% reservation for women in parliament and state assemblies, Gehlot told reporters. The BJP is only playing politics. It has no love for Muslim women or the Muslim community. They did not give tickets to any Muslims candidates in the UP or Gujarat elections. Muslim women understand this, he said replying to a question on the issue of the Congress stalling the triple talaq bill in the Rajya Sabha. He said the Congress was only pointing out the lacunae in the bill so that these could be ironed out and Muslim women would not face problems. Replying to a question on Congresss soft Hindutva approach and Congress president Rahul Gandhis temple visits in Gujarat, Gehlot said Congress had never been anti-Hindu or opposed temples. Its a myth that only BJP or RSS are Hindus. He said, Rahuls visit to temples was made an issue by the BJP which believes in polarisation of votes. They were worried about their vote bank and so it became an issue instead of development. Some politicians are using caste, community and cash to rise in politics instead of character, calibre and content, vice-president M Venkaiah Naidu said here on Saturday. Naidu was speaking at the 12th convocation ceremony of the Malaviya National Institute of Technology, where 57 doctoral, 354 masters and 687 bachelor degrees were awarded. While delivering the convocation address the vice-president said the students should work with the people and the community. You must assist municipal bodies, panchayats and the smart city project. You have got new ideas. When old and new combine, gold is created, said Naidu, who had been a long time member of the BJP and former union minister. Naidu also urged the people in the gathering to speak in their respective mother tongue in their houses. One was able to articulate his or her thoughts better in mother tongue and heads of states such as France, Germany, Russia, always speak in their native language while visiting other countries, he said. He also said seeing the enthusiasm of the graduating students, he was reminded of his own college days. If you want to go abroad, go. But learn, earn and return. Serve your motherland, he told the students, adding that everything was now available in India and even professionals, who had earlier gone abroad, were now returning. Besides, Naidu said British and Mughals attacked and looted the country for centuries. Before that 27% of the world GDP was from India. The British also corrupted our minds through the Macaulay system of education that they left behind, he said. But now the entire world is looking towards India again, he added. Touching upon the award-wapsi campaign wherein some artists were returning their awards to protest against alleged rising intolerance, he said India was the most tolerant country in the world and if issues arise, you must isolate them, condemn them, but not tar the image of the country. India has never attacked any other country, he added. He also quoted modernist poet TS Eliot to elucidate the nuances of information, knowledge and wisdom, and urged the students to inculcate viveka or the wisdom to use knowledge for your well being and the welfare of the humanity. It is a double whammy for patients admitted to government hospitals, with the mercury nosediving and broken window panes letting in draughts of cold air into the wards. Government hospitals across the city are bursting at the seams with patients and so are the shelter homes. As a large number of patients come from other cities, there is usually more than one attendant with each patient. Staying around the hospital is a tough job for attendants, particularly in the evening, because only one attendant is allowed to stay inside with each patient and the shelter homes have limited capacity. As the icy wind enters through the open windows, attendants put up plastic sheets and even bed sheets for cover. Several of them have complained with the medical staff to get the broken window panes repaired. During the day its fine but as the sunlight fades, the temperature dips further and at times even the lightest wind troubles the patient. Hence we make sure the window is fully covered, said an attendant in a government hospital. Nothing, however, can be done for the vents near the ceiling. The inconvenience has increased since December 28, as fog has been troubling people in the state capital. As the sun is hardly seen during the day, the maximum temperature for the past three day is keeping low. On Friday, Lucknow recorded a minimum temperature of 3 degrees Celsius and the maximum temperature touched only 11.7 degrees Celsius. WORK STARTED Hospitals have geared up to make the stay of patients comfortable but as the cold wave has been going on for over a week, the step comes a bit late. Two days ago, we installed halogen heaters in all the wards to bring the temperature to a comfortable level, said Dr Rajeev Lochan, director of Balrampur Hospital. He said that apart from routine blankets for patients, work to repair broken window panes and panels had also begun and about 90% of the work was done. The Balrampur Hospital has three shelter homes for attendants and two have been renovated with halogen warmers installed. At the Civil Hospital, all new buildings have air conditioners with dual mode. They give hot air in winter and cold in summer. We have dual mode air conditioners in private wards, surgical male and female wards and pathology and have got permission to install such equipment in all wards where we shall need air conditioners, said hospital superintendent Dr Ashutosh Dubey. He said that heaters were a risk as often due to misuse by patients, incidents of fire were reported from wards. WHY IS IT IMPORTANT FOR PATIENTS TO STAY WARM? Cold wind can be a hazard for patients undergoing treatment in hospitals as it can cause hypothermia to lower the heart rate. If the temperature rises, the pulse rate will also rise and if the body temperature falls due to external causes, the heart rate will also fall , which is not good for metabolism, said Dr Abhishek Shukla, an expert in geriatric medicine and founder of Aastha Geriatric Hospital. He said proper body temperature was also important for proper functioning of vital organs such as kidney, liver, heart, brain and lungs. Too much exposure to cold wind can even cause a cold stroke just as hot winds cause heat stroke, he said. The state government is more than willing to extend all support to the pharmaceutical sector to make UP a hub of pharma industries like Himachal Pradesh and Gujarat. INCENTIVES Subsidy on interest up to Rs 50 lakh per annum till seven years on loan availed to purchase land in pharma parks. Rs 50 crore subsidy on interest on loan availed to construct a building in pharma park. On construction of hostel, subsidy of Rs 30 crore on interest generated on loan availed for construction work. For purchasing of machines and development of infrastructure, subsidy on interest has been assured by the state government. Tax rebate, subsidy on stamp duty and electricity bills. Tax rebate, subsidy on interest on loan availed to set up pharma industry in proposed pharma parks, plots for setting up units and lower electricity traffic have been finalised for the pharmaceutical sector. Among all sectors, the pharma sector has been the most neglected in Uttar Pradesh with only few companies having their manufacturing units in the state. After formulation of the pharma policy, the state government is going to ensure that the forthcoming investors summit in February concludes with sizable investment in the pharma sector. A Mumbai-based pharmaceutical company has already expressed its desire to invest in the state. In the summit, the company could announce its plan to invest in UP. In the new pharma policy finalised by the state government, several districts have been selected where pharma parks would be set up. The government has proposed green field pharmaceutical parks in Kanpur, Lakhimpur Kheri, Hardoi, Shahjahapur and Ghaziabad. These parks would be developed by private developers where medicines and surgical equipment would be manufactured. They would also have research laboratories, diagnostic centres, godowns of pharma companies, common facility centres, hostels and a power station for uninterrupted power supply. The pharma units coming to Uttar Pradesh would be divided into three formats mega, large and MSME. The mega units investing more than Rs 100 crore would have to ensure that 75% of their total workforce comprises local people. Large pharma units investing between Rs 10 crore and 100 crore would have to ensure that 50% of their workforce is local. PROMOTING START-UPS The government has also proposed to create a special fund to promote start-ups in the pharma sector. This corpus would also be utilised to fund research in the pharma sector. Along with manufacturing allopathic medicines, the state government would also promote manufacturing of AYUSH medicines in the proposed pharma parks. Those willing to set up AYUSH units would also get special concessions from the government in terms of allotment of land and other related facilities. We are hopeful that the state government will look into specific concerns of the pharma industry. This will encourage pharma industrialists to invest in the state, said Manish Goel, state president, IIA. Four constables and a sub-inspector were suspended for alleged dereliction of duty after farmers dumped heaps of rotten potatoes outside Uttar chief minister Yogi Adityanaths residence in Lucknow on Saturday. The farmers were agitated that the government had fixed just Rs 487 as the minimum support price for a quintal of potato, as opposed to their demand of Rs 1,000. The incident had occurred early that morning. While the sub-inspector and two constables were attached to the Gautampali police station near Kalidas Marg, the other two policemen belonged to the Hazratganj police station located in the vicinity of the Vidhan Bhawan. Hazratganj night inspector Rahul Sonkar saw a mini-truck dumping potatoes at the site. He noted down the registration number of the truck, and it has now been tracked down. We havent found the involvement of any political outfit so far, said senior superintendent of police Deepak Kumar. The chief minister said a group of ministers would be formed to examine and resolve agricultural issues. Charging previous governments of the Samjawadi Party and Bahujan Samaj Party with ignoring farmers woes at the inauguration of the Mohiuddinpur sugar mill in Meerut district, he said: Farmer welfare is my governments priority. Dont fall into the traps laid by unscrupulous politicians. Reacting to the protest, Samajwadi Party national secretary Rajendra Chaudhary said potato farmers in the state are not even getting Rs 2 a kg and are forced to dump the produce on roads. Police said unidentified farmers sneaked into the high-security on Vidhan Sabha Marg and Kalidas Marg under the cover of darkness and fog to unload hundreds of kilos of potatoes. The two stretches looked extremely dirty after the potatoes got squished under the wheels of vehicles on Saturday morning. Deepak Kumar said the vehicles of the farmers, who were involved in throwing potatoes, have been identified and action would be taken accordingly. The potatoes gave something to cheer about for the poor people. They thronged the area in the morning, picked as many potatoes as they could and feasted on them over bonfires the administration had set up for the destitute to protect them from the cold. The administrations sanitation workers had a tough time cleaning the roads first with brooms and then with water sprinklers. Such farm protests arent new to Lucknow. Hundreds of sugarcane farmers burnt their crop outside the Vidhan Sabha last October, though that was an organised protest by the Bharatiya Kisan Union. They were angry over the Rs 10 hike in minimum support price offered by the government, which they said was too low for their produce. Last August, Congress workers opened stalls selling tomatoes at a concessional rate to protest against the rise in price of the vegetable. The party sold petrol at a discounted rate a month later in protest against hikes in fuel price. (with inputs from S Raju in Meerut) Evolved in the royal kitchens of the Mughal Empire in Medieval India, Mughlai cuisine is an amalgamation of Indian and Persian cuisines. Mughlai was a community food, earlier started by the Mughals then the Persians and then got segregated in India with versatile specialties across Old Delhi, Lucknow and Hyderabad majorly. Though often confused with the regular Indian food, Mughlai cuisine is an entirely different entity. Right from the ingredients, preparations and expertise to the time one takes to prepare Mughlai cuisines are very unique and out of the box. Mughlai food, very precisely is an array. It is not something run of the mill. Each and every dish from the Mughlai menu speaks for an identity and needs attention and experience. Mughlai cuisine is distinct in every manner. The taste ranges from extremely mild to spicy and the dishes are often associated with a peculiar aroma and and the flavor of whole and ground spices. Mughlai food is one of its kinds as every Mughlai cuisine has a story and a rich history behind it. For example, Rogan Josh is originally a Persian lamb dish that was brought to Kashmir by the Mughals and has now become one of the staples of the Kashmiri cuisine. Navrantan Korma is a vegetarian dish from the Mughal kitchen. Here, Navratan mean nine gems hence the dish is usually prepared from nine different vegetables. Another delicacy from the royal Mughal kitchen is Pasanda, the name of which is probably derived from the Urdu word pasande which means favorite. This rich and elaborate history behind the Mughlai cuisines truly depicts that this food is an outcome of extensive expertise and a cuisine inspired from culture and traditions. A bespoke catering concept like Mughalnama is changing the contours of Mughlai cuisines as it is ready to alter the way this food is perceived by its patrons. Mughal cuisine has started to reach a level where people from all demographics and geographies are accepting it in its catering format as well. According to Mohd Khalid, managing director, Mughalnama, The culinary changes and alteration in the mode of dining in India are rapid and have begun to reflect new strands in the culture of Indian cuisine. Mughlai cuisine has been in existence since 16th century but it has undergone a lot of transformation over the course of time. The humble Biryani and kebabs have always adorned the north Indian weddings but to have a full fledged Mughal spread was always relegated to a Muslim wedding. Mughlai Food has never been considered to be catered or served during occasions and gatherings. It was considered to be one of the kind cuisines predominantly consumed by the Muslim community. But keeping in mind the contemporary consumption food pattern of the millennial, the cuisines preparation has got a modern touch with less oil, balanced ghee, few spices and proper usage of other ingredients so that it could be part of the mainstream. With various innovations in terms of both preparation and presentation, Mughal spreads are now finding its new patrons at private parties and bespoke gatherings. The celebration of indigenous cuisines and ingredients has also helped the cause as the young patron wants to celebrate what emanates from his roots, he added. The primary Mughlai dishes would consist of meat of goat, sheep, fowls and venison. Extensive use of milk, cream and butter in various gravies and curries and different spices, saffron, dry fruits, ghee and other diary produces makes the traditional Mughlai cuisines quite rich and heavy. Though now-a-days food is prepared keeping in mind todays era, tradition, work and life, suitable for the more health conscious but enthusiastic epicureans. Keeping this facet in perspective, Mughalnama a bespoke catering unit has taken the onus to popularise Mughlai cuisine within the catering gambit. The hygiene and presentation of authentic Mughlai dishes at Mughalnama has taken a new dimension. It is no more a usual deg and handi serving but the exclusive copper and brass one with chafing dishes to serve a cuisine that is inspired from the royal kitchens at Mughalnama. US citizen of Pakistani origin and Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) operative David Coleman Headley wanted to meet Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray during his visit to Sena Bhavan in 2008, former party worker Rajaram Rege told a sessions court on Friday. The prosecution examined Rege as witness no. 35 to corroborate Headleys claim about his visit to Sena Bhavan. Headley, declared an approver, was the first witness to be examined against Abu Jundal, the 26/11 attacks handler and LeT operative. In his deposition recorded via a video conference in early 2016, Headley said he had extensively video-recorded Bal Thackerays house from outside. He informed the court that LeT chief Hafiz Saeed had told him that Thackeray needed to be taught a lesson. He also mentioned that Rege was the first person he met during his visit to Sena Bhavan. Headley said his handler had asked him to cultivate Rege. After Headleys deposition, the Mumbai crime branch recorded Reges statement, which was submitted by the agency through a supplementary charge sheet filed in late 2016. On Friday, Rege admitted that he had met Headley and exchanged several e-mails. Deposing before the court, Rege said, I know David Headley. He met me at Sena Bhavan in 2008. He had come with one Vilas Varak. Rege said that Varak had introduced Headley to him as an immigration consultant. Rege said when he asked Headley the purpose of his visit to the Bhavan, Headley told him that he wanted to meet Sena chief Bal Thackeray and see Sena Bhavan. Rege said he denied to give him access to both. He told me that he wanted to guide Shiv Sena activists at the Bhavan on the issue of immigration, Rege told the court. He said Headley continued to contact him over the programme. Rege said that they had exchanged several mails on the immigration event. He was later asked to identify Headley in the photograph and also was shown the mails exchanged between Headley and Rege. He recognised Headley and confirmed the emails. Headley, in his deposition, said he had organised a fund-raising programme for the Shiv Sena in the US and planned to invite Bal Thackeray for the event. Apart from Rege, the prosecution on Friday also examined Sanju Soni, general manager of a five-star hotel in Mumbai where Headley stayed during his visit to Mumbai. Soni confirmed that Headley stayed in the hotel between April 30, 2007 and May 2, 2007 and he paid the hotel bill using his credit card. Registrations to the Joint Entrance Examination-Mains (JEE-Mains), one of the most sought after competitive exams for entry to Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs), National Institutes of Technology (NITs) and other premier engineering colleges, ended earlier this week, and once again, applications have reduced from the previous year. In the past five years alone, total registrations to JEE-Mains have decreased by 15.3%. According to figures shared by the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE), close to 11.48 lakh students have registered for the exam this year, 51,000 less compared to last year, when the total registrations were 11.99 lakh. In 2016 and 2015, 12.07 lakh and 13.04 lakh students registered, respectively. Registrations had increased from 12.82 lakh in 2013 to 13.56 lakh in 2014. Students are smart these days and know that a degree alone is of no use if it does not assure a lucrative job thereafter. Courses such as management and law are becoming increasingly popular among youngsters these days, whereas a degree in medicine or engineering seems to have taken a back seat, said the director of a state-based engineering institute. However, Maharashtra has always been one of the top three states in India to send most number of engineering hopefuls for JEE-Mains for some time now. This year, too, the number has risen, but its a marginal increase owing to the overall dip. In 2017, the total registrations from the state for JEE-Mains stood at 1.59 lakh, whereas this year, the number has increased only by 4,000. We have received a total of 1.63 lakh applications from Maharashtra alone this year, said an official from CBSE. Blame it on tougher competition or lack of job opportunities after a degree, engineering institutes, including the premier Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs), are increasingly complaining about the declining demand for their courses. The fall in demand has also automatically reflected in the rising number of vacant seats in engineering institutes across the country. Many experts highlighted how an engineering degree no longer has the prestige it earlier did, and this could be one of the reasons for the declining number of JEE aspirants over the years. Students are very clear about the institute they want, especially for the quality of education it imparts. If they dont get a seat in a good institute of their choice, theyd rather choose something else more lucrative and interesting to do instead of struggle in an institute which cannot promise them the best education, said Devang Khakkar, director of IIT-Bombay. Some also felt the increasing level of difficulty of the JEE exams is another reason for the drop in demand for JEE. Students prefer state-conducted Common Entrance Tests (CETs) compared to an all-India exam because that gives them a chance at engineering institutes closer home, and the level of difficulty is less compared to JEE, said Pravin Tyagi, founder and director of Pace Junior Science Colleges. Of the 10,988 seats in 23 IITs in 2017, the number of vacant seats stood at 121, up from 96 in 2016 and 50 the year before that. Similarly, 36% of the 1.31 lakh seats available in engineering institutes in Maharashtra had no takers in 2017-18. However, this lack in demand is limited to only certain branches of engineering, said another head of an engineering institute. Colleges also said that some courses like electronics and telecommunications are losing popularity, leading to higher number of vacant seats for these courses. These courses account for the highest number of closures across the country, according to the All India Council of Technical Education (AICTE). Its not that engineering altogether is losing its sheen, but the fact that certain branches of engineering have become defunct over the years. Branches that do not promise steady jobs after the degree are seeing very few takers, whereas other branches are overflowing with applications, said Dhiren Patel, director, Veermata Jijabai Technological Institute (VJTI), Matunga, Mumbai. In December 2017, the AICTE announced that it might allow mergers of institutes, especially those struggling to fill vacant seats for some time. The decision has been welcomed by many, especially since the AICTE was previously planning to shut down institutes with zero enrolment in the past five years. Following police directives, right-wing leader Sambhaji Bhides public speech scheduled to take place in Parel this Sunday was postponed. This comes a day after the police refused permission to an event organised by student outfit Chhatra Bharati, at which Dalit leader Jignesh Mewani and JNU student leader Umar Khalid were to address students at Vile Parle. Bhide is the prime accused in the Bhima-Koregaon violence. Based on a complaint by social worker Anita Ravindra Salve, a member of the Bahujan Republican Socialist Party, the Pimpri police filed an FIR against him on Tuesday for conspiring and inciting violence. Police said they decided to deny permission after an assessment revealed that Bhides presence in the city would lead to a law-and-order problem and trigger more Dalit protests. They said it would take a lot of effort to pacify protesters. They said that should Bhide make a provocative statement, it would add fuel to the fire and cause tension not just in the city, but also the state. As we did not want trouble, we decided to not permit the organisers to conduct the program, said an officer. Shiv Pratishthan Hindustan, the organisation associated with Bhide, announced on Friday that his speech had been postponed, but not cancelled. It denied Bhides involvement in the violence, calling the case against him false and misleading. In a statement issued in Sangli, Bhide denied allegations that he was involved in any violence. The allegations of a conspiracy are completely baseless. I demand that the government investigate this matter thoroughly. Strong punishment must be given to whosoever is guilty. Bhide played no role in the violence. The police still approached us and said we should postpone the talk in case the speech leads anti-social and anti-Hindustan elements to take advantage of the situation and rain violence on Mumbai again. We support the governments search for the culprits, said Chetan Balaskar, member of Shiv Pratishthan. Despite Salves assertion that Bhide was at Bhima-Koregaon on Monday, Balaskar said the right-wing leader was at his home town Sangli, which the police could attest to. He blamed Dalit leader Prakash Ambedkar for inciting the Bhima-Koregaon violence. Those who demand Bhides arrest are the actual culprits. The Chhatra Bharati and the Aam Aadmi Party demanded a ban on Bhide. This hate monger should not be allowed to enter Mumbai and disturb its peace. He should not be allowed to address any meetings, said Priti Sharma Menon, spokesperson, AAP. Shaken by Wednesdays protests against the Bhima-Koregaon violence, the Mumbai police have decided to strengthen mohalla (colony) committees to maintain peace and harmony between communities. Wednesdays state-wide bandh brought Mumbai to a standstill, resulting in vandalism and blockades. To avoid knee jerk reactions to such law and order situations, the police are looking at these committees to prevent violent protests, especially in sensitive areas. We have been conducting meetings with residents, said a senior officer, who was part of a team to control protesters. During the agitation, a police inspectors rapport with leaders from Ramabai Nagar ensured that there was no major flare up. The place was the most sensitive pocket in the city, and we managed to contain the crowd, said the officer. Mohalla committees will ensure that there are no false rumours. They will also keep a watch on provocative videos being played or forwarded by residents. The police will conduct meetings with residents of sensitive pockets and put up banners and posters, depicting the fruits of communal harmony. Meanwhile, the Powai police on Friday arrested three people for allegedly attacking an inspector and spreading violence during the state-wide bandh on Wednesday. The unemployed men, who are from Powai, grew violent during the protest, said an officer. The men along with other wanted accused have been booked for rioting and attempt to murder, among other charges. They have been remanded in police custody till Tuesday. With 16 long weekends in 2018, travel portal managers said Indians have a good scope to plan trips and explore new destinations. While Indians usually prefer short international and domestic destinations over long weekends, portals said the number of long weekends will ensure that travelers can plan visits to lesser-known destinations. Popular destinations for 2018 include Japan, South America, Greece, Italy, South Korea. With the 2018 Winter Olympics approaching, the spotlight is on South Korea. East Asia will likely see an incursion of visitors to Seoul. Other top global destinations include Italy, South Africa, France, Iceland and Australia, with Japan emerging as an untraditional multigenerational family travel destination, said Daniel Dsouza, head sales, India and NRI markets, SOTC Travel. Going by last years trends, the travel service said international destinations that see a surge in popularity over long weekends include Dubai, Thailand and Bali. Popular domestic holiday spots will be Goa, Andaman, Rajasthan and Himachal Pradesh. Indian tourists tend to book holidays at least 30 days or even weeks in advance. The maximum bookings were made by Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata and Chennai residents, Dsouza added. Karan Anand, head relationships, Cox and Kings said travelers should choose a couple of destinations they would like to visit either those in the country or short-haul international destinations. If you plan to fly, then look out for airline deals. The long weekend starting from January 26 is a good example of when domestic airlines introduce offers. Keeping your budget in mind, you can avail of such offers, said Anand. From November 15 to December 15, MakeMyTrip surveyed people who had travelled in the past six months, finding that those aged between 25 and 30 had travelled he most. According to the survey, 49% of Indians travelled with friends or family to places such as Thailand, UAE and Singapore. Around 18% travelled to explore new destinations, 16% for went on romantic trips, 7% travelled for their honeymoon, 6% went on religious trips and 5% travelled for adventure. After student outfit Chhatra Bharati was denied permission to hold a seminar in Vile Parle on Thursday, it will now hold its conference online on January 10. As part of the seminar, Dalit activist-legislator Jignesh Mewani and student leader Umar Khalid will give speeches, which will be streamed live on Facebook and YouTube. The group said it wanted to show the authorities and politicians that they cannot muzzle freedom of expression. We were unfairly denied permission to hold the seminar, based on frivolous grounds. This online convention is a protest, meant to spread the message that such tactics will not deter students from voicing their opinion, said Sagar Bhalerao, vice president, Chhatra Bharati. The police had booked Mewani and Khalid for allegedly inciting violence in Bhima-Koregaon, which made national headlines and led to a Maharashtra bandh being organised on Wednesday in protest against the incident. While Mewani, the face of Dalit politics in Gujarat, was elected to the state Assembly, Khalid is a well-known Jawaharlal Nehru University student leader and was arrested on sedition charges in February 2016. Chhatra Bharati had organised its All India Students Summit a day after the Maharashtra bandh. Unwilling to take a risk, the Mumbai police denied it permission to hold the event, detained the organisers and invoked section 144 (unlawful assembly) of the Indian Penal Code to prevent people from assembling at the spot. In response, Chhatra Bharati members staged a protest. Bhalerao said they decided to hold an online summit keeping in mind the large number of student leaders who had come to the city from across India to attend the summit. Organising their stay in Mumbai again would be a logistical nightmare. An online seminar will ensure that they can address the audience at home. It also ensures that we will not be at the mercy of the police or have to seek their permission, he added. The Shiv Sena has targeted the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) over the polices failure to nab the three accused in connection with the Kamala Mills fire that killed 14 people last week. Party chief Uddhav Thackeray on Saturday said the home department must answer for the delay. Thackeray raised doubts over the ability of the police machinery to nab the accused and said there was a need to check whether the government was under political pressure to not the arrest the accused. The NM Joshi Marg police booked the owner-partners of 1Above Kripesh M Sanghavi, Jigar Sanghavi and Abhijeet Mankar. While pointing fingers at the BMC, it should also be noted that many days have passed since the Kamala Mills fire, but no arrests have been made so far. The accused are not terrorists that a reward should be announced in exchange for information about them, Thackeray said. The home department is headed by chief minister Devendra Fadnavis, and Sena the junior partner in the state government has been demanding that there be a full-time minister to head the crucial portfolio. Thackerays statement came after civic chief Ajoy Mehtas statement that he was under political pressure to not take action against restaurants violating fire safety norms. On Saturday, Thackeray asked Mehta not to succumb to any pressure and to continue the drive against illegal constructions. The Opposition targeted Mehta over his statements, saying he should reveal the names of those pressuring him. The BMC commissioner should not make such vague statements; he should disclose the name of the person who asked him to drag out the probe, said Mumbai Congress chief Sanjay Nirupam. Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) leader Sandeep Deshpande said Mehta should undergo a narco test to get to the bottom of the issue. The state government has asked the residents and landlords of Kamathipura to appoint a builder for redevelopment of the area, else the task will be assigned to the Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority (MHADA). The majority of buildings in Kamathipura, Mumbais infamous red light area covering a staggering 39 acres, are over 100 years old. Adding to that, the 700 buildings and chawls with approximately 5,000 tenants are in extremely bad shape which puts the residents at risk. According to Ravindra Waikar, the state minister for housing, there is no alternative to the revamp. The buildings are very old and almost crumbling. There is no way we can allow people to die, said Waikar. Hence, we are giving the residents and landlords the first right to appoint a builder and if they dont, we will appoint MHADA and start the process ourselves, he added. He said the redevelopment model of the Bombay Development Directorate (BDD) chawls would be adopted, where MHADA would be the nodal agency and appoint contractors to execute the project. Most of the residents in Kamathipura live in houses measuring an area of 50-180 sqft. The area, which used to be swarming with sex workers for decades, has seen a significant decline in recent years, with barely 25 buildings housing around 500 sex workers. However, local Congress legislator Amin Patel said that the state should take the people into confidence, instead of pushing MHADA into the picture. MHADA will not be able to handle a project of such massive scale. This will only delay the revamp work, and residents will continue to languish in their old buildings, warned Patel. The Kamathipura Landlord Association (KLA) had, two years ago, assigned renowned project management consultant Sailesh Mahimtura to prepare a feasibility report on the revamp. According to Sachin Karpe, treasurer, KLA, they have been trying their best to get the builder to execute the project. The builders are reluctant to start redevelopment work, owing to the slowdown in the realty sector, said Karpe. However Suresh Kale, who heads the Sai Krupa Welfare Association, one of the leading resident associations in the area, said residents are desperate to shift to new premises. We are tired of waiting for years in such dangerous structures. We just want redevelopment, irrespective of who does it, said Kale. For the second time in two days, the Shiv Sena attacked Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and the Bharatiya Janata Party-led government over the handling of Dalit protests and violence that have rocked Maharashtra since January 1. On Saturday, in an editorial in the party mouthpiece Saamana, the Sena claimed that the state was descending into chaos and destruction because of caste conflicts. Taking a dig at Fadnavis pet project the Maharashtra Prosperity Corridor the editorial said: Under the leadership of Fadnavis, Maharashtra is not on the corridor of prosperity, it seems to be falling into a pit of chaos and destruction. The Sena is showing solidarity with the CM in times of such conflict as it is a matter of Maharashtras pride and the maintenance of law and order, the Marathi daily added. Over the past couple of years, relations between the Sena and the BJP have become increasingly strained, though so far, the party had refrained from taking on Fadnavis personally. Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray and Fadnavis are said to share a good rapport. The chief minister is being praised for the patience he showed during the protests, but he does not show similar patience elsewhere. The patience he showed to tackle rioters has resulted in losses worth crores for the state, the editorial said, criticising the government for the way violence at Bhima Koregaon on January 1 and protests by Dalit groups on January 3 were handled. The home department, headed by Fadnavis, has become weak, the Sena said. The home department is the backbone of the state, and if that breaks, the state will collapse, it warned. The editorial also attacked Bharipa Bahujan Mahasangh chief Prakash Ambedkar, and said if the bandh he had called had been peaceful, his stature as a leader would have risen. But now, his followers have become directionless, the newspaper said, adding that none of Maharashtras Dalit leaders have the ability to calm people in the community when tensions run high. The country joined the league of the worlds most powerful supercomputers on Monday, with the launch of the Pratyush High Performance Computing (HPC) system that will generate weather and climate forecasts in just one hour. The Pratyush HPC system is housed at the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM), Pune, which is under the ministry of earth sciences (MoES). It will also be hosted at the Noida-based National Centre for Medium Range Weather Forecasting (NCMRWF) within a few weeks. This supercomputer is five times more effective than the existing ones, said Suryachandra A Rao, project director of Pratyush HPC. HPC systems housed at MoES institutes rose from 40 teraflops in 2008 to one petaflop in 2014. One petaflop denotes 1,000 trillion operations per second. Flop stands for floating-point operations per second. The Pratyush HPC was inaugrated on Monday. (HT Photo) Presently, the MoES HPC system occupies the 368th position in the list by Top500 that ranks the fastest 500 computers in the world. The computational capacity of the Pratyush HPC at Pune will be 4 petaflops, and 2.8 petaflops at Noida. With the Rs450-crore projects total computational capacity at 6.8 petaflops, India will be among the top 30 fastest computers in the Top500 list. As for using supercomputers for weather and climate information, India will occupy the fourth place after Japan, UK and USA. The Pratyush HPC will improve weather forecasts and extended range forecasts. It will also predict cyclones and tsunami accurately, with more lead time. Scientists said it will help those dependent on agriculture, hydrology and power sectors. This is a big achievement and a proud moment for India, said Rao. With increasing demand for tailor-made predictions from users such as farmers, we need to improve our strategy which calls for a better computer, said Madhavan Nair Rajeevan , secretary , MoES. With the Rs450-crore projects total computational capacity at 6.8 petaflops, India will be among the top 30 fastest computers in the Top500 list. (HT Photo) WHAT MAKES PRATYUSH HPC SO SPECIAL The Rs450 crore project will increase Indias total computational capacity to 6.8 petaflops, which will place it among the top 30 fastest computers in the world, from its current ranking of 368. It will occupy the fourth place in rankings after Japan, UK and USA as far as using supercomputers for weather and climate information is concerned. It will improve weather and climate forecasts by reducing the time and increasing the resolution. It can predict extreme weather events, cyclones, tsunamis with more lead time. It will help in seismological studies and also provide information on potential fishing zones. Computational powers of different Met centres in the world: Country Total Capacity in Petaflops UK 20.4 PF Japan 20.0 PF USA 10.7 PF Korea 4.8 PF France 4.4 PF China 2.6 PF India 1.0 PF (Source: Top500) Once a key Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader in Thane, Vasant Davkhares political future was cut short because of health complications that led to his demise on Thursday night. A close associate of party president Sharad Pawar, Davkhare had close friends across the political spectrum. He also shared cordial relations with former Sena chief, late Bal Thackeray. This was why he was elected the Member of Legislative Council (MLC) from the Thane local constituency for 24 consecutive years, despite the fact that Shiv Sena ruled the municipal corporation. Davkhare passed away on Thursday at Bombay Hospital, after a long battle of around 45 days. He was suffering from renal failure and heart ailments, and had been on ventilator support. He was laid to rest with full state honour at the Jawahar Baugh crematorium in Thane on Friday evening. Senior leaders from various political parties reached Thane to pay their last respects, including chief minister Devendra Fadnavis, NCP chief Sharad Pawar and Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray among others. Davkhare was among the first few leaders who resigned from Congress to join NCP after it was formed in 1999. Feeling sad as I have lost a loyal and close associate, who has left an imprint in public life with his work. His ideology was beyond controversy and thus, was popular among all the political parties, Pawar said. Fadnavis said, Davkhare was a friend to everyone and had no enemies, his loss will be greatly felt. He efficiently handled the proceedings of the legislative council. He never expressed his sorrow and had a permanent smile on his face. I have worked closely with him for many years, and have many fond memories of him. Coming from a family of vegetable vendors from Shirur in Pune district, Davkhare joined politics in 1986 and was elected as a Congress corporator from Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC). He got elected as the mayor of Thane the very next year, despite the fact that Shiv Sena was in majority. He was then elected as member of the legislative council for the first time from Thane local body constituency in 1992. In 1998, he was elected the deputy chairman of the legislative council, and held the position for 18 years. Its a record in the history of the legislative council, that a person held the post of deputy chairman for three consecutive terms, said Anant Kalse, principal secretary, state legislature. In 2010, he got re-elected unopposed as the deputy chairman of the legislative council, after Shiv Sena withdrew nomination of its candidate Ramesh Jadhav. His health was not supporting him and although he liked to be proactive, Davkhare was forced to lay low. He has also got a kidney transplant, but because of his frequent travelling, he suffered several infections, said Munaf Hakim, senior party leader and former chairman of state minorities commission. UP principal secretary of housing and urban planning, Mukul Singhal, on Saturday directed the Ghaziabad Development Authority (GDA) to chalk out a proposal for recovery of Rs1,147 crore spent on Hindon elevated road project. The 10.3km road is slotted to be completed in January with certain minor works being carried out in the final phase. The road will provide connectivity to commuters from Raj Nagar Extension to UP Gate near Delhi-Ghaziabad border. For the project, the authority had procured a loan of Rs700 crore from the NCR Planning Board. For recovery of the cost, the GDA officers will decide and refer the matter to the state government. The methods could be a proposal for a toll or levying charges on nearby lands that will benefit from the project. The authority will take a decision on cost recovery, Singhal said. The elevated road will provide signal-free connectivity up to UP Gate near Delhi-Ghaziabad border. Commuters can further move to the Delhi-Meerut Expressway Phase I from UP Gate to Akshardham and reach central Delhi in around 25 minutes. District officials have also requested Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath to inaugurate the project. The decision on CMs arrival will be taken by the state administration, Singhal said. However, the elevated road is marred by a major issue. Residents of Vaishali, Vasundhara and Indirapuram, travelling from UP Gate on the elevated road, will not be able to exit the road near their area. The elevated road has two ramps being constructed near Vasundhara. One of the ramps will be used by commuters from trans-Hindon areas to get on the elevated road but the other ramp is only for those moving towards Raj Nagar Extension. We have not given provided provisions to access the road it is an access-controlled road. The purpose will be defeated if there are too many access points for commuters, Singhal said. On the other hand, officials of the GDAs engineering department said a provision for exiting the road at Vasundhara was not provided as the authority will be constructing another major road below the elevated road. The ground level road will be constructed from GT Road to near UP Gate. Commuters who wish to move to UP Gate from Indirapuram and Vasundhara can use the surface road. Apart from this, the residents of Indirapruam already have other routes available to reach UP Gate, SS Verma, superintending engineer, GDA, said. The Ghaziabad police on Saturday arrested one of the two persons who had robbed an export trader at Shakti Khand of Rs 2.5 lakh on the night of January 2. The police said the duo arrived from Delhi on high speed bikes and used the same to flee back after loots in Ghaziabad. The officials said they arrested one Mohammad Riyaz who is from Ghazipur in Delhi while the second accused is also being traced who is also from the same area. An amount of Rs82,000 was also recovered along with an Apache bike from his possession. The duo had robbed a Delhi police of his mobile constable a month back in Indirpauram. However, the constable noted down the number of their bike and passed it on to us. We were trying to trace the accused but he could not be found at his location, said Akash Tomar, superintendent of police (city). During the robbery with the export trader, our teams got the location of the same man near the scene of crime. He was later traced near Vaishali and arrested, he added. During the incident, export trader Rohit Bhardwaj, 33, was returning from Paharganj in Delhi on his scooter and was intercepted by a duo near green belt area of Shakti Khand. Bhardwaj is a resident of a high rise in Ahimsa Khand. The robbers pushed him and fled with his bag which contained Rs 2.5 lakh after the victim got disbalanced. Bhardwaj tried to chase them but they sped away on their bike. He later lodged an FIR for robbery. Riyaz has a total of three criminal cases of loot and also under the Arms Act against his name, lodged at Indirpauram in Ghaziabad. We have some information about the second accomplice and he will be traced soon, Tomar added. The citys ambitious Ganga water project aimed at supplying drinking water to households is set to miss its March 2018 deadline. The Greater Noida authority has set a new deadline of October 26, 2018, for the completion of this project. The Rs 300 crore project was started in 2010 and was scheduled to be completed in 2013 but has missed several deadlines since then. In April 2016, the authority had set March 2018 as the deadline for this project, but work got delayed. At present, residents depend on hard groundwater for drinking, which is often saline. We aim to finish the 11-km pipeline laying work by June 14, 2018. We have completed 26% work on the pipeline needed to bring Ganga water from the Masuri-Dehra Ganga Canal to the water treatment plant here that is under construction in Palla village of Greater Noida. Work on the water treatment plant is 21% complete and it will be ready by October 26, 2018, Greater Noida authority general manager Rajiv Tyagi said. The Ganga water project, under which the authority plans to bring 85 cusecs (204 MLD) drinking water was initially delayed due to land disputes between farmers and the state government. Later, the authority took time to get a loan from the National Capital Region Planning Board (NCRPB), a central government agency, meant to help and infrastructure and housing projects in and around Delhi. In 2016, the authority got a 300 crore loan for the project from NCRPB. The Ganga water will be cleaned at the treatment plant in Palla village before the same is supplied to residents. The authority plans to supply 100% Ganga water without extracting any groundwater for mixing. The authority plans to supply this water to residents of Greater Noida in phases; in Phase 1 over 3 lakh residents will get this water. In future, the authority has decided to supply Ganga water to 12 lakh residents, which is the estimated population of Greater Noida as per Master Plan 2021. Residents, who are living in high-rise apartment complexes or plotted houses said the groundwater that they depend on is salty and not fit for drinking. The drinking water, which is being supplied in our tower is too salty and does not taste sweet. Even after purification with the help of RO, the quality of the drinking water is not good. The authority should have provided Ganga water before the residents moved into the housing complexes, said Deepti Sharma, a resident of Gaur City. Dalit protests against the violence during the celebrations of the bicentenary of the battle of Bhima Koregaon have engulfed the state of Maharashtra. It is tempting to analyse the events and their consequences in terms of simple binaries such as Hindutva versus Dalit politics or yet another sign of Maratha discontent rooted in agrarian distress in the state. Such simplistic categorisation would not help us understand the reasons and future consequences of the entire episode. Three main factors seem to have played a role in what has happened in the state in the last few days. The trigger for the Bhima Koregaon violence seems to be a controversy between Marathas and Mahars (a Dalit sub-caste) over the question of whether it was a Dalit or a Maratha who conducted the last rites of Shambhaji, the son of Shivaji in a village near Bhima Koregaon. This is a classic case of conflict over upper caste honour with the added twist that the Dalits, unlike in the past, are not willing to back down. Incidents of conflict between Marathas and Dalits have been occurring at regular intervals in the state of Maharashtra in the recent past. The reasons for this have to be located in the loss of political power that the Marathas have experienced after the BJP captured power in the state in 2014. The erstwhile dominance of Congress-NCP in the state is also a story of Marathas controlling political power. A post poll survey by CSDS Lokniti showed that less than one in four Marathas voted for the BJP during the 2014 assembly elections in the state. The survey also showed that Marathas are a politically divided lot and hence unlikely to regain their earlier dominance anytime soon. It is this desperation along with their diminishing economic clout due to agrarian crisis which is making the Marathas, a sizeable 30% of the states population, a volatile lot. The fact that the person who has died in the protests is a Maratha is only likely to deepen this sense of unease in the community. The manner in which Dalit protests gained momentum in the state, including in Mumbai,shows that the anger is spontaneous in nature. This is rooted in a pent-up feeling that the State does not do its duty; and even actively discriminates when it comes to guaranteeing the safety of Dalits. Localities like Ramabai Nagar in Mumbai, where Dalits were killed in police firing during protests after a statue of B R Ambedkar was desecrated in 1997 have been at the forefront of the protests in Mumbai. The Bhima Koregaon anniversary celebrations have a pilgrimage-like status among Dalits in the state. BR Ambedkar himself had addressed a gathering of Mahars at the event in the 1920s. A big reason for Dalit anger is the fact that adequate police deployment was not ensured despite apprehensions of violence during the celebrations. This feeling is not confined to Maharashtra alone. The protests in Una after violence against young Dalit men by gau-rakshaks in broad daylight is yet another example. Right-wing voices have been trying to discredit the Bhima Koregaon celebrations as an anti-national activity as the Mahars fought for the British against the Peshwas. The Dalits justify their act by saying that the Peshwas practised the worst kind of caste discrimination against Dalits and their participation in the battle represents a struggle against the exploitative order. Jignesh Mevani, a radical Dalit leader and a newly elected MLA in Gujarat, termed the BJP as todays Peshwas during the programme at Bhima Koregaon. It is worth noting that the Devendra Fadnavis, the Maharashtra Chief Minister is also a Chitpavan Brahmin like the Peshwas. Upper castes including Brahmins have been the traditional supporters of the BJP in the state. At the same time the BJP knows that it cannot risk alienating Dalits, which comprise of more than 10% of the states population just because their political-cultural assertion infuriates its traditional upper-caste Hindutva base. Managing this conflict between its attempts to integrate more and more OBCs/Dalits and the upper castes, who are unwilling to compromise on their notions of historical honour and social privilege, is central to the BJPs political fortunes not just in Maharashtra, but across the country. Whether or not the anger on the streets will find electoral reflection in the states politics will depend on how the political players handle the these contradictions. roshan.k@htlive.com Let me turn our attention to President Donald Trump and his declaration that Pakistan should be declared a terrorist State and have its US aid cut off. A brave statement but I fear for reasons cited in my book, Neighbours in Arms: An American Senators Quest for Disarmament in a Nuclear Subcontinent, that he might not be able to do that. President Trump has had a good run as a foreign policy president in Washington DC these last few weeks. His administration expanded talks with North Korea. He declared we should cut aid to Pakistan. He did his first in-depth foreign policy interviews with the New York Times. In foreign policy/defence policy, he is receiving good marks from the old hands such as myself who have observed many presidents. What Trump has not received is any credit or praise from the traditional US news networks or the major national papers. Groups such as the Council on Foreign Relations (of which I am a member) are still holding their breaths for some catastrophic Trump event in foreign policy. However, Trump has been steadily going forward and seems to be winning some begrudging approval. Many were particularly impressed with his strong statements and tweets regarding declaring Pakistan a terrorist State. His constant public complaints about Iran transmitted through social media appear to have helped trigger the beginning of widespread unrest and maybe revolt in that country. Trump has developed a comprehensive foreign policy for Asia. He is the first US President since George HW Bush to have such a comprehensive, overall policy for that region. Professional diplomats and some traditional foreign policy writers are having a difficult time getting adjusted to his tweets and I must agree I too am troubled by some of his off-the-cuff remarks. However, his salty language, like Harry Trumans, seems to be understood by all parties involved, including the Rocket Man of North Korea who appears now to be willing to come to the bargaining table. In Neighbours in Arms, I advocated that Pakistan be considered a terrorist State. In President Trumps review of Asian policy, the State Department distributed a dozen of my books throughout the various federal agencies. Indeed, on page 223, in my observations and prescriptions of the future, I wrote: Pakistan should be treated like North Korea like a rogue state. The only reason Pakistan is not a totally failed state is that countries like China and the United States continue to prop it up with massive amounts of foreign aid. Unless Pakistan changes its ways with respect to terrorism, it should be declared a terrorist state. Several leading foreign policy experts besides me have urged as much. Indeed, the first Bush administration seriously considered doing so in 1992. Pakistans leaders have essentially blackmailed us into providing aid for the war on terror with threats to cease assistance in rooting out terrorists in Afghanistan. Meanwhile, we know full well that Pakistan harbours terrorists, and many military leaders believe terrorists have infiltrated Pakistans ranks. I certainly dont want to claim credit for the idea of declaring Pakistan a terrorist State, but essentially the late Senator John Glenn and I had sponsored the Pressler-Glenn line of amendments since 1982, essentially marking Pakistan as a terrorist State. However, Trump might have a problem: what I call the invisible Octopus. The tentacles of the Octopus comprised all the secretive law firms and lobbying firms that raise campaign money and work on behalf of arms manufacturers, equipment suppliers, bankers, and others who have financial interest in Pakistan. According to my book, they will very quietly go to work behind the scenes and keep the aid flowing to Pakistan through slightly different channels. The country of Pakistan and its business and military interests have several Washington DC lobbying firms on permanent retainer. Trump will probably find that this invisible Octopus of lobbyists will thwart his efforts to turn aid off to Pakistan. For example, when the Pressler-Glenn Amendment shut off military sales under our defence department, the Octopus went to the commerce department for licensure to export the same arms to Pakistan! However, we must give Trump credit for trying some new things in Asia. In part, I do admire his effective use of tweets. They are a modern form of communication. As Franklin Delano Roosevelt was criticised for his fireside chats on the radio because they were seen as too common and diminishing to the presidency, so too are tweets considered below the presidency by some. I suspect every president from now on will be tweeting a lot. Donald Trump has given us a new form of diplomatic communication. And thank you, President Trump, for being the first US President to openly attack Pakistan and to identify them as liars about terrorism! And thank you for moving closer to India. Senator Larry Pressler served in the United States Congress for 22 years. The views expressed are personal Patiala Police on Friday arrested an alleged serial killer claimed they have cracked seven murders in the past 22 years across Patiala and Ludhiana in Punjab and Yamunanagar in Haryana. Jagroop Singh (47) of the Basti Badlowal area in Ludhiana district is an auto-rickshaw driver and is accused of killing husbands of two of his paramours in 2004 and 2011. Police claim he confessed to committing the first murder in 1995. None of the murders had been solved. He was finally arrested after the police began investigating a blind murder in which Rajinder Singh (43) was killed in the Model Town area of Patiala on December 30. Deputy inspector general of police (DIG, Patiala range) Sukhchain Singh Gill said a police team working on Rajinders murder zeroed in on Jagroop on the basis of clues collected from the scene of crime. Gill said Rajinder was murdered after Jagroop suspected him of having illicit relationship with his alleged lover Hema (43) who has also been named in the case. She has not been arrested. Jagroop and Rajinder were known to each other and shared a drink on the day of crime. Jagroop laced Rajinders drink with sedatives before killing him with sharp-edged weapons and a brick on the night of December 30, Gill said. Police said Jagroop returned to Ludhiana after committing the crime. But a CCTV camera near the crime spot had recorded his presence which led to his arrest. Trail of murders The DIG said the accused confessed to have murdered a woman with his friends for the first time while committing a robbery in Shimlapuri area of Ludhiana in 1995. He killed another woman in the Badowal area of the city in 1998. In 2004, Jagroop developed illicit relations with a Haryana-based woman Paramjeet Kaur and killed her husband Kuldeep Singh in Yamunagar, the police said. After strangulating Kuldeep, he stacked the body in a trunk and threw it in the Yamuna, the police said. In 2011, Jagroop developed illicit relationship with Hema of Ludhiana, who now lives in Patiala. Jagroop and Hema murdered her husband Nand Lal at Ludhianas Kakowal village and dumped his mutilated body in a vacant plot, the police said. Hema then started living with her parents. In May 2015, Jagroop in connivance with Paramjeet killed Patialas Anil Kumar and stacked his body in a briefcase before dumping it at Vikas Nagar, the police said. Paramjeet and Anil Kumar were allegedly involved in a flesh trade racket. She decided to eliminate him after he came to know of her involvement in a snatching incident. A year later, Jagroop and Hema killed Paramjeet in Ludhianas Dehlon locality after she discovered their relationship, the police said. In April 2016, police had registered a case of murder against unidentified people. Following Jagroops arrest on Friday, the police registered a case against him and Hema under Sections 302 (murder) and 201 (destruction of evidence) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). A day after the Punjab government issued a press statement announcing mayor Kulwant Singhs suspension which was later retracted the Mohali municipal corporation (MC) House on Friday passed a condemnation resolution against the order. Of the 37 councillors present in the House, 24 voted in favour of the resolution, even as the Congress councillors raised objection. Mohali MLA Balbir Singh Sidhu, who is at loggerheads with Kulwant, did not attend the meeting. The mayor also threatened to file a defamation suit against local bodies minister Navjot Sidhu, on whose orders the press statement was issued. I have been called corrupt. I have faced a lot of harassment. I have sent the press note to my advocates. I will file a defamation case, Kulwant told mediapersons after the House meet. Cost breakdown The MC claimed the tractor, which is part of the tree pruning machine, alone costs Rs 28 lakh Main machine: Rs 88 lakh Mowing head: Rs 18 lakh Washing unit: Rs 16 lakh Excise duty: Rs 58 lakh The government on Thursday issued the statement: Mayor Kulwant Singh had been suspended for causing loss to the state exchequer. But two hours later, after the news spread on social media, a revised note was issued, stating, The mayor had been issued a show-cause notice for misuse of power and causing loss to the exchequer. It was pertaining to the purchase of a tree pruning machine. An inquiry conducted by the chief vigilance officer (CVO) of the local bodies department found that the Mohali corporation in February 2016 passed a resolution to buy the machine, priced Rs 28 lakh in India and Rs 80 lakh abroad, at an exorbitant price of Rs 1.79 crore. Govt had approved agenda At the onset of the meeting, Kulwant Singh walked in with a smile and said: I can see some of the councillors are very happy, some are less happy, some are lesser happy, but all are happy. Its New Year and there are some new developments; something should keep happening. Making it clear that he is here to stay, the mayor said: I wish we meet the same way next year. My agenda this year is development and to come up to the expectations of the city residents. On the issue of tree pruning machine, Kulwant said: The agenda was placed before the House. The House cleared the agenda and sent it to the government, which approved it. The tenders were floated, a comparative statement was prepared and after that the order was placed. Taking on Sidhu, the mayor added: The minister says he can get the machine for Rs 28 lakh. It will be not be of good quality. There is a difference between a donkey and a horse. Compare both the machines and see the difference. Kulwant said the machine, which will have multiple use, including tree pruning and cleaning garbage dump and signboards was purchased from Germany, and a part of the cost component was excise duty. He said he will soon conduct a trial of the pruning machine in the city to show how it works. Later, talking to media, he said: I was not served any notice or given any hearing before the orders were issued through a press release. I dont know who conducted the inquiry, as no one approached me. It was only through the media release I got to know of the development. The mayor received the show-cause notice later on Friday evening. Development hit Earlier, during the meeting, Kulwant also accused the government of bringing the citys development to a halt. He highlighted various development agendas that are awaiting the governments approval for the past six months. These include construction of public toilets, procurement of smart bins and setting up of a solid waste plant in Dera Bassi. He said after a contract for cleaning parks was allotted, the government objected to it after four months and held back the payment to contractor. Even road maintenance has been hit after the government objected to the premix specifications, he said. With the finale just a week away, tensions have never been higher in the Bigg Boss 11 house. Saturday and Sundays Weekend Ka Vaar episodes will reveal the last contestant to be evicted from the house and according to HT readers, it should be Luv Tyagi. We started a poll earlier this week, asking Bigg Boss fans to vote for their least favourite contestant on the show, the one they want evicted. Of the 6,900 votes counted, 46% voted against Luv while Hina Khan and Vikas Gupta tied with 23% votes each. Shilpa Shinde, the final nominated contestant, got only 8% votes. Luv started his journey on the show as one of the most active among the five padosis or neighbours on Bigg Boss 11. However, when the neighbours entered the house, Luv seemed to fade into the background and often used others to shield himself from tough tasks as well as nominations. But he made it so far on the show due to his great fan following among his people in his hometown of Muzaffarnagar. Luv Tyagi meeting his fans at the Inorbit Mall in Mumbai. This weekend, actor Rani Mukerjee will visit the house to promote her upcoming film, Hichki. She will meet host Salman Khan and bring a new task for the contestants inside the house. Follow @htshowbiz for more Regime and Russian air strikes on a rebel-held enclave near the Syrian capital killed at least 17 civilians on Saturday, a war monitor said. Eastern Ghouta, one of the last remaining opposition strongholds in the country, is the target of near-daily air raids. Syrian and Russian aircraft on Saturday continued their intense bombardment of Eastern Ghouta, targeting several residential areas, the head of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, Rami Abdel Rahman, told AFP. The deadliest strikes hit the Hammuriyeh district, leaving 12 civilians dead including two children, he said. Two people were killed in the town of Madira and three in Erbin, the Observatory head added, saying 35 people were also wounded in the three areas. The Britain-based monitor relies on a network of sources inside Syria and says it determines whose planes carry out raids according to type, location, flight patterns and munitions used. At the start of the week, a coalition of rebels and jihadists including a former Al-Qaeda affiliate surrounded the only regime base in Eastern Ghouta, which lies east of Damascus and has been under a crippling regime siege since 2013. The blockade has caused serious food and medicine shortages for the enclaves estimated 400,000 inhabitants. More than 340,000 people have been killed in Syria and millions displaced since the conflict began in March 2011 with anti-government protests Chinas Tiangong-1 space laboratory, held up as a symbol of the countrys ambitions in space when it was launched in 2011, is out of control and set to crash to the earth by the end of March, according to a media report. In the most likely scenario, the 8.5-tonne space lab will largely burn up as it enters the earths atmosphere over the ocean and a few parts will sink to the sea floor, CNN quoted experts as saying. The worst scenario would be the Tiangong-1 or Heavenly Palace spacecraft re-entering over a highly populated area, and a few largest chunks hit the ground, with perhaps some minor property damage, said Jonathan McDowell, an astrophysicist at the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics. But this has never happened in the 60-year history of re-entering space debris. The chances are small, he said. Though the risk of the spacecraft causing damage on re-entry was described by CNN as miniscule, the loss of control over Tiangong-1 will impact Chinas plans to emerge as a space superpower. They have a PR embarrassment on their hands, McDowell said. The actual danger is small, but it is accepted international best practice nowadays that objects that big shouldnt be able to fall out of the sky in this manner. The 40-foot Tiangong-1, which was launched in Septmeber 2011, and its successor Tiangong-2, launched in 2016 were part of Chinas plans to build and put into space a 20-tonne space station that is expected to launch around 2022. Tiangong-1 docked with the Shenzhou-10 spaceship in 2013, and mastering this docking manoeuvre is necessary for developing a space station, experts have said. The Tiangong-1 was last used by astronauts in 2013. The original plan was for it to be retired soon after and sent under control into the ocean, but they were worried that its successor, Tiangong-2, might not get into orbit successfully, so they decided to keep the Tiangong-1 around as a backup, McDowell said. Tiangong-1 ceased functioning on March 16, 2016, China told the UN in May last year without giving reasons. Roger Handberg, a professor at the University of Central Florida, said China may have lost control of the lab because it ran out of fuel. The launch of Tiangong 1 in September 2011. (Courtesy: China Manned Space) As of December 24, Tiangong-1 was 286.5 km up, compared with 348.3 km in March, according to an update on the space labs location published on the website of Chinas manned space programme. In its UN submission anticipating the spacecrafts fall to earth, China said most parts of Tiangong will be burned and destroyed in the process of re-entering the atmosphere. It added, Its of little probability that it will cause harm to aviation or ground activities. One risk is that people could come into contact with remnants of the toxic hydrazine rocket fuel that might remain in the Tiangong-1. Worst case, it hits a populated area and curious individuals decide to investigate, thereby coming into contact with the hydrazine, said Joan Johnson-Freese, a former chair of nationals security affairs at the US Naval War College. Space experts said the odds of debris from the Taingong-1 hitting a human are estimated to be less than one in 1 trillion. That compares with a one-in-1.4 million chance of a person in the US being struck by lightning. Though China has said it expects Tiangong-1 to crash by late March, unpredictable weather in the outer atmosphere makes it hard to predict exactly when this will happen. Experts know roughly the latitude at which the spacecraft will land, putting places like Canada and the UK in the clear. Space debris, including spent satellites and rocket stages, have fallen to earth in the past. In 2017, five objects weighing more than three tones made uncontrolled re-entries but all melted as they entered the atmosphere. When the US Skylab space station, which weighed 74 tonnes, re-entered the atmosphere in 1979, parts of it hit western Australia. A Catholic charity on Friday protested that Facebook had removed a page for Viennas first baby of 2018, born of Muslim parents, which had garnered 20,000 messages of support after a rash of racist comments. The birth of Asel, hailed in the press as the first Viennese baby of the year, sparked a wave of racist comments on the internet as the mother was seen wearing an Islamic veil. In response, the Catholic charity Caritas, which works with migrants and refugees, launched a campaign of support for the infant and her parents, Naime and Alper Tamga. One person wrote: Im hoping for a crib death, while others demanded the newborns deportation: Deport the scum immediately, one social media user wrote. It is a completely new dimension of online hate, targeting an innocent newborn, said Klaus Schwertner, head of Caritas in Vienna. That crosses a red line. Schwertner said the Facebook page was probably targeted in a concerted campaign to get it taken down and called on Facebook owner Mark Zuckerberg to reinstate access. We want to show that love is stronger than hate, on Facebook just as in real life, he said. The hateful messages come amid tensions in Austrian society over the migrant influx to Europe and Islam. The countrys new conservative Chancellor Sebastian Kurzs coalition includes a far-right party. One of the hostile messages to the babys family referred to the new far-right interior minister Herbert Kickl, saying he is going to send you out of the country. Hes the man to do it. Pakistani authorities on Saturday warned the public that making donations to 72 groups that have either been banned or put on a watch list, including the Jamaat-ud-Dawah (JuD), would be considered a crime. Hafiz Saeeds JuD and Falah-e-Insaniyat (FIF), both declared fronts for the Lashkar-e-Taiba terror group, are not banned but are included in the interior ministrys watch list. A statement issued by the interior ministry, which listed all the 72 groups, said aiding and abetting any of the blacklisted organisations, financially or otherwise, would be a crime Hence, people should avoid giving them charity, and should instead report any suspicious activities on 1717, the statement said, referring to the number for a helpline for terror-related complaints established by the National Counter-Terrorism Authority (NACTA). It said that according to Anti-Terrorism Act of 1997 of Pakistan and under UN Security Council act of 1948 it was a crime to provide funding to those groups which have been banned or are on the watchlist. Those giving funds to such individuals or groups may face five to 10 years in jail or up to Rs 10 million fine or both, it said. Their movable or immovable property can also be confiscated. The interior ministrys warning came days after the government acted on Monday to prohibit fundraising and social, political, welfare and religious activities by proscribed groups and individuals. Police in Islamabad have registered three First Information Reports (FIRs) against unidentified persons who had put up banners of the FIF in the capital, the local media reported. The advertisement lists 72 groups, including Jamat-ud- Dawa, Falah-e-Insaniyat Foundation and Lashkar-e-Tabia of Saeed and Jaish-e-Mohammad of Masood Azhar. (With PTI inputs) A prominent Sikh group in the UK wants to ban Indian officials from entering gurdwaras in the country, alleging that they are interfering in the internal matters of the Sikh community. Sikhs in the diaspora are fed up with Indian government officials and their agents increasingly interfering in our institutions and Sikh affairs, undermining of Sikh campaigns for greater rights and internal matters of the Sikh community, said Bhai Amrik Singh, the chair of the Sikh Federation (UK). Indian authorities also target Sikhs from the diaspora when they visit India, Singh said, citing the case of UK national Jagtar Singh Johal who was arrested for his alleged role in targeted killings in Punjab. Johal, who got married last month, was apprehended from Jalandhar in connection with the target killing. The draft declaration by the UKs Sikh Federation states that anyone in their personal capacity can pay their respects to the Sikh holy scriptures. A day after the US government suspended nearly $2 billion security-related assistance to Pakistan, President Donald Trump expressed public support for a Republican senators plan to introduce legislation, cancelling all aid to the country over its continued refusal to take tangible action against terrorists. The US has given nearly $33 billion aid to Pakistan since 2002. The president has been tightening the noose around Pakistan for not taking action against Haqqani network and Taliban and for not dismantling their safe havens. Good idea Rand! Trump wrote on Twitter Friday night, retweeting a post by Rand Paul, a Republican senator from Kentucky, saying, Im introducing a bill to end aid to Pakistan in the coming days. My bill will take the money that would have gone to Pakistan and put it in an infrastructure fund to build roads and bridges here at home. The legislation will end all aid to Pakistan, going beyond the suspension of security-related assistance the Trump administration announced hours later. The Trump administration announced Thursday it was suspending not ending, as proposed by Paul, or cancelling nearly all security related assistance to Pakistan, that includes foreign military financing, US financial assistance to recipient country to buy US military hardware, and Coalition Support Fund, a reimbursement for expenses incurred in support of IS-led international coalition forces in Afghanistan. Economic, or civilian, assistance was to be left untouched. The United States should not give one penny to countries which burn our flag and chant Death to America, Paul said in a short video message posted online before the US administration went public with the suspension decision. Countries like Pakistan that stonewall access to key information in fighting terrorism dont deserve our money, the senator added. I say we should stop now. Stop sending your hard-earned tax dollars to Pakistan. The senator said his bill would call for this saved money to be invested in building infrastructure at home in the United States. Paul is a long-time critic of Pakistan. In February 2016, he had introduced a joint resolution in the senate opposing an Obama administrations proposal to sell eight F-16 fighter jets to Pakistan at costs subsidized by US taxpayers. The US and Pakistan relationship has been a troubled one, he had said in a statement. Though the government of Pakistan has been considered Americas ally in the fight on terrorism, Pakistans behavior would suggest otherwise. While we give them billions of dollars in aid, we are simultaneously aware of their intelligence and military apparatus assisting the Afghan Taliban. The resolution had fallen, but sale was blocked. On Thursday, the senator said, Ive been fighting to end Pakistani aid for years. But now we have a breakthrough. President Trump has publicly called to end their aid, and is currently holding up over $200 million of it. I want to end all of it. Street crews dug out snow-clogged roads across the US Northeast on Friday after a powerful blizzard, as temperatures plunged during a brutal cold spell that has already killed at least 18 people. Extreme cold will reach from New England to the Midwest and down to the Carolinas, forecasters warned. Temperatures were expected to be 20 to 30 degrees Fahrenheit below average across the northeastern United States for the next several days. From Baltimore to Caribou, Maine, workers battled to clear snow and ice as wind chills were forecast to fall as low as minus 40 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 40 degrees Celsius) in some areas after sundown, according to the National Weather Service. In the latest fatality blamed on the harsh conditions, a driver slid off an icy road, killing a pedestrian, early on Friday in North Charleston, South Carolina, city officials said. The 17-year-old driver was arrested on charges including going too fast for the conditions, they said. THE DANGERS ARE REAL, the officials warned in a Twitter message. Huge patches of ice all over the city. Stay at home. A couple dig their car out the morning after a massive winter storm on January 5, 2018 in Boston, United States. (AFP Photo) In much of New England on Friday, the highs reached only into the single digits or teens Fahrenheit, but wind chills made it feel below zero in many places. It can be very dangerous, said Dan Pydynowski, a meteorologist with private forecasting service AccuWeather. Any kind of exposed skin can freeze in a couple of minutes. There were noticeably fewer tourists on Friday afternoon in New York Citys Times Square, which is usually thronged with visitors. Arjun Shah, a 22-year-old Briton, studies in Indiana but had never visited the U.S. East Coast. He flew in to New York City, where temperatures have been below freezing since Christmas Day, just 24 hours before the blizzard struck. Oh its so bad! Its not this bad in London, Shah said, shivering while taking a break from snapping photos of Times Square. A mail delivery person pulls her cart through the snow on January 4, 2018 in Brooklyn, New York. (AFP Photo) FROZEN MONUMENTS In Washington, bundled-up tourists ventured onto the frozen Reflecting Pool in front of the Lincoln Memorial before being shooed away by a National Park Service ranger. The memorial, also normally busy with visitors, was mostly vacant with temperatures in the teens and bone-chilling winds that sent American flags whipping straight out from their poles. I dont think Ive felt this cold, ever, said Zoie Irwin, a 19-year-old student from San Francisco State University as she huddled with friends. At the nearby National World War II Memorial, Varun Solipuram, a 31-year-old native of Hyderabad, India, who studies in California, said he was taken aback by snow in the bright winter sun. Its really beautiful, Solipuram said. The storm that swept in on Thursday with gusts of more than 70 miles per hour (113 km per hour), dumped 22 inches (56 cms) of snow in parts of Maine and 17 inches (43 cm) in parts of Massachusetts, before ending on Friday, the National Weather Service said. The storm was powered by a rapid drop in barometric pressure that some weather forecasters called a bombogenesis, or a bomb cyclone. Cities from Houston to Boston have stepped up efforts to bring the homeless to shelters. Authorities said that three homeless people in Texas died from exposure to the cold. Canadas largest city, Toronto, scrambled to find emergency shelter for the homeless as temperatures dropped to record lows after the sweeping storm knocked out power to tens of thousands in eastern provinces and destroyed coastal roads. La Guardia Airport awaits arriving flights after runways were plowed of snow on January 5, 2018 in the Queens borough of New York City. (AFP Photo) Numbing temperatures have also had some unusual effects: cold-shocked iguanas fell out of trees in Florida and wildlife officials in the state said they had rescued more than 200 stunned sea turtles from freezing waters. Schools in New York were open, while children in Boston and Baltimore enjoyed a second day of canceled classes. Schools in Newark, New Jersey, opened two hours later than usual. Commuters riding railways serving New York and Bostons suburbs endured extensive delays as crews worked to repair frozen equipment and clear snow-covered tracks. New Yorks John F. Kennedy International and LaGuardia airports resumed flights on Friday after closing during whiteout conditions the day before. More than 1,500 flights at U.S. East Coast airports had been canceled by Friday evening, most at the New York areas three major airports and Boston Logan International Airport. Nearly 500 members of the National Guard were activated to assist with the emergency response along the East Coast, including 200 in New York state, authorities said. Half Moon Bay, CA (94019) Today A few passing clouds, otherwise generally clear. Low 53F. Winds W at 5 to 10 mph.. Tonight A few passing clouds, otherwise generally clear. Low 53F. Winds W at 5 to 10 mph. Now that the holiday season is behind us, you're probably wondering where to store all of your gold ingots, lumps of physical gold and bars of gold bullion. The struggle is real, amirite? Never fear, the State of Texas has your back in 2018. Specifically, the Texas Bullion Depository wants to solve all your gold storage problems. The Depository - created via legislation passed in 2015 and blessed by statute with the imprimatur of the Texas State Comptroller - is managed by a private company named Lone Star Tangible Assets. Lone Star's business affiliates also are in the business of selling gold, diamonds, and precious metals as well as offering storage services for investors and collectors, according to spokesman Josh Hinsdale. The depository is slated to open this month, at which point it will publish rates for depositors. Unlike the U.S. Bullion Depository, aka Fort Knox, private investors, corporations and endowments will be able to store and insure their gold at the Texas depository. Fort Knox only stores official U.S. gold reserves. For now, Hinsdale told me, Texas depository customers should expect the cost of a combination of storage and insurance will be less than half of 1 percent of the value stored, per year. Meaning, storing and insuring a $100,000 pile of gold bars should cost you less than $500 per year at the depository. Now, I don't personally own any gold, for reasons I'll explain further down, but it's true that storing gold could be a problem for some Texans. I called my homeowner's insurance provider, and learned they explicitly exclude precious metals like gold in lump, bar or sheet form from their homeowners policies. So, I could try to store gold in my closet or basement at home, but it would be with the knowledge that any losses, including theft, are at my own risk. Another answer could be a safe-deposit box at my bank. I checked with my bank, and for $100 per year I could rent one of its larger boxes at its headquarters office in town. This would remove the gold problem from my house and would give me bank-level security. It would not, however, provide insurance against losses. The bank provides the space only, and unlike money deposited at the bank, my gold would get no guarantees against theft or destruction. I would need to purchase separate insurance for the value of my gold ingots. Individual investors will be able to store and insure their gold at the Texas Bullion Depository this month. The depository is building another facility for institutional investors, such as the University of Texas' endowment, in Leander, outside Austin. That's slated for completion in December 2018 for those who want to store their bullion closer to home. The endowment for Texas' state universities held about $491 million in physical gold bullion as of Aug. 31, reportedly at HSBC bank in New York. Now, the Texas Bullion Depository appears to be a thoughtful and serious service, and for people who need to store their personal gold, this seems better than the alternatives. But here's the more important thing I feel obligated to point out: Nobody should be buying gold for their personal accounts. It's not a wise use of your money. Gold - unlike actual investments like stocks and bonds and real estate - produces no wealth or cash flows. Unlike real money, it is too volatile to serve as a stable store of value. Unlike real money, it's too bulky and inconvenient to serve as a convenient medium of exchange. Gold is one of my Four Horsemen of Your Personal Financial Apocalypse, along with time-shares, variable annuities and bitcoin. I guess I could say the only thing gold has going for it is that it's "better than bitcoin." But frankly they are in the same genre of financial tricks played on the simultaneously gullible and paranoid. What I mean is that if gold is the Bozo the Clown of investments, bitcoin is Pennywise. From previous reader feedback, I already know I'm whistling into the wind with you gold enthusiasts, and likewise you can trust that your (polite) disagreements will not tempt me to agree with you. Given the precious metal fever-dreams to which gold-enthusiasts succumb, I think the state-sponsored part of the Texas Bullion Depository is odd. The depository is, naturally, the only one of its kind in the United States. No other state has seen the need to create this through legislation. The state comptroller's office released a video in December extolling the creation of the depository in Texas, noting, "The Texas Bullion Depository will provide safe, fully insured storage for precious metal, providing an alternative to depositories largely located in and around New York City." Something about storing gold in New York apparently makes Texas lawmakers nervous. "The law will repatriate $1 billion of gold bullion from New York to Texas," Gov. Greg Abbott's office announced upon signing the bill to authorize the depository in 2015. I think using the word "secession" would be impolite here, but I'm also not denying that's the word that comes to my mind when I hear this kind of crazy talk. The Texas Bullion Depository offers a legitimate solution to some people's gold storage needs. Undoubtedly, however, this facility will also stoke more fringy gold-bug fantasies. Now, do you mind if I share my own fantasies? I was disappointed to hear from Hinsdale there are no plans as of now for a "visiting room" to see the physical piles of gold once the facility in Leander gets built. I would totally take my girls on a field trip to visit big lumps of other people's gold. Then we could spend the whole drive talking about how to stage an "Ocean's 11"-style heist of the "Fort Knox of Texas." And really, what's the point of a Texas Bullion Depository if it doesn't inspire this kind of magical thinking? If Richard Linklater or Robert Rodriguez isn't currently writing a "Goldfinger of Texas" screenplay staring the Wilson brothers, then I demand a full refund for all of 2018. Despite a long recovery and record streak of job growth, the share of Americans moving to new locations continued a steady decline in 2017, reaching a new post-World War II low, an indicator of a less mobile workforce that reflects an aging society and economic problems facing younger workers. The decline marked the fifth straight year in which the share of the population moving dropped. In 2017, the number fell to 11 percent, according to the Census Bureau. The level was nearly twice as high in 1985, 20 percent, but has fallen steadily, except for occasional cyclical zigzags, for the last three decades. For decades, high rates of mobility sharply distinguished the U.S. from other developed economies in Europe and Japan. The decline in mobility is due partly to what has become a less-dynamic and fluid American labor market, some economists believe. The decline also reflects social and demographic factors such as an aging population and declining birth rates; older people tend to stay put more, and starting families often motivates people to go out on their own. But economics has pushed the trend: Even though the job fortunes of young adults have improved after several difficult years following the Great Recession, many are still living in their parents' homes or stuck in apartments with multiple roommates. Stricter requirements for mortgages and large student debts may be keeping some from homeownership. But high prices, particularly in larger urban centers favored by young adults, also play a role. Builders have tended to bank on more-profitable, higher-priced houses or luxury apartments, and that's helped exacerbate a shortage of affordable homes in many cities. "I've been waiting for now a long time for these young people to get out of their parents' basement," said William Frey, a Brookings Institution demographer who compiled and analyzed the census statistics, which cover the period between March 2016 and March 2017 and also include a sliver of foreign migration in the U.S. Part of the slowing mobility could be a lifestyle issue, Frey said. "Maybe a little bit of inertia based on having not followed the norm of earlier generations." There was, however, an encouraging sign in the data: Even as local moves, that is within counties, fell to a record low, pushing down total domestic migration, the percentage of the population relocating from one state to another in 2017 picked up slightly over 2016. Those long-distance moves are driven largely by job changes, and 2017 saw noticeable mobility gains on the part of adults 25 to 34 years old, those with college degrees and older people, according to Frey. In recent decades, the rate at which companies create new jobs has fallen; so has the rate at which they eliminate positions, said Steven J. Davis, a professor at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business and senior fellow at the Hoover Institution. Both trends discourage workers from moving. "Lower gross job destruction rates mean less impetus from one's labor market experience to pick up and move locations," he said. "At the same time, lower gross job creation rates mean less opportunity to find a job in a new location." Some analysts say the recently signed GOP tax overhaul, and President Donald Trump's efforts to reduce government regulations on business, could help strengthen the "creative destruction" in the American economy and spur migration. The tax bill, which mostly benefits corporations, is expected to increase economic growth in 2018. That could give a boost to mobility and in turn a lift to the housing market. Just how much people will pull up stakes and relocate as a result of economic growth remains to be seen, however. No one expects a major reversal of the long-running trend of lower mobility, in part because of strong demographic trends that include slower overall population growth. Separate census data released last month showed that as of July, the U.S. population rose by 2.3 million from the prior year to 325.7 million. That's an annual growth rate of 0.72 percent - the second lowest since 1937. The slowing growth of the U.S. population reflects a steady decline in births and growing numbers of deaths. The resulting natural increase over 2017 was 1.2 million, the smallest in at least 17 years. Kenneth Johnson, a demographer at the University of New Hampshire, estimates that the Great Recession resulted in 4 million fewer births than what otherwise might have been. With the economy growing, some women who are in their 30s and who put off having children earlier could do so now and give a bump to the natural increase in the population. Still, lingering effects from the recession and demographics suggest that many people will remain tethered to where they are. Young people account for the bulk of moves, and the U.S., like other developed countries, is aging, Johnson pointed out. WASHINGTON - There is a reason why the last federal sale of oil or gas drilling leases off Florida's Gulf coast or California's Pacific coast was in the 1980s: The local and congressional opposition is bipartisan and intense. And that's why the Trump administration can expect a fight over its draft five-year plan for managing such leases, which calls for new drilling in those areas once thought to be sacrosanct. In the aftermath of Thursday's public reveal of the new record-breaking offshore strategy, lawmakers from both parties are urging the Interior Department to drop its plans to hold lease sales off the Florida Gulf Coast and the entirety of the Pacific coast. Fears of oil spills and interference with defense activities highlight the arguments against the administration's plan to tap all the domestic oil and gas that it can to achieve in pursuit of U.S. dominance of global energy markets. "As the Department of Interior works to finalize their draft plan, I urge Secretary Zinke to recognize the Florida congressional delegation's bipartisan efforts to maintain and extend the moratorium in the Eastern Gulf of Mexico, and remove this area for future planning purposes," said Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., whose sentiment echoed that of Republican Gov. Rick Scott and Sen. Bill Nelson, D-Fla. - a unifying issue for two politicians likely poised for electoral battle this cycle. The White House acknowledged Thursday that the proposal may have struck a nerve with Florida lawmakers, vowing to reach a consensus on how to move forward, according to White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders. The Pacific sales, the first time that region could see a lease sale since 1984, represent an even harsher and ideological opposition. The governors of California, Oregon and Washington issued a joint statement calling the proposal "a political decision" that "flies in the face of decades of strong opposition on the part of Washington, Oregon and California- from Republicans and Democrats alike." That statement included a promise to "do whatever it takes to stop this reckless, short-sighted action," the three governors said. Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke vowed to maintain an open channel of communication, repeatedly highlighting on a media call Thursday afternoon that this draft proposal was the first step in a long process of completing the new five-year plan for 2019-2024, and that the former Montana congressman was open to hearing from all stakeholders, including members of Congress and governors. Parker School Uniforms spent months seeking capital, financing and refinancing, but the 87-year-old Houston company "exhausted all reasonable avenues" this week. It permanently shut down operations and terminated all employees, according to emails obtained by the Chronicle. "Parker believed that it would be successful in obtaining the necessary capital and that, if it had, it would have been able to avoid the closure of the business," read an email sent to employees and shared by one of them with the Chronicle. "Further, if Parker had provided earlier notice, it would have it (sic) undermined its efforts to obtain additional outside capital." The result was unemployment for workers who began their holidays expecting to still have jobs in the new year. As of Friday afternoon, employees hadn't been paid for hours worked at the end of 2017. UPDATE: The Texas Workforce Commission now reports that Parker laid off 320 workers in Harris County effective Jan. 3. "It's put a lot of us in dire straits," said a Dallas-area manager who asked to remain unnamed for fear of retaliation from potential employers. RELATED: Parker School Uniforms may be closed after decades clothing private schoolers For many Parker employees, the saga began Wednesday morning as they awoke to an email sent at 11:10 p.m. Tuesday. "We regret to advise that the company continues to struggle to meet its financial obligations," the email read. "And while we aggressively seek out a path forward, we would like to respectfully request that you do not report to work tomorrow, Wednesday, January 3rd." A conference call later on Wednesday informed workers they were still employed and that Parker School Uniforms was working on a solution. But a follow-up email that evening confirmed their fears - all employees were terminated, and the company did not provide specifics about pay or insurance. "It's not a high-paying job to begin with," the Dallas manager said. "You live paycheck to paycheck, and this is the first paycheck after Christmas." Verbally, employees were told they'd be paid for hours worked at the end of 2017. But their paychecks weren't deposited on Thursday. They were told the checks would come through Friday, but the employee again awoke to an empty bank account. A text to several managers said the company's accounts were frozen, which prevented Parker from making payroll. It was trying to work something out, but was not "optimistic that this is going to be resolved" on Friday. The Dallas employee filed for unemployment on Thursday and spent Friday looking for a new job. Parker School Uniforms did not respond to requests for comment. Salem Investment Partners, which lists Parker as part of its portfolio, also did not respond to requests for comment. A woman who answered the phone at Argosy Private Equity, another company listing Parker among its portfolio, declined to comment. Parker School Uniforms has been a Houston institution clothing generations of private school students. More recently, it has frustrated parents who complained of unfilled orders and a lack of communication. The local office of the Better Business Bureau reports Parker was the subject of 85 complaints within the last three years - 81 of them since last July. The annual Expanding Your Horizons day-long conference sets to kick off its 26th year on Feb. 24 at Spring Forest Middle School inviting young women from the sixth, seventh and eighth grade along with their teachers, parents and counselors to listen to other women sharing their success stories. The conference is sponsored by the West Harris County branch of the American Association of University Women, which works to provide career information to stories of inspiring women for middle school girls. "Our goal is to inspire young women to study science, technology, engineering and math so they can reach their dreams," said KarenJean North, from AAUW. Each student will attend four small classes where they will be given the opportunity to meet a professional woman who works in STEM. The speaker will share her early interests in the field, her day-to-day activities, rewards she has received for her work, and any preparation that is required for the job. Some sessions will include a hands on project that is used as a tool to help illustrate their work. "These creative people don't lecture kids, but involved them in various ways to create hands-on experiences in every one of the conference workshops," KarenJean said. Students are asked to fill out the form choosing their top category sessions they would like to be placed in ranging from their first choice category to their least chosen category. Part of the policy for the conference is to not allow parents in the same sessions as students siting in the form. "We have found that girls are intimidated when adults are also in the class, so our policy is that adults may not attend student sessions." The categories to choose from are: Design & Engineering Adventures, Health and Medicine in Action, Math Opens Doors, Nature's Treasures, and Sensational Science. The conference begins at 8 a.m. starting with check-in and a light breakfast followed by the opening session that includes the Keynote speaker. The day concludes with a drawing for door prizes at 2:45 p.m. before students are dismissed at 3:15 p.m. This year's conference keynote speaker will be NASA's Ginger Kerrick, plans to share how she joined NASA and walked a path toward achieving her goals. Kerrick is a Division Chief of the Flight Integration Division at Johnson Space Center with more than 25 years of experience in human space flight training and operations. A total of 450 seats are available for students to reserve a seat. Schools that register 20 or more students might be eligible for a bus grant. Each person registered includes a $6 fee. The conference first launched in 1992 when volunteers would gather to organized the EYH conference. The first Houston based EYH was held at Rice University in 1993. Spring Branch ISD began hosting the conference in 2011 at Northbrook Middle School. Make bird-watching one of your 2018 resolutions. It sharpens the mind, and offers exercise and relaxation. Bird-watching takes you on long walks in the neighborhood or park while your body burns 100 calories per hour. Though it's not an aerobic routine, it serves as a fun way to burn calories. Especially after the holidays. Besides, winter is a great time to take a bird-watching stroll. Trees barren of leaves make it easy to spot migrant birds who have arrived here for the winter - including yellow-bellied sapsuckers, yellow-rumped warblers and American goldfinches. Look for chipping sparrows on lawns and in short-grass fields. Although petite pine warblers with green and yellow colors are here all year, they normally remain high in the pines. In winter, though, they dangle on the lower branches or drop down to feed in the grass. Lift those binoculars to get a better look at birds such as titmice, chickadees and woodpeckers. Of course, it's not bona fide weight lifting, but it helps your flexibility. (Remember my horrible bicycle accident last summer? Badly busted up right hand, arm,and shoulder, among other injuries. Advice from the physical therapist: Lift your binoculars!) Admonitions abound about mental fitness as you age, and you'll definitely sharpen your mind by learning the variant calls and musical rhythms of songbirds. The skill involves complex cognitive functions and revitalizes the brain's neural pathways. More Information Bird-watching to-do list A Get a pair of binoculars. A Buy a bird book. I shamelessly recommend "Book of Texas Birds," by Gary Clark with photography by Kathy Adams Clark (Texas A&M University Press, $39.95.) A Study the bird book before heading out. A Look carefully at every bird you find during your bird-watching walk. A Carry a notepad and jot down the birds you see. A If you don't know a bird's name, describe it or draw a rudimentary picture noting body shape, size, color and beak shape - and describe the song or call. A Back home, look up the birds you saw in your bird book and learn more about them. See More Collapse But don't overload your brain by trying to learn every birdsong at once. Start by learning a Carolina wren's 50 songs and calls in all their variations; that will keep your brain charged up all year. Figure out the sounds a mockingbird mimics - hint: It's not only sounds of other birds. That'll give your brain a good workout. Aside from brain training, the harmony of birdsong reaches deep into our ancestral DNA to recover feelings of joy that have long comforted people. Which brings me to advice about relaxation, most of which involves meditation. Though my mind usually wonders, when I'm bird-watching, I'm focused on soothing thoughts, excluding all else. I stand at a window with a cup of coffee as the morning dawns and birds begin to sing. My mind hums an old spiritual with the words, "My Lord, what a morning." Nothing else matters. If the Houston-Galveston region continues to boom for the next 60 years and sea level rises as scientists predict, a direct hit to Galveston from a massive hurricane could destroy an estimated $31.8 billion worth of homes, a new study says. But Texas A&M researchers found that if the government builds a 17-foot barrier about 60 miles long from Galveston Island to Bolivar Peninsula, the potential residential destruction from a storm surge would drop to about $6 billion a reduction of more than 80 percent. The only problem: So far, Texas can't get congressional funding to build the coastal barrier, a proposal that has been floated since Hurricane Ike threatened to make a run for Galveston in 2008. "The numbers make sense," said state Sen. Larry Taylor, a Friendswood Republican who has tried for years to get federal funding for a coastal barrier, estimated to cost up to $12 billion. "This investment is going to pay for itself time and time again." The cost-benefit numbers could change with additional data: The A&M study only looked at damages to homes and apartments from a storm surge not flooding caused by rainfall and excludes the potential harm to the region's commercial buildings and its bustling ports. After Hurricane Harvey hit the Texas coast in August, Taylor and other supporters of the coastal barrier saw their opportunity. Both City of Houston and state officials asked the federal government to include $12 billion for a barrier as part of their post-Harvey aid requests. But the $81 billion disaster relief package passed by the House on Dec. 21 which also includes aid for storm victims in Florida, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands does not appear to include funding for the barrier. The Senate recessed for the holidays before taking up the disaster relief funding. The storm relief likely will become part of the negotiations for an all-inclusive 2018 spending bill to be considered by the Jan. 19 deadline for lawmakers to continue funding the federal government, said U.S. Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas. U.S. Rep. Randy Weber, a Friendswood Republican, said some Republican lawmakers have pushed back against funding infrastructure as part of disaster relief, warning it sets a bad precedent. Weber said he hopes to get the coastal barrier included in an infrastructure package if efforts to include it in disaster relief ultimately fail. "This is foolish for us to just keep paying for these disasters over and over and over again," Weber said. "How about something to prevent this from happening on the next go around?" State officials say they are willing to chip in for construction of a barrier, but can't and shouldn't have to pay for it alone. A spokesperson for Gov. Greg Abbott said he was working with Congress on a Harvey recovery package but did not address state funding for the coastal barrier. "The package is a work in progress and Governor Abbott continues to work with Congress to fight for the funds necessary to rebuild after Harvey," said Ciara Matthews, deputy communications director. The Texas General Land Office already has dedicated more than $15 million toward studying coastal protection, the bulk of it going to a joint $20 million study with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers that is expected to generate possible construction recommendations by this summer. "There's no question that the state is going to tap the Rainy Day Fund to pay for Harvey costs, but should the state pay the entire cost for the Ike Dike? No," said state Sen. Paul Bettencourt, R-Houston, a confidante of Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick who heads one of several special Senate committees studying Harvey. "That's absolutely unrealistic to even suggest that. Let's recognize the obvious: The state doesn't have to money to do that. "Should the state pay something? Yes," he said. "Should the feds and local governments chip in? Yes. This is what the feds are for, is to take the lead on projects like this. This is a project that will take collaboration to get it done." Mark Mulligan/Houston Chronicle A wall of water For years, academics and lawmakers have warned of the potential danger of a direct-hit hurricane for the Houston-Galveston region. Hurricane Ike in 2008 looked as if it might slam into Galveston, but it veered away before landfall. Hurricane Harvey slammed into Rockport, about three hours south of Houston, in August and dumped rain for days, creating epic flooding in Houston. As bad as Harvey was, Weber said, the region still "dodged a bullet" compared to what would happen if a hurricane slammed directly into Galveston and sent a wall of water up the 44-mile Houston Ship Channel. In March, Weber and other members of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee visited the Netherlands to see the massive barrier system installed there after a flood killed thousands. "I've looked at their gates. They hold back the sea," Weber said. "And by golly, if they do it over there, why can't we do it over here? It's not a matter of if we get another hurricane. It's simply when." The Houston Chronicle also visited the Netherlands after Harvey to explore possible solutions to the flooding here. One of the main lessons: There's a short window to get plans in motion for big-picture projects. What the project may ultimately involve is still up in the air. Texas A&M professor Bill Merrell proposed the idea of building a barrier after Ike hit the coast, causing an estimated $30 billion in damages. Modeled after a system built by the Dutch, the idea eventually secured backing by the state, which created a public corporation in 2010 to study its feasibility. But with the economy still in recovery mode, and no funding for the public corporation until 2013, the project seemed to progress in fits and starts, beset by opposing visions among academics and concerns about its potential environmental impact. Michael Ciaglo/Staff 'Largest engineering feats' Texas A&M and Rice University researchers have extensively studied the coastal barrier and have floated proposals that vary widely in scope and price, but are all in the billions. The General Land Office and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reached an agreement in 2015 to split the cost of a study to evaluate risk reduction and ecosystem restoration along the Texas coast. The study involves analyzing four different options for coastal protection, including building barriers, levees and surge gates. The Corps expects to publish a draft study with construction recommendations in the summer of 2018 and a final report by 2021. "I believe this will lead to one of the largest engineering feats of the 21st century," Col. Lars Zetterstrom, the Army Corps' Galveston District commander, told a state legislative committee in October. Taylor, the Friendswood lawmaker who is co-chair of the state's Joint Interim Committee to Study a Coastal Barrier System, said although the project's construction as yet remains unfunded, he is not giving up hope far from it. Taylor noted that President Donald J. Trump has signaled support for infrastructure projects, and cited the general momentum toward mitigation post-Harvey. "I think this is our best opportunity," he said. "If we don't get it done in this next year, our chances start diminishing." The Army Corps has about $60 billion in authorized construction projects nationally that compete each year for money based on their cost-benefit ratio, said Edmond Russo, the Corps' deputy district engineer for programs and project management in Galveston. "It's a very competitive process," he said. State Sen. Sylvia Garcia, a Democrat who represents Houston's East End and parts of Pasadena, Galena Park and Baytown, said the project is simply "taking too long," considering what is at stake. "We've studied this thing enough," she said. "It's time for action." A direct hit from a hurricane is "probably the greatest risk to our region," she said, "and it is increasing each day." *** DEVELOPING STORM: Hurricane Harvey was the most destructive storm in Houston's history. The late-August storm dumped up to 60 inches of rain on southeast Texas, but the resulting damage was multiplied by actions taken and not taken during the past 50 years. Our seven-part series explains why the storm's damage was both a natural and man-made disaster. Part 1: Nature ruled, man reacted. Hurricane Harvey was Houston's reckoning Part 2: Build, flood, rebuild: flood insurance's expensive cycle Part 3: What's in Houston's worst flood zones? Development worth $13.5 billion Part 4: Harvey overwhelmed some levee systems. Future storms could do worse. Part 5: Officials patched and prayed while pressure built on Houston's dams Part 6: For buyers within 'flood pools,' no warnings from developers, public officials Part 7: In Harvey's wake, Dutch have much to teach Houston Click here to read all of our Harvey coverage. GET ENGAGED: Where do we go from here? Seven Houston-area leaders discussed flooding causes and solutions at a Greater Houston After Harvey forum hosted by the Houston Chronicle in early December. Watch Wednesday night's keynote address by Jim Blackburn, co-director of Rice University's Severe Storm Prediction, Education and Evacuation from Disasters (SSPEED) Center. Read his thoughts on living around water. Sign up for our Facebook community to share your Harvey story, engage with other community members and ask our reporters questions. Join the discussion on Twitter: #HoustonAfterHarvey. SUBSCRIBE: The Houston Chronicle is dedicated to serving the public interest with fact-based journalism. That mission has never been more important. Show your support for our journalism at HoustonChronicle.com/subscribe. Houston rang in the new year logging 33 fewer murders in 2017 than it recorded in 2016, an 11 percent decrease the city's top cop credited in part to an intense police focus on assaults and domestic violence. "The way you reduce murders is to solve attempted murders," Houston Police Department Chief Art Acevedo said in a recent interview. "If you think about people who shoot people, frequently it's not the first person they've ever shot, and in many cases it won't be the last person they will shoot." Acevedo is already putting potential violent criminals on notice in the new year with this warning: "You may end up beating the charge later on, but you ain't gonna stop from taking a ride to jail," he said during a presentation to City Council. HPD's preliminary estimates put the number of murders in 2017 at 269 - down from 302 during the previous year. Using the U.S. Census Bureau's most recent population estimates, that would equate to about 11.7 murders for every 100,000 city residents. That's a significant upswing from the city's 25-year low of 9.2, set in 2011, according to data from the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program. But while some of those numbers are preliminary, they're nonetheless consistent with a two-decade nosedive in the city murder rate, as well as decadeslong drops in crime in most American cities - trends that have forged together an unlikely cohort of right- and left-wing activists and researchers in their calls to end mass incarceration. New year, same issues Despite fewer murders, Houston's year end was punctuated by a spate of horrific violence: In a three-day period in late December, a 13-year-old boy and three others were killed in two separate shootings, and a woman was "nearly" decapitated by her samurai sword-wielding boyfriend, officials said. Hours after the 13-year-old boy was killed on Dec. 28, Acevedo wrote on Twitter that "we need to come together to hold anyone who commits aggravated assault especially with firearms accountable." "We have shootings in our city almost nightly," he wrote. "Too many lives are being cut short." Acevedo cited the Thanksgiving's day death of Texas Department of Public Safety trooper Damon Allen, who was fatally shot during a traffic stop on Interstate 45 in Freestone County. Allen's alleged killer, Dabrett Black, had two previous arrests for assaulting a police officer and was out on a $15,500 bond at the time. "We're starting to find a myriad of cases where individuals that have committed aggravated assaults are out on relatively low bonds, and while out on relatively low bonds they are committing other aggravated crimes," Acevedo said. Officials with the HPD union have voiced similar concerns, with its new president saying last month that "we can't have predators out here preying on people of this community." "I understand the justice system wants to be fair to folks," said Joseph Gamaldi, president of the Houston Police Officer's Union."But you have to be fair to the victims, to the community. You can't just keep letting people out." It's an issue that is central to HPD's relationship with the Harris County District Attorney's Office under Kim Ogg, who like Acevedo is a reform-minded leader entering her second year at her agency's helm. The chief did, for his part, say that he understands departmentwide reforms take time, and said he and Ogg's goals and visions for their respective departments largely align. First Assistant District Attorney Tom Berg said Ogg has "built on the efforts of predecessors in this office to attack violent crime, perhaps with less emphasis on the death penalty, but very much in locking up armed robbers and burglars and gangs that victimize marginalized communities." "Our initiatives diverting low-level offenses such as simple possession of marijuana were intended to free up scarce resources to reallocate to crimes against people and property," Berg wrote in an email Thursday. 'American carnage' Houston's overall violent crime rate is, however, projected to increase by about 4 percent, according to an annual Brennan Center For Justice report that tracks crime in American cities through Dec. 19. The Brennan Center estimated that Houston will experience a violent crime rate of 1,012 violent crimes per 100,000 the nation. In comparison, at its 1991 peak, Houston's violent crime rate was 1,600, according to the FBI's UCR database. That same year, city police reported 36.5 murders for every 100,000 residents - more than triple the rate of this year. Nationally, the Brennan Center estimated 2017 will likely have the second-lowest overall crime rate since 1990. Violent crime is down slightly since 2016, the report found, while the national murder rate plummeted 2.5 percent thanks to sharp declines reported in Chicago, New York City, Houston and Detroit. The findings, while preliminary, are the latest in exhaustive research countering claims that crime is on the rise in American cities. "Since Day 1 in office, President Trump and his administration have wrongly pushed this idea of 'American carnage' and a nationwide crime wave," Inimai Chettiar, the director of the Brennan Center's Justice Program, said in a statement. "They appear to be trying to scare Americans into supporting some of the administration's most controversial policies, from changes to drug prosecutions to aggressive immigration enforcement. But numbers clearly undercut their claims. Crime rates this year remain near historic lows." Mark Holden, general counsel and senior vice president of Koch Industries, said the report "refutes claims that crime is on the upswing in this country." Holden, whose bosses include conservative, billionaire megadonors Charles and David Koch, continued: "That doesn't mean we should be complacent. We should learn from the dozens of states that have made moves to successfully reduce crime and recidivism while also reducing incarceration." Social media ties In Houston, Acevedo also anticipates an intensified focus on gun and gang violence this year. That will include more data-driven police work, he said, as well as having more detectives working at night, when gang violence more often occurs. Official estimates by law enforcement agencies peg the number of local gang members at about 20,000, though the exact numbers are difficult to pin down. Sgt. Clint Ponder, a veteran of HPD's gang division, said that the city's focus on counseling and social work has helped deter young people from joining gangs. He did, however, say that social media may be responsible in part for the number and sophistication of robberies committed in recent years. In December, for instance, a crew of masked men stole ATMs from five local hotels in one week. "Before, guys were just standing on a street corner with their four or five buddies," he said. "Now they can kind of work through social media." But, he added, it's important for officials and resident alike to not over-exaggerate the threat or sophistication of Houston's myriad gangs, which mainly operate in small pockets of the city. "There is no way in the world these guys will every get organized enough to really pose a huge threat on you and me, or on the regular average Joe," he said. "They're just not that smart." Imagine making the nine-month trek to Mars just to have such poor vision upon arrival that it's impossible to land. That type of scenario would be a nightmare for NASA astronauts headed to the red planet but it's a very real possibility if scientists don't develop a way to counteract a phenomena that leaves men visually impaired after long-term exposure to zero gravity. "This is a big concern for astronauts, who are mostly pilots," said David Zawieja, regents professor at Texas A&M University's College of Medicine, who is studying the problem for NASA. "You have to have them be able to land and appropriately be able to see. They have to get there, land, do what they need to do and then return." Researchers still don't know why it happens or why only men have been shown being affected, not women, Zawieja said. The leading hypothesis is that increased pressure in the heads of male astronauts is to blame. RELATED: NASA isolation study may provide answers for mission to Mars Scientists at Texas A&M and Florida State University are studying how fluid pressure changes in a person's head such as the cerebrospinal fluid that cushions the brain from shock might impact vision. They're also studying coronary artery function. Space Flight-Associated Neuro-ocular Syndrome appears to be more prevalent during long-duration missions. "Few data exist from which to determine the extent or cause" of the syndrome, according to a November 2017 risk report produced by Houston's Johnson Space Center. Researchers expect to have results later this year from a study that launched 20 male mice to the International Space Station in August, with a goal of putting scientists one step closer to discovering why the vision problems happen to men. Some scientists think zero gravity increases the cerebrospinal fluid pressure in the skull, increasing pressure in the back of the eyeballs and the optic nerve, Zawieja said. "When there's increased pressure on the nerve, it doesn't act properly," he said. NEW MISSION: New NASA mission to study little known boundary between Earth and outer space Others think the syndrome might be caused by increased vascular fluids, such as blood and lymph, in the head. About 68 ounces of this fluid the same as a two-liter bottle of soda shift from an astronaut's legs toward their head in space, according to NASA. Scott Kelly, the first American to spend a continuous year in space, wrote in his book, "Endurance," about the vision changes he experienced on many of his spaceflights. His vision would get blurry about 10 to 12 feet in front of him, he wrote, but eventually returned to normal back on Earth. After his first long-duration flight, which lasted 159 days, Kelly wrote that doctors found swelling of his optic nerve as well as choroidal folds, similar to stretch marks, on his eye. NASA researchers have identified these and other eye problems, such as the flattening of eye shape, in many male astronauts on long-duration space missions. About 60 percent of 300 International Space Station Astronauts who were surveyed by NASA said their vision had degraded, according to the Johnson report. It did not specify if the respondents were male and female. Researchers are attempting creative ways to counteract this problem, but it's difficult to do without knowing the exact cause. For example, as part of an experiment during his year on the space station, Kelly would don vacuum pants that literally sucked his body in an attempt to relieve the intracranial pressure experienced during spaceflight. "The human body is roughly 70 percent fluids, which includes blood, lymph, and water contained within and around cells. On Earth, our cardiovascular system keeps those fluids distributed throughout our body despite the pull of gravity," according to a June 2015 NASA blog post from the space station. "During spaceflight, body fluids accumulate in the upper body, causing a noticeable puffiness in astronauts' faces." The redistribution of fluids may contribute to vision problems in space, the post said. "Reducing the pressure on our lower bodies also reduces the amount of fluid in our heads," Kelly wrote. "By studying the effects of [the Chibis pants] on our bodies, we hope to understand more about this problem." SPACE: Earth's ozone is recovering thanks to decades-old chemical ban, scientists say The main problem is that measuring this type of pressure requires an invasive procedure, such as a spinal tap or drilling a hole in one's skull, which cannot safely be done in space. That's why Zawieja's mice are a great asset for researchers. After the mice returned from their one month on the space station, scientists extracted tissues, arteries and veins from the neck and head, for example. Those samples were tested and will be compared to mice that stayed on the ground at Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Zawieja and other scientists are planning a trip to Florida in April to continue their research efforts. Rodents, obviously, are different than humans, but Zawieja believes researchers can extrapolate from the findings. And he hopes that their findings eventually help NASA determine a way to combat the problem, perhaps through medication. "That's the goal: to figure out how to prevent this so when we go to Mars that by time we return, we can see," he said. Alex Stuckey covers NASA and the environment for the Houston Chronicle. You can reach her at alex.stuckey@chron.com or Twitter.com/alexdstuckey. LOS ANGELES, Jan. 5 (Xinhua) -- U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) scientists have credited the international ban on man-made chemicals containing chlorine with helping to bring the ozone back. About 30 years ago under the Montreal Protocol, a United Nations emergency panel banned the use of the chemicals called chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), which left chlorine in the atmosphere destroying ozone molecules. Through direct observations of the ozone hole by a satellite instrument built by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), scientists for the first time have said that levels of ozone-destroying chlorine are declining, resulting in less ozone depletion. In previous studies, researchers have used statistical analyses of changes in the ozone hole's size to argue that ozone depletion is decreasing. The new study, published Thursday in the journal Geophysical Research Letters, is the first to use measurements of the chemical composition inside the ozone hole to confirm that not only is ozone depletion decreasing, but that the decrease is caused by the decline in CFCs. CFCs are long-lived chemical compounds that eventually rise into the stratosphere, where they are broken apart by the Sun's ultraviolet radiation, releasing chlorine atoms that go on to destroy ozone molecules, NASA said on its website. "We see very clearly that chlorine from CFCs is going down in the ozone hole, and that less ozone depletion is occurring because of it," said lead author Susan Strahan, an atmospheric scientist from NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland. Stratospheric ozone protects life by absorbing potentially harmful ultraviolet radiation, which may cause skin cancer and cataracts, suppress immune systems and damage planet life. The Antarctic ozone hole forms during September in the Southern Hemisphere's winter as the returning Sun's rays catalyze ozone destruction cycles involving chlorine and bromine that come primarily from CFCs. To determine how ozone and other chemicals have changed year to year, scientists used data from JPL's Microwave Limb Sounder (MLS) aboard the Aura satellite, which has been making measurements continuously around the globe since mid-2004. The change in ozone levels above Antarctica from the beginning to the end of the southern winter, early July to mid-September, was computed daily from MLS measurements every year from 2005 to 2016. Measurements show that the decline in chlorine has resulted in about 20 percent less ozone depletion during the Antarctic winter than there was in 2005, and scientists are crediting the international ban on chlorine-containing human-produced chemicals. Evidence had been building during the 1970s and '80s that CFCs were damaging the ozone layer. The levels of ozone had been dropping, which ultimately resulted in a nearly ozone-free "hole" above the Antarctic. The ozone hole spurred countries and companies into action. Two years after the discovery of the Antarctic ozone hole in 1985, nations signed the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer to regulate ozone-depleting compounds, later amendments to which completely phased out the production of CFCs. Looking forward, the Antarctic ozone hole should continue to recover gradually as CFCs leave the atmosphere, but complete recovery will take decades, according to NASA. "CFCs have lifetimes from 50 to 100 years, so they linger in the atmosphere for a very long time," said Anne Douglass, fellow atmospheric scientist at Goddard and the study's co-author. "As far as the ozone hole being gone, we're looking at 2060 or 2080. And even then there might still be a small hole," she said. [ Editor: meng ] AUSTIN -- The Blue Wave that Texas Democrats are hoping for this year could also result in a surge of gay elected officials in the state. Amid reports that a record number of 2018 election candidates in Texas are LGBTQ, doubling the previous record in the Lone Star State, party leaders and consultants are predicting that large field of candidates could drive up turnout for Democrats statewide. Houston-based OutSmart magazine reported that at least 42 LGBTQ people -- lesbian, gay, bi-sexual, transgender and queer, or questioning their sexual preference -- are running for a variety of offices. All but four of them are running as Democrats. Included on the list are two Democrats for governor -- former Dallas County Sheriff Lupe Valdez and Dallas businessman Jeffrey Payne -- one candidate for the Texas Supreme Court, three for the Texas Senate, 10 for the Texas House, eight for the U.S. House and dozens for various judicial seats. "I believe it's motivated by the fact that in 2017, members of the LGBT community in Texas watched themselves be attacked in the Texas legislature and they have decided to get involved in the political process to keep that from happening again," said Chuck Smith, chief executive officer of Equality Texas, an LGBTQ equal-rights advocacy group. TEXAS TAKE: Texas Sen. Ted Cruz touts tax cuts and throws shade on Washington Democrats "I hope this is a watershed moment, that many of these candidates will be elected." Michael Webb, president of Houston GLBT Political Caucus, the oldest equality organization in the South, echoed that sentiment. "This is a result of people who are tired of being the scapegoat of the far right, tired of being discriminated against, tired of being oppressed," said Webb, noting that the filings are part of a "progressive wave" involving numerous communities in Texas "that have been used as targets." Fourteen of the LGBTQ candidates are from the Houston area, nearly a third of the total, according to the magazine. Twenty-one are women and 21 are men and five are transgender. Six are incumbents who currently are among 18 current LGBTQ elected and appointed officials in Texas. Included among the LGBTQ hopefuls are Plano attorney Mark Phariss, who in 2013 was a plaintiff in the successful Texas marriage equality lawsuit. Longtime Austin activist Glen Maxey, who became the first openly gay member of the Texas Legislature in 1991, said the numbers are clearly historic -- and signal a notable shift in Texas' acceptance of the LGBTQ community. Francisco Vera/Laredo Morning Times 'Game changer' In many respects, the larger numbers of candidates highlights how the LGBTQ community is going mainstream, activists and political consultants say. "The glass ceiling we once had is no longer cracked, it's not even there any more," said Maxey, now the legislative director for the Texas Democratic Party. "The previous elections of (Mayor) Annise Parker in Houston, Lupe Valdez in Dallas, (Travis County Sheriff) Margo Fraser in Austin, (state Rep.) Celia Israel in Austin and others paved the way to where we are." "Gay people have been running for and serving successfully in office for some time, and their orientation is no longer a consideration for most voters ... 2018 is not where Texas was 10 years ago, and certainly not where it was in 1991." In a year when Democrats are predicting a "blue wave" will hit sweep Texas, fueled by voter opposition to President Trump's policies and Texas' increasingly ultra-conservative GOP leadership, longtime Democratic insiders insist the record wave of LGBTQ candidates signals a new energy that could prove significant. TEXAS DEMS: Justin Nelson relishes role as underdog in attorney general's race "It's going to part of what could be a game changer -- one of a number of groups that will build momentum for that wave," said Matt Angle, a longtime Democratic consultant, citing anger toward Republicans from women, Hispanics and the LGBT community. Not surprisingly, Republican Party officials and their consultants downplay the uptick. "The LGBT community is central to the Democratic Party, and while it's potentially valuable to them in the Democratic primary, I don't see that carrying through into the general election," said Matt Mackowick, a longtime GOP consultant and chairman of the Travis County Republican Party. "Republicans don't evaluate candidates based on their identity -- race, sexual orientation, gender identity. We evaluate candidates based on their principles." Andrew Harrer/Bloomberg Turnout is key Should the record number of LGBTQ candidates help fuel a larger-than-expected turnout in the Democratic primary, that could benefit the party heading into the November general election, political consultants say. And if more LGBTQ candidates win offices, it will increase their clout on issues facing that community -- and perhaps spell trouble for Republican leaders who might want to try again to pass the bathroom bill or other measures the LGBTQ community opposes. By some measures, it could also increase the chances that Valdez or even Payne could become the Democratic Party nominee for governor, perhaps even end up with them in a primary runoff. Such developments would almost certainly draw national attention to Texas and its hard-line GOP policies that have been labeled as punitive by gays and transgender people. 2017 ELECTIONS: Danica Roem will be Virginia's first openly transgender elected official At the same time, that could help draw more conservative Republican voters to the polls as they seek to ensure Texas continues as Red State -- as most politics watchers believe it will. Mark Jones, a political scientist at Rice University who has been watching Texas politics for years, thinks the large number of LGBTQ candidates, while significant, may not make much difference to many voters. "Lupe Valdez is seen by most people as a Latina sheriff. Her sexual orientation is not a defining factor in her career," he said. "Jeffrey Payne is a businessman who is gay. With less than two months before voting begins, both will want to get their message out on what they will do as governor -- not about their orientation." In the end, he and other political scientists say their identity as Democrats will be a key in the primary. In the general election, not being a Republican could be an insurmountable goal for them as they try to break Democrats' two-decade drought in holding statewide office in Texas. Maxey and other Democratic officials maintain hope that the Blue Wave will happen this year in Texas. "These numbers are pretty significant and having the LGBTQ community firmly in the Democratic column will help the party this year, especially in the primary," said Brandon Rottinghaus, a political scientist at the University of Houston. "How that plays out in the general election remains to be seen." Mike Ward is the Austin Bureau chief, covering Texas politics, the Executive Branch, criminal justice, ethics and other issues for the Houston Chronicle. Follow him on Twitter and Facebook. Send him tips at mike.ward@chron.com. The Star Wars franchise's latest evil government, the First Order, seems carefully crafted to send a shiver down contemporary spines. Based on an alpine-looking ice planet, run by crisp functionaries in sharply tailored uniforms and armed with world-destroying weaponry, the First Order hearkens back to fascist regimes of the 20th century. But the most frightening thing about the First Order, as far as real-world audiences ought to be concerned, is the radical inequality festering in the society it aims to rule. In the world depicted in "The Last Jedi," the relationship between mass politics and the First Order is never made entirely clear; the regime seems to have manifested out of some dark energy conjured by its diabolical alien leader, and, this being a mass-market sci-fi flick, we can't fault it too much for that. (After the heat "Attack of the Clones" took for wasting time on mind-numbing political tick-tock, it's easy to understand why the writers behind "The Last Jedi" didn't want to make the same mistake.) But the film does linger on the shape of its characters' economy: upside-down, one gathers. Wealthy arms dealers and other rich characters decked in haute couture throw money down and drinks back in glittering casinos while dirty-faced children muck out stalls for alien beasts roughly akin to terrestrial racehorses. This inequality is adduced as a source of strength for the Resistance. At the film's conclusion, a child laborer is seen using the Force to summon a broom for his chores, glancing at a Resistance emblem and gazing up hopefully toward the stars. Things simply can't go on this way, we're meant to conclude; the oppression of the many by the few will eventually be righted via popular uprising. Resistance, to borrow a trope from another star-franchise, is not futile. RELATED: Texas poor If only it were that easy: the bad guys openly callous and hostile to peace and prosperity, the good guys obviously and genuinely humane, and the citizenry alert and attuned to the difference. In reality, the economic conditions sketched in "The Last Jedi" are perfectly primed to give rise to the very sort of fascist regimes the film seems to think they're naturally antithetical to. Filmic fascism may arise from the shadowy machinations of evil mystics, but in life, fascists neither arrive on the political scene ex nihilo nor present themselves as straightforwardly evil. On the contrary, fascists frequently lean into concerns about class struggles, rhetorically throwing in their lot with the downtrodden. Germany's Nazi Party was putatively socialist, though its commitment to addressing the interests of workers was never much more than empty verbiage. Hitler found the word "socialism" both useful and troublesome: It allowed him to tap into the frustration of dispossessed workers,but also obligated him and his party to pursue solutions they didn't actually favor and had no real intention of accomplishing. As scholar Tom Childers wrote for The Post, "Hitler understood that there are times when desperate, angry people want two and two to be five, and he swore that the Nazis would make it so," largely by making contradictory pledges to different groups of hurting people: "higher sale prices for farmers and lower food prices for workers in the cities," for example. In their hands, fascists claim, capitalism can be tamed and the pain of workers reduced, thereby preserving the hierarchy of society by not allowing the divisions sown by mass inequality to collapse the entire system. German and Italian fascists both offered up such promises, as did Latin American variants on the same theme. The fascists of the First Order don't seem as politically adept as their real-world predecessors. In his speech on the eve of the destruction of the free New Republic, the First Order's General Hux referred to the Republic's alleged disorder and lawlessness, both common enough fascist complaints, but didn't spare a moment to meditate on the vast socioeconomic divisions causing desperation and discord in nearby provinces he ostensibly means to annex. There are worse things for a movie to miss. But it's worth keeping in mind that inequality is no guarantee that a popular politics of democratic resistance will thrive. If history is instructive, in fact, inequality, social unrest and instability provide fertile ground for the rise of fascism. If today's resistance-minded folk are interested in preventing the rise of a less imaginary First Order, eliminating inequality - not just reconceptualizing it as an engine of popular opposition - should be a top priority. Bruenig is an opinion columnist at the Washington Post. If our country is going to create jobs and expand the economy at a faster rate, we need to increase exports. That means that President Trump and Congress should find a strong leader for the U.S. Export-Import Bank so that it can do its job. The chairman's office has been empty for nearly a year. And its board lacks a quorum to approve deals worth more than $10 million. That means about 80 to 90 percent of its activities are shut down. The last whole year that the bank was fully operational was Fiscal Year 2014. Last month, the Senate Banking Committee wisely refused to confirm the president's nominee, Scott Garrett. When he was a New Jersey congressman, Garrett voted twice against renewing Ex-Im's charter, and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce "strongly opposed" his confirmation. RELATED: Export-Import Bank loans support American jobs, including Houston-area jobs As chairmen of the Ex-Im Bank for Presidents Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush, we know first-hand the institution's power to promote the nation's economic interests. In the last decade, the bank has supported more than 1.7 million jobs in all 50 states. And export-supported jobs are good jobs: They pay, on average, up to 18 percent more. Critics, like Garrett, maintain that the bank primarily helps large corporations. The numbers tell a different story: In 2014, nearly 90 percent of the Ex-Im's transactions directly served small businesses. CECA Supply & Services Inc. of Houston has relied upon the Export-Import Bank for nearly a decade to export oilfield equipment to Algeria. Since taking advantage of Ex-Im Bank's financing, the company has increased its sales from $5 million to just under $49 million, all of which are export-related. "We are big supporters of the bank," said President Rami Touma. "It's been a great resource for us." The list of Houston-area firms supported by Ex-Im in recent years also includes GX Technology Corporation, Schlumberger Technology Corp., Cameron Solutions, Baker Hughes Oilfield Operations, M-I LLC, and Paragon Offshore Services. What does this cost taxpayers? Nothing - all the money comes from the bank's own operations. In fact, it actually generates money for the taxpayer. That's how cost-effective it is. Since 1992 Ex-Im has sent the U.S. Treasury $7 billion more than it has received in appropriations. The bank was born in 1934 to provide financing for transactions that otherwise would not take place because commercial lenders were either unable or unwilling to accept the political or commercial risks. Small businesses, for example, often operate with razor-thin margins, which tend to deter private financers. The bank provides a variety of loan, guarantee, and insurance products to aid the export of American goods and services. During its 83 years the bank has had the support of every president. Ronald Reagan said, "The Export-Import Bank contributes in a signicant way to our nation's export sales." (Its second chairman was Houston legend Jesse H. Jones.) If we allow Ex-Im to atrophy, we will be closing our eyes to the new realities of global competition. The bank used to be a novelty, but today there are more than 90 such agencies around the world, and other governments have given their own versions of the bank more flexibility and authority. During eight decades of operation, Ex-Im has financed some $600 billion worth of exports. China has financed more than that over just the past two years. We risk kicking away tremendous opportunities. The McKinsey Global Institute projects that the world will need to invest $3.7 trillion in economic infrastructure each year through 2035 to keep up with projected GDP growth. On every continent airports, highways, railroads, power plants, cell towers, and hospitals need to be built. If we don't have a vibrant agency providing financing for companies that need a hand, then firms in other countries will win the contracts that might otherwise have come to American businesses. Global competition is fierce - and becomes more so by the day. We urge the president to nominate - quickly - a chairman who will put the Ex-Im Bank to work on behalf of American companies and their employees and stockholders. Draper and Macomber chaired the Export-Import Bank under Presidents Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush, respectively. 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. BISHKEK, Jan. 6 (Xinhua) -- Kyrgyz President Sooronbai Jeenbekov has called for measures to prevent the spread of radicalism, according to his press service. During a meeting Friday with Zayirbek Ergeshov, director of the State Commission for Religious Affairs, Jeenbekov instructed him to compile a list of religious organizations and educational institutions in Kyrgyzstan and strengthen control over their financial and other activities. Jeenbekov said that in recent years the tendency to use the religious sphere to radicalize society and spread extremist and terrorist ideas has been intensifying in the world and remains dangerous for Kyrgyzstan. According to Ergeshov, his organization held more than 500 training events, seminars and international conferences last year to tackle the issue. [ Editor: meng ] 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. Superior Court Briefs: Jan. 2 - Jan. 3 Cases heard before Judge John Agostini on Tuesday, January 2. Juan Aragon, 46, of Pittsfield had not guilty pleas entered on his behalf on two counts of enticing a child under the age of 16, and single counts of indecent assault and battery on a child under the age of 14, indecent assault and battery on a person who has attained age 14, and misleading a police officer or other person. He was released on personal recognizance. The incident allegedly occurred in Pittsfield on March 25, 2017 and involved two girls - ages 13 and 14. Cases heard before Judge John Agostini on Wednesday, January 3. Ishmael Lytle, 28, of Pittsfield pleaded guilty to single counts of assault and battery on a disabled person, and caretaker abuse on a disabled person. His case was continued without a finding for one year. Lytle assaulted a student while working at Eagleton School on February 20, 2013. Lanesborough residents Al Terranova and Chris Dodig participate in Tuesday's Transition Committee meeting. Mount Greylock Committee Hikes Rate for Tuitioning Towns WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. The Mount Greylock Transition Committee on Tuesday decided to raise the anticipated cost of tuitioning students to the middle-high school by 23 percent. With the advent of a fully regionalized PreK-12 school district, the committee, which is responsible for all financial decisions affecting Mount Greylock after July 1, needed to set a new tuition rate for the towns of New Ashford and Hancock, and Stamford, Vt. Back in 2014, the Mount Greylock Regional School Committee negotiated an agreement with the sending towns that looked to gradually raise the tuition rate to the level of the cost per student for Grades 7 through 12. In fiscal 2019, that rate would have been $14,477 per student under the previously negotiated agreement. On Tuesday, the Transition Committee, which includes members of the Mount Greylock, Williamstown and Lanesborough school committees, voted to set the FY19 tuition rate at $17,843 for all students from kindergarten through 12th grade. The committee held a lengthy discussion about the right way to arrive at a fair tuition rate, considering a number of options, including weighted averages. In the end, it decided to use a simple average of the most recent per-student cost published by the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education for Lanesborough Elementary and Mount Greylock, the two schools utilized by the tuitioning towns. Mount Greylock's per student cost was $18,372.30, and Lanesborough's per-pupil cost was $17,314.01 in FY16, the most recent year with data available. At Mount Greylock Williamstown Elementary, the per-pupil cost is $14,763.45. Hancock has its own elementary school but tuitions its middle and high school students into three different secondary schools: Mount Greylock, McCann Tech and New Lebanon, N.Y. New Ashford, which has no elementary school, has a longstanding tuition agreement with Lanesborough. Last year, under pressure from town officials, the Lanesborough School Committee notified New Ashford that it was raising the tuition rate for K-6 education to $17,314 per pupil. The move to raise the tuition rate across the district is likely to please critics in both Mount Greylock's member towns, who have complained that the tuitioning towns were getting too good a deal to send their children to the Tri-District's Level 1 schools. At Tuesday's meeting, Transition Committee member and Lanesborough Committee Chairwoman Regina DiLego noted that New Ashford already was anticipating a jump in tuition for FY19, implying that the raise approved Tuesday would be less of a shock. It is unclear how the increase will be received in Hancock, where four years ago, a group of residents including the chairman of the Select Board, put an article on the annual town meeting warrant calling for the school committee to pull out of its tuition agreement with Mount Greylock, which then cost the town $11,910 per student. Transition Committee member Carolyn Greene expressed concern about the sticker shock that might be felt to the west. "With Hancock, we haven't in the past told them the rate," said Greene, who was chair of the Mount Greylock School Committee when the previous tuition agreement was negotiated. "I don't know if it's fair to say to them, 'This is our rate. Take it or leave it.' " The Transition Committee discussed the idea of voting a tentative number for the tuition rate, pending a discussion with the sending towns. But ultimately it decided to make a firm decision on the $17,843 figure. "I'm willing to talk with them, but I don't understand what argument they could make to pay below that," Transition Committee member Chris Dodig said. "What would persuade you that we could be below the average rate? We're building a brand new high school here. It's going to be state of the art. I don't see the argument for paying below [$17,843] that I would understand." An Wednesday email to the chairman of the Hancock School Committee was not returned at the time of publication. In other business on Tuesday, the Transition Committee discussed whether and how the newly formed Mount Greylock district would participate in Berkshire County Education Task Force. Three members of the Transition Committee, Greene, DiLego and Dan Caplinger, each served on the task force. They were asked to serve because at the time the task force was formed, each was the chair of his or her respective school committee (WES in the case of Caplinger). But, as Greene explained not for the first time on Tuesday, they did not formally represent their committees or act in any official capacity on the ad hoc, non-governmental task force. The BCETF's July report recommending the county aspire to a goal of a single school district has drawn a lot of fire , including from one member of the Transition Committee, Steven Miller, a member of the Mount Greylock School Committee. With its initial study and recommendation of an aspirational goal completed, the task force is undergoing a transformation into what its members have dubbed the BCETF 2.0. Given that and the consolidation of the three school committees in Williamstown and Lanesborough, the local members of the task force asked for guidance from the Transition Committee about how it wanted to interact with the BCETF. "My concern with 2.0 is not considering all the alternatives," Miller said. "They looked at the status quo or three regions or one region. They didn't consider regions like ours." After asking whether the Transition Committee could formally request the BCETF to start looking at more alternatives, Miller said would like to participate in the task force meetings going forward. Task force members have said that the spirit of its recommendation is to encourage cooperation and shared service agreements among school districts whether or not such collaboration ultimately leads to a single district for the county. Transition Committee Chairman Joe Bergeron said that he would like to see Mount Greylock have a seat at the table as the BCETF 2.0 continues its work. But he is concerned that the countywide district idea and its many detractors could prevent the kind of collaboration that district should be pursuing. "When I read that North Adams is having trouble hiring a business manager right now, I'd love to be able to say in a meeting, 'Should we think about whether it makes sense to share business office functions,' " Bergeron said. "But I want to have that conversation without someone saying, 'That's just because you have this one district goal.' That's my fear as a committee member who wants to find ways to collaborate. "I also don't want to close ourselves off to the task force." The task force had scheduled a meeting for interested school committee members on Thursday, but the snowstorm forced it to reschedule to a date to be announced. iciHaiti - Justice : Minujusth's innovative approach to strengthening the rule of law The new United Nations Mission (Minujusth), which began its mandate in Haiti in October 2017, has taken an innovative approach to strengthening the rule of law and supporting the Haitian National Police (PNH) in its work to maintain the order. Mobile Police Teams of the United Nations Mission for the Support of Justice in Haiti (Minujusth) will strive to work with local communities and political leaders as part of an approach to finding durable solutions to of peace and justice of the country. "With this new mission, the mandate of the Security Council focuses exclusively on the rule of law. Specifically, it is about strengthening the government of Haiti by strengthening the institutions of the rule of law," said Susan Page, the head of Minujusth. According to her, there are still many weaknesses in Haiti in the rule of law "There are still so many questions about corruption, the state of working conditions, pay, salaries for magistrates, clerks, for all kinds of things. If you are not well paid, you will do something else to make a living. Minujusth's role is to work with the government of Haiti "to try to strengthen the institutions. It's a big challenge," insisted Susan Page. IH/ iciHaiti KUALA LUMPUR, Jan. 6 (Xinhua) -- Malaysian government has agreed to an offer by a U.S. exploration company to resume the search for the missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 on a "no cure, no fee" basis, Transportation Minister Liow Tiong Lai said Saturday. The U.S. company, Ocean Infinity, said earlier this week that it was "hopeful of receiving the final contract award for the resumption of the search for MH370 over the coming days." Liow told reporters on Saturday that the Malaysian government has agreed to resume the search. "Now we have approached Australia and China, and we are working together to resume the search for MH370," he said. Liow confirmed that the search would be on "no cure, no fee" basis, adding that the contract would be finalized by next week. Ocean Infinity said it was moving Seabed Constructor, the vessel that the company uses for the search, towards the vicinity of the possible search zone given that the weather window would be relatively narrow. MH370, carrying 239 on board, went missing en route from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing on March 8, 2014. The governments of Malaysia, Australia and China suspended the search operation in January 2017 after almost three years' efforts in a 120,000-square-km area in the Southern Indian Ocean failed to find any sign of the wreckage of the plane. But a report from the Australian Transport Safety Board released later in the year pointed to a new search area where the plane could be found. [ Editor: meng ] A chance to nurture the spirit of democracy in Iran Washington, DC - The ruling mullahs of Iran may be able to silence anti-government protestors but they cannot win their hearts and minds. The people want an Iranian Republic, not an Islamic Republic. And you can make book on the fact that the latest unrest that rocked that nation over the New Year's weekend will continue, notwithstanding the brutality of the country's security forces. In 2009, pro-democracy demonstrators took to the streets of the capital city of Tehran. An estimated 3 million protestors took part in the hope of igniting a Green Revolution, according to the United States Institute of Peace. But hundreds of them were killed, maimed and jailed and the uprising was put down. For the next eight years limited anti-government activities continued. But, the latest protests are significant because they were countrywide with citizens taking part in big cities and smaller municipalities throughout Iran. President Obama essentially ignored the 2009 protests and he was widely criticized for doing so on both the right and the left. Many experts say he was concerned that if he took any kind of stand, it would upset negotiations for a nuclear deal with Iran. But, President Trump appears to be taking the opposite approach. He has already been busy tweeting support for the protestors. And, he has a variety of choices for next steps. For example, Michael Singh, managing director of the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, says that just making statements of support doesn't cut it. "The United States and its allies should, through public statements, private messages, U.N. resolutions and whatever other vehicles are available, clearly express their support for Iranians' right to protest. They should also warn authorities in Iran against any violent suppression of the demonstrations, whether such violence takes place on the streets or - as occurred after the 2009 protests - later on in homes and prisons, out of the public eye. Both the regime and demonstrators should be made constantly aware that the world's attention is fixed on them." Nurturing the spirit of democracy in Iran has a variety of near-term and long-term benefits. For one thing, it could eventually lead to the establishment of an Iranian government that is more interested in peace and prosperity for its people and less absorbed with supporting terrorism, nuclear conquest and the destruction of the state of Israel. While Steven Spielbergs latest drama The Post has been praised for being overtly anti-Fake News and starring two of Hollywoods most vocal Donald Trump critics Meryl Streep and Tom Hanks the Presidents White House has requested the movie for their screening rooms. According to The Hollywood Reporter, 20th Century Fox has obliged, sending copies to both the White House and Camp David, where Trump will host a summit this weekend. Hollywood studios have long sent copies of their movies to the White House, Trump being no exception one screening of Finding Dory making headlines last year. Whether Trump will watch The Post remains to be seen, but the irony of playing the Oscar contender will not been lost. Spielberg has spoken candidly about rushing to make the movie to remind people about the importance of freedom of speech and journalistic integrity. Early Oscars Best Picture Contenders 2018 Show all 15 1 /15 Early Oscars Best Picture Contenders 2018 Early Oscars Best Picture Contenders 2018 Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri Director: Martin McDonagh Martin McDonagh Cast: Frances McDormand, Woody Harrelson, Sam Rockwell, Caleb Landry Jones Plot: In this darkly comic drama, a mother personally challenges the local authorities to solve her daughter's murder, when they fail to catch the culprit. Twentieth Century Fox Early Oscars Best Picture Contenders 2018 Call Me By Your Name Director: Luca Guadagnino Luca Guadagnino Cast: Timothee Chalamet, Armie Hammer, Michael Stuhlbarg Plot: A young man named Elio, living in Italy during the 1980s, meets Oliver, an academic who has come to stay at his parents' villa, and a passionate relationship develops between them, as they bond over their sexuality, their Jewish heritage, and the landscape. Sony Pictures Classics Early Oscars Best Picture Contenders 2018 Dunkirk Director: Christopher Nolan Christopher Nolan Cast: Harry Styles, Tom Hardy, Cillian Murphy, Mark Rylance Plot: In May 1940, Germany advanced into France, trapping Allied troops on the beaches of Dunkirk. Under air and ground cover from British and French forces, troops were slowly and methodically evacuated from the beach using every serviceable naval and civilian vessel that could be found. At the end of this heroic mission, 330,000 French, British, Belgian and Dutch soldiers were safely evacuated. Early Oscars Best Picture Contenders 2018 Get Out Director: Jordan Peele Jordan Peele Cast: Daniel Kaluuya, Allison Williams, Bradley Whitford, Catherine Keener Plot: This horror drama follows a young interracial couple who visit the girl's parents only for her boyfriend to uncover a conspiracy whereby young black adults are being captured. Early Oscars Best Picture Contenders 2018 Downsizing Director: Alexander Payne Alexander Payne Cast: Matt Damon, Kristen Wiig, Christopher Waltz, Alec Baldwin Plot: A man and his wife join a community of miniaturized people after undergoing a process to shrink themselves. Early Oscars Best Picture Contenders 2018 The Florida Project Director:Sean Baker Sean Baker Cast:Willem Dafoe, Bria Vinaite, Brooklynn Prince Plot: A precocious 6-year-old and her friends are homeless, living in extended-stay motels, but their summer is still filled with childhood wonder and adventure. Early Oscars Best Picture Contenders 2018 The Post Director: Steven Spielberg Steven Spielberg Cast: Meryl Streep, Tom Hanks, Alison Brie, Sarah Paulson Plot: Ben Bradlee and Kay Graham of The Washington Post challenge the federal government for the right to publish classified information in 1971. Twentieth Century Fox Early Oscars Best Picture Contenders 2018 The Shape of Water Director: Guillermo del Toro Guillermo del Toro Cast: Sally Hawkins, Michael Shannon, Octavia Spencer, Doug Jones Plot: In the hidden high-security government laboratory where she works, lonely Elisa is trapped in a life of isolation. Elisa's life is changed forever when she and co-worker Zelda discover a secret classified experiment. Early Oscars Best Picture Contenders 2018 Molly's Game Director: Aaron Sorkin Aaron Sorkin Cast: Jessica Chastain, Idris Elba, Kevin Costner Plot: The true story of Molly Bloom, an Olympic-class skier who ran the world's most exclusive high-stakes poker game and became an FBI target. Courtesy of STXfilms Early Oscars Best Picture Contenders 2018 The Big Sick Director: Michael Showalter Michael Showalter Cast: Kumail Najiani, Zoe Kazan, Holly Hunter, Ray Romano Plot: Pakistan-born comedian Kumail Nanjiani and grad student Emily Gardner fall in love but struggle as their cultures clash. When Emily contracts a mysterious illness, Kumail finds himself forced to face her feisty parents, his family's expectations, and his true feelings. Early Oscars Best Picture Contenders 2018 Mudbound Director: Dee Rees Dee Rees Cast: Jason Clarke, Carey Mulligan, Mary J. Blige, Garrett Hedlund Plot: This Netflix film follows two who men return home from World War II to work on a farm in rural Mississippi, where they struggle to deal with racism and adjusting to life after war. Early Oscars Best Picture Contenders 2018 The Disaster Artist Director: James Franco James Franco Cast: James Franco, Dave Franco, Alison Brie, Zac Efron Plot: A big screen re-enactment of the making of Tommy Wiseau's cult film The Room deemed 'the worst movie of all time.' Getty Early Oscars Best Picture Contenders 2018 Phantom Thread Director: Paul Thomas Anderson Paul Thomas Anderson Cast: Daniel Day-Lewis, Lesley Manville, Vicky Krieps Plot: Set in 1950's London, Reynolds Woodcock is a renowned dressmaker whose fastidious life is disrupted by a young, strong-willed woman, Alma, who becomes his muse and lover. Early Oscars Best Picture Contenders 2018 Lady Bird Director: Greta Gerwig Greta Gerwig Cast: Saoirse Ronan, Laurie Metcalf, Beanie Feldstein, Tracy Letts Plot: Gerwig's deirectorial debut is a coming-of-age story about a high-school senior (Ronan) and her turbulent relationship with her mother (Metcalf). Early Oscars Best Picture Contenders 2018 Darkest Hour Director: Joe Wright Joe Wright Cast: Gary Oldman, Kristin Scott Thomas, Lily James, Ben Mendelsohn Plot: The film follows Winston Churchill's early days as Prime Minister while Hitler closes in on Britain during World War II. The Post stars Streep as Washington Post editor Ben Bradlee who found himself under threat from President Richard Nixon after publishing a series of stories about the Pentagon Papers in 1971. Hanks has previously been asked whether he would personally attend a screening of The Post at the White House, saying I don't think I would. I didnt think things were going to be this way last November. I would not have been able to imagine that we would be living in a country where neo-Nazis are doing torchlight parades in Charlottesville and jokes about Pocahontas are being made in front of the Navajo code talkers, he elaborated. And individually we have to decide when we take to the ramparts. The Post is released in the UK on 19 January. Over the last year, Netflix has begun releasing an increasing number of their own films featuring big-name actors and directors, including Bong Joon-hos Okja, Noah Baumbachs The Meyerowitz Stories, and David Ayers Bright. The streaming service has now penned a huge deal with Matt Reeves, guaranteeing Netflix an exclusive first-look at any of the feature films the War for the Planet of the Apes director produces under his 6th & Idaho banner. Fox previously had the same deal with Reeves. Speaking to Deadline about the news, head of film at Netflix, Scott Stuber, said: Matt is a fantastic storyteller with a unique vision and his track record speaks for itself. At Netflix we are partnering with the best filmmakers and know that Matt and his team will bring great inventive films to our global audience. We couldnt be more excited to welcome him to the Netflix family. 27 films to look out for in the first half of 2018 Show all 27 1 /27 27 films to look out for in the first half of 2018 27 films to look out for in the first half of 2018 Black Panther Released: 12 February 12 February Director: Ryan Coogler Cast: Chadwick Boseman, Michael B. Jordan, Lupita Nyong'o, Forest Whitaker, Danai Gurira, Martin Freeman 27 films to look out for in the first half of 2018 The Greatest Showman Released: 1 January 1 January Director: Michael Gracey Cast: Hugh Jackman, Zac Efron, Michelle Williams, Rebecca Ferguson, Zendaya, 27 films to look out for in the first half of 2018 Darkest Hour Released: 12 January 12 January Director: Joe Wright Cast: Gary Oldman, Kristin Scott Thomas, Ben Mendelsohn 27 films to look out for in the first half of 2018 Three Billboards Outside Ebbing Missouri Released: 12 January Director: Martin McDonagh 12 JanuaryMartin McDonagh Cast: Frances McDormand, Woody Harrelson, Sam Rockwell, Caleb Landry Jones > Twentieth Century Fox 27 films to look out for in the first half of 2018 Coco Released: 19 January 19 January Director: Lee Unkrich ,p>Cast: Anthony Gonzalez, Gael Garcia Bernal, Benjamin Bratt, Renee Victor 27 films to look out for in the first half of 2018 Downsizing Released: 19 January 19 January Director: Alexander Payne Cast: Matt Damon, Christopher Waltz, Jong Chau, Kristen Wiig, Jason Sudeikis 27 films to look out for in the first half of 2018 Early Man Released: 26 January 26 January Director: Nick Park Cast: Eddie Redmayne, Tom Hiddleston, Maisie Williams, Timothy Spall 27 films to look out for in the first half of 2018 Fifty Shades Freed Released: 9 February 9 February Director: James Foley Cast: Dakota Johnson, Jamie Dornan, Kim Basinger 27 films to look out for in the first half of 2018 Maze Runner: The Death Cure Released: 9 February 9 February Director: Wes Ball Cast: Dylan O'Brien, Thomas Brodie Sangster, Kaya Scodelario, Giancarlo Esposito, Aidan Gillen 27 films to look out for in the first half of 2018 The Shape of Water Released: 16 February 16 February Director: Guillermo del Toro Cast: Sally Hawkins, Octavia Spencer, Michael Shannon, Michael Stuhlbarg, Doug Jones 27 films to look out for in the first half of 2018 Annihilation Released: 23 February 23 February Director: Alex Garland Cast: Natalie Portman, Jennifer Jason Lee, Gina Rodriguez, Tessa Thompson, Oscar Isaac 27 films to look out for in the first half of 2018 Dark River Released: 23 February 23 February Director: Clio Barnard Cast: Ruth Wilson, Mark Stanley, Sean Bean 27 films to look out for in the first half of 2018 Red Sparrow Released: 2 March 2 March Director: Francis Lawrence Cast: Jennifer Lawrence, Joel Edgerton, Jeremy Irons 27 films to look out for in the first half of 2018 Tomb Raider Released: 16 March 16 March Director: Roar Uthaug Cast: Alicia Vikander, Walton Goggins, Daniel Wu, Dominic West, 27 films to look out for in the first half of 2018 A Wrinkle in Time Released: 23 March 23 March Director: Ava DuVernay Cast: Oprah Winfrey, Reese Witherspoon, Mindy Kaling, Zach Galifianakis 27 films to look out for in the first half of 2018 Pacific Rim: Uprising Released: 23 March 23 March Director: Steven S. DeKnight Cast: John Boyega, Scott Eastwood, Charlie Day, Burn Gorman 27 films to look out for in the first half of 2018 Roman J Israel, Esq Released: 23 March 23 March Director: Dan Gilroy Cast: Denzel Washington, Colin Farrell, Carmen Ejogo Columbia Pictures 27 films to look out for in the first half of 2018 Isle of Dogs Released: 30 March 30 March Director: Wes Anderson Cast: Bill Murray, Bryan Cranston, Edward Norton, Tilda Swinton, Scarlett Johansson 27 films to look out for in the first half of 2018 Ready Player One Released: 30 March 30 March Director: Steven Spielberg Cast: Tye Sheridan, Olivia Cooke, Ben Mendelsohn, Mark Rylance, Simon Pegg 27 films to look out for in the first half of 2018 Avengers: Infinity War Released: 27 April 27 April Director: The Russo Brothers Cast: Robert Downey, Jr, Chris Hemsworth, Scarlett Johansson, Josh Brolin 27 films to look out for in the first half of 2018 Untitled Han Solo Film Released: 25 May 25 May Director: Ron Howard Cast: Alden Ehrenreich, Emilia Clarke, Woody Harrelson, Donald Glover 27 films to look out for in the first half of 2018 Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom Released: 8 June 8 June Director: J.A. Bayona Cast: Bryce Dallas Howard, Chris Pine, B.D. Wong, Toby Jones 27 films to look out for in the first half of 2018 Deadpool 2 Released: 1 June Director: David Leitch 1 JuneDavid Leitch Cast: Ryan Reynolds, Morena Baccarin, T.J. Miller, Zazie Beetz, Josh Brolin 27 films to look out for in the first half of 2018 Ocean's 8 Released: 22 June 22 June Director: Gary Ross Cast: Sandra Bullock, Cate Blanchett, Mindy Kaling, Sarah Paulson, Anne Hathaway, Olivia Munn, Helena Bonham Carter, Rihanna, Matt Damon 27 films to look out for in the first half of 2018 Ant-Man and the Wasp Released: 29 June 29 June Director: Peyton Reed Cast: Paul Rudd, Evangeline Lilly, Michael Douglas, Michelle Pfeiffer 27 films to look out for in the first half of 2018 Soldado Released: 29 June 29 June Director: Stefano Sollima Cast: Benicio del Toro, Josh Brolin, Jeffrey Donovan, Catherine Keener, Matthew Modine 27 films to look out for in the first half of 2018 The Incredibles 2 Released: 13 July 13 July Director: Brad Bird Cast: Craig T. Nelson, Holly Hunter, Sarah Vowell, Samuel L. Jackson Reeves said of working with Netflix: Netflix is at the forefront of a new age in how storytellers are reaching their audience. I am incredibly excited to be working with Scott and our teams to find and create thrilling, character-centred genre stories, and to guide and nurture new filmmaking voices. Before Reeves whose credits include Cloverfield, Let Me In, and the TV series Felicity makes any films for Netflix, the director has been signed to Warner Bros. upcoming Batman, which may, or may not, star Ben Affleck as the caped crusader. Last year, Disney and LucasFilm made the unprecedented of removing the directors of Solo: A Star Wars Story midway through shooting. Phil Lord and Christopher Miller the duo behind 21 Jump Street and The Lego Movie were quickly replaced by Ron Howard following reports the duo were too improvisational. Donald Glover, who will play Lando Calrissian, has since spoken about the director swap, saying that the production barely changed. It didnt really, the actor told Deadline when asked whether anything changed much. I think we were never faced with anything like that and he did a good job of coming in and didnt want us to change what we were doing at all. He wanted us to be comfortable with our vision. 27 films to look out for in the first half of 2018 Show all 27 1 /27 27 films to look out for in the first half of 2018 27 films to look out for in the first half of 2018 Black Panther Released: 12 February 12 February Director: Ryan Coogler Cast: Chadwick Boseman, Michael B. Jordan, Lupita Nyong'o, Forest Whitaker, Danai Gurira, Martin Freeman 27 films to look out for in the first half of 2018 The Greatest Showman Released: 1 January 1 January Director: Michael Gracey Cast: Hugh Jackman, Zac Efron, Michelle Williams, Rebecca Ferguson, Zendaya, 27 films to look out for in the first half of 2018 Darkest Hour Released: 12 January 12 January Director: Joe Wright Cast: Gary Oldman, Kristin Scott Thomas, Ben Mendelsohn 27 films to look out for in the first half of 2018 Three Billboards Outside Ebbing Missouri Released: 12 January Director: Martin McDonagh 12 JanuaryMartin McDonagh Cast: Frances McDormand, Woody Harrelson, Sam Rockwell, Caleb Landry Jones > Twentieth Century Fox 27 films to look out for in the first half of 2018 Coco Released: 19 January 19 January Director: Lee Unkrich ,p>Cast: Anthony Gonzalez, Gael Garcia Bernal, Benjamin Bratt, Renee Victor 27 films to look out for in the first half of 2018 Downsizing Released: 19 January 19 January Director: Alexander Payne Cast: Matt Damon, Christopher Waltz, Jong Chau, Kristen Wiig, Jason Sudeikis 27 films to look out for in the first half of 2018 Early Man Released: 26 January 26 January Director: Nick Park Cast: Eddie Redmayne, Tom Hiddleston, Maisie Williams, Timothy Spall 27 films to look out for in the first half of 2018 Fifty Shades Freed Released: 9 February 9 February Director: James Foley Cast: Dakota Johnson, Jamie Dornan, Kim Basinger 27 films to look out for in the first half of 2018 Maze Runner: The Death Cure Released: 9 February 9 February Director: Wes Ball Cast: Dylan O'Brien, Thomas Brodie Sangster, Kaya Scodelario, Giancarlo Esposito, Aidan Gillen 27 films to look out for in the first half of 2018 The Shape of Water Released: 16 February 16 February Director: Guillermo del Toro Cast: Sally Hawkins, Octavia Spencer, Michael Shannon, Michael Stuhlbarg, Doug Jones 27 films to look out for in the first half of 2018 Annihilation Released: 23 February 23 February Director: Alex Garland Cast: Natalie Portman, Jennifer Jason Lee, Gina Rodriguez, Tessa Thompson, Oscar Isaac 27 films to look out for in the first half of 2018 Dark River Released: 23 February 23 February Director: Clio Barnard Cast: Ruth Wilson, Mark Stanley, Sean Bean 27 films to look out for in the first half of 2018 Red Sparrow Released: 2 March 2 March Director: Francis Lawrence Cast: Jennifer Lawrence, Joel Edgerton, Jeremy Irons 27 films to look out for in the first half of 2018 Tomb Raider Released: 16 March 16 March Director: Roar Uthaug Cast: Alicia Vikander, Walton Goggins, Daniel Wu, Dominic West, 27 films to look out for in the first half of 2018 A Wrinkle in Time Released: 23 March 23 March Director: Ava DuVernay Cast: Oprah Winfrey, Reese Witherspoon, Mindy Kaling, Zach Galifianakis 27 films to look out for in the first half of 2018 Pacific Rim: Uprising Released: 23 March 23 March Director: Steven S. DeKnight Cast: John Boyega, Scott Eastwood, Charlie Day, Burn Gorman 27 films to look out for in the first half of 2018 Roman J Israel, Esq Released: 23 March 23 March Director: Dan Gilroy Cast: Denzel Washington, Colin Farrell, Carmen Ejogo Columbia Pictures 27 films to look out for in the first half of 2018 Isle of Dogs Released: 30 March 30 March Director: Wes Anderson Cast: Bill Murray, Bryan Cranston, Edward Norton, Tilda Swinton, Scarlett Johansson 27 films to look out for in the first half of 2018 Ready Player One Released: 30 March 30 March Director: Steven Spielberg Cast: Tye Sheridan, Olivia Cooke, Ben Mendelsohn, Mark Rylance, Simon Pegg 27 films to look out for in the first half of 2018 Avengers: Infinity War Released: 27 April 27 April Director: The Russo Brothers Cast: Robert Downey, Jr, Chris Hemsworth, Scarlett Johansson, Josh Brolin 27 films to look out for in the first half of 2018 Untitled Han Solo Film Released: 25 May 25 May Director: Ron Howard Cast: Alden Ehrenreich, Emilia Clarke, Woody Harrelson, Donald Glover 27 films to look out for in the first half of 2018 Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom Released: 8 June 8 June Director: J.A. Bayona Cast: Bryce Dallas Howard, Chris Pine, B.D. Wong, Toby Jones 27 films to look out for in the first half of 2018 Deadpool 2 Released: 1 June Director: David Leitch 1 JuneDavid Leitch Cast: Ryan Reynolds, Morena Baccarin, T.J. Miller, Zazie Beetz, Josh Brolin 27 films to look out for in the first half of 2018 Ocean's 8 Released: 22 June 22 June Director: Gary Ross Cast: Sandra Bullock, Cate Blanchett, Mindy Kaling, Sarah Paulson, Anne Hathaway, Olivia Munn, Helena Bonham Carter, Rihanna, Matt Damon 27 films to look out for in the first half of 2018 Ant-Man and the Wasp Released: 29 June 29 June Director: Peyton Reed Cast: Paul Rudd, Evangeline Lilly, Michael Douglas, Michelle Pfeiffer 27 films to look out for in the first half of 2018 Soldado Released: 29 June 29 June Director: Stefano Sollima Cast: Benicio del Toro, Josh Brolin, Jeffrey Donovan, Catherine Keener, Matthew Modine 27 films to look out for in the first half of 2018 The Incredibles 2 Released: 13 July 13 July Director: Brad Bird Cast: Craig T. Nelson, Holly Hunter, Sarah Vowell, Samuel L. Jackson Questioned about the reshoots, Glover said there were not a ton, referring to his own scenes. The actor and writer behind Atlanta added: This is the first time in a long time, I was just acting. Most of the time, I have to write or do music. This time I woke up and got to be somebody else and the stress wasnt there for me. Recently, it was revealed composer John Williams will work on the film, conducting the theme, while John Powell will take on duties of writing the films score. Leader of the Radical Party faction Oleh Liashko has bought a land plot with a total area of 544 square meters in Obukhiv district of Kyiv region. According to the changes in the property status that the politician entered into his declaration in the Unified State Register of Declarations, Liashko received the ownership of the corresponding land plot on December 20, 2017, the estimated value of which was UAH 300,288. According to information in the declaration, the land plot was sold to Liashko by Valentyn Savytsky. Meanwhile, in the declaration for 2016, Liashko pointed out that since 2015 he has rented a part of the residential house with a total area of 357.1 square meters from Artem Valentynovych Savytsky in Kozyn, Obukhiv district. According to open sources, Valentyn Savytsky was a member of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine of IV convocation, he has two sons - Valentyn and Artem. The whistleblower whose actions in leaking the Pentagon Papers 50 years ago inspired the movie The Post and who faced life in prison for doing so, has claimed Donald Trump is in some ways more sinister and dangerous than Richard Nixon. Daniel Ellbserg, who was charged under the Espionage Act for providing to the press a classified Pentagon study about the war in Vietnam that revealed the government had repeatedly lied, said Mr Trump - unlike Nixon - had openly demonised the media and sought to undermine it. What we have never had is the President openly demonising the press in the way Trump does and telling his base that the press is making up news against him, said the 86-year-old former military analyst. Mr Ellsberg campaigned for the release of fellow whistleblower Chelsea Manning (Getty) Nixon thought of the press as the enemy, but he kept that private. We can get it from Trumps tweets. Asked if he believed Mr Trumps actions were in that sense more dangerous than those of Nixon, who sought to jail him for up to 115 years, he told The Independent: Nixon did not make an effort to destabilise the press. This is something new and its sinisterThe press is all we have. Yes, its more shocking and dangerous in a way. Its hard to stop. He said he believed other branches of government were not seeking to counter Mr Trumps assault on the media. If he is successful, our democracy is very much under threat. Mr Ellsberg became a cause celebre in the early 1970s when he leaked the documents that revealed the US government knew very early on after its escalation of the war in Vietnam that it could most likely never be won. One leaked memo from the administration of President Lyndon Johnson listed the calculation that had been made for the US to keep fighting. It said 10 per cent was for the chance of allowing the people of South Vietnam to live better lives, 20 per cent was to keep South Vietnam out of Chinese hands and 70 per cent was to avoid humiliation for the US. Chelsea Manning tearfully says thank you to Barack Obama Mr Ellsberg, who obtained the documents while working for the Rand Corporation, was disgusted by the government lies he was confronted with. In the end, the US continued the war until 1975, with the death toll including 58,000 US troops, up to 430,000 South Vietnam civilians and 300,000 South Vietnamese soldiers, and 850,000 North Vietnamese troops and 65,000 civilians. Access unlimited streaming of movies and TV shows with Amazon Prime Video Sign up now for a 30-day free trial Sign up In May 1973, amid a flurry of revelations about the Nixon administration that became the Watergate scandal, charges against Mr Ellsberg were thrown out. Nixon resigned in August 1974 as congress was preparing to impeach him. The whistleblowers seminal role at this pivotal moment of US history has recently been once again highlighted by the release of Steven Spielbergs movie, The Post. The film tells the story of how, when the New York Times was prevented by an injunction from publishing Mr Ellsbergs documents, the Washington Post, under its publisher Katherine Graham and editor Ben Bradlee, was able to step in and do so. In cinemas, audiences have been cheering when Graham, played by Meryl Streep, gives the green light to her editor, played by Tom Hanks, to publish and set the presses rolling. In the film, Mr Ellsberg is played by Matthew Rhys, who spent a day with the octogenarian to prepare for the role. The publication of the Pentagon Papers helped transform 'the Post' into a national newspaper (20th Century Fox) What struck me is his passion for justice, ultimately, hasnt waned in 45 years. What surprised me in the research I did about him was how often he was called a traitor, and how the opposite is actually true, Rhys told MarketWatch. So much of what he did came from a true patriotism, not to mention his humanitarian approach as to why he wanted the US to withdraw from the Vietnam War. He was a soldier himself. He served in the military. He believed vehemently in this country and that drive within him. still hasnt waned in any way. Mr Ellsberg, who late last year released a book The Doomsday Machine Confessions of a Nuclear War Planner, which provides an inside account of Americas nuclear programme from the 1960s until now, praised the film and said Rhys was a good actor. 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 Yet he said much of the movie was taken up by the drama about whether Graham would publish the documents. The movie quotes her late husband as saying such journalism represented the first draft of history. I was not interested in history. I wanted to enlighten people right then, Mr Ellsberg said. The analogy to now is the same. Were involved in wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. I would hope someone would put out the information in the media now. Indeed, he praised Katharine Gun, a former employee of British intelligences listening service GCHQ, who in 2003 leaked information she obtained about the US National Security Agencys (NSA) efforts to bug the New York offices of six swing nations who, it was believed, would determine whether the United Nations Security Council would approve the US and UKs invasion of Iraq. Ms Gun was charged under the UK Official Secrets Act but the case was subsequently dropped when the prosecution offered no evidence. Mr Ellsberg also praised former CIA contractor Edward Snowden who leaked information about several US global surveillance programmes and Chelsea Manning, the former US solider who leaked 750,00 documents to Wikileaks. She was sentenced to 35-years imprisonment but that was subsequently commuted by Barack Obama before he left office. Mr Ellsberg pointed out Mr Obama had used the Espionage Act against journalists sources more than all other presidents combined - nine cases compared with only three by all previous administrations. He said he feared Mr Trump would soon follow suit given the vow by Attorney General Jeff Sessions to do so. In the summer of 2017, Mr Sessions claimed the Department of Justice was pursuing three three times as many leak investigations as were open at the end of the Mr Obamas term. We respect the important role that the press plays and will give them respect, but it is not unlimited, said Mr Sessions. For all that, Mr Ellsberg said he hoped any official uncovering evidence of government malfeasance or lies, especially when peoples lives were at risk, would consider doing what he and others had done. He said if there was another Edward Snowden out there he would hope they would come forward. He said he regretted he had not done so, in 1964, when he first became aware of what the government was doing. My advice would beif you have the information and can take the risk, to get the information out and let the public know. All polluting coal-fired power plants will be closed by October 2025, the Government has confirmed. Ministers said they would implement limits for the amount of carbon dioxide coal plants can emit from October 1 2025, which will mean all power stations that have not invested in technology to cut their emissions will have to cease operation. The move implements a pledge originally made in 2015 to end "unabated", without technology to cut carbon emissions, coal generation in Great Britain by 2025 Publishing its response to a consultation on implementing the phase-out, the Government said it expected the majority of the UK's remaining coal power stations to close or invest in emission-cutting technology in the early 2020s. Existing EU regulations, a price on carbon which makes the polluting fossil fuel more expensive as an energy source than gas, and poor economics of coal power are likely to lead to all but 1.5 gigawatts of power to shut before the 2025 deadline. Coal has already seen its share of the energy mix decline dramatically, falling to 9% of generation in 2016 from 22% in 2015, and plummeting to a record low of 2% in the second quarter of 2017. Such is the shift away from coal power that Britain saw its first full day in 2017 without generating any electricity from coal since the Industrial Revolution. The Government acknowledged the move away from coal would affect a large number of jobs, mainly in Yorkshire and the Humber and South Wales. But the consultation response said: "In 2015, the low carbon electricity sector generated over 12 billion in turnover and directly supported 47,000 jobs, with more in supply chains. "We expect that the losses in activity associated with the closure of unabated coal generators will be compensated by increased activity in new, clean generation. "There is a notable opportunity for the UK to become one of the most advanced economies for smart energy and related technologies." The announcement comes after a slew of "green" records were broken in 2017. UK news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 UK news in pictures UK news in pictures 31 August 2021 Gold Medallist Sarah Storey of Britain celebrates on the podium Reuters UK news in pictures 30 August 2021 Extinction Rebellion protesters hold a a tea party on Tower Bridge in London EPA UK news in pictures 29 August 2021 A police office tussles with a demonstrator on Cromwell Road outside the Natural History Museum during a protest by members of Extinction Rebellion in London PA UK news in pictures 28 August 2021 Members of the British armed forces 16 Air Assault Brigade walk to the air terminal after disembarking a Royal Airforce Voyager aircraft at Brize Norton, Oxfordshire POOL/AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 27 August 2021 Fabio Quartararo crashes during a MotoGP practice session at the British Grand Prix, Silverstone Circuit Action Images via Reuters UK news in pictures 26 August 2021 An Extinction Rebellion activist holds a placard in a fountain surrounded by police officers, during a protest next to Buckingham Palace in London Reuters UK news in pictures 25 August 2021 Gold Medallist Great Britains cyclist, Sarah Storey, celebrates after winning the Womens C5 3000m Individual Pursuit Final at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games. It was her 15th Paralympic gold Reuters UK news in pictures 24 August 2021 A demonstrator dressed as bee during a protest by members of Extinction Rebellion on Whitehall, in central London PA UK news in pictures 23 August 2021 Former interpreters for the British forces in Afghanistan demonstrate outside the Home Office in central London AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 22 August 2021 Police officers form a line in front of the entrance to the Guildhall, London, where protesters have climbed onto a ledge above the entrance during an Extinction Rebellion stage a protest PA UK news in pictures 21 August 2021 People take part in a demonstration in solidarity with people of Afghanistan, in London Reuters UK news in pictures 20 August 2021 People zip wire across the sea from Bournemouth pier towards the beach. PA UK news in pictures 19 August 2021 Supporters of Geronimo the alpaca gather outside Shepherds Close Farm in Wooton Under Edge, Gloucestershire PA UK news in pictures 18 August 2021 Former Afghan interpreters and veterans hold a demonstration outside Downing Street, calling for support and protection for Afghan interpreters and their families PA UK news in pictures 17 August 2021 Military personnel board the RAF Airbus A400M at RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire, where evacuation flights from Afghanistan have been landing Reuters UK news in pictures 16 August 2021 Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer takes part in a minute's silence at Wolverhampton police station for the victims of the Plymouth mass shooting last week PA UK news in pictures 15 August 2021 2Storm, a ten-metre tall puppet of a mythical goddess of the sea created by Edinburgh-based visual theatre company Vision Mechanics, makes its way alongside the seafront at North Berwick, East Lothian, during a performance at the Fringe By The Sea festival PA UK news in pictures 14 August 2021 A woman and two young girls look at floral tributes in Plymouth where six people, including the offender, died of gunshot wounds in a firearms incident PA UK news in pictures 13 August 2021 Forensic officers in the Keyham area of Plymouth where six people, including the shooter, died of gunshot wounds in a firearms incident on Thursday evening PA UK news in pictures 12 August 2021 Children ride horses in the River Eden in Appleby, Cumbria, during the annual gathering of travellers for the Appleby Horse Fair PA UK news in pictures 11 August 2021 Stella Moris (left) reacts after talking to the media outside the High Court in London, following the first hearing in the Julian Assange extradition appeal, n London, following the first hearing in the Julian Assange extradition appeal. The US government has won the latest round in its High Court bid to appeal against the decision not to extradite Julian Assange on espionage charges PA UK news in pictures 10 August 2021 Students react after they receive their A-Level results at the Ark Academy, in London Reuters UK news in pictures 9 August 2021 The final athletes from Great Britain arrive home including Jason Kenny, Laura Kenny and Katie Archibald (front left-right) at Heathrow Airport, London following the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games PA UK news in pictures 8 August 2021 Great Britain's Laura Kenny during the closing ceremony of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at the Olympic stadium in Japan PA UK news in pictures 7 August 2021 People from the Glasgow Southside community take part in the Govanhill Carnival, an anti-racist celebration of pride, unity and the contributions immigrants have made to the community in Govanhill, at Queen's Park, Glasgow PA UK news in pictures 6 August 2021 Chijindu Ujah of Britain, Zharnel Hughes of Britain, Richard Kilty of Britain and Nethaneel Mitchell-Blake of Britain celebrate winning silver as they pose with Asha Philip of Britain, Imani Lansiquot of Britain, Dina Asher-Smith of Britain and Daryll Neita of Britain after they won bronze in the women's 4 x 100m relay during Olympic Games Day 14 Getty UK news in pictures 5 August 2021 A protester places flowers on a photograph of an executed man during a demonstration organised by supporters of the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) to protest against the inauguration of Iran's new president Ebrahim Raisi in central London AFP via Getty UK news in pictures 4 August 2021 England's Joe Root looks on as India's KL Rahul doesn't make it to a catch during day one of Cinch First Test match at Trent Bridge, Nottingham PA UK news in pictures 3 August 2021 Great Britain's Laura Kenny and Jason Kenny with their silver medals for the Women's Team Pursuit and Mens Team Sprint during the Track Cycling at the Izu Velodrome on the eleventh day of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games in Japan PA UK news in pictures 2 August 2021 Great Britains Charlotte Worthington competes during the Womens BMX Freestyle Final at the Tokyo Olympics PA UK news in pictures 1 August 2021 EPA UK news in pictures 31 July 2021 James Guy, Adam Peaty and Kathleen Dawson celebrate winning the gold medal in the mixed 4x100m medley relay final at the Tokyo Olympics AP UK news in pictures 30 July 2021 Great Britain's Bethany Shriever and Kye Whyte celebrate their Gold and Silver medals respectively for the Cycling BMX Racing at the Ariake Urban Sports Park on the seventh day of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games in Japan PA UK news in pictures 29 July 2021 Team GB's Mallory Franklin during the Womens Canoe Slalom Final on day six of the Tokyo Olympic Games. She went on to win the silver medal Getty UK news in pictures 28 July 2021 Canoers on Llyn Padarn lake in Snowdonia, Gwynedd. It was announced that the north-west Wales slate landscape has been granted UNESCO World Heritage Status PA UK news in pictures 27 July 2021 A view of one of two areas now being used at a warehouse facility in Dover, Kent, for boats used by people thought to be migrants. PA UK news in pictures 26 July 2021 A woman is helped by Border Force officers as a group of people thought to be migrants are brought in to Dover, Kent, onboard a Border Force vessel, following a small boat incident in the Channel PA UK news in pictures 25 July 2021 Vehicles drive through deep water on a flooded road in Nine Elms, London AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 24 July 2021 Utilities workers inspect a 15x20ft sinkhole on Green Lane, Liverpool, which is suspected to have been caused by ruptured water main PA UK news in pictures 23 July 2021 Children interact with Mega Please Draw Freely by artist Ei Arakawa inside the Turbine Hall at the Tate Modern in London, part of UNIQLO Tate Play the gallery's new free programme of art-inspired activities for families PA UK news in pictures 22 July 2021 Festivalgoers in the campsite at the Latitude festival in Henham Park, Southwold, Suffolk PA UK news in pictures 21 July 2021 A man walks past an artwork by Will Blood on the end of a property in Bedminster, Bristol, as the 75 murals project reaches the halfway point and various graffiti pieces are sprayed onto walls and buildings across the city over the Summer PA UK news in pictures 20 July 2021 People during morning prayer during Eid ul-Adha, or Festival of Sacrifice, in Southall Park, Uxbridge, London PA UK news in pictures 19 July 2021 Commuters, some not wearing facemasks, at Westminster Underground station, at 08:38 in London after the final legal Coronavirus restrictions were lifted in England PA UK news in pictures 18 July 2021 A view of spectators by the 2nd green during day four of The Open at The Royal St George's Golf Club in Sandwich, Kent PA UK news in pictures 17 July 2021 Cyclists ride over the Hammersmith Bridge in London. The bridge was closed last year after cracks in it worsened during a heatwave Getty UK news in pictures 16 July 2021 The sun rises behind the Sefton Park Palm House, in Sefton Park, Liverpool PA UK news in pictures 15 July 2021 Sir Nicholas Serota watches a short film about sea monsters as he opens a 7.6 million, 360 immersive dome at Devonport's Market Hall in Plymouth, which is the first of its type to be built in Europe PA UK news in pictures 14 July 2021 Heidi Street, playing a gothic character, looks at a brain suspended in glass at the worlds first attraction dedicated to the author of Frankenstein inside the Mary Shelleys House of Frankenstein experience, located in a Georgian terraced house in Bath, as it prepares to open to the public on 19 July PA UK news in pictures 13 July 2021 Rehearsals are held in a car park in Glasgow for a parade scene ahead of filming for what is thought to be the new Indiana Jones 5 movie starring Harrison Ford PA The shift to renewables, with record moments of output for solar, wind and hydropower, meant new low levels of carbon pollution from electricity were seen in 2017. And the cost of new offshore wind tumbled in the latest Government auctions for support for the technology. Last year was hailed by environmental campaigners as the "greenest year ever", with 2018 expected to see an even cleaner power sector but there were calls for more Government support for low carbon electricity to reduce dependency on gas. Hannah Martin, head of energy at Greenpeace UK, said the Government's announcement was "significant progress on making coal history in the birthplace of the industrial revolution". She said it was important that the move was carried through and enough parliamentary time was provided to do it properly. She added: "Coal should be replaced with clean technologies well before the 2025 deadline if we are to stay global leaders in tackling climate change." Its 7am and Im driving through Hull city centre to pick up Brett Johnson, known in cyberspace by the alias Gollumfun and dubbed the Original Internet Godfather by the US Secret Service. Johnson was on the notorious US most wanted list in 2006, before being arrested for cybercrime and laundering $4m. Ive never met anyone whose name has been on that list, and so our encounter comes with some level of subliminal intimidation. Turns out, hes both casual and friendly and Im keeping an open mind. But I also have to remind myself that hes a former cybercriminal, who invented a popular online tax-return fraud scheme, plenty of identity theft variants and ShadowCrew the precursor to the dark web. Were scheduled to spend two days together. I invited Johnson to give a talk at the Business School of the University of Hull and, some weeks after his talk in partnership with the FBI at the University of Tulsa in Oklahoma, he flies over for his first trip to the UK. Johnson who over the course of the next 48 hours takes me through his former criminal mindset blending cybersecurity and money laundering (a topic that Ive spent more than a decade researching) exudes confidence, but admits that being involved in cybercrime was the biggest mistake of his life. He has nothing but good words for US Secret Service agents, but he did disappoint them when they let him out of prison on the understanding that he would work as an informant (he carried on committing fraud from within their premises). Johnson praises the FBI, as we walk along campus, and tears well up when he mentions the name of special agent KM, who guided him in dropping cybercrime for good. His sister Denise and wife Michelle always come up when discussing how he turned his life around. They saved my life, he says, while recalling the hardships of his formative years when he felt pushed into skulduggery at the age of 10: the family fraud ring was led by his mother who also convinced Johnsons grandmother to join in. It was almost written in stone that I was going to end up in some sort of fraud, he says. His first marriage in 1994 was paid for courtesy of insurance fraud. Johnson staged a fake car accident to finance his wedding day. By the time he started using the web, it was a natural progression to shift his fraudulent behaviour online. He started by scamming eBay buyers. Then he exploited a loophole when a Canadian judge ruled that satellite dishes can be pirated legally (in Canada but not the US). Johnson reprogrammed the transmission cards for his Canadian customers and discovered he couldnt fulfil the orders fast enough. Soon enough, he thought: Why send them the product altogether? Who are they going to complain to? 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 Clearly, Johnson made many, many mistakes. Hes the first to admit it and often points to himself as this idiot who broke the law, then broke it again, and took quite some time in prison (including eight months of solitary confinement) to come to terms with what he had done. More than a decade later, he now channels his expertise in darknet intelligence gathering, blackhat auditing, penetration testing and social engineering into his consultancy firm, AnglerPhish Security. Johnson, who now advises Fortune 500 companies, seems confident that he has turned his back on crime. He tries, he says, to convince young cybercriminals who contact him online to quit their deceptive ways. Cybercriminals are deluded when it comes to sidelining the consequences of their actions, Johnson explains. They repeatedly deny negative outcomes and, later on, accept theyll carry on committing crime no matter what. Cybercriminals focus on the joy of their dark craft, harvest interconnected practicalities and exploit subtleties that stretch way beyond the confines of a computer screen and escalate to geopolitics. As a simple example, Johnson used to hijack IP addresses in Eastern Europe when committing identity fraud as they were less likely to be reported to the US, due to the deteriorating political relationships between the countries. Everything matters. Detail matters most. Thats why, he explains, in the context of friendly fraud (or refund fraud), miscreants do their homework. Really, criminals are the only people on the planet who read the terms of service on websites. No one else reads them, he says. They do it, he adds, to get an idea of how that website operates. Time, he says, is also critical and if you wait out a victim long enough then theyll go away exasperated a lesson he learned early from his first eBay scam. Online victims rarely report a crime to the cops. Its a trend that frustrates cybercrime police units. Worse still, some companies decline to report cyber attacks and can as was recently revealed with the latest Uber scandal go to extreme lengths to conceal a system hack affecting customer data. When it comes to cyber-enabled financial crime, Johnson says, hijacking identities remains central to the process. It was this knowledge that, in 2004, led him to take over counterfeitlibrary.com: the site that attracted cybercriminals who wanted a fake identity. One of the cornerstones of cybercrime is networking between individuals to realise maximum success or potential for financial crime, he explains. The vast majority of online fraudsters arent professionals. Instead, they feed off each other: publishing manuals, guides, notes and helping out in forums wherever possible. If one cybercriminal finds a loophole in a multinationals system, then its all hands on deck. The 2.5m stolen from Tesco Bank in the UK last year started from a single forum post of someone claiming that they had taken out 1,000. Thats exactly why monitoring whats going on in the dark web is so important for companies. But its not just potential corporate victims who are being trained in this dark art. Top cybercriminals charge wannabe scammers hundreds of dollars for six-week online courses on how to commit fraud. They also protect each other; giving advice on how to maintain and secure their own anonymity online. Back in the day, Johnson did the same thing for free for ShadowCrew members. Now, everything is monetised. *** Johnson ran the ShadowCrew network, where he sold fraudulent bank accounts, prepaid debit cards and collaborated extensively with others to combine phishing scams and the CVV1 hack. ShadowCrew moderator Albert Gonzalez was sentenced to 20 years for masterminding the online theft of 170 million card numbers. And it was that network that eventually landed Johnson behind bars. But it doesnt end there: Johnson also established online tax fraud based on hijacked identities a highly lucrative criminal activity. It became central to the illegal flow of money that hed set up. He used the California Death Index and filed tax returns for the dead; surprisingly, it worked. He could file one tax return every six minutes but couldnt open online bank accounts fast enough. Over the course of his cybercriminal activities, Johnson had opened hundreds of accounts. Some weeks he claims he was pulling out $160,000 in cash. Despite being an early architect of online crime, even Johnson is amazed by the scale of it today. ShadowCrew had 4,000 members, he says, whereas AlphaBay boasted 240,000 users before it was shut down by the FBI. But with what appears to be an ongoing multi-state distributed-denial-of-service attack on major darknet forums, cybercriminals quickly flock elsewhere. Bitcoin, Johnson adds, is an almost perfect tool for cybercrime. Banks, companies and many different institutions routinely adopt anti-fraud tools to prevent their systems from being vulnerable to hacks and scams but at the same time fraudsters embrace them, too. They test the tools to make sure that their activity avoids detection. They also purchase off-the-shelf software that blocks detection attempts altogether and scrambles behavioural detection efforts. Another tool he demonstrates allows anyone to buy hijacked IP addresses from a wide list of countries, including the UK, and costs around 30p per IP address. It also calculates, for a further 15p, a risk score for the fraudster of the probability of detection/blocking of that IP address by commercial anti-fraud and anti-spam software. I find it difficult to get past the subtle irony of IP risk scores informing the decisions of cybercriminals. Then again, if theyre doing their own operational security, fraud-based risk management seems a natural next step in this evolving tango. Theres so much to discuss with Johnson that our allotted two days go by very quickly. After his visit, we connect online and he suggests renaming my long lost Unix alias from carlito, which is a moniker now reserved by someone else, to carl1to with the number 1 denoting the first Carlito in a nod to a Nineties mobster movie starring Al Pacino. Somehow, it feels like a fitting end to my time with the Original Internet Godfather. Dionysios Demetis is a lecturer in management systems at the University of Hull. This article first appeared on The Conversation (theconversation.com) A Mexican man who weighs more than half a ton is attempting to lose weight with the help of local doctors. Juan Pedro Franco, 33, weighed a shocking 93 stone (595kg) by his mid-20s with the Guinness World Records declaring him the heaviest person alive in 2017. But now, after years of being confined to his bedroom, Franco is embarking on a life-changing weight loss journey. In a short film made by Natasha Pizzey-Slegert for the BBC, Franco explains that following a car accident at the age of 17, half his body was broken and he never fully recovered. However, doctors remain baffled as to why he gained so much weight. Since then Franco has developed diabetes, high blood pressure and hypothyroidism The 33-year-old insists that he has tried everything to shift the pounds but after years with no success, he is finally getting surgical help. One year ago, Franco moved several hours from his home to be closer to doctors and managed to lose a third of his body weight under their guidance. Juan Pedro Franco left the house for the third time in seven years for his final operation (BBC) Having been rejected by a number of doctors, he now has a team of 30 professionals helping him for free. Patients like him typically get rejected for two reasons. Beds, operating room and special tools for them, Dr Jose A. Castaneda explained. The second is the blame, its your fault youre here. But thats really not how it is. Five photos that reveal what it's like to be overweight Show all 4 1 /4 Five photos that reveal what it's like to be overweight Five photos that reveal what it's like to be overweight A girl looks over at the artist, seeming to size her up Haley Morris-Cafiero Five photos that reveal what it's like to be overweight The performer has taken thousands of photos over six years Haley Morris-Cafiero Five photos that reveal what it's like to be overweight Morris-Cafieros photos have provoked mixed reactions Haley Morris-Cafiero Five photos that reveal what it's like to be overweight Women crossing a street cast their gazes in Morris-Cafieros direction Haley Morris-Cafiero Franco has since undergone a two-part gastric bypass which involves diving the intestine into two parts; one which will be able to absorb nutrients, and another that cant. The operation should mean Franco only absorbs about 40-50% of the calories he eats. Recovering well, doctors hope that he will get own to around 19 stone (120kg) in the coming months. The two-part gastric bypass means Franco only absorbs 40-50% of the calories he eats (BBC) Hopeful for the future, Franco says the first thing he wants to do when he can walk is go outside. I want to feel the air, feel the street, be outside, he said. Because being in bed, trapped in four walls just watching everything is really hard. A new Japanese restaurant set to open in New York City requires diners to engage in some manual labour before they can enjoy their meal. With a new twist on farm-to-table, patrons at Zauo must first catch their meal before they can eat it - from one of the huge tanks filled with different types of fish. Using a fishing pole with bait, just like typical fishermen, diners must hook their dinner before employees will haul the catch in with nets. While the fishing rod must be rented, the bait is free. Diners can then decide how they want their catch of the day served up - from options including tempura, sashimi or sushi. Taking the fishermen theme to heart, the 175-seat restaurant, which is set to open on West 24th street in February or March, is built to feel as if youre aboard a boat - meaning New Yorkers will get a taste of life on the open seas. However, while the concept may seem out-there, it is not new. The Takahashi brothers, Kazuhisa and Takuya, who came up with the fishing-themed restaurant, have had success with Zauo in Japan - where there are currently 13 locations. But during a visit to New York City in July, the brothers were inspired to bring their creation here. And considering the restaurant reviews on Yelp - which average around four stars - it seems likely the new Zauo will be a hit. However, if the idea of putting in work before you can eat doesnt appeal, patrons can always request that their meal is caught by Zauo employees instead. This takes fresh seafood to a whole new level. A man has been arrested over a string of cat mutilations in Northampton, prompting police to investigate whether the attacks are linked to the so-called Croydon cat killer. The 31-year-old was held after five cats were found butchered to death in the town between August and November last year. Northamptonshire Police said the suspect, who was arrested in connection to arson attacks and cat killings in the Duston and Kingsley Park areas, has since been released under investigation. The force revealed it had been in contact with the Metropolitan Police, which continues to probe a number of animal deaths in London. A spokeswoman said: "We are aware of the Metropolitan Police investigation, Operation Takehe, into similar offences in the London area, and we will continue to work closely with them as part of our ongoing investigation." She added officers could not be certain if the Northampton attacks were linked to killings elsewhere in the UK but that "there are a lot of similarities". The five cats found in Northampton all had their heads cut off and were left for their owners or members of the public to find. The dismembered body of one was dumped on its owner's doorstep and another was "deliberately mutilated" before being left on a car roof, said police. Many of the so-called Croydon cat killer's suspected victims were also mutilated and displayed in public. However, the co-founder of an animal rescue group which has been cataloguing hundreds of cat deaths across the UK and has been helping the police investigation said she did not think that the person arrested was behind the killings. South Norwood Animal Rescue and Liberty (Snarl) says up to 400 cats and other small animals have been slaughtered across the country, and believes the same culprit also dubbed the M25 killer by some could be responsible. But co-founder Boudicca Rising warned pet owners not to be assume their animals were safe because of the arrest. "The killer has not been caught," she said. UK news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 UK news in pictures UK news in pictures 31 August 2021 Gold Medallist Sarah Storey of Britain celebrates on the podium Reuters UK news in pictures 30 August 2021 Extinction Rebellion protesters hold a a tea party on Tower Bridge in London EPA UK news in pictures 29 August 2021 A police office tussles with a demonstrator on Cromwell Road outside the Natural History Museum during a protest by members of Extinction Rebellion in London PA UK news in pictures 28 August 2021 Members of the British armed forces 16 Air Assault Brigade walk to the air terminal after disembarking a Royal Airforce Voyager aircraft at Brize Norton, Oxfordshire POOL/AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 27 August 2021 Fabio Quartararo crashes during a MotoGP practice session at the British Grand Prix, Silverstone Circuit Action Images via Reuters UK news in pictures 26 August 2021 An Extinction Rebellion activist holds a placard in a fountain surrounded by police officers, during a protest next to Buckingham Palace in London Reuters UK news in pictures 25 August 2021 Gold Medallist Great Britains cyclist, Sarah Storey, celebrates after winning the Womens C5 3000m Individual Pursuit Final at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games. It was her 15th Paralympic gold Reuters UK news in pictures 24 August 2021 A demonstrator dressed as bee during a protest by members of Extinction Rebellion on Whitehall, in central London PA UK news in pictures 23 August 2021 Former interpreters for the British forces in Afghanistan demonstrate outside the Home Office in central London AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 22 August 2021 Police officers form a line in front of the entrance to the Guildhall, London, where protesters have climbed onto a ledge above the entrance during an Extinction Rebellion stage a protest PA UK news in pictures 21 August 2021 People take part in a demonstration in solidarity with people of Afghanistan, in London Reuters UK news in pictures 20 August 2021 People zip wire across the sea from Bournemouth pier towards the beach. PA UK news in pictures 19 August 2021 Supporters of Geronimo the alpaca gather outside Shepherds Close Farm in Wooton Under Edge, Gloucestershire PA UK news in pictures 18 August 2021 Former Afghan interpreters and veterans hold a demonstration outside Downing Street, calling for support and protection for Afghan interpreters and their families PA UK news in pictures 17 August 2021 Military personnel board the RAF Airbus A400M at RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire, where evacuation flights from Afghanistan have been landing Reuters UK news in pictures 16 August 2021 Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer takes part in a minute's silence at Wolverhampton police station for the victims of the Plymouth mass shooting last week PA UK news in pictures 15 August 2021 2Storm, a ten-metre tall puppet of a mythical goddess of the sea created by Edinburgh-based visual theatre company Vision Mechanics, makes its way alongside the seafront at North Berwick, East Lothian, during a performance at the Fringe By The Sea festival PA UK news in pictures 14 August 2021 A woman and two young girls look at floral tributes in Plymouth where six people, including the offender, died of gunshot wounds in a firearms incident PA UK news in pictures 13 August 2021 Forensic officers in the Keyham area of Plymouth where six people, including the shooter, died of gunshot wounds in a firearms incident on Thursday evening PA UK news in pictures 12 August 2021 Children ride horses in the River Eden in Appleby, Cumbria, during the annual gathering of travellers for the Appleby Horse Fair PA UK news in pictures 11 August 2021 Stella Moris (left) reacts after talking to the media outside the High Court in London, following the first hearing in the Julian Assange extradition appeal, n London, following the first hearing in the Julian Assange extradition appeal. The US government has won the latest round in its High Court bid to appeal against the decision not to extradite Julian Assange on espionage charges PA UK news in pictures 10 August 2021 Students react after they receive their A-Level results at the Ark Academy, in London Reuters UK news in pictures 9 August 2021 The final athletes from Great Britain arrive home including Jason Kenny, Laura Kenny and Katie Archibald (front left-right) at Heathrow Airport, London following the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games PA UK news in pictures 8 August 2021 Great Britain's Laura Kenny during the closing ceremony of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at the Olympic stadium in Japan PA UK news in pictures 7 August 2021 People from the Glasgow Southside community take part in the Govanhill Carnival, an anti-racist celebration of pride, unity and the contributions immigrants have made to the community in Govanhill, at Queen's Park, Glasgow PA UK news in pictures 6 August 2021 Chijindu Ujah of Britain, Zharnel Hughes of Britain, Richard Kilty of Britain and Nethaneel Mitchell-Blake of Britain celebrate winning silver as they pose with Asha Philip of Britain, Imani Lansiquot of Britain, Dina Asher-Smith of Britain and Daryll Neita of Britain after they won bronze in the women's 4 x 100m relay during Olympic Games Day 14 Getty UK news in pictures 5 August 2021 A protester places flowers on a photograph of an executed man during a demonstration organised by supporters of the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) to protest against the inauguration of Iran's new president Ebrahim Raisi in central London AFP via Getty UK news in pictures 4 August 2021 England's Joe Root looks on as India's KL Rahul doesn't make it to a catch during day one of Cinch First Test match at Trent Bridge, Nottingham PA UK news in pictures 3 August 2021 Great Britain's Laura Kenny and Jason Kenny with their silver medals for the Women's Team Pursuit and Mens Team Sprint during the Track Cycling at the Izu Velodrome on the eleventh day of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games in Japan PA UK news in pictures 2 August 2021 Great Britains Charlotte Worthington competes during the Womens BMX Freestyle Final at the Tokyo Olympics PA UK news in pictures 1 August 2021 EPA UK news in pictures 31 July 2021 James Guy, Adam Peaty and Kathleen Dawson celebrate winning the gold medal in the mixed 4x100m medley relay final at the Tokyo Olympics AP UK news in pictures 30 July 2021 Great Britain's Bethany Shriever and Kye Whyte celebrate their Gold and Silver medals respectively for the Cycling BMX Racing at the Ariake Urban Sports Park on the seventh day of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games in Japan PA UK news in pictures 29 July 2021 Team GB's Mallory Franklin during the Womens Canoe Slalom Final on day six of the Tokyo Olympic Games. She went on to win the silver medal Getty UK news in pictures 28 July 2021 Canoers on Llyn Padarn lake in Snowdonia, Gwynedd. It was announced that the north-west Wales slate landscape has been granted UNESCO World Heritage Status PA UK news in pictures 27 July 2021 A view of one of two areas now being used at a warehouse facility in Dover, Kent, for boats used by people thought to be migrants. PA UK news in pictures 26 July 2021 A woman is helped by Border Force officers as a group of people thought to be migrants are brought in to Dover, Kent, onboard a Border Force vessel, following a small boat incident in the Channel PA UK news in pictures 25 July 2021 Vehicles drive through deep water on a flooded road in Nine Elms, London AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 24 July 2021 Utilities workers inspect a 15x20ft sinkhole on Green Lane, Liverpool, which is suspected to have been caused by ruptured water main PA UK news in pictures 23 July 2021 Children interact with Mega Please Draw Freely by artist Ei Arakawa inside the Turbine Hall at the Tate Modern in London, part of UNIQLO Tate Play the gallery's new free programme of art-inspired activities for families PA UK news in pictures 22 July 2021 Festivalgoers in the campsite at the Latitude festival in Henham Park, Southwold, Suffolk PA UK news in pictures 21 July 2021 A man walks past an artwork by Will Blood on the end of a property in Bedminster, Bristol, as the 75 murals project reaches the halfway point and various graffiti pieces are sprayed onto walls and buildings across the city over the Summer PA UK news in pictures 20 July 2021 People during morning prayer during Eid ul-Adha, or Festival of Sacrifice, in Southall Park, Uxbridge, London PA UK news in pictures 19 July 2021 Commuters, some not wearing facemasks, at Westminster Underground station, at 08:38 in London after the final legal Coronavirus restrictions were lifted in England PA UK news in pictures 18 July 2021 A view of spectators by the 2nd green during day four of The Open at The Royal St George's Golf Club in Sandwich, Kent PA UK news in pictures 17 July 2021 Cyclists ride over the Hammersmith Bridge in London. The bridge was closed last year after cracks in it worsened during a heatwave Getty UK news in pictures 16 July 2021 The sun rises behind the Sefton Park Palm House, in Sefton Park, Liverpool PA UK news in pictures 15 July 2021 Sir Nicholas Serota watches a short film about sea monsters as he opens a 7.6 million, 360 immersive dome at Devonport's Market Hall in Plymouth, which is the first of its type to be built in Europe PA UK news in pictures 14 July 2021 Heidi Street, playing a gothic character, looks at a brain suspended in glass at the worlds first attraction dedicated to the author of Frankenstein inside the Mary Shelleys House of Frankenstein experience, located in a Georgian terraced house in Bath, as it prepares to open to the public on 19 July PA UK news in pictures 13 July 2021 Rehearsals are held in a car park in Glasgow for a parade scene ahead of filming for what is thought to be the new Indiana Jones 5 movie starring Harrison Ford PA Her comments come following a string of reported attacks over the festive period in south London, north London, Aylesbury in Buckinghamshire, and Tunbridge Wells in Kent. Ms Rising believes the most recent cat deaths could hold the key to catching the killer. "What is really clear from the timeline over Christmas is that he was in south London and then started travelling again," she said. "We have always thought he is a south London resident. He seemed at ease with getting around and the killings seemed more confident." The attacker was first dubbed the Croydon cat killer because the killings were believed to have begun in the south London area around October 2015. But small animals, including rabbits and foxes, have since been found dead and mutilated across the country. The Metropolitan Police has been working with the RSPCA and Snarl on the investigation, while a 10,000 reward has been offered to anyone who provides information that could lead to the arrest of the killer. A forensics laboratory at the University of Surrey has also been re-examining the bodies of dozens of cats Shoppers using cryptocurrencies like bitcoin and ethereum were hit after Visa locked down some pre-paid cards by blocking a single provider. BitPay, Cryptopay and Bitwala have all had their cards suspended as of 5 January, meaning they cannot be used to pay for goods on the high street. Their services are provided through WaveCrest, which is based in Gibraltar. The pre-paid cards allow users to buy leading cryptocurrencies such as bitcoin and ethereum, transfer them onto the card and use them in the same way as a traditional bank card. Visa said in a statement: We can confirm that WaveCrests Visa membership is being terminated due to non-compliance with our operating rules. All WaveCrest-issued Visa card programmes will be closed as a result. The termination of WaveCrests Visa membership does not affect other Visa issuers card programmes, including those using fiat funds converted from cryptocurrency. Visa is committed to the security of its ecosystem and compliance with Visas operating rules is critical for ensuring the safety and integrity of the Visa payment system. Our issuers card programmes must comply with our membership regulations, as well as all applicable laws. All three of the pre-paid cryptocurrency card companies took to social media to release statements about the suspension. BitPay said: Yesterday our European BitPay card issuer received direction from Visa to immediately close all accounts of its prepaid Visa debit programs. In its statement Cryptopay said all funds would be returned to users. Unfortunately, our card issuer instructed us to cease all Cryptopay prepaid cards starting 5 January, 2018. Bitwala said it would hold an emergency meeting in an attempt to resolve the issue. Following an announcement from our card issuer on behalf of Visa Europe, Bitwala cards are taken out of operation starting today. Our team is holding an emergency meeting to resolve the issue with the card holders' best interest in mind and will make an update shortly. 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 Cryptocurrencies are digital currencies that can be used to buy or sell items from people and companies. Interest has been sparked recently after bitcoin saw an increase in value in 2017 from $1000 to just $20,000. This story has been updated with Visa's statement and to clarify the scope of the blocks on cards. Far-right extremists are being sent to the same deradicalisation programme as suspected Islamist terrorists in Scotland, according to new figures. Just under 10 per cent of all referrals to the Governments deradicalisation programme, Prevent, in Scotland in 2015-16 were for people suspected of far-right extremism. Out of the 81 referrals, eight were for far-right extremism and 28 were for international extremism which typically means expressing support for the radical Islamist ideology of Isis or other terror groups. A further eight cases reported by the force were for other types of extremism and in 37 cases the reason for referral was not given. The Prevent programme has been criticised in the past for what was perceived as too narrow a focus on Islamist terrorism, but figures revealed by The Independent earlier this year showed that right wing extremism made up a third of all cases nationwide. The Scottish figures, which were published just before Christmas, cover the period up to April 2016 just months before Labour MP Jo Cox was murdered by far-right extremist Tommy Mair a week before the EU referendum. Mair was jailed for life in November 2016 after shooting and stabbing Ms Cox while shouting Britain first and this is for Britain in the small market town of Birstall in West Yorkshire in her Batley and Spen constituency. The majority of those who were referred to Prevent were young and male. Far right and anti-fascists clash in Dover, January, 2016 Show all 6 1 /6 Far right and anti-fascists clash in Dover, January, 2016 Far right and anti-fascists clash in Dover, January, 2016 Dover Police separate anti-fascists and right-wing protesters PA Far right and anti-fascists clash in Dover, January, 2016 Dover Right-wing protesters and anti-fascist demonstrators clash PA Far right and anti-fascists clash in Dover, January, 2016 Dover Anti-fascists break through police lines PA Far right and anti-fascists clash in Dover, January, 2016 Dover Far-right protesters march on the streets of Dover PA Far right and anti-fascists clash in Dover, January, 2016 Dover Diane Abbott MP speaks to anti-fascists in Dover PA Far right and anti-fascists clash in Dover, January, 2016 Dover Police hold back far-right demonstrators PA There were 74 males referred to the programme compared with seven females. Fifteen of the referrals were for people under the age of 15 but the majority of people referred to the programme were between the ages of 15 and 30. One referral was for a person aged over 60. The figures for the period between 2016-17 are not yet available but it is possible the number of referrals may rise following the crackdown on and proscription of far-right groups such as National Action over the past year. The Government banned two neo-Nazi groups operating under the names Scottish Dawn and NS131 in September after identifying them as aliases of National Action which was banned in December 2016. A spokesman for Hope Not Hate told the Glasgow Herald: Its no surprise that people are being referred to Prevent over extreme right viewpoints. The Home Secretary has already banned one neo-Nazi organisation and two affiliates that were, as she put it, concerned with terrorism. Jo Cox was murdered last year by someone with a 30-plus year connection to white supremacist viewpoints. The Government could move to limit the sale of alcohol at airports in an effort to curb increasing drunken behaviour on flights. It is understood the Home Office is considering ending rules which currently allow bars and pubs at terminals to operate outside UK licensing laws. The move could restrict the sale of alcohol to passengers just before they board flights, potentially putting an end to early-morning drinks for holidaymakers. A report by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) found there were 418 instances of disruptive behaviour by passengers on UK flights in 2016: more than double the number seen the year before. Recorded cases included passengers involved in general drunken behaviour, as well as incidents of customers acting in an abusive or threatening manner towards cabin crew. UK news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 UK news in pictures UK news in pictures 31 August 2021 Gold Medallist Sarah Storey of Britain celebrates on the podium Reuters UK news in pictures 30 August 2021 Extinction Rebellion protesters hold a a tea party on Tower Bridge in London EPA UK news in pictures 29 August 2021 A police office tussles with a demonstrator on Cromwell Road outside the Natural History Museum during a protest by members of Extinction Rebellion in London PA UK news in pictures 28 August 2021 Members of the British armed forces 16 Air Assault Brigade walk to the air terminal after disembarking a Royal Airforce Voyager aircraft at Brize Norton, Oxfordshire POOL/AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 27 August 2021 Fabio Quartararo crashes during a MotoGP practice session at the British Grand Prix, Silverstone Circuit Action Images via Reuters UK news in pictures 26 August 2021 An Extinction Rebellion activist holds a placard in a fountain surrounded by police officers, during a protest next to Buckingham Palace in London Reuters UK news in pictures 25 August 2021 Gold Medallist Great Britains cyclist, Sarah Storey, celebrates after winning the Womens C5 3000m Individual Pursuit Final at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games. It was her 15th Paralympic gold Reuters UK news in pictures 24 August 2021 A demonstrator dressed as bee during a protest by members of Extinction Rebellion on Whitehall, in central London PA UK news in pictures 23 August 2021 Former interpreters for the British forces in Afghanistan demonstrate outside the Home Office in central London AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 22 August 2021 Police officers form a line in front of the entrance to the Guildhall, London, where protesters have climbed onto a ledge above the entrance during an Extinction Rebellion stage a protest PA UK news in pictures 21 August 2021 People take part in a demonstration in solidarity with people of Afghanistan, in London Reuters UK news in pictures 20 August 2021 People zip wire across the sea from Bournemouth pier towards the beach. PA UK news in pictures 19 August 2021 Supporters of Geronimo the alpaca gather outside Shepherds Close Farm in Wooton Under Edge, Gloucestershire PA UK news in pictures 18 August 2021 Former Afghan interpreters and veterans hold a demonstration outside Downing Street, calling for support and protection for Afghan interpreters and their families PA UK news in pictures 17 August 2021 Military personnel board the RAF Airbus A400M at RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire, where evacuation flights from Afghanistan have been landing Reuters UK news in pictures 16 August 2021 Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer takes part in a minute's silence at Wolverhampton police station for the victims of the Plymouth mass shooting last week PA UK news in pictures 15 August 2021 2Storm, a ten-metre tall puppet of a mythical goddess of the sea created by Edinburgh-based visual theatre company Vision Mechanics, makes its way alongside the seafront at North Berwick, East Lothian, during a performance at the Fringe By The Sea festival PA UK news in pictures 14 August 2021 A woman and two young girls look at floral tributes in Plymouth where six people, including the offender, died of gunshot wounds in a firearms incident PA UK news in pictures 13 August 2021 Forensic officers in the Keyham area of Plymouth where six people, including the shooter, died of gunshot wounds in a firearms incident on Thursday evening PA UK news in pictures 12 August 2021 Children ride horses in the River Eden in Appleby, Cumbria, during the annual gathering of travellers for the Appleby Horse Fair PA UK news in pictures 11 August 2021 Stella Moris (left) reacts after talking to the media outside the High Court in London, following the first hearing in the Julian Assange extradition appeal, n London, following the first hearing in the Julian Assange extradition appeal. The US government has won the latest round in its High Court bid to appeal against the decision not to extradite Julian Assange on espionage charges PA UK news in pictures 10 August 2021 Students react after they receive their A-Level results at the Ark Academy, in London Reuters UK news in pictures 9 August 2021 The final athletes from Great Britain arrive home including Jason Kenny, Laura Kenny and Katie Archibald (front left-right) at Heathrow Airport, London following the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games PA UK news in pictures 8 August 2021 Great Britain's Laura Kenny during the closing ceremony of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at the Olympic stadium in Japan PA UK news in pictures 7 August 2021 People from the Glasgow Southside community take part in the Govanhill Carnival, an anti-racist celebration of pride, unity and the contributions immigrants have made to the community in Govanhill, at Queen's Park, Glasgow PA UK news in pictures 6 August 2021 Chijindu Ujah of Britain, Zharnel Hughes of Britain, Richard Kilty of Britain and Nethaneel Mitchell-Blake of Britain celebrate winning silver as they pose with Asha Philip of Britain, Imani Lansiquot of Britain, Dina Asher-Smith of Britain and Daryll Neita of Britain after they won bronze in the women's 4 x 100m relay during Olympic Games Day 14 Getty UK news in pictures 5 August 2021 A protester places flowers on a photograph of an executed man during a demonstration organised by supporters of the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) to protest against the inauguration of Iran's new president Ebrahim Raisi in central London AFP via Getty UK news in pictures 4 August 2021 England's Joe Root looks on as India's KL Rahul doesn't make it to a catch during day one of Cinch First Test match at Trent Bridge, Nottingham PA UK news in pictures 3 August 2021 Great Britain's Laura Kenny and Jason Kenny with their silver medals for the Women's Team Pursuit and Mens Team Sprint during the Track Cycling at the Izu Velodrome on the eleventh day of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games in Japan PA UK news in pictures 2 August 2021 Great Britains Charlotte Worthington competes during the Womens BMX Freestyle Final at the Tokyo Olympics PA UK news in pictures 1 August 2021 EPA UK news in pictures 31 July 2021 James Guy, Adam Peaty and Kathleen Dawson celebrate winning the gold medal in the mixed 4x100m medley relay final at the Tokyo Olympics AP UK news in pictures 30 July 2021 Great Britain's Bethany Shriever and Kye Whyte celebrate their Gold and Silver medals respectively for the Cycling BMX Racing at the Ariake Urban Sports Park on the seventh day of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games in Japan PA UK news in pictures 29 July 2021 Team GB's Mallory Franklin during the Womens Canoe Slalom Final on day six of the Tokyo Olympic Games. She went on to win the silver medal Getty UK news in pictures 28 July 2021 Canoers on Llyn Padarn lake in Snowdonia, Gwynedd. It was announced that the north-west Wales slate landscape has been granted UNESCO World Heritage Status PA UK news in pictures 27 July 2021 A view of one of two areas now being used at a warehouse facility in Dover, Kent, for boats used by people thought to be migrants. PA UK news in pictures 26 July 2021 A woman is helped by Border Force officers as a group of people thought to be migrants are brought in to Dover, Kent, onboard a Border Force vessel, following a small boat incident in the Channel PA UK news in pictures 25 July 2021 Vehicles drive through deep water on a flooded road in Nine Elms, London AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 24 July 2021 Utilities workers inspect a 15x20ft sinkhole on Green Lane, Liverpool, which is suspected to have been caused by ruptured water main PA UK news in pictures 23 July 2021 Children interact with Mega Please Draw Freely by artist Ei Arakawa inside the Turbine Hall at the Tate Modern in London, part of UNIQLO Tate Play the gallery's new free programme of art-inspired activities for families PA UK news in pictures 22 July 2021 Festivalgoers in the campsite at the Latitude festival in Henham Park, Southwold, Suffolk PA UK news in pictures 21 July 2021 A man walks past an artwork by Will Blood on the end of a property in Bedminster, Bristol, as the 75 murals project reaches the halfway point and various graffiti pieces are sprayed onto walls and buildings across the city over the Summer PA UK news in pictures 20 July 2021 People during morning prayer during Eid ul-Adha, or Festival of Sacrifice, in Southall Park, Uxbridge, London PA UK news in pictures 19 July 2021 Commuters, some not wearing facemasks, at Westminster Underground station, at 08:38 in London after the final legal Coronavirus restrictions were lifted in England PA UK news in pictures 18 July 2021 A view of spectators by the 2nd green during day four of The Open at The Royal St George's Golf Club in Sandwich, Kent PA UK news in pictures 17 July 2021 Cyclists ride over the Hammersmith Bridge in London. The bridge was closed last year after cracks in it worsened during a heatwave Getty UK news in pictures 16 July 2021 The sun rises behind the Sefton Park Palm House, in Sefton Park, Liverpool PA UK news in pictures 15 July 2021 Sir Nicholas Serota watches a short film about sea monsters as he opens a 7.6 million, 360 immersive dome at Devonport's Market Hall in Plymouth, which is the first of its type to be built in Europe PA UK news in pictures 14 July 2021 Heidi Street, playing a gothic character, looks at a brain suspended in glass at the worlds first attraction dedicated to the author of Frankenstein inside the Mary Shelleys House of Frankenstein experience, located in a Georgian terraced house in Bath, as it prepares to open to the public on 19 July PA UK news in pictures 13 July 2021 Rehearsals are held in a car park in Glasgow for a parade scene ahead of filming for what is thought to be the new Indiana Jones 5 movie starring Harrison Ford PA The CAA says acts of drunkenness on an aircraft are punishable by up to two years in prison or an unlimited fine. The Lords Licensing Act 2003 Committee has previously called on ministers to place restrictions on the sale of alcohol at airports, in an attempt to tackle the rising number of air rage incidents. In a response to the recommendations published in November, the Government said it would run a series of consultations during 2018 to seek advice on limiting the impact of disruptive passengers. The Governments response read: With over 260 million passengers travelling through the UK airports annually, any disruptive passenger behaviour is entirely unacceptable and an issue that warrants further examination. While the number of disruptive events remains small compared to the total passenger numbers, the occurrences seem to be on the rise. The most serious instances can even evolve into a situation that causes a safety issue. Ensuring the safety of all passengers is a priority for the Government, and we are committed to maintaining a travelling environment that is both safe and enjoyable for all passengers. A Home Office source said it would be asking for evidence later this year to assess the potential impact of implementing the Licensing Act on airport bars, with a view to reducing the rate of alcohol-related disorder. The airline industry has seen a string of high-profile controversies involving drunk passengers in recent months. A Jet2 passenger was jailed for seven months in January last year, after taking control of a planes intercom system while drunk to to demand more alcohol during a flight from Manchester to Tenerife. In October, a British woman was jailed for 20 days in Canada after she drunkenly lunged at passengers on a Manchester to Cancun flight, forcing the aircraft to make an emergency landing in Quebec. A Home Office spokesperson said: Hundreds of millions of passengers travel through the UKs airports and they should be able to enjoy their holidays without having their flight disrupted by a small minority of people. There are already tough penalties in place for drunkenness on an aircraft you can be imprisoned for up to two years or given an unlimited fine. Pilots also have the power to issue the removal passengers from the plane if they are drunk and the safety of the aircraft or its passengers is threatened. More than 2,300 EU academics have resigned from British universities over the past year amid concerns over a Brexodus of top talent in higher education. New figures show a 19 per cent increase in departures of European staff from universities last year compared to before the EU referendum, and a 10 per cent rise from some 2130 resignations in 2015-16. Theresa May has urged EU citizens to stay in the UK after Britain leaves the bloc but prolonged uncertainty over post-Brexit rights has made some academics fearful for the future, critics warn. It comes after a report from the British Academy warned that the UKs world-leading university sector could be under threat due to prospective changes to immigration rules after Brexit, with subjects such as modern languages and economics facing the greatest threat. The institution reporting the highest number of resignations was the University of Oxford, which saw 230 departures of EU academics last year compared to 171 in 2014-15, according to freedom of information requests by the Liberal Democrats to 105 universities. However the university pointed out that it has also recruited a large number of EU staff so the overall numbers were largely similar. A spokesman said: The status of colleagues from other parts of the EU has been a major concern for the university and we have called for clear commitments on this issue to reassure staff and students who are already here or hoping to join us. The recent joint report on Brexit negotiations confirmed the rights of academics and other staff currently in the UK but the university will continue to call for a free flow of academic talent to and from the EU in the final Brexit settlement. Kings College London also lost 139 members of EU staff, compared to 108 before the referendum, while 173 EU academics resigned from the University of Cambridge last year, up from 153 staff the previous year, and 141 in 2014-15. The institutions that responded reported more than 25,400 European academics on their rolls, with 6,633 working on Stem subjects such as engineering, maths and computing, where the UK faces serious skills shortages. Another 4,922 work on vital areas such as health sciences, nursing or medicine, and 1,307 on business. Maike Bohn, a spokesperson for the3million, which campaigns for citizens rights, said some EU academics feel personally insulted by the Governments sluggishness to guarantee their rights and remain concerned about what Brexit will mean for their futures. Ms Bohn, a German citizen who formerly worked at Bristol University and the Said Business School in Oxford, told The Independent: I think we will see a time lag on this as I know lots of people who are waiting to see if it gets worse before leaving. It takes time to get a new position in Europe so I think we will see a delayed reaction. Younger academics are worried about whether their qualifications will still be valid after Brexit, while others are concerned over their eligibility for lucrative European research grants once Britain leaves the bloc, she said. Liberal Democrat education spokeswoman Layla Moran said: This alarming rise in EU academics leaving our universities is the latest sign of a damaging Brexodus. Britains universities have thrived from having access to talented European researchers, and from years of European cooperation through schemes like Horizon 2020 and Erasmus. Now all this is being put at risk by this Governments botched handling of Brexit, where we seem to be losing all the benefits of EU membership while keeping the costs. These valued members of our communities find themselves uncertain about the future and unconvinced by the too little too late wooing by an incompetent Prime Minister. While they were frozen out of the referendum, they are now voting with their feet. The Prime Minister secured a deal with Brussels before Christmas that would allow EU citizens who arrive by March 2019 to apply for settled status if they have been living in the UK for more than five years. Anyone who has lived in the country for less than five years before the official exit date will be able to apply to remain until they have reached the five-year threshold. 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 The move has been welcomed by some although it also raised further uncertainty about who will qualify for lesser rights after Brexit. Alistair Jarvis, chief executive of Universities UK, which represents higher education institutions, said the agreement on the first phase of Brexit talks had offered much-needed certainty for the 46,000 EU nationals working in UK universities, as well as the promise that membership of European programmes such as Erasmus would continue. He added: The Government now needs to develop a post-exit immigration system that welcomes European and international university staff and students with minimal barriers. A Department for Education spokesperson said: The UK higher education sector has a long established tradition of attracting the brightest minds from around the world, at all stages of their careers. We value the contribution that EU staff make to the sector, and we want that to continue. The citizens rights agreement allows for a fair and reciprocal deal that will guarantee the rights of more than three million EU citizens living in the UK and a million UK nationals living in the EU so they can carry on living their lives as before. SCM, a company belonging to Ukrainian businessman Rinat Akhmetov, has said that they will appeal against a Cyprus court's ruling to freeze Akhmetov's assets worth $820 million, the SCM said in a statement. "A company of SCM group indirectly acquired shares in PJSC Ukrtelecom from Raga Establishment Limited (formerly - EPIC Telecom Invest Limited) in 2013two years after privatization of Ukrtelecom. We have now indeed received information about interim order of the court in Cyprus concerning, among others, several entities of SCM Group and issued pursuant to an application from Raga Establishment Limited. We disagree with the order in its entirety and will contest it. The entities of SCM group will also vigorously defend themselves against baseless claims by Raga Establishment Limited that gave rise to issuance of the interim order," the group said in its statement. The company said that SCM group did not directly or indirectly participate in privatization of Ukrtelecom in 2011. "As we stated on multiple occasions, the current allegations by the State Property Fund of Ukraine and other governmental bodies of Ukraine regarding unlawfulness of privatization of Ukrtelecom and non-performance of investment obligations all stem from the activities of Raga Establishment Limited and its real beneficial owners, as well as persons who funded the privatization in 2011," the company said in a statement. As reported, a Cyprus court has ordered the freezing of $820.5 million of the assets of Akhmetov at the request of Raga Establishment, owned by the former head of the bankrupt Rodovid Bank, Denys Horbunenko, which accuses Akhmetov's SCM Financial Overseas (SCM FO) of underpayment for the purchase of Ukraine's fixed-line telecoms group Ukrtelecom, the Financial Times reported on Friday. Labour says it will not leap to judgement by condemning the Iranian government over deaths following street protests in the country, provoking Conservative criticism. Emily Thornberry, the Shadow Foreign Secretary, argued it would be a mistake to see one side in the violent clashes as the guys with white hats calling instead for a cautious approach. A rush to similar conclusions in other flashpoint countries such as Syria, Libya and Egypt had backfired later, she warned. Recommended Be careful who you put your trust in when it comes to Iran protests But Tom Tugendhat, the Tory chairman of the cross-party Commons Foreign Affairs Committee, described Labours position as extraordinary. It was hardly a knee-jerk reaction to condemn the Iranian regime, which had been brutalising women and murdering gay people for 40 years, he claimed. The clash came as the US was criticised for convening the UN Security Council over the events in Iran. Russia and France were among countries suggesting the protests were an internal affair, which did not threaten the worlds security. At least 21 people have been killed since demonstrations broke out last month in the city of Mashhad and around 450 have been arrested. They were initially sparked by anger about price rises and corruption, but soon spread to a number of cities and started to include wider anti-government grievances. Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn who has carried out paid work for a TV station backed by the Iranian government in the past has yet to say anything in public about the situation. Appearing on the BBCs Political Thinking podcast, Ms Thornberry defended her partys failure to speak out for those protesting against Irans authoritarian government. Our approach now is one of extreme caution when it comes to Iran, and a recognition that the society in Iran is an immensely complex one, and seemingly contradictory, she said. For example, with these current riots, sometimes they are calling to reinstate the monarchy, sometimes theyre calling out against the Khameini [the Supreme Leader], sometimes theyre calling for Khameini, sometimes theyre calling for the price of eggs. Its very difficult in those circumstances to actually come to a conclusion as to what political forces are behind the current disputes on the streets of Iran, so we take a cautious approach. Ms Thornberry added: We dont want to leap to judgement and say, well we dont like the regime in Iran, these people are against it, they must be the guys with white hats, because it doesnt work like that. Weve seen that in Syria, weve seen it in Libya, we see it time and time again in Egypt. We cannot simply impose our views on people who are fighting against, you know, Mubarak, who we dont like. Later, in a Facebook post, Ms Thornberry while sticking to her stance stressed that she was appalled by the reported violence and called for peaceful protesters to be released promptly. There is a particular responsibility on the Iranian authorities to show restraint in their policing, to allow peaceful, democratic protests to proceed, and to enable a proper dialogue so that all political and economic grievances can be raised and resolved, she wrote. Peaceful protest should never be treated as a crime, and to do so will only worsen the sense of grievance among those who have taken to the streets in recent days. Boris Johnson, the Foreign Secretary, has urged Iranian leaders to debate the legitimate and important issues raised by the protesters. Meanwhile, the head of Irans Revolutionary Guard has declared the defeat of the sedition in the country, referring to the demonstrations. Major General Mohammad Ali Jafari made the announcement as tens of thousands of people attended pro-government rallies called to counter the unrest the most serious since the disputed 2009 presidential election. The Scottish government is considering allowing refugees and non-EU citizens to vote in local and Scottish parliament elections. Holyrood was granted new powers over taxation and the running of elections by Westminster in 2016 and the SNP minority government is keen to make major changes that will set it apart from the rest of the UK. A public consultation launched last month suggested extending the voting franchise to everyone legally resident in Scotland. This would mean anyone granted asylum or a visa to live in Scotland would be able to vote in the countrys regional parliament and local council elections including refugees and non-EU or non-Commonwealth citizens. The extension of the franchise would not include Westminster elections as these are still controlled by the Government in London. The Scottish minister for parliamentary business, Joe FitzPatrick, said: The Scottish government is committed to ensuring access to democratic participation for all citizens. Scotland has led the way internationally by lowering the voting age to 16. We now seek to extend the opportunity to vote to all who are legally resident in Scotland. It seems only fair that those who have the right to live here, whether from EU countries or elsewhere, have the right to vote. He said there was a view that the current rules on suffrage did not reflect modern Scotland and that linking citizenship with the right to vote is undemocratic. As citizens from a very wide range of countries come to live and work in Scotland, it can be considered discriminatory to deny the right to vote to resident immigrants who are neither EU nor Commonwealth citizens, he added. Giles Duley capturing moments of hope in the refugee crisis Show all 13 1 /13 Giles Duley capturing moments of hope in the refugee crisis Giles Duley capturing moments of hope in the refugee crisis Giles Duley Giles Duley capturing moments of hope in the refugee crisis Giles Duley Giles Duley capturing moments of hope in the refugee crisis Giles Duley Giles Duley capturing moments of hope in the refugee crisis Giles Duley Giles Duley capturing moments of hope in the refugee crisis Giles Duley Giles Duley capturing moments of hope in the refugee crisis Giles Duley Giles Duley capturing moments of hope in the refugee crisis Giles Duley Giles Duley capturing moments of hope in the refugee crisis Giles Duley Giles Duley capturing moments of hope in the refugee crisis Giles Duley Giles Duley capturing moments of hope in the refugee crisis Giles Duley Giles Duley capturing moments of hope in the refugee crisis Giles Duley Giles Duley capturing moments of hope in the refugee crisis Giles Duley Giles Duley capturing moments of hope in the refugee crisis Giles Duley The public consultation is due to close 12 March. The Scottish Refugee Council hailed the move which they said would help many rebuild their lives in the country. The charitys policy officer, Graham ONeill, told The Scotsman: There is no reason why refugees who are rebuilding their lives here should have fewer rights than the rest of us. They are our colleagues and friends and contribute a huge amount to Scottish society. Im sure a lot of the people we work with would relish the chance to participate in elections and have a say on how to build a fairer society. Scotland is perceived as more open to immigration and the arrival of refugees than the rest of the UK. The country, along with Northern Ireland, voted to remain in the European Union during the referendum in 2016 and the SNP has repeatedly called for more powers on immigration and trade. In a speech in Edinburgh in September last year, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon called for greater flexibility for Scotland when it comes to regulating immigration. Speaking on the 20th anniversary of the devolution referendum, which led to the establishment of the Scottish parliament, she called the Westminster plan to reduce net migration to the tens of thousands an ideological target that could have devastating consequences for our economy and society. First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has called on Scotland to be an open and welcoming country (PA) Instead, Scotland should offer a welcoming hand and an open heart to those seeking a better life or wanting to make a contribution here, she added. According to a 2014 report by the Office for National Statistics, Scotlands population is expected to stagnate over the next 25 years if there is low net migration with the overall population projected to grow by just 3,500 people or 0.07 per cent every year. This means the country will increasingly suffer from a major labour shortage as it tries to prop up its economy, the NHS and its social services if it cannot bring in a migrant workforce. Twenty British MEPs, including three Conservatives, have urged the Government to change course and keep Britain in the EU single market after Brexit. The cross-party group, which includes representatives of the Conservatives, Labour, the SNP, Greens and Liberal Democrats, expressed deep concern over the Governments current Brexit strategy, which will see Britain leave the single market and customs union after a transitional period. The case for staying in the trading bloc has grown stronger since last years Brexit vote, they said. In an open letter, the MEPs suggested people were right to question whether the Brexit course chartered by our Government is the right path for our country. The letter was signed by 12 Labour MEPs, including the partys deputy leader in the European Parliament, and three Conservatives, including the Tory groups foreign affairs spokesman. Two SNP representatives, two Greens and one Liberal Democrat also backed the call. It puts the Conservative and Labour MEPs on a collision course with their party leaders and raises the prospect of them being forced to give up the party whip. Both Theresa May and Jeremy Corbyn have previously taken a tough line against those who defy their position on Brexit. Two Conservative MEPs, Julie Girling and Richard Ashworth, had the whip removed in October after they voted in support of a motion saying sufficient progress had not been made in Brexit negotiations. Both signed the new letter, which was published by the Open Britain campaign. And Alex Cunningham, a Labour shadow pensions minister in Westminster, resigned this week after defying the party leadership in order to vote in favour of keeping the UK in the customs union. 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 In their letter, the MEPs wrote: Leaving the EU means giving up our seat at Europes top table and risks making us a rule taker rather than a rule maker. The best way to secure Britains prosperity would be to remain close to Europe, inside the single market and customs union, and to secure a deal that keeps Britain in the room. Sadly, this no longer seems likely. So, if the price of Brexit turns out to be a loss of control over the rules and an economy that will leave us poorer, people have every right to keep an open mind about whether the Brexit course chartered by our Government is the right path for our country. They said it was a lamentable irony that, having helped create the single market, successive UK governments have so singularly failed to explain to the public the many benefits it has brought to our country. Blair urges Labour to challenge Brexit Highlighting a number of EU initiatives that have been introduced since last years Brexit vote, the cross-party group said: Few in the UK will have noticed but in the year and a half since the referendum, some major and valuable changes have taken place in how the largest free trade area in the world works. Moves to tackle avoidance by tech giants, stop the undercutting of wages and reduce scrap mobile phone roaming costs in Europe were just some of the benefits to the UK of staying in the single market, they said. The Government believes leaving the single market is crucial to reducing immigration and removing the UK from the jurisdiction of the European Court of Justice. In her landmark Brexit speech in Florence last year, Ms May said: The United Kingdom is leaving the European Union. We will no longer be members of its single market or its customs union. For we understand that the single markets four freedoms are indivisible for our European friends. The astronaut John Young, who walked on the moon and flew the first space shuttle mission, has died aged 87. He visited space six times including on Apollo and Gemini missions, Nasa said. In a statement, the agency tweeted: Were saddened by the loss of astronaut John Young, who was 87. Young flew twice to the Moon, walked on its surface & flew the first Space Shuttle mission. He went to space six times in the Gemini, Apollo & Space Shuttle programs. Mr Youngs career at Nasa stretched for 42 years, during which he became the first human to fly in space six times. When he retired in 2004, Nasa administrator Sean OKeefe said that when you need a job done and you want it done right, Johns the person to go to, calling Mr Young a true American treasure. Paying tribute, astronaut and space shuttle pilot Terry Virts tweeted: You were one of my heroes as an astronaut and explorer and your passion for space will be missed. Mr Youngs first space flight was in 1965, aboard the first manned Gemini launch on which he smuggled a corned beef sandwich to the outrage of his superiors. Following a further Gemini mission he orbited the moon in 1969, two months before the Apollo 11 landing. He returned to the satellite in 1972, when he landed on its surface to collect samples. The former US Navy captain also helmed the space shuttle Columbia on its first flight in 1981. His final mission came in 1983. Chastened by the 1967 Apollo launch pad fire that killed three astronauts, Mr Young spoke up after the 1986 Challenger launch accident. His hard scrutiny continued well past shuttle Columbias disintegration during re-entry in 2003. Whenever and wherever I found a potential safety issue, I always did my utmost to make some noise about it, by memo or whatever means might best bring attention to it, he wrote in his 2012 memoir, Forever Young. Mr Young remained an active astronaut into his early 70s and held on to his role as Nasas conscience until his retirement in 2004. You dont want to be politically correct, he said in a 2000 interview. You want to be right. Nasa unveils space tourism posters Show all 6 1 /6 Nasa unveils space tourism posters Nasa unveils space tourism posters Nasa space tourism posters Nasa's canny decision to commission sumptuous vintage-inspired posters by Seattle design firm Invisible Creature has firmly placed space travel back where it belongs: in the imagination of travellers Nasa Nasa unveils space tourism posters Nasa space tourism posters It is particularly fitting that the Nasa commission went to Don and Ryan Clark, who have been running Invisible Creature since 2006, undertaking projects for the likes of Nike and Target Nasa Nasa unveils space tourism posters Nasa space tourism posters "We were ecstatic, just because our grandfather was an illustrator at Nasa for 30 years," says Clark Nasa Nasa unveils space tourism posters Nasa space tourism posters The artwork harks back to the Jet Age-era posters commissioned by Howard Hughes' Trans World Airlines and its rival United in the 1950s and 1960s, when the work of David Klein (for TWA) and Stan Galli (for United) glamorised and essentially branded this new age of air travel Nasa Nasa unveils space tourism posters Nasa space tourism posters It doesn't matter that Nasa has no plans for a "Grand Tour" of Jupiter, Saturn, Neptune and Uranus Nasa Nasa unveils space tourism posters Nasa space tourism posters If global travel is for daydreamers, going beyond the atmosphere is for true space cadets Nasa Mr Young was in Nasas second astronaut class, chosen in 1962, along with the likes of Neil Armstrong, Pete Conrad and James Lovell. Throughout the 1990s and into the 2000s, Mr Young maintained Nasa should be developing massive rockets to lift payloads to the moon to industrialise it, he said, and building space systems for detecting and deflecting comets or asteroids that could threaten Earth. The country needs it. The world needs it. Civilisation needs it, he said in 2000, adding: I dont need it. Im not going to be here that long. Mr Young spent his last 17 years at Johnson Space Centre in Houston in management, focusing on safety issues. He was born in San Francisco in September 1930 and died on Friday. Additional reporting by agencies President Nicolas Maduro of Venezuela on Friday ordered a temporary shutdown of air and maritime traffic with three Caribbean neighbours, accusing smugglers there of seeking to plunder his country. In a televised address, Maduro said he had halted traffic to Aruba, Bonaire and Curacao for 72 hours. He accused the three countries of running black markets by siphoning everything from copper to food before selling the items. They take away gold from this country illegally, and make it legal to sell there. They take away coltan, they take away diamonds, they take away all food products, Maduro said. I didnt want to take a measure like this one, but I am ready to take even more radical measures. The Caribbean islands, which are short distances from Venezuelas northern coast, have long hosted black markets for Venezuelan contraband, trading everything from illegally mined minerals to narcotics. The countries, however, have become better known under Maduros presidency as the landing site of boats of hungry Venezuelans fleeing their countrys food shortages. Many refugees have fled illegally, so the closure is unlikely to stop those departures. But it will cut off Venezuelans wishing to travel by air at a time when many airlines refuse to fly to the country because of safety concerns. Aruba is the site of a large refinery that Citgo, the US subsidiary of Venezuelas state oil company, wants to refurbish. The state oil company is reeling from disastrous production declines and is falling behind on debt payments. It was unclear what prompted the timing of Maduros crackdown. He said he hoped that the leaders of the three countries would take steps against the smugglers over the next 72 hours. Mafias are waging war on our electricity; they steal our copper and they sell it legally. Maduro has closed borders in the past after alleging that smugglers were robbing the country, especially at times when his government was facing problems. 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 In late 2016, he shut down the border with Colombia, alleging that mobsters there were hoarding currency. The previous year he ordered a longer closure and declared a state of emergency along the same border, saying that food, fuel and other goods were being smuggled there. The measures had little effect on smuggling, residents said, but did prevent many thousands of Venezuelans from crossing the border to buy food during shortages. The New York Times An airliners wing burst into flames after colliding with another jet at Torontos Pearson Airport, causing the emergency evacuation of 168 passengers. Dramatic footage filmed from inside one of the aircraft showed passengers screaming as the blaze broke out on the other plane, which was being towed by ground crew. One firefighter was taken to hospital after being injured responding to the collision between the the two planes, operated by Canadian airlines Sunwing and Westjet. Recommended Plane grounded after passenger smears feces in lavatories Calgary-based Westjet said it had received unconfirmed reports of minor injuries following the incident but that all 168 passengers and six crew members on board its flight were safe and accounted for. The jet, a Boeing 737-800, was waiting to proceed to the gate when its wing was clipped by the other plane at 6.20pm on Friday. Passengers described chaos inside the airliner following the collision. Gustavo Lobo told CBC News: Out of nowhere there was an audible crunch and the plane rocked slightly. We looked out the window and saw that the plane had backed up into us. Everyone was a little shocked and kind of chuckling at the situation. Panic set in when what seemed to be fuel [started] spewing from the crash. After a couple of seconds the entire thing ignited and it was chaos inside the plane. People screaming and panicking all while the flight attendants shouted to try and control the situation. The Sunwing plane caught fire after colliding with Westjet flight (AFP/Getty Images) Westjet said passengers were evacuated using an emergency slide "due to the position of the aircraft on the laneway". "Emergency crews were on hand and responded immediately," it added in a statement. Sunwing said there were no passengers or crew onboard its plane when it caught fire, saying the aircraft was being towed by ground handler Swissport International. "We are awaiting further information from Swissport and will provide more details as they become available," a spokesman added. Photos showed extensive damage to the wing of the aircraft following the fire. 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 An airport spokesman said: Fire and Emergency Services responded to the incident and extinguished a small fire on the Sunwing aircraft. "Passengers on the Westjet aircraft have been evacuated safely and have returned to the terminal. One member of the Toronto Pearson Fire and Emergency Service is being treated in hospital. The Transportation Safety Board has arrived at Toronto Pearson and will be completing an investigation. At this time, airport operations have not been significantly affected by the incident but continue to be challenged by the extreme cold weather conditions. Efforts by the Trump administration to marshal a muscular international response to Irans crackdown on anti-government protesters appeared to backfire Friday, as members of the UN Security Council instead used a special session called by the United States to lecture the US ambassador on the proper purpose of the body and to reaffirm support for the Iran nuclear agreement. It was an afternoon of high diplomatic theatre that began with a passionate denunciation of Irans oppressive government by the US ambassador, Nikki R. Haley, and ended with the Iranian ambassador delivering a lengthy history of popular revolt in the United States from the violent demonstrations at the Democratic National Convention in 1968 to the Occupy Wall Street protests in 2011. In the interim, council members did, one by one, condemn the Iranian governments response during more than a week of protests. As of Friday, more than 20 people had been killed and hundreds had been arrested. The authorities have blocked access to social media and have blamed foreign enemies for instigating the unrest, a common refrain at times of upheaval that in this case the government has provided no evidence to support. In her remarks, Haley said the United States would remain steadfastly behind the Iranian protesters. Let there be no doubt whatsoever, she said, the United States stands unapologetically with those in Iran who seek freedom for themselves. But there was evidence of a mini-revolt brewing within the Security Council chamber, not only among traditional adversaries like Russia and China, but also among close allies like France and Sweden. Many seemed to fear that the outspoken criticism by the Americans was simply a pretext to undermine the Iran nuclear deal, which President Donald Trump has long desired to scrap. It is not precisely clear what Haley hoped to achieve by convening the session Friday, which was not previously scheduled. Until the meeting began at 3 pm, it was not even certain whether Haley would be able to secure the votes needed to call the session to order. But even before the session began, Frances ambassador, Francois Delattre, warned against instrumentalisation of the protests from the outside. Speaking before the council, he went further. We must be wary of any attempt to exploit this crisis for personal ends, which would have a diametrically opposed outcome to that which is wished, Delattre said. He asked rhetorically why the Security Council had not taken up the issue of Black Lives Matter protests in Ferguson, Missouri, which were at times also met with a violent police response. The real reason for convening todays meeting is not an attempt to protect human rights or promote the interests of the Iranian people, but rather as a veiled attempt to use the current moment to continue to undermine the Iranian deal, Nebenzya said. Iran protests in pictures Show all 11 1 /11 Iran protests in pictures Iran protests in pictures University students at an anti-government protest inside Tehran University, 30 December 2017 AP Iran protests in pictures A university student at a protest inside Tehran University while a smoke grenade is thrown by anti-riot Iranian police, 30 December 2017 AP Iran protests in pictures University students at a protest inside Tehran University, 30 December 2017 AP Iran protests in pictures University students run away from the police during an anti-government protest inside Tehran University, 30 December 2017 AP Iran protests in pictures An image grab taken from a handout video released by Iran's Mehr News agency reportedly shows a group of men pulling at a fence in a street in Tehran, 30 December 2017 AFP/Getty Iran protests in pictures Demonstrators gather to protest in Tehran, 30 December 2017 AP Iran protests in pictures Iranians chant slogans as they march in support of the government near the Imam Khomeini grand mosque in Tehran, 30 December 2017 AFP/Getty Iran protests in pictures Iranians chant slogans as they march in support of the government near the Imam Khomeini grand mosque in Tehran, December 30 2017 Iran protests in pictures Iranian clerics take part during a state-organized rally against anti-government protests in the country, in the holy city of Qom, south west Iran, 3 January 2018 EPA Iran protests in pictures In this photo provided by the Iranian Students' News Agency, a clergyman takes a picture of a pro-government demonstration in the southwestern city of Ahvaz, Iran, 3 January 2018 ISNA via AP Iran protests in pictures Pro-government demonstrators gather at the Massoumeh shrine in Iran's holy city of Qom, some 130 kilometres south of Tehran, 3 January 2018 AFP/Getty Trump has repeatedly excoriated the deal, which was a signature diplomatic achievement of his predecessor, Barack Obama. In October, he refused to recertify the deal, though he left it to Congress to legislate changes to it. (None of the other world powers that signed the deal believes renegotiation is possible.) This month, Trump will again have to choose whether to continue to waive sanctions, as the deal requires, or chart a more confrontational approach that would further antagonise European allies. Trump himself conflated the protests with the Iran nuclear deal this week, arguing that financial benefits received by the Iranian authorities as part of the accord had fuelled the corruption that the countrys people were protesting. At the Security Council on Friday, most members insisted that these two issues were separate. It needs to be crystal clear to the international community that the situation in Iran does not belong on the agenda of the Security Council, said Sacha Sergio Llorenty, the Bolivian ambassador. Swedens representative, Irina Schoulgin Nyoni, concurred: We have our reservations on the format and timing of this session. Such reticence to support the US position is the latest evidence of growing international resistance to the Trump administrations foreign policy priorities, particularly at the United Nations. Last month, a large majority of UN members voted for a resolution denouncing the United States decision to recognise Jerusalem as Israels capital and move the US Embassy there. Haley had to use her veto to block a similar resolution in the Security Council that was supported by every other member. On Wednesday, the US Mission to the United Nations held a cocktail reception for the nine countries that voted against the resolution in the General Assembly, which, aside from Israel, were Guatemala, Honduras, Togo, the Marshall Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia, Nauru and Palau. In a video message played at the reception, Trump thanked the attendees for standing with the United States. He said the vote would go down as a very important date, and their support was noted and greatly appreciated. The New York Times A tell-all book on Donald Trump's first year in the White House will be the final nail in the coffin for his presidency, according to its author. Michael Wolff said his revelations about the US President were filtering into the public consciousness and would result in his term coming to an end. Allegations that the former real estate mogul acts like a "child" and has "less credibility than perhaps anybody who has ever walked on Earth at this point" have already made global headlines since excerpts emerged this week. I think one of the interesting effects of the book so far is a very clear emperor-has-no-clothes effect, Mr Wolff told BBC Radio 4. The story that I have told seems to present this presidency in such a way that it says he cant do his job." He added: Suddenly everywhere people are going oh my God, its true, he has no clothes. Thats the background to the perception and the understanding that will finally end ... this presidency. Mr Trump has repeatedly dismissed the book as "full of lies". It depicts a chaotic White House, a president who was ill-prepared to win office in 2016, and Trump aides who scorned his abilities. The President renewed his attacks on Mr Wolff on Twitter on Friday, and on his former top aide Steve Bannon who was quoted in the book. Michael Wolff is a total loser who made up stories in order to sell this really boring and untruthful book, he said. He used Sloppy Steve Bannon, who cried when he got fired and begged for his job. Now Sloppy Steve has been dumped like a dog by almost everyone. Too bad! Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Show all 30 1 /30 Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Threatening to shut down Twitter after being fact-checked After the president tweeted that voting by post would be "substantially fraudulent", Twitter attached a warning label to his tweet and referred readers to a site which explained how the claim was "unsubstantiated". Trump then said Twitter was "stifling free speech" and that he may have to shut it down, something which he would not have the power to do AFP/Getty Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Flippantly dismissing a serious allegation of sexual assault When author E Jean Carroll accused Trump of raping her, the president responded: Number one, shes not my type. Number two, it never happened. It never happened, OK?" AFP/Getty Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Insulting the Mayor of London as he landed in London Just before touching down at Stansted Airport for his state visit, Trump took time out to @ the London mayor Sadiq Khan on twitter. He said that Khan has done a "terrible job"as mayor and that he is a "stone cold loser" Reuters Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Taking plenty of "Executive Time" The president's official schedule sets aside the hours from 8 to 11am daily for "Executive Time". Further intermittent periods of "Executive Time" are scheduled throughout any given day, ranging from 15 minutes to 3 hours. His duties in these hours have not been officially disclosed, though Axios reports that he spends them watching TV, reading the newspapers and tweeting Getty Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Shutdown the government for over a month in an effort to secure funding for his wall With Mexico declining to pay for the wall, the president has faced difficulty in raising the required $5bn at home. Due to his demand that the money for the wall be included in the budget, and Congress's refusal, the government partially shut down on 22 December 2018. It remained shut for over a month, the longest period in history Getty Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Joking about the Nazi occupation of France to President Macron In this tweet from 13 November 2018, the president mocks Emmanuel Macron's suggestion of a "true, European army" by invoking the conflict between France and Germany in the world wars Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Railing against the Mueller investigation The president has repeatedly claimed that the Mueller investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election, is a "rigged witch hunt" Reuters Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Contradicting a US intelligence report on Russian meddling in the presence of Vladimir Putin In the press conference that followed his landmark meeting with Russian president Vladimir Putin, Trump stated that he saw no reason why Russia would have meddled in the 2016 US election. This contradicted a 2017 report by the US Office of the Director of National Intelligence that found evidence of Russian interference in favour of Trump Getty Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Contradicting his contradiction of a US intelligence report on Russian meddling Following furious backlash in the US, the president claimed that he meant to say that he saw no reason why it would not have been Russia who meddled in the 2016 US election. As to why he would have intended to use such bizarre phrasing, he did not comment Reuters Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Colouring in the US flag wrong The president coloured in the US flag wrongly during a visit to a children's hospital in Columbus, Ohio. He added a blue stripe where in tradition, and statute, there have been only white and red stripes AFP/Getty Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Firing a Secretary of State over Twitter The president announced on Twitter that he was appointing Mike Pompeo as Secretary of State, much to the surprise of then Secretary of State Rex Tillerson Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Quoting a catchphrase from a reality TV show when discussing police brutality While addressing the issue of black athletes not standing for the national anthem in protest of police brutality, the president made reference to his catchphrase from reality TV show "The Apprentice": you're fired! Reuters Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Calling African nations "S***hole Countries" Ever one for diplomacy, the president reportedly referred to African nations as "s***hole countries". Asked to confirm this when meeting with Nigeria's President Buhari, Trump stated that there are "some countries that are in very bad shape". Reuters Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Defending Russian President Vladimir Putin Trump appeared to equate US foreign actions to those of Russian president Vladimir Putin, saying: There are a lot of killers. You think our countrys so innocent? Reuters Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Asking for people to 'pray' for Arnold Schwarzenegger At the National Prayer Breakfast, Trump couldnt help but to ask for prayers for the ratings on Arnold Schwarzeneggers show to be good. Schwarzenegger took over as host of The Apprentice which buoyed Trumps celebrity status years ago Getty Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Hanging up on Australian PM Malcolm Turnbull Early in his presidency, Trump reportedly hung up the phone on Australian prime minister Malcolm Turnbull after the foreign leader angered him over refugee plans. Mr Trump later said that it was the worst call he had had so far Getty Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... The 'Muslim ban' Perhaps one of his most controversial policies while acting as president, Trumps travel ban targeting predominantly Muslim countries has bought him a lot of criticism. The bans were immediately protested, and judges initially blocked their implementation. The Supreme Court later sided with the administrations argument that the ban was developed out of concern for US security Getty Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Praising crowd size while touring Hurricane Harvey damage After Hurricane Harvey ravaged southeastern Texas, Trump paid the area a visit. While his response to the disaster in Houston was generally applauded, the president picked up some flack when he gave a speech outside Houston (he reportedly did not visit disaster zones), and praised the size of the crowds there AP Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... 'Little Rocket Man' During his first-ever speech to the United Nations General Assembly, Trump tried out a new nickname for North Korea leader Kim Jong-un: Rocket Man. He later tweaked it to be little Rocket Man as the two feuded, and threatened each other with nuclear war. During that speech, he also threatened to totally annihilate North Korea Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Attacking Sadiq Khan following London Bridge terror attack After the attack on the London Bridge, Trump lashed out at London Mayor Sadiq Khan, criticising Khan for saying there was no reason to be alarmed after the attack. Trump was taking the comments out of context, as Khan was simply saying that the police had everything under control Getty Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Claiming presenter Mika Brezinkski was 'bleeding from the face' Never one not to mock his enemies, Trump mocked MSNBCs Morning Joe co-host Mika Brzezinski, saying that she and co-host Joe Scarborough had approached him before his inauguration asking to join him. He noted that she was bleeding badly from a face-lift at the time, and that he said no MSNBC Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Claiming the blame for Charlottesville was on 'both sides' Trump refused to condemn far-right extremists involved in violence at 'the march for the right' protests in Charlottesville, even after the murder of counter protester Heather Heyer AP Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Retweeting cartoon of CNN being hit by a 'Trump train' Trump retweeted a cartoon showing a Trump-branded train running over a person whose body and head were replaced by a CNN avatar. He later deleted the retweet Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Tweeting about 'slamming' CNN Trump caught some flack when he tweeted a video showing him wrestling down an individual whose head had been replaced by a CNN avatar. Trump has singled CNN out in particular with his chants of fake news Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Firing head of the FBI, James Comey Trumps firing of former FBI Director James Comey landed him with a federal investigation into Russias meddling in the 2016 election that has caused many a headache for the White House. The White House initially said that the decision was made after consultation from the Justice Department. Then Mr Trump himself said that he had decided to fire him in part because he wanted the Russia investigation Mr Comey was conducting to stop Getty Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Not realising being president would be 'hard' Just three months into his presidency, Trump admitted that being president is harder than he thought it would be. Though Trump insisted on the 2016 campaign trail that doing the job would be easy for him, he admitted in an interview that living in the White House is harder than running a business empire Reuters Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Accusing Obama of wiretapping him Trump accused former president Barack Obama of wire tapping him on twitter. The Justice Department later clarified: Obama had not, in fact, done so Reuters Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Claiming there had been 3 million 'illegal votes' Trump was never very happy about losing the popular vote to Hillary Clinton by 2.8 million ballots. So, he and White House voter-fraud commissioner Kris Kobach have claimed that anywhere between three and five million people voted illegally during the 2016 election. Conveniently, he says that all of those illegal votes went to Clinton. (There is no evidence to support that level of widespread voter fraud.) Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Leaving Jews out of the Holocaust memorial statement Just days after taking office, Trumps White House issued a statement on International Holocaust Remembrance Day, but didnt mention jews or even the word jewish in the written statement Getty Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Anger over Inauguration crowd size Trumps inauguration crowd was visibly, and noticeably, smaller than that of his predecessor, Barack Obama. But, he really wanted to have had the largest crowd on record. So, he praised it as the biggest crowd ever. Relatedly, Trump also claimed that it stopped raining in Washington at the moment he was inaugurated. It didnt, the day was very dreary Reuters In his interview with the BBC, Mr Wolff was asked if he believed that Mr Bannon felt Mr Trump was unfit to serve as president and would try to bring him down. Yes, Wolff replied. Mr Trump, up until Wednesday, had been complimentary of his former strategist, saying in October that the two have a very good relationship and had been friends for a long time. In the book, Mr Bannon also speaks critically of Mr Trumps daughter and White House adviser, Ivanka, calling her dumb as a brick. A little marketing savvy and has a look but as far as understanding actually how the world works and what politics is and what it means nothing, he is quoted saying. Michael Wolff: Trump did not know what Brexit was two weeks before EU referendum Mr Wolff also hit back at claims that the book was untruthful in the interview. This is whats called reporting. This is how you do it. he said. You ask people, you get as close as you can to the event, you interview the people who were privy to the event, you interview other people who were privy to the event, you come to know the circumstance as well as anybody and then you report it. He also suggested the leader was unaware what the term Brexit meant, two weeks before the UK's referendum on leaving European Union. Additional reporting by Reuters Donald Trump has launched a staunch defence of his mental capacity, claiming he is "like, really smart" and "a very stable genius". In an extraordinary series of tweets, the US President attacked what he described as the "fake news mainstream media" and claimed the investigation into Russian collusion in his 2016 election campaign was a "total hoax on the American public." It comes just a day after a new tell-all book renewed the world's focus on the former real estate mogul's mental health, with the author claiming he was unfit to lead. Here are Mr Trump's tweets in full: "Now that Russian collusion, after one year of intense study, has proven to be a total hoax on the American public, the Democrats and their lapdogs, the Fake News Mainstream Media, are taking out the old Ronald Reagan playbook and screaming mental stability and intelligence..... "....Actually, throughout my life, my two greatest assets have been mental stability and being, like, really smart. Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Show all 30 1 /30 Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Threatening to shut down Twitter after being fact-checked After the president tweeted that voting by post would be "substantially fraudulent", Twitter attached a warning label to his tweet and referred readers to a site which explained how the claim was "unsubstantiated". Trump then said Twitter was "stifling free speech" and that he may have to shut it down, something which he would not have the power to do AFP/Getty Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Flippantly dismissing a serious allegation of sexual assault When author E Jean Carroll accused Trump of raping her, the president responded: Number one, shes not my type. Number two, it never happened. It never happened, OK?" AFP/Getty Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Insulting the Mayor of London as he landed in London Just before touching down at Stansted Airport for his state visit, Trump took time out to @ the London mayor Sadiq Khan on twitter. He said that Khan has done a "terrible job"as mayor and that he is a "stone cold loser" Reuters Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Taking plenty of "Executive Time" The president's official schedule sets aside the hours from 8 to 11am daily for "Executive Time". Further intermittent periods of "Executive Time" are scheduled throughout any given day, ranging from 15 minutes to 3 hours. His duties in these hours have not been officially disclosed, though Axios reports that he spends them watching TV, reading the newspapers and tweeting Getty Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Shutdown the government for over a month in an effort to secure funding for his wall With Mexico declining to pay for the wall, the president has faced difficulty in raising the required $5bn at home. Due to his demand that the money for the wall be included in the budget, and Congress's refusal, the government partially shut down on 22 December 2018. It remained shut for over a month, the longest period in history Getty Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Joking about the Nazi occupation of France to President Macron In this tweet from 13 November 2018, the president mocks Emmanuel Macron's suggestion of a "true, European army" by invoking the conflict between France and Germany in the world wars Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Railing against the Mueller investigation The president has repeatedly claimed that the Mueller investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election, is a "rigged witch hunt" Reuters Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Contradicting a US intelligence report on Russian meddling in the presence of Vladimir Putin In the press conference that followed his landmark meeting with Russian president Vladimir Putin, Trump stated that he saw no reason why Russia would have meddled in the 2016 US election. This contradicted a 2017 report by the US Office of the Director of National Intelligence that found evidence of Russian interference in favour of Trump Getty Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Contradicting his contradiction of a US intelligence report on Russian meddling Following furious backlash in the US, the president claimed that he meant to say that he saw no reason why it would not have been Russia who meddled in the 2016 US election. As to why he would have intended to use such bizarre phrasing, he did not comment Reuters Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Colouring in the US flag wrong The president coloured in the US flag wrongly during a visit to a children's hospital in Columbus, Ohio. He added a blue stripe where in tradition, and statute, there have been only white and red stripes AFP/Getty Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Firing a Secretary of State over Twitter The president announced on Twitter that he was appointing Mike Pompeo as Secretary of State, much to the surprise of then Secretary of State Rex Tillerson Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Quoting a catchphrase from a reality TV show when discussing police brutality While addressing the issue of black athletes not standing for the national anthem in protest of police brutality, the president made reference to his catchphrase from reality TV show "The Apprentice": you're fired! Reuters Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Calling African nations "S***hole Countries" Ever one for diplomacy, the president reportedly referred to African nations as "s***hole countries". Asked to confirm this when meeting with Nigeria's President Buhari, Trump stated that there are "some countries that are in very bad shape". Reuters Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Defending Russian President Vladimir Putin Trump appeared to equate US foreign actions to those of Russian president Vladimir Putin, saying: There are a lot of killers. You think our countrys so innocent? Reuters Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Asking for people to 'pray' for Arnold Schwarzenegger At the National Prayer Breakfast, Trump couldnt help but to ask for prayers for the ratings on Arnold Schwarzeneggers show to be good. Schwarzenegger took over as host of The Apprentice which buoyed Trumps celebrity status years ago Getty Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Hanging up on Australian PM Malcolm Turnbull Early in his presidency, Trump reportedly hung up the phone on Australian prime minister Malcolm Turnbull after the foreign leader angered him over refugee plans. Mr Trump later said that it was the worst call he had had so far Getty Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... The 'Muslim ban' Perhaps one of his most controversial policies while acting as president, Trumps travel ban targeting predominantly Muslim countries has bought him a lot of criticism. The bans were immediately protested, and judges initially blocked their implementation. The Supreme Court later sided with the administrations argument that the ban was developed out of concern for US security Getty Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Praising crowd size while touring Hurricane Harvey damage After Hurricane Harvey ravaged southeastern Texas, Trump paid the area a visit. While his response to the disaster in Houston was generally applauded, the president picked up some flack when he gave a speech outside Houston (he reportedly did not visit disaster zones), and praised the size of the crowds there AP Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... 'Little Rocket Man' During his first-ever speech to the United Nations General Assembly, Trump tried out a new nickname for North Korea leader Kim Jong-un: Rocket Man. He later tweaked it to be little Rocket Man as the two feuded, and threatened each other with nuclear war. During that speech, he also threatened to totally annihilate North Korea Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Attacking Sadiq Khan following London Bridge terror attack After the attack on the London Bridge, Trump lashed out at London Mayor Sadiq Khan, criticising Khan for saying there was no reason to be alarmed after the attack. Trump was taking the comments out of context, as Khan was simply saying that the police had everything under control Getty Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Claiming presenter Mika Brezinkski was 'bleeding from the face' Never one not to mock his enemies, Trump mocked MSNBCs Morning Joe co-host Mika Brzezinski, saying that she and co-host Joe Scarborough had approached him before his inauguration asking to join him. He noted that she was bleeding badly from a face-lift at the time, and that he said no MSNBC Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Claiming the blame for Charlottesville was on 'both sides' Trump refused to condemn far-right extremists involved in violence at 'the march for the right' protests in Charlottesville, even after the murder of counter protester Heather Heyer AP Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Retweeting cartoon of CNN being hit by a 'Trump train' Trump retweeted a cartoon showing a Trump-branded train running over a person whose body and head were replaced by a CNN avatar. He later deleted the retweet Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Tweeting about 'slamming' CNN Trump caught some flack when he tweeted a video showing him wrestling down an individual whose head had been replaced by a CNN avatar. Trump has singled CNN out in particular with his chants of fake news Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Firing head of the FBI, James Comey Trumps firing of former FBI Director James Comey landed him with a federal investigation into Russias meddling in the 2016 election that has caused many a headache for the White House. The White House initially said that the decision was made after consultation from the Justice Department. Then Mr Trump himself said that he had decided to fire him in part because he wanted the Russia investigation Mr Comey was conducting to stop Getty Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Not realising being president would be 'hard' Just three months into his presidency, Trump admitted that being president is harder than he thought it would be. Though Trump insisted on the 2016 campaign trail that doing the job would be easy for him, he admitted in an interview that living in the White House is harder than running a business empire Reuters Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Accusing Obama of wiretapping him Trump accused former president Barack Obama of wire tapping him on twitter. The Justice Department later clarified: Obama had not, in fact, done so Reuters Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Claiming there had been 3 million 'illegal votes' Trump was never very happy about losing the popular vote to Hillary Clinton by 2.8 million ballots. So, he and White House voter-fraud commissioner Kris Kobach have claimed that anywhere between three and five million people voted illegally during the 2016 election. Conveniently, he says that all of those illegal votes went to Clinton. (There is no evidence to support that level of widespread voter fraud.) Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Leaving Jews out of the Holocaust memorial statement Just days after taking office, Trumps White House issued a statement on International Holocaust Remembrance Day, but didnt mention jews or even the word jewish in the written statement Getty Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Anger over Inauguration crowd size Trumps inauguration crowd was visibly, and noticeably, smaller than that of his predecessor, Barack Obama. But, he really wanted to have had the largest crowd on record. So, he praised it as the biggest crowd ever. Relatedly, Trump also claimed that it stopped raining in Washington at the moment he was inaugurated. It didnt, the day was very dreary Reuters "Crooked Hillary Clinton also played these cards very hard and, as everyone knows, went down in flames. "I went from VERY successful businessman, to top T.V. Star..... "....to President of the United States (on my first try). "I think that would qualify as not smart, but genius....and a very stable genius at that!" Donald Trump has claimed his two greatest assets are his mental stability and being, like, really smart. In a series of early-morning tweets, the President hit back at questions about his capacity for office after revelations in Michael Wolffs explosive new book renewed scrutiny of his mental health. The Democrats and their lapdogs, the Fake News Mainstream Media, are taking out the old Ronald Reagan playbook and screaming mental stability and intelligence, Mr Trump wrote. He added: Actually, throughout my life, my two greatest assets have been mental stability and being, like, really smart. Crooked Hillary Clinton also played these cards very hard and, as everyone knows, went down in flames. I went from VERY successful businessman, to top TV Star to President of the United States (on my first try). I think that would qualify as not smart, but genius... and a very stable genius at that! Mr Trumps fitness for office has been repeatedly questioned by critics since he entered the White House, with some invoking the 25th Amendment to the US Constitution, which lays out the procedure for removing a President deemed unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office. Democratic members of Congress have called for the President to undergo psychological evaluation to establish if he is fit for office, while a Yale University psychiatry professor told US lawmakers she believes Mr Trumps mental was unravelling and posed public health risk if he remained in the White House. The publication of Mr Wolffs book, Fire and Fury: Inside the Trump White House, this week shed light on apparent concerns among the Presidents aides over his mental state. Everybody was painfully aware of the increasing pace of his repetitions, the veteran journalist wrote in the tell-all work, based on interviews with senior White House staff. It used to be inside of 30 minutes hed repeat, word-for-word and expression-for-expression, the same three stories now it was within 10 minutes. Indeed, many of his tweets were the product of his repetitions he just couldnt stop saying something. The book also quotes former Steve Bannon, Mr Trumps former chief strategist, discussing the possibility of the President being unable to complete his his four-year term, noting the possibility of a threat by the cabinet to act on the 25th Amendment. Hes not going to make it, Mr Bannon is reported to have said. Hes lost his stuff. Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Show all 30 1 /30 Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Threatening to shut down Twitter after being fact-checked After the president tweeted that voting by post would be "substantially fraudulent", Twitter attached a warning label to his tweet and referred readers to a site which explained how the claim was "unsubstantiated". Trump then said Twitter was "stifling free speech" and that he may have to shut it down, something which he would not have the power to do AFP/Getty Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Flippantly dismissing a serious allegation of sexual assault When author E Jean Carroll accused Trump of raping her, the president responded: Number one, shes not my type. Number two, it never happened. It never happened, OK?" AFP/Getty Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Insulting the Mayor of London as he landed in London Just before touching down at Stansted Airport for his state visit, Trump took time out to @ the London mayor Sadiq Khan on twitter. He said that Khan has done a "terrible job"as mayor and that he is a "stone cold loser" Reuters Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Taking plenty of "Executive Time" The president's official schedule sets aside the hours from 8 to 11am daily for "Executive Time". Further intermittent periods of "Executive Time" are scheduled throughout any given day, ranging from 15 minutes to 3 hours. His duties in these hours have not been officially disclosed, though Axios reports that he spends them watching TV, reading the newspapers and tweeting Getty Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Shutdown the government for over a month in an effort to secure funding for his wall With Mexico declining to pay for the wall, the president has faced difficulty in raising the required $5bn at home. Due to his demand that the money for the wall be included in the budget, and Congress's refusal, the government partially shut down on 22 December 2018. It remained shut for over a month, the longest period in history Getty Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Joking about the Nazi occupation of France to President Macron In this tweet from 13 November 2018, the president mocks Emmanuel Macron's suggestion of a "true, European army" by invoking the conflict between France and Germany in the world wars Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Railing against the Mueller investigation The president has repeatedly claimed that the Mueller investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election, is a "rigged witch hunt" Reuters Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Contradicting a US intelligence report on Russian meddling in the presence of Vladimir Putin In the press conference that followed his landmark meeting with Russian president Vladimir Putin, Trump stated that he saw no reason why Russia would have meddled in the 2016 US election. This contradicted a 2017 report by the US Office of the Director of National Intelligence that found evidence of Russian interference in favour of Trump Getty Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Contradicting his contradiction of a US intelligence report on Russian meddling Following furious backlash in the US, the president claimed that he meant to say that he saw no reason why it would not have been Russia who meddled in the 2016 US election. As to why he would have intended to use such bizarre phrasing, he did not comment Reuters Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Colouring in the US flag wrong The president coloured in the US flag wrongly during a visit to a children's hospital in Columbus, Ohio. He added a blue stripe where in tradition, and statute, there have been only white and red stripes AFP/Getty Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Firing a Secretary of State over Twitter The president announced on Twitter that he was appointing Mike Pompeo as Secretary of State, much to the surprise of then Secretary of State Rex Tillerson Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Quoting a catchphrase from a reality TV show when discussing police brutality While addressing the issue of black athletes not standing for the national anthem in protest of police brutality, the president made reference to his catchphrase from reality TV show "The Apprentice": you're fired! Reuters Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Calling African nations "S***hole Countries" Ever one for diplomacy, the president reportedly referred to African nations as "s***hole countries". Asked to confirm this when meeting with Nigeria's President Buhari, Trump stated that there are "some countries that are in very bad shape". Reuters Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Defending Russian President Vladimir Putin Trump appeared to equate US foreign actions to those of Russian president Vladimir Putin, saying: There are a lot of killers. You think our countrys so innocent? Reuters Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Asking for people to 'pray' for Arnold Schwarzenegger At the National Prayer Breakfast, Trump couldnt help but to ask for prayers for the ratings on Arnold Schwarzeneggers show to be good. Schwarzenegger took over as host of The Apprentice which buoyed Trumps celebrity status years ago Getty Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Hanging up on Australian PM Malcolm Turnbull Early in his presidency, Trump reportedly hung up the phone on Australian prime minister Malcolm Turnbull after the foreign leader angered him over refugee plans. Mr Trump later said that it was the worst call he had had so far Getty Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... The 'Muslim ban' Perhaps one of his most controversial policies while acting as president, Trumps travel ban targeting predominantly Muslim countries has bought him a lot of criticism. The bans were immediately protested, and judges initially blocked their implementation. The Supreme Court later sided with the administrations argument that the ban was developed out of concern for US security Getty Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Praising crowd size while touring Hurricane Harvey damage After Hurricane Harvey ravaged southeastern Texas, Trump paid the area a visit. While his response to the disaster in Houston was generally applauded, the president picked up some flack when he gave a speech outside Houston (he reportedly did not visit disaster zones), and praised the size of the crowds there AP Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... 'Little Rocket Man' During his first-ever speech to the United Nations General Assembly, Trump tried out a new nickname for North Korea leader Kim Jong-un: Rocket Man. He later tweaked it to be little Rocket Man as the two feuded, and threatened each other with nuclear war. During that speech, he also threatened to totally annihilate North Korea Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Attacking Sadiq Khan following London Bridge terror attack After the attack on the London Bridge, Trump lashed out at London Mayor Sadiq Khan, criticising Khan for saying there was no reason to be alarmed after the attack. Trump was taking the comments out of context, as Khan was simply saying that the police had everything under control Getty Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Claiming presenter Mika Brezinkski was 'bleeding from the face' Never one not to mock his enemies, Trump mocked MSNBCs Morning Joe co-host Mika Brzezinski, saying that she and co-host Joe Scarborough had approached him before his inauguration asking to join him. He noted that she was bleeding badly from a face-lift at the time, and that he said no MSNBC Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Claiming the blame for Charlottesville was on 'both sides' Trump refused to condemn far-right extremists involved in violence at 'the march for the right' protests in Charlottesville, even after the murder of counter protester Heather Heyer AP Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Retweeting cartoon of CNN being hit by a 'Trump train' Trump retweeted a cartoon showing a Trump-branded train running over a person whose body and head were replaced by a CNN avatar. He later deleted the retweet Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Tweeting about 'slamming' CNN Trump caught some flack when he tweeted a video showing him wrestling down an individual whose head had been replaced by a CNN avatar. Trump has singled CNN out in particular with his chants of fake news Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Firing head of the FBI, James Comey Trumps firing of former FBI Director James Comey landed him with a federal investigation into Russias meddling in the 2016 election that has caused many a headache for the White House. The White House initially said that the decision was made after consultation from the Justice Department. Then Mr Trump himself said that he had decided to fire him in part because he wanted the Russia investigation Mr Comey was conducting to stop Getty Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Not realising being president would be 'hard' Just three months into his presidency, Trump admitted that being president is harder than he thought it would be. Though Trump insisted on the 2016 campaign trail that doing the job would be easy for him, he admitted in an interview that living in the White House is harder than running a business empire Reuters Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Accusing Obama of wiretapping him Trump accused former president Barack Obama of wire tapping him on twitter. The Justice Department later clarified: Obama had not, in fact, done so Reuters Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Claiming there had been 3 million 'illegal votes' Trump was never very happy about losing the popular vote to Hillary Clinton by 2.8 million ballots. So, he and White House voter-fraud commissioner Kris Kobach have claimed that anywhere between three and five million people voted illegally during the 2016 election. Conveniently, he says that all of those illegal votes went to Clinton. (There is no evidence to support that level of widespread voter fraud.) Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Leaving Jews out of the Holocaust memorial statement Just days after taking office, Trumps White House issued a statement on International Holocaust Remembrance Day, but didnt mention jews or even the word jewish in the written statement Getty Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Anger over Inauguration crowd size Trumps inauguration crowd was visibly, and noticeably, smaller than that of his predecessor, Barack Obama. But, he really wanted to have had the largest crowd on record. So, he praised it as the biggest crowd ever. Relatedly, Trump also claimed that it stopped raining in Washington at the moment he was inaugurated. It didnt, the day was very dreary Reuters The White House has condemned suggestions Mr Trump is unfit to serve as President as disgraceful and laughable. If he was unfit, he probably wouldnt be sitting there and wouldnt have defeated the most qualified group of candidates the Republican Party has ever seen, press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders told reporters. This is an incredibly strong and good leader. The President has angrily denounced Mr Wolffs book as phony and full of lies, describing the author as a total loser who made up stories to sell copies. Last year the American Psychiatric Association warned its members to stop psychoanalysing Mr Trump from afar, saying to do so would not only be unethical, it would be irresponsible. Navalny's representatives to continue fighting for his participation in election, but admit chances are "negligible" The opposition politician Alexei Navalny will continue seeking a reversal of the Central Election Commission decision not to register a group of voters who support his self-nomination as a presidential candidate, his representative Ivan Zhdanov told Interfax on Saturday. "We will appeal today's Supreme Court ruling at the Presidium and will also appeal to the Russian Constitutional Court," Zhdanov said. "In theory Navalny still has chances of taking part in the election, but in reality they are negligible," he said. Both the Presidium and the Constitutional Court may quickly examine the complaints and compel the CEC to allow Navalny to run, Zhdanov said. "But we hardly believe in such an outcome," he said. On December 30, 2017 a lower instance of the Supreme Court threw out Navalny's administrative lawsuit against the CEC decision not to register the voter group which nominated him as a presidential candidate. This ruling was upheld by the Supreme Court on January 6 and thus has come into effect. If the court does not overturn the ruling, it will also be appealed at the European Court of Human Rights, Navalny's representatives said earlier. Donald Trump has claimed Steve Bannon cried when he was fired and begged for his job", marking an escalation in the feud between the former strategist whose contributions to an explosive new book have made headlines around the world. The US President also branded author Michael Wolff a total loser who made up stories to sell copies of his purported tell-all account of the billionaires first year in the White House. Mr Trump took aim at the pair on Twitter, returning to his favoured method of attack after his legal team failed to halt the publication of Fire and Fury: Inside the Trump White House, which shot to the top of bestseller lists before release on Friday. Michael Wolff is a total loser who made up stories in order to sell this really boring and untruthful book, wrote the American leader. He used Sloppy Steve Bannon, who cried when he got fired and begged for his job. Now Sloppy Steve has been dumped like a dog by almost everyone. Too bad! The Presidents attack on Mr Bannon marked a further deterioration of his relationship with his former confidante. Mr Trump is said to have felt infuriated and betrayed when Fire and Fury excerpts emerged this week in which the Breitbart News executive chairman described a meeting between the Presidents eldest son and Kremlin-linked Russian lawyer as treasonous. Mr Bannon also portrayed the Republican as out of his depth, with the instincts of a child, and said the Presidents team White House possessed no brain trust. In response, Mr Trump claimed his ex-strategist had lost his mind and had very little to do with our historic victory, Steve Bannon has nothing to do with me or my Presidency, Mr Trump said in a statement. When he was fired, he not only lost his job, he lost his mind. Mr Trumps lawyers also sent a cease and desist letter to Mr Bannon, accusing him of breaking his employment agreement and defaming the President. As the American leader retreated to the woods of Camp David to discuss legislative priorities with senior Republicans this weekend, his administration and party continued efforts to discredit Mr Wolffs book. White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said Fire and Fury was full of errors and claimed even journalists who had been critical of the administration believed Mr Wolff had damaged the credibility of the media. This is a guy who made up a lot of stories to try and sell books, she told Fox News, while the Republican National Committee tweeted a mocked-up book cover with the headline Liar and Phony. Michael Wolff, author of explosive Donald Trump book, describes inner circle view of President Some journalists have also pointed out factual inaccuracies in the book. Mark Berman, a Washington Post reporter who Mr Wolff writes of eating breakfast in the Four Seasons at the same time as Ivanka Trump, said he had never actually been there and that he was attending the birth of his child on the day in question. The reporter later added he believed he had been mistakenly named instead of lobbyist Mike Berman. Mr Wolff himself concedes in authors note some of what his sources told him was untrue. Recommended Trump just sealed his fate by lashing out at Bannon Many of the accounts of what has happened in the Trump White House are in conflict with one another; many, in Trumpian fashion, are baldly untrue, he writes. "These conflicts, and that looseness with the truth, if not with reality itself, are an elemental thread of the book." He adds: Sometimes I have let the players offer their versions, in turn allowing the reader to judge them. In other instances I have, through a consistency in the accounts and through sources I have come to trust, settled on a version of events I believe to be true. In an NBC interview, the veteran journalist said he has recordings and notes and remains absolutely in every way comfortable with everything Ive reported in this book. Complaints from Mr Trump's camp have done nothing to impede the book's popularity. After published Henry & Holt Company pulled forward a planned 9 January release date, the book stood as the best-seller on Amazon in the UK and US on Saturday, as well as at Barnes & Noble. An American citizen suspected of fighting for Isis has spoken with American Civil Liberties Union lawyers as he seeks to challenge his months-long detention in Iraq, a case that could test Americas terrorism policy in the age of Isis. A new court filing confirms that the American Civil Liberties Union communicated via videoconference earlier this week with the detainee, known only as John Doe, and that he intends to challenge the terms of his detention. I can confirm DoD facilitated access between the American citizen detained in Iraq and the ACLU, a Department of Defence spokeswoman said. According to court filings, the man has been held in Iraq for nearly fourth months after having surrendered to Syrian Democratic Forces, a rebel militia. He has been classified as an enemy combatant, a designation that allows him to be held indefinitely. The Trump administration illegally denied an American his rights to access a lawyer and a court for nearly four months, but those efforts have finally failed, ACLU attorney Jonathan Hafetz said in a press release. Now that our client has secured the judicial review that the government attempted to block, he looks forward to establishing the illegality of his detention. Last month, Judge Tanya Chutkan blocked the Department of Defences effort to dismiss John Does habeas corpus request and said he was entitled to legal representation. Syrian Democratic Forces take Raqqa from Isis in pictures Show all 8 1 /8 Syrian Democratic Forces take Raqqa from Isis in pictures Syrian Democratic Forces take Raqqa from Isis in pictures Syrian Democratic Forces fighters celebrate victory in Raqqa atop of military vehicles REUTERS Syrian Democratic Forces take Raqqa from Isis in pictures Fighters of Syrian Democratic Forces march past destroyed buildings as they celebrate victory REUTERS Syrian Democratic Forces take Raqqa from Isis in pictures Fighters of Syrian Democratic Forces gesture the "V" sign in Raqqa REUTERS Syrian Democratic Forces take Raqqa from Isis in pictures Fighters of Syrian Democratic Forces evacuate a civilian from the stadium REUTERS Syrian Democratic Forces take Raqqa from Isis in pictures A civilian prays after she was rescued by fighters of Syrian Democratic Forces from the stadium REUTERS Syrian Democratic Forces take Raqqa from Isis in pictures Syrian Democratic Forces fighters ride atop of military vehicles as they celebrate victory in Raqqa REUTERS Syrian Democratic Forces take Raqqa from Isis in pictures Syrian Democratic Forces fighters celebrate victory in Raqqa REUTERS Syrian Democratic Forces take Raqqa from Isis in pictures A fighter of Syrian Democratic Forces celebrates in Raqqa Reuters The ACLU has argued that John Doe is being illegally detained and barred from exercising his rights as a US citizen, writing in a September letter that indefinite military detention without charge has proven to be unlawful and illegitimate and pushing for the US citizen to be availed of his due process rights. If the government has legitimate grounds to suspect the citizen fought with Isis, he should immediately be transferred to the federal criminal justice system for criminal charges, the ACLU wrote. Indefinitely detaining people as enemy combatants is an outgrowth of the post-9/11 war on terror, when Congress passed a measure targeting terrorism suspects who assisted al-Qaeda and the Taliban. Critics have warned that the measure, intended to cover people involved in the 9/11 attacks, has been invoked to justify detaining any suspected terrorists. Donald Trump has backed potentially handling terrorism suspects outside of the US criminal justice system, saying in response to an attack in New York that the suspected perpetrator should be sent to the military prison at Guantanamo Bay and calling the American justice system a joke. Donald Trump has headed to the woods of Camp David, desperate to push ahead with his legislative priorities, yet seemingly unable to escape the controversy triggered by the publication of explosive allegations from his former top strategist. Keen to seize on the momentum he and Republicans secured at the end of last year with the passage of a major tax overhaul, Mr Trump and senior party figures including Speaker Paul Ryan and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, travelled to the presidential retreat in Maryland for a two-day session to draw up priorities for 2018. Among them are said to be a infrastructure bill, the cutting back of welfare programmes and immigration reform. But while he was able to leave the nations capital, he could not avoid the furore sparked by the publication of a new book, Fire and Fury: Inside the Trump White House, by veteran New York journalist Michael Wolff. Reports said Mr Trump was said to be furious about its contents and the apparent betrayal contained therein. In the book, the Presidents former campaign chairman and White House strategist, Steve Bannon, is quoted as saying a meeting Mr Trumps eldest son held with a Kremlin-linked Russian lawyer was treasonous and that his daughter was dumb as a brick. He also portrayed Mr Trump as someone who was out of his depth, who had the instincts of a child and that the team he had assembled at the White House possessed no brain trust. If [Trump] was not having his 6.30pm dinner with Steve Bannon, then, more to his liking, he was in bed by that time with a cheeseburger, watching his three screens and making phone calls the phone was his true contact point with the world to a small group of friends, who charted his rising and falling levels of agitation through the evening and then compared notes with one another, Wolff writes. Rather than downplaying or ignoring the allegations, Mr Trump retaliated in kind. He issued a scathing statement claiming his former friend and ally had lost his mind after he had been fired. White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders told reporters the book was full of errors and claimed even journalists who had been critical of the White House believed Mr Wolffs book had damaged the credibility of the media. This is a guy who made up a lot of stories to try and sell books, she told Fox News. Michael Wolff "makes up stories to sell books" says White House spokesperson in response to Fire & Fury Providing further oxygen for what might otherwise have been a one-day story, a lawyer for Mr Trump wrote a cease and desist letter to the books publisher, Henry Holt and Company, demanding it halt release of the book. Lawyers also sent a similar letter to Mr Bannon accusing him of breaking his employment agreement with the Trump organisation and defaming the President. The publisher responded by bringing forward the publication date by four days to Friday, citing the unprecedented interest in the book. On Friday morning, as Mr Trump made his way to Maryland, Mr Wolff was in front of television cameras in New York, defending his work and denouncing the President. I absolutely spoke to the President. Whether he realised it was an interview or not I dont know, he said on NBC. But it certainly was not off the record. He said he spoke with Mr Trump for a total of about three hours over the course of the presidential campaign and after the inauguration. He added that he has recordings and notes and remains absolutely in every way comfortable with everything Ive reported in this book. 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 My credibility is being questioned by a man who has less credibility than, perhaps, anyone who has ever walked on earth, he said. Mr Trump tweeted late on Thursday that Mr Wolffs book was fiction and reliant on fake sources. I authorised Zero access to White House (actually turned him down many times) for author of phony book! I never spoke to him for book. Full of lies, misrepresentations and sources that dont exist, he said. Look at this guys past and watch what happens to him and Sloppy Steve. Mr Trump and top Republicans realise that the midterm elections due to take place in November could be very bad for them. After a succession of strong performances in places ranging from Virginia to Alabama, Democrats believe they have a chance of winning back control of the Senate and even possibly the House. Control of the House would allow Democrats to push ahead with impeachment proceedings if party leaders decided to do so. Mr Bannon had been planning to back a large number of insurgent candidates to challenge mainstream Republicans in the midterms, despite the defeat of Roy Moore, the former judge he backed in Alabama and for which he was blamed for giving the Democrats their first senate victory for more than 25 years. Yet while Mr Bannon still heads the powerful and influential Breitbart News, his political future now appears less clear. After his public dust-up with Mr Trump, Rebekah Mercer, the billionaire Republican donor and Breitbart co-owner, issued a statement distancing her family from her former friend. I support President Trump and the platform upon which he was elected, she said. My family and I have not communicated with Steve Bannon in many months and have provided no financial support to his political agenda, nor do we support his recent actions and statements. Mr Trump hailed that move on Twitter on Friday, saying: The Mercer Family recently dumped the leaker known as Sloppy Steve Bannon. Smart. President Donald Trump has hit out at very weak libel laws in the US as he branded an explosive new book detailing the inner workings of the White House as fiction. Suggesting he would like to see tougher laws on speech, Mr Trump said that if libel laws were strong... you wouldnt have things like that happen where you can say whatever comes into your head referring to Michael Wolffs book Fire and Fury: Inside the Trump White House. The book has caused a storm of controversy and has left the President facing questions about his mental state, with quotes in Fire and Fury including from Mr Trumps former chief strategist Steve Bannon - suggesting that even those close to Mr Trump had questioned his capability. Early on Saturday, Mr Trump wrote a string of messages on Twitter where he rejected such claims, saying he was a very stable genius whose two greatest assets are his mental stability and being, like, really smart. Mr Wolffs new book, which has shot to the top of the bestseller list on Amazon after being released four days early, has clearly riled the President and he used a rare news conference during a retreat with Republican leadership to reinforce what he sees as a stellar list of life achievements. Answering a question about why he saw the need to tweet about his mental state, Mr Trump said that he had attended the best college and was an excellent student. He added that he came out of college and made billions and billions of dollars... [and] became one of the best business people before touting his tremendous success over a decade on television. He went on to add that he ran for President one time, and won. Mr Trump also called Mr Wolff a fraud and the book a complete work of fiction, saying that he doesnt know me at all and said that he had not been interviewed in the White House as Mr Wolff had said. He later admitted that he had spoken to Mr Wolff during his presidential campaign. Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Show all 30 1 /30 Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Threatening to shut down Twitter after being fact-checked After the president tweeted that voting by post would be "substantially fraudulent", Twitter attached a warning label to his tweet and referred readers to a site which explained how the claim was "unsubstantiated". Trump then said Twitter was "stifling free speech" and that he may have to shut it down, something which he would not have the power to do AFP/Getty Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Flippantly dismissing a serious allegation of sexual assault When author E Jean Carroll accused Trump of raping her, the president responded: Number one, shes not my type. Number two, it never happened. It never happened, OK?" AFP/Getty Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Insulting the Mayor of London as he landed in London Just before touching down at Stansted Airport for his state visit, Trump took time out to @ the London mayor Sadiq Khan on twitter. He said that Khan has done a "terrible job"as mayor and that he is a "stone cold loser" Reuters Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Taking plenty of "Executive Time" The president's official schedule sets aside the hours from 8 to 11am daily for "Executive Time". Further intermittent periods of "Executive Time" are scheduled throughout any given day, ranging from 15 minutes to 3 hours. His duties in these hours have not been officially disclosed, though Axios reports that he spends them watching TV, reading the newspapers and tweeting Getty Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Shutdown the government for over a month in an effort to secure funding for his wall With Mexico declining to pay for the wall, the president has faced difficulty in raising the required $5bn at home. Due to his demand that the money for the wall be included in the budget, and Congress's refusal, the government partially shut down on 22 December 2018. It remained shut for over a month, the longest period in history Getty Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Joking about the Nazi occupation of France to President Macron In this tweet from 13 November 2018, the president mocks Emmanuel Macron's suggestion of a "true, European army" by invoking the conflict between France and Germany in the world wars Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Railing against the Mueller investigation The president has repeatedly claimed that the Mueller investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election, is a "rigged witch hunt" Reuters Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Contradicting a US intelligence report on Russian meddling in the presence of Vladimir Putin In the press conference that followed his landmark meeting with Russian president Vladimir Putin, Trump stated that he saw no reason why Russia would have meddled in the 2016 US election. This contradicted a 2017 report by the US Office of the Director of National Intelligence that found evidence of Russian interference in favour of Trump Getty Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Contradicting his contradiction of a US intelligence report on Russian meddling Following furious backlash in the US, the president claimed that he meant to say that he saw no reason why it would not have been Russia who meddled in the 2016 US election. As to why he would have intended to use such bizarre phrasing, he did not comment Reuters Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Colouring in the US flag wrong The president coloured in the US flag wrongly during a visit to a children's hospital in Columbus, Ohio. He added a blue stripe where in tradition, and statute, there have been only white and red stripes AFP/Getty Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Firing a Secretary of State over Twitter The president announced on Twitter that he was appointing Mike Pompeo as Secretary of State, much to the surprise of then Secretary of State Rex Tillerson Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Quoting a catchphrase from a reality TV show when discussing police brutality While addressing the issue of black athletes not standing for the national anthem in protest of police brutality, the president made reference to his catchphrase from reality TV show "The Apprentice": you're fired! Reuters Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Calling African nations "S***hole Countries" Ever one for diplomacy, the president reportedly referred to African nations as "s***hole countries". Asked to confirm this when meeting with Nigeria's President Buhari, Trump stated that there are "some countries that are in very bad shape". Reuters Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Defending Russian President Vladimir Putin Trump appeared to equate US foreign actions to those of Russian president Vladimir Putin, saying: There are a lot of killers. You think our countrys so innocent? Reuters Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Asking for people to 'pray' for Arnold Schwarzenegger At the National Prayer Breakfast, Trump couldnt help but to ask for prayers for the ratings on Arnold Schwarzeneggers show to be good. Schwarzenegger took over as host of The Apprentice which buoyed Trumps celebrity status years ago Getty Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Hanging up on Australian PM Malcolm Turnbull Early in his presidency, Trump reportedly hung up the phone on Australian prime minister Malcolm Turnbull after the foreign leader angered him over refugee plans. Mr Trump later said that it was the worst call he had had so far Getty Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... The 'Muslim ban' Perhaps one of his most controversial policies while acting as president, Trumps travel ban targeting predominantly Muslim countries has bought him a lot of criticism. The bans were immediately protested, and judges initially blocked their implementation. The Supreme Court later sided with the administrations argument that the ban was developed out of concern for US security Getty Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Praising crowd size while touring Hurricane Harvey damage After Hurricane Harvey ravaged southeastern Texas, Trump paid the area a visit. While his response to the disaster in Houston was generally applauded, the president picked up some flack when he gave a speech outside Houston (he reportedly did not visit disaster zones), and praised the size of the crowds there AP Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... 'Little Rocket Man' During his first-ever speech to the United Nations General Assembly, Trump tried out a new nickname for North Korea leader Kim Jong-un: Rocket Man. He later tweaked it to be little Rocket Man as the two feuded, and threatened each other with nuclear war. During that speech, he also threatened to totally annihilate North Korea Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Attacking Sadiq Khan following London Bridge terror attack After the attack on the London Bridge, Trump lashed out at London Mayor Sadiq Khan, criticising Khan for saying there was no reason to be alarmed after the attack. Trump was taking the comments out of context, as Khan was simply saying that the police had everything under control Getty Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Claiming presenter Mika Brezinkski was 'bleeding from the face' Never one not to mock his enemies, Trump mocked MSNBCs Morning Joe co-host Mika Brzezinski, saying that she and co-host Joe Scarborough had approached him before his inauguration asking to join him. He noted that she was bleeding badly from a face-lift at the time, and that he said no MSNBC Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Claiming the blame for Charlottesville was on 'both sides' Trump refused to condemn far-right extremists involved in violence at 'the march for the right' protests in Charlottesville, even after the murder of counter protester Heather Heyer AP Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Retweeting cartoon of CNN being hit by a 'Trump train' Trump retweeted a cartoon showing a Trump-branded train running over a person whose body and head were replaced by a CNN avatar. He later deleted the retweet Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Tweeting about 'slamming' CNN Trump caught some flack when he tweeted a video showing him wrestling down an individual whose head had been replaced by a CNN avatar. Trump has singled CNN out in particular with his chants of fake news Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Firing head of the FBI, James Comey Trumps firing of former FBI Director James Comey landed him with a federal investigation into Russias meddling in the 2016 election that has caused many a headache for the White House. The White House initially said that the decision was made after consultation from the Justice Department. Then Mr Trump himself said that he had decided to fire him in part because he wanted the Russia investigation Mr Comey was conducting to stop Getty Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Not realising being president would be 'hard' Just three months into his presidency, Trump admitted that being president is harder than he thought it would be. Though Trump insisted on the 2016 campaign trail that doing the job would be easy for him, he admitted in an interview that living in the White House is harder than running a business empire Reuters Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Accusing Obama of wiretapping him Trump accused former president Barack Obama of wire tapping him on twitter. The Justice Department later clarified: Obama had not, in fact, done so Reuters Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Claiming there had been 3 million 'illegal votes' Trump was never very happy about losing the popular vote to Hillary Clinton by 2.8 million ballots. So, he and White House voter-fraud commissioner Kris Kobach have claimed that anywhere between three and five million people voted illegally during the 2016 election. Conveniently, he says that all of those illegal votes went to Clinton. (There is no evidence to support that level of widespread voter fraud.) Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Leaving Jews out of the Holocaust memorial statement Just days after taking office, Trumps White House issued a statement on International Holocaust Remembrance Day, but didnt mention jews or even the word jewish in the written statement Getty Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Anger over Inauguration crowd size Trumps inauguration crowd was visibly, and noticeably, smaller than that of his predecessor, Barack Obama. But, he really wanted to have had the largest crowd on record. So, he praised it as the biggest crowd ever. Relatedly, Trump also claimed that it stopped raining in Washington at the moment he was inaugurated. It didnt, the day was very dreary Reuters The gathering at Camp David, with a number of members of his cabinet, is supposed to be a weekend for Mr Trump to concentrate on their agenda for 2018. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and House of Representatives Speaker Paul Ryan were also present for the two days of talks, with the Republican party facing a battle to keep control of the US Congress in Novembers elections. At the beginning of his remarks, Mr Trump described having some incredible meetings with colleagues, saying the party was readying its 2018 legislative agenda. He said the group, 10 of whom were on stage with him, the only woman being Secretary of Homeland Security Kirstjen Nielsen, discussed a variety of topics, from national security and infrastructure to the military and the budget. Mr Trump said: We are very well prepared for the coming year. He added that his administration finished very strong, referring to the passing of a tax reform bill in December that marked the biggest overhaul of the tax code in nearly three decades. However, with the President taking a number of questions from the assembled journalists another rarity for Mr Trump attention soon turned back to Mr Wolffs book. A lawyer for Mr Trump had sent a letter calling for its publisher not to release the book but it did so anyway about a day later. Mr Trump has labelled Mr Bannon sloppy Steve, and issued a furious statement over his quotes in Fire and Fury earlier in the week after a number of reports appeared about the contents of the book. The President continued in that vein as he spoke about Mr Wolff while answering the question about his mental state. I dont know this man. I guess sloppy Steve brought him in the White House quite a bit and it was one of those things. Thats why sloppy Steve is now looking for a job, Mr Trump said. In one of his morning tweets, the President said critics were taking out the old Ronald Reagan playbook and screaming mental stability and intelligence. Mr Trump added that going from successful businessman to reality TV star to President on his first try would qualify as not smart, but genius .... and a very stable genius at that! Former President Reagan died in 2004, at age 93, from pneumonia complicated by the Alzheimers disease that had progressively clouded his mind. At times during his time in the White House Mr Reagan would appear to lose his train of thought, but his diagnosis came years after he left the Oval Office. White House Chief of Staff John Kelly told reporters at Camp David that Mr Trump did not seem angry about the book and on Friday night had watched a new film, The Greatest Showman about legendary circus promoter P T Barnum, with Republicans and his cabinet. Once beyond the issue of Mr Wolff during his news conference, Mr Trump opened up about a number of other topics. The President said he would absolutely be willing to talk on the phone to North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and that he hopes a positive development results from talks between North Korea and South Korea. Pyongyang agreed on Friday to hold official talks with South Korea next week, the first in more than two years, hours after Washington and Seoul delayed a military exercise amid a standoff over the Kim regimes nuclear and missile programmes. The talks between North Korea and South Korea are expected to cover the Winter Olympics, to be held in South Korea next month, and inter-Korean relations. Look, right now theyre talking Olympics. Its a start, its big start. If I werent involved they wouldnt be talking at all right now, Mr Trump said, but made clear his stance. Mr Kim knows Im not messing around. Im not messing around. Not even a little bit, not even 1 per cent. He understands that, he said. If something can come out of those talks, that would be a great thing for all of humanity, that would be a great thing for the world, he added. Mr Trump has given Congress until March to come up with legislation to protect hundreds of thousands of young people brought to the country illegally, who have been shielded from deportation and given the right to work under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) programme he has phased out. Talking about the issue on Saturday, Mr Trump said he would not sign such legislation a priority for Democrats - unless Congress agrees to overhaul the legal immigration system. He said any deal must include an overhaul of the family-based immigration system as well as an end to the diversity visa lottery, which draws immigrants from under-represented parts of the world We all want DACA to happen, but we also want great security for our country, he added. Moving onto the mid-term elections in November, Mr Trump says he would be very involved with both House and Senate races, and will campaign for incumbents and anybody else that has my kind of thinking. After a stinging Republican loss in Alabama, where Mr Trump supported Roy Moore, who lost to Democrat Doug Jones, the President said he will no longer support challengers, declaring: I dont see that happening. Twitter has made clear in its strongest terms yet that it will not remove Donald Trumps account despite the Presidents affinity for provocative tweets. Earlier this week Mr Trump effectively threatened North Korea with nuclear war, telling North Korean leader Kim Jong Un that I too have a Nuclear Button, but it is a much bigger & more powerful one than his, and my Button works! Amid the ensuring uproar, which included members of Congress calling for more authority over the Presidents ability to launch nuclear strikes, Twitter was again called upon to square its rules prohibiting violent or abusive speech with messages that could fuel international conflict. In a post entitled World Leaders on Twitter, the site said Blocking a world leader from Twitter or removing their controversial Tweets, would hide important information people should be able to see and debate. It would also not silence that leader, but it would certainly hamper necessary discussion around their words and actions, the post said. As Mr Trump has repeatedly unleashed controversy with a tap of his finger, Twitter has offered shifting explanations for why he would not be penalised under its rules prohibiting abuse. Britain First: the far-right group in pictures Show all 15 1 /15 Britain First: the far-right group in pictures Britain First: the far-right group in pictures A demonstrator with 'Bring back the rope!' sign during a Britain First Rotherham demonstration in 2015 Rex Britain First: the far-right group in pictures Paul Golding and Jayda Fransen lead a Britain First demonstration in Rochdale on 22 July, 2017 Rex Britain First: the far-right group in pictures In 2016 they staged a small counter demo at Eros. UN Anti Racism, Refugees Welcome march and rally through central London. Rex Britain First: the far-right group in pictures Here a supporter kisses a badge reading " Speak English or Fuck off " on the jacket of a man at a Britain First demonstration in Telford on 25 February, 2017 Rex Britain First: the far-right group in pictures Britain First lead a demonstration in Dudley with a sign reading 'Britain First. No more Mosques!' in 2015 Alamy Britain First: the far-right group in pictures Paul Golding and Jayda Fransen, the leader and deputy leader of far-right group Britain First were charged with causing religiously aggravated harassment in 2016 PA Britain First: the far-right group in pictures Following the Westminster terror attack on parliament in March 2017, Britain First and EDL protesters marched through central London. AFP/Getty Britain First: the far-right group in pictures Many of the protesters reacted along the route during the Britain First and EDL demonstration held on 1 April, 2017 PA Britain First: the far-right group in pictures Members of the Britain First group and the English Defence League rallied in central London in on seperate marches entitled a "March Against Terrorism" and "We Are Not Afriad" following the terror attack on Westminster Bridge and the British Parliament AFP/Getty Britain First: the far-right group in pictures Paul Golding reacts whilst he leads the protest PA Britain First: the far-right group in pictures Britain First and EDL protesters both marched on the same day PA Britain First: the far-right group in pictures One protester during the march held a sign reading 'Political correctness + migration = chaos' on 1 April, 2017 PA Britain First: the far-right group in pictures Protesters held placards during the protest calling for Britain First leader, Paul Golding, to be mayor Getty Britain First: the far-right group in pictures At a Birmingham Britain First protest in June 2017, supporters had to be contained by police, where an estimated 250 supporters of the party were escorted. PA Britain First: the far-right group in pictures 'Britain First' held a rally in November in support of their leaders Paul Golding and Jayda Fransen, who had to sign in at Bromley Police Station as part of their bail conditions. Rex When he retweeted an anti-Muslim group in December, the site said keeping the messages visible would ensure airing see every side of an issue and served a legitimate public interest in [their] availability. When he warned North Korea its leaders wont be around much longer which Pyongyang dubbed a declaration of war Twitter cited newsworthiness and public interest. Even as it has steadfastly said Mr Trump does not violate its rules, Twitter has cracked down against white supremacists and others who transgress its updated guidelines by removing their blue verification marks. It has also bolstered its policy on hate speech by pledging to punish messages that promote or glorify violence. Temperatures in the US plummeted to historic lows overnight as parts of the country were subjected to -35C conditions. The East Coast has seen little respite from the Arctic conditions since Winter Storm Grayson strengthened at an astonishing rate to become a bomb cyclone, dumping 18 inches of snow on parts of the US. The weather service has issued wind chill warnings for parts of Vermont, New York, Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland, Maine and New Hampshire, with the wind chill factor making it feel like -75C in the White Mountains in New Hampshire. Meterologists say temperatures in the Berkshire mountains in western Massachusetts could feel like a frosty -37C, other parts of New Hampshire and Maine could experience -42C, and Vermonts mountain regions could feel like -45C. Its definitely cold and the type of bone-chilling cold that happens every few years, said Dan Hofmann, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Baltimore. He added that the last time such extreme cold occurred was in February 2015. Temperatures will reach close to zero from Philadelphia to Boston on Saturday night, with wind chills making it feel like -10C to -20C. Milder climes will not escape the cold either, with the mercury dipping into the single digits in Baltimore and Washington DC over the weekend. In pictures: Winter weather hits the UK Show all 17 1 /17 In pictures: Winter weather hits the UK In pictures: Winter weather hits the UK A man works in the snow in the Yorkshire Dales near Hawes In pictures: Winter weather hits the UK A man jogs past the partially frozen Sefton Park Lake in Liverpool PA In pictures: Winter weather hits the UK A jogger runs through the snow under the Angel of the North in Gateshead, Tyne and Wear PA In pictures: Winter weather hits the UK A man walks through the snow close to the Angel of the North in Gateshead, Tyne and Wear PA In pictures: Winter weather hits the UK Temperatures drop as night time falls and snow blankets moors in the Peak District near Buxton Getty Images In pictures: Winter weather hits the UK Temperatures drop, as night time falls, and snow enhances the complex pattern of fields on the moors in the Peak District near Buxton Getty Images In pictures: Winter weather hits the UK A van waits to be recovered after sliding into a ditch on an icy road in the Peak District near Buxton Getty Images In pictures: Winter weather hits the UK Snow blankets the countryside in the Peak District near Buxton Getty Images In pictures: Winter weather hits the UK Farmers on the Richmondshire and Cumbria border take feed for the sheep on the Pennine tops with the A66 trans Pennine route in the background as snow falls across many parts of the UK PA In pictures: Winter weather hits the UK A tractor with a snow plough parked outside the Tan Hill Inn in Swaledale, North Yorkshire as snow falls in the Pennines PA In pictures: Winter weather hits the UK Cars make their way through the snow on the A1 northbound in Gateshead, Tyne and Wear, as the UK braced for a new wave of bad weather after forecasters issued warnings of heavy snow in parts of England and Scotland PA In pictures: Winter weather hits the UK Snowfalls over high ground of the Pennines at Tan Hill PA In pictures: Winter weather hits the UK Sue and Chris Betts take their dog for a walk in the snow near Beamish, Tyne and Wear after heavy snow in the area PA In pictures: Winter weather hits the UK Clyde Wind Farm near Abington in Scotland PA In pictures: Winter weather hits the UK Sheep near Abington in Scotland PA In pictures: Winter weather hits the UK Snow in Abington in Scotland as the cold weather hits parts of the UK PA In pictures: Winter weather hits the UK Snow blankets the countryside in the Peak District near Buxton Getty Images Arctic air mass and dangerously cold wind chills expected across much of the eastern two-thirds of the country through this weekend. Many daily temperature records may be broken, the National Weather Service said in a tweet. The cold spell was responsible for at least 18 deaths by Friday. At least four people were killed in car accidents in North Carolina due to the treacherous conditions. In Richmond, Virginia, a girl was struck and killed by a pickup truck while sledding down a driveway. Authorities were still looking for a 35-year-old who disappeared during the blizzard in Maine. A driver slid off an icy road, killing a pedestrian, on Friday in North Charleston, South Carolina, city officials said. THE DANGERS ARE REAL, the officials warned in a Twitter message. Huge patches of ice all over the city. Stay at home. Police say an employee of the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority died while cleaning up after the winter storm that dumped more than a foot of snow on parts of the state. Arlington police told WFXT-TV that the employee, who has not been publicly identified, went into cardiac arrest and was found in a snowbank at a facility for the water authority early on Friday. Additional reporting by AP Emergency services in southeast Australia are warning people to stay indoors as a dangerous heatwave batters the country, with temperatures so high that the asphalt on some roads has been melting. The "catastrophic" hot weather caused a 10km stretch of the Hume Highway, near the Victoria state capital Melbourne, to become soft and sticky, causing havoc for motorists trying to enter the city. Victoria, South Australia and Tasmania have now declared a total fire ban after blazes on the outskirts of Melbourne raged out of control, destroying buildings and threatening lives. It took a team of 300 firefighters, 50 trucks and three helicopters to tackle one fire in Victoria's Carrum Downs on Saturday, which threatened dozens of homes. And another 49 bushfires are said to have been reported across the state - although many were small and easily extinguished - with 400 residencies losing power. The state's emergency management commissioner, Craig Lapsley, said hot temperatures had combined with dry weather, strong winds and a wind change to create dangerous conditions. "It's exactly what the forecast indicated and when we have fires running that's obviously a problem for us," he said. Temperatures are expected to exceed 40C in the southeast, with the country's Bureau of Meteorology forecasting highs of 45C in Penrith, 44C in Richmond and 43C in Liverpool, with much of the area being rated as 'catastrophic' or 'code red' by emergency services. Australia is prone to deadly blazes thanks to its combination of remote terrain, high summer temperatures and flammable eucalyptus bush. In 2009, the worst bushfires on record destroyed thousands of homes in Victoria, killing 173 people and injuring 414 on a day the media dubbed "Black Saturday". Australia's winter in 2017 - which runs from June to August - was the hottest ever recorded with the Bureau of Meteorology attributing it to a "long-term warming trend" mostly caused by climate change. The South Australian County Fire Servce (CFS) issued an emergency warning for Sherwood, Brimbago, Lowan Vale, McCallum and Senior areas near the Victorian-South Australian border. 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 "If you are in this area you are in danger," a statement said. "There is a risk to your life and property. "Take shelter inside a solid building. Do not leave or enter this area in a vehicle or on foot. It is too late to leave and the roads will not be safe." NSW Health also released a statement saying emergency services were ready to respond to possible fatalities as a result of the weather. "A NSW Health study published last month found extreme heatwaves lead to a more than ten percent increase in both deaths and ambulance callouts," said Dr Ben Scalley, director of environmental health at NSW Health. "They put a lot of strain on the body and can cause dehydration, heat exhaustion and heat stroke." And speaking to reporters, Ambulance Victoria's state health commander issued a warning for the state's residence to take the heat "seriously". "This heat is a killer. It's going to be like a blast furnace tomorrow and you need to adjust what you do," he said. In August 2017, bushfire conditions in the east of the country reached "near record levels" following what was believed to be the driest winter since 2002. At the time, Andrew Watkins of the Bureau of Meteorology said: "We've certainly seen a shortening of our winters." Additional reporting by Reuters. France will mark three years since the Charlie Hebdo massacre on Sunday, with French president Emmanuel Macron and Paris mayor Anne Hidalgo expected to attend commemorations in the capital. The anniversary of the attack, in which 12 people were killed and 11 injured by gunmen, has led to a renewed reflection about the nature of free speech in France. In the aftermath of the attack the magazines sales surged to 60 million and seven million copies in 2015, but fell back to 19 million in 2016 as readers drifted away and the publication continued to pump out occasionally horrific material. The magazine, which was originally targeted by the extremists for having aggressively lampooned Islam, printed a front page in August after the Barcelona van attack that declared Islam, the religion of peace next to a cartoon of a van running people over. Another cartoon since the attack suggested that the dead Syrian child washed up on a Mediterranean beach, Aylan Kurdi, could have grown up to be a sexual abuser because of his religious and ethnic background. The claim was a reference to tales of refugees committing sexual assaults in European cities. The publication now say it has been lumbered with an annual security bill of 1.5 million since the attacks in order to ensure it can operate safely. The Independents front page following the massacre in 2015 Charlie Hebdos approach to political speech also contrasts with the path taken by Emmanuel Macron in recent months, who in November announced that he would levy fines on people who used gender-based insults and make them punishable by law. The magazine itself was criticised for sexism earlier this year after targeting Mr Macrons wife in a front page cover. A picture of a pregnant Brigitte Macron, who is decades older than Mr Macron, bore the caption He is going to make miracles happen an apparent reference to her age. The president himself has described such attacks on her as misogyny, suggesting there would be no commentary on the subject were he and his wifes genders reversed. 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 On Thursday Mr Macron gave a speech on the issue of secularism in which he said he wanted to work on the structuration or structuring of Islam in France in order to avoid a crisis of the religion. He said he would listen to the voices of the country in their diversity, capable of building upon this diversity a great nation reconciled and open to the future. Ahead of new European rules on credit and debit card charges, some British holidaymakers were told they will incur a 25 fee to pay with plastic. Iglu, a leading travel agent which sells cruise and ski holidays, sent customers an email saying payments by credit or debit cards will incur a 25 handling fee per transaction. Travellers were told that only payments made by bank transfer would escape the fee. The EU regulations, known as Payment Services Directive 2, take effect on 13 January. The intention was to be consumer-friendly by banning firms from levying credit card charges, which can amount to 2 per cent or more. The customer is supposed to be able to choose their preferred means of payment without penalty. But the rules were apparently drafted without consideration for the special characteristics of the travel industry. Unlike most retailers, travel agents face a severe slump in profits as a result of the changes. The interchange fee the margin banks charge each other is now capped at 0.3 per cent for credit cards and 0.2 per cent for debit cards. But other elements can increase the card-handling cost to around 2 per cent. Agents are required to pay the fee on the entire price of the trip, even though their commission is a fraction of the total. Iglu typically earns 12 per cent in commission from tour operators. On a 1,000 holiday, its margin would be 120. Under the new rules, though, assuming a 2 per cent handling charge on credit card payments, it would lose 20 one-sixth of its revenue. It is telling customers: Iglu.com are in a healthy financial position, however we are not in a position to absorb the increase in costs that will likely incur as a result of the change in legislation without making certain provisions. An Iglu Cruise customer who did not want to be named told The Independent: The Government needs to close this loophole as a matter of urgency. Some might say that the legislation should perhaps have been more carefully and comprehensively drafted in the first place. It always pays constantly to ask the question What if?. When The Independent contacted Iglu, the company said the plan to charge a fee had now been dropped after consultations with ABTA, the travel association. A spokesperson for Iglu said: We originally considered adding a charge for customers paying over the phone, in order to fund an accounts team who would be taking these manual payments. However, we have now been advised by ABTA that asking customers to pay for phone payment isnt viable, so going forward we will not be charging a fee. While credit or debit cards will be allowed for paying deposits or for imminent departures, for most customers the only way to pay the balance of a trip would be by bank transfer. The spokesperson said: The refined process will be as simple as now and will be at a lower consumer cost with the same protection. But the customer who contacted The Independent said: Bank transfers are a notoriously risky way of settling bills. As far as I am aware, once youve pressed the go button, theyre irretrievable; so as a result of just one small mistake, the supplier doesnt get the money and the customer never sees it again. Tough. Once the new EU regulations take effect, Iglu will switch off its secure online payments portal. When the UK Government announced the changes last July, the economic secretary to the Treasury, Stephen Barclay, said: Card charging in Britain is about to come to an end. This is about fairness and transparency, and so from next year there will be no more nasty surprises for people at the check-out just for using a card. A spokesperson for ABTA said: It is a particular problem for travel firms given the high value of transactions and that regulation designed to reduce the costs of taking card payments has not been effective leaving travel companies picking up the bill for these payments which in some cases may be extremely high. As the current legislation has largely not succeeded in reducing consumer costs, partly as a result of focusing only on one element of the overall cost of taking card payments, ABTA is calling for an urgent, properly considered, review of the card payments system. The ABC campaign to keep us in the European Union, led by Adonis, Blair and Cable, is feeling its way towards the next big battle. As I noted here last week, Andrew Adonis in his letter of resignation from the National Infrastructure Commission seemed to accept that we will actually leave the EU, and turned his focus to the campaign to rejoin. He denied it, saying his strategy was to force a referendum on the Brexit deal, but that sounds like bravado. This poses the question of how the ABC campaign should fight Brexit over the coming year. Tony Blair, in his article this week, and Peter Mandelson, in his article for The Independent last month, both describe 2018 as the last chance to stop Brexit. But they both know that is not going to happen unless Jeremy Corbyn bows to the views of Labour Party members, 78 per cent of whom support another referendum, as a YouGov survey for Professor Tim Bale reported this week. Blair urges Labour to challenge Brexit On this, we know that Seumas Milne, Corbyns chief adviser, thinks the sovereignty of party democracy can go hang: the important thing for him is to protect Corbyns anti-establishment message by respecting the 2016 referendum (and, incidentally, staying on the other side of the question from the ABC elite). So where does the ABC campaign go next? One route is the Norway option, to press for the UK to stay in the EU single market after Brexit. The problem with that is it would mean accepting free movement of people, and there is no majority in the House of Commons for that. Almost all Conservatives and a large number of Labour MPs want an end to free movement. However, free movement is going to continue for at least 21 months after Brexit, during the transition period. The precise terms of the transition are now going to be negotiated as the Brexit talks move on to phase two, and this is where the next weak point is to be found in the Brexit defences. One of the questions to be decided is how long the transition will be. Will it be 21 months to the end of the EU budget period in December 2020, or will it be two years until March 2021? But one critical question on which the ABC campaign should focus is whether that period will be extendable. For the Rebel Alliance, this could be the weak spot in the Brexit Death Star. So far, both sides have been united in saying the transition period (or implementation phase, as Theresa May calls it) must be strictly time-limited. Boris Johnson, for the Brexiters, insists it should be not a second more than two years. The technocrats in Brussels dont want it dragging on either. For them it is untidy, creating a semi-membership status that undermines the unity and consistency of the EU. But you can see the attraction, for those who want a soft Brexit, of a transition period in which we stay in the single market and carry on with free movement that lasts indefinitely. Let us see how it goes, Adonis, Blair and Cable could say, and, if we feel we are not ready for the economic shock of a Canada-style trading status, let us take our time about it. It might be easier for the ABC campaign to argue for rejoining the EU from the waiting room of transition than from the cold of being right out. Johnson and May will be watching these arguments like hawks, knowing that this could be a way to drop a missile into the heart of Brexit. But it might be possible to muster a majority in the House of Commons for an extendable transition. Labour MPs could say they want an end to free movement but that we must be flexible about it. 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 Nor is the Brussels position as firm as it seems. The Irish government is not the only one of the EU27 that would regard a permanent transition as ideal. Many other national leaders could see a flexible period as being in their interests. Cynically, they might even regard Britain in the single market and paying for the privilege but excluded from troublemaking in EU Councils, as a perfect outcome. A vassal state, indeed. The intriguing part of Tony Blairs anti-Brexit drive this week was his interview with Die Welt and other continental newspapers. He warned the EU27 that the nationalist surge that produced Brexit was a problem in their countries too. He realises the need to lobby EU27 opinion to make life difficult for the Brexiters. Note, too, that Emmanuel Macron, the French President, this week warned against divisions on the EU side: Everyone can have an interest in negotiating on their own, and think they can negotiate better than their neighbour. If we do that, it is probable that collectively we will create a situation which is unfavourable to the European Union and thus to each one of us. This, then, could be the battle of 2018: not to stop Brexit, but to allow the possibility that a soft exit could be prolonged. For Remainers, this offers the chance of getting stuck in a halfway house, and after a few years people might either decide it is fine or that we should rejoin. For Leavers, it would be purgatory. But they might not be able to stop it. President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko has announced that this year the main guideline for the country should be 'peace and development'. "For four years now, we have combined offensive reforms with defense efforts to protect the country from the Russian aggression. There's no third option. So, let the words 'peace and development' unite into the main guideline for 2018," the head of state wrote in his column for the Novoye Vremia newspaper and The Economist World published on Saturday. Poroshenko noted that Ukraine doesn't need an internal struggle of all against all, but requires the consolidation of the efforts of the authorities, civil society, and international partners. "And this is the only possible way for a successful Ukraine," he said. The president stressed that the enemy continues to destabilize the situation inside the country. "We are rebuffing these attempts. The opponents of the authorities have already entered the active phase of the election campaign, some are even not above taking money from Moscow," he said. Protests against the government in Iran began in Mashhad, the countrys second city, on 28 December. They were widely reported around the world, including by The Independent, on 30 December. The next day Boris Johnson, the Foreign Secretary, issued a statement expressing concern, regretting the loss of life, insisting on respect for human rights and saying people should be able to have freedom of expression and to demonstrate peacefully within the law. Mr Johnson has not had a good record at the Foreign Office, and in the case of relations with Iran his blunder over Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe was regrettable, but he has at least travelled to Tehran to try to keep the dialogue open. The view of the Opposition is plainly of second- or third-order importance. But the equivocation of the Labour Party leadership over the protests has been telling. Emily Thornberry, the Shadow Foreign Secretary, did not issue a statement until 2 January. It began by saying: The picture surrounding the protests in Iran remains highly uncertain, and Western politicians should be cautious in claiming to understand their origins, organisation or objectives. Fortunately it went on to call on the Iranian authorities to show restraint in their policing, and to allow peaceful, democratic protests to proceed. But even this grudging demand was undermined by Ms Thornberrys interview with the BBC on Saturday. She said: We take a cautious approach to Iran and we dont want to leap to judgment and say: Well, we dont like the regime in Iran, these people are against it, they must be the guys with white hats. 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 This is a transparent attempt to avoid embarrassing the Labour leader over his past support for the Iranian government. Jeremy Corbyn has, shamefully, taken 20,000 from the regimes propaganda outlet, Press TV, continuing to act as a presenter even after it had its licence revoked by Ofcom. As recently as 2014, Mr Corbyn adopted a position of abject apology for the Iranian government, praising its role in bringing about a chemical weapons agreement in Syria one which was soon broken by the Assad regime in Damascus. No wonder Ms Thornberry claimed to the BBC that it was hard to tell what these current riots are about. Sometimes they are calling to reinstate the monarchy, sometimes theyre calling out against Khamenei, sometimes theyre calling for Khamenei, sometimes theyre calling for the price of eggs, she said. Let us try to enlighten her. Our award-winning reporter, Patrick Cockburn, who knows a thing or two about CIA propaganda, writes that he thinks the protests are a genuine expression of anti-government sentiment. That does not mean that they are coherent or particularly democratic, but they are not fomented by outside interests. Anyone with a conscience, meanwhile, knows that the Iranian government hangs gay people, tramples on womens rights, has a poor human rights record and sponsors terrorism. It is not difficult, in a contest between such a regime and the right to free expression, to know which side is wearing the whiter hat. Ms Thornberrys warning that Westerners should not simply impose our views on other countries is the most appalling moral cowardice. There is nothing Western about universal human rights, and all representatives of the British people should stand up for them. Vikas Sukhatme and his wife Vidula Sukhatme founded the nonprofit GlobalClures to create a global effort to identify, evaluate, prioritize and develop promising medical therapies that would otherwise not be explored because of financial considerations. An Indian American professor at Harvard Medical School, Vikas has accepted the position of dean of Emory Universitys School of Medicine. (Beth Israel Deaconness Medical Center photo) H-4 visa holders are anxiously awaiting a court decision on whether their work authorization will be continued. Save Jobs USA which filed a lawsuit stating that work authorization for H-4 visa holders strips American workers of jobs and should be discontinued filed a motion Dec. 22 asking the DC Court of Appeals to rule on the matter immediately. The Department of Homeland Security filed an opposing motion asking the court to delay the ruling until a Trump proviso rescinding work authorization is in effect in July. DHS said it would update the court by July 1, and asked the three-member body which includes Indian American justice Sri Srinivasan to hold off its ruling. (happyschools.com photo) Indian policewomen tie ribbons onto one anothers uniforms in Dehradun March 8, 2017, as they mark International Women's Day. The Delhi High court has ruled that women can now join the Territorial Army and said that to not allow women to join the TA violates the fundamental rights of equality guaranteed by the Constitution. (STR/AFP/Getty Images) As renowned musician Jayanthi Kumaresh sits facing her altar with the Saraswathi Veena on her lap, going deep into raga Bhairavi, her thoughts drift the far-flung locales her veena has visited. Believe it or not, this beautiful instrument has been to more places than most people have - covering countries like Singapore, Malaysia, Mauritius, Hong Kong, Canada, United States, UK, Germany, Switzerland, Netherlands, Norway, France, Luxembourg, Australia, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. In fact, over the past year alone, this veena has been to over 30 cities, touching upon venues like the London's prestigious Royal Albert Hall and the Theatre de la Ville in Paris. Here's an unlikely glimpse of globetrotting though the lens of a classical artiste and the one companion she cannot live without - her beloved veena. The first time I took the veena outside of India was in 1990 to London. At that time, taking a huge instrument like the veena on a plane was a formidable task. We got a huge rectangular wooden box made, which was both oversize and overweight and had a rather interesting shape which made people curious about its contents. I wondered at that time how was I going to carry this instrument and popularise it worldwide, if each journey was as laborious as this one? A 30-city-concert tour through the United States with my guru Smt Padmavathy Ananthagopalan ji back in 1995 was quite an eye opener. I told my guru that if she really wanted me to spread the divine twang of the veena across the globe, something had to be done about carrying it easily. That is when she made a very beautiful veena for me that weighed all of three kgs (half the original weight) which I could carry with me into the plane and that did not compromise in any way in its tone, texture or design. Having travelled extensively to all countries in the last 26 years, not a day passes without my bowing in salutations to my guru who actually made this possible for me. The veena is as old as 2000 years and is as new as tomorrow. 2017 was a wonderful year for the Saraswathi Veena. Representing India and presenting the national instrument of India to the world is a matter of great honour and pride and at the same time, a huge responsibility. This year started with concerts at Glasgow Royal Concert Hall and Mackintosh Church for Celtic Connections in Glasglow, Scotland where most of the audience were seeing and hearing the Saraswathi Veena for the first time. A Strings Attached Europe tour along with violin Maestro R Kumaresh in early summer saw the veena being presented in Bern (Switzerland), Rorbas (Switzerland), Frankfurt and Luxembourg. One of the greatest music festivals worldwide is the BBC Proms, at Londons Royal Albert Hall. In August, we presented the Saraswathi Veena and the violin (Maestro R Kumaresh) to a packed British audience. In October, the veena travelled to Australia to perform in Sydney. In November, I performed at Theatre de la Ville, Paris to a sold out audience who were highly receptive to the voice of the veena. I was truly humbled by the ovation, encore and the warmth from the audience. One does not need in-depth knowledge about the art form to appreciate it. The veena showed that music went beyond language and region. And at long last, last December, the Saraswathi Veena returned home to Chennai to be cherished and celebrated during the Margazhi season. My travels have definitely influenced the narrative of my presentation. My hope is to share the richness of these experiences that I picked up from all these concerts and travels throughout the following year and present it to rasikas from all over the world attending the music season, and beyond. Health minister chairs medical panel treating Buharis son According to new report by Punch, the Minister of Health, Prof. Isaac Adewole, is chairing the medical team attending to President Muhammadu Buharis son, Yusuf, who was involved in a bike accident in Abuja recently. Many Nigerians are however displeased by it. According to them, the Health Minister should leave that for other competent doctors. Heres what some Twitter users had to say about it; Medical panel for a recalcitrant child while innocent law abiding citizens either die from marauding Fulani herdsmen or die for lack of adequate medical treatment. Wonderful country Concerned Nigerian (@lagospikin) January 6, 2018 Is this how low we have sunk, so the Health Minister has nothing to do anymore??? So much for CHANGE Jaspa Jacksparo (@ijacksparo) January 6, 2018 Ok, thats why I went to hospital and there were no doctors there, they all went to Abuja Ayke Iyinagoro (@aykeii) January 6, 2018 BAADonDSTV Nigerias newest celebrity couple, Banky W and Adesuwa Etomi whose fairy-tale wedding got everyone talking last November is back this time with more sauce to their love story. The couple have got to be one of the most loved celebrities in Nigeria at the moment. Trending today all over social media is # BAADonDSTV as fans get to relive the fairy tale wedding and go behind the scenes to discover never before seen moments of BAAD2017. Banky even goes on tell us how to properly slid into DMs, his reaction to Ebukas agbada and so on. This guys can make anything trend. They did that with their Proposal, then their wedding, now this. Too awesome!!! Illegal armed formations continued to fire at the positions of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, as a result of which one soldier was injured, the press center of the anti-terrorist operation (ATO) headquarters reported. "There is still no full compliance with the ceasefire regime because of the Russian-occupation groups. The enemy continues to shell the position of the Armed Forces using weapons banned by the Minsk agreements," the headquarters said on their Facebook page on Saturday morning. Unknown gunmen invaded Jermiya village in Rafi Local Government Area of Niger State on Thursday evening as a Sharia court judge, Abubakar Jibrin was kidnapped. It was learnt on Friday that the judge was returning from work when he was accosted by the kidnappers at around 6:05 pm. The incident is coming barely three days after seven people were kidnapped and three others killed along the same road. District Head of Alawa, Ibrahim Saleh, who confirmed the incident, said that the kidnappers had demanded N50m as ransom for Jibrins release. Saleh said that the entire community now lived in fear following the activities of armed men in the area. Commissioner for Justice in the state, Nasara Danmalam, could not be reached for comments as of the time of filing this report as his telephone line failed to connect. Police Public Relations Officer in the state, Muhammad Abubakar, when contacted, also confirmed the incident, saying they were working hard to secure his release. Source: ( Punch Newspaper ) Days ago, there was drama on social media after an aggrieved bride called out a Nigerian designer, Maryam Elisha of RikatoByMe, for giving out her wedding reception dress to actress Mercy Aigbe for her 40th birthday photoshoot. The designer blamed the supposed mistake on a dispatch error and apologized for the pain she caused the new bride. Now although Mercy didnt react as the back and forth went on, a stylist Styledbyseun has come forward to take responsiblity. In a post on Instagram today, he wrote; I would like to apologize to my Client regarding the ongoing RED DRESS SAGA involving my client MERCY AIGBE who contracted me to style her for her 40th birthday photoshoot . I picked up (4) four dresses on behalf of my client (Mercy Aigbe) from the Fashion Designer RIKAOTO BY ME on 28th December,2017 for my clients photoshoot of which the Red Dress was one. However, I was in no way informed it was a custom-made dress for RIKAOTOs BRIDE. This has put a dent in my clients image for which I am truly sorry for as I handled the transaction on her behalf. I would like to clearly state that my client Mercy Aigbe wasnt aware the dress was for anyone prior to when the news broke. My heartfelt apologies to the affected bride as well; No bride should be without her dress on her big day. I wasnt aware the Red Dress was hers and I am truly sorry for the disappointment she exprerienced. Thank you Source: Linda Ikejis blog Latest: Rachel Allen's restaurant on Washington Street in Cork city is due to re-open tomorrow at 5pm following a fire at the premises which broke out on Saturday afternoon. The restaurant will re-open with specific opening hours while repair work is being carried out. I am thrilled to say we will re-open tomorrow (Thursday) from 5pm and from 5pm on Friday and Saturday. I will keep you informed of our opening hours while we continue essential repair work. We look forward to welcoming you to Rachels. pic.twitter.com/OefV05TD5x Rachels (@RachelsCork) January 10, 2018 The re-opening of the popular restaurant, which brings the flavours of Ballymaloe Cookery School to Cork city, was announced on its Facebook and Twitter social media accounts today. The post read: "I am thrilled to say we will re-open tomorrow (Thursday) from 5pm and from 5pm on Friday and Saturday. I will keep you informed of our opening hours while we continue essential repair work. We look forward to welcoming you to Rachels." For updates on the restaurant's opening hours during repairs see their Facebook page here. Earlier: A fire has forced TV chef Rachel Allen to close her Cork city restaurant for a few days, writes Eoin English. The alarm was raised around 2pm today. Three unit of Cork City Fire Brigade, including a hydraulic platform, rushed to the Washington St restaurant. UPDATE: Fire at Rachels restaurant #Cork has been confined to extractor ducting. No internal damage. Members of @CorkCityFire standing down shortly pic.twitter.com/Q6SosFlZ8H Eoin English (@EoinBearla) January 6, 2018 The premises was evacuated as fire fighters arrived. They traced the blaze to the ducting of the restaurant air extraction system which leads from the kitchen. They managed to contain and extinguish the fire before it spread. There was no damage to the building itself. All out now I think. Units packing up pic.twitter.com/iO03ISTSEH Formerly Mouse Cork (@OldMouseCork) January 6, 2018 The scene was declared safe within an hour. However, in a post on social media in the last hour, Rachel Allen, said the restaurant will have to close for a few days and apologised to diners who may have bookings. It could be closed until Monday at the earliest. Due to a small fire in our kitchen, our restaurant will be closed for the next couple of days, she said. I would like to apologise to our customers for the inconvenience. We will be back open as soon as we can. An author and TV chef, Rachel Allen teaches at Ballymaloe Cookery School. Her popular television series have been broadcast in more than 30 different countries. As well as attracting viewers of two million on the BBC, her series is also the highest ever rated show on the Good Food Channel. She has written 14 cookery books, selling over two million copies worldwide. She opened her first restaurant on Washington St in March 2017. More than 2,400 people spent time this week on a trolley or chair waiting for a hospital bed, nurses have said. The first week of January, traditionally the worst days of the year for getting admitted to a ward, saw a 10% increase in the number of patients queuing for a proper bed compared to the same time last year. The Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation (INMO) said its staff counted 2,408 patients on trolleys from Monday to Friday. The number is 221 higher than the first week of 2017 and is a record high, the union said. INMO general secretary Phil Ni Sheaghdha said talks with the Health Service Executive (HSE) on trying to ease the crisis overcrowding have been productive. "We now have a clear focus on implementing patient flow measures," she said. Following the talks the states Emergency Department Taskforce will meet on Monday to set out immediate, medium and long-term practical approaches to the recurring problem of overcrowding. The INMO had previously revealed a record number of admitted patients, 98,981, spent time on trolleys in hospitals during 2017. The union said it wanted hospitals to be operating under the full capacity protocol and mandatory de-escalation policies in order to stop overcrowding spreading throughout hospitals and to reduce the risk of cross infection, poor patient outcomes and burnout amongst staff. The INMO report on the first week in January was released alongside figures which showed hospital overcrowding had eased slightly by Friday, with fewer than 500 people waiting for a proper bed. According to the latest morning headcounts in A&E units and corridors around hospitals, there were 483 patients on trolleys or in chairs queuing for space in a ward. University Hospital Limerick had the worst record for the second day in a row, with 43 people waiting for a bed. Others with high levels of overcrowding included St Lukes Hospital in Kilkenny, with 34 people on trolleys, the Midland Regional Hospital, Mullingar, which had 33, and Cork University Hospital, which had 31. The INMO said its 8am headcount on Friday found 351 people on trolleys in A&E units and 132 waiting in corridors around wards. The latest figures were released following calls from Health Minister Simon Harris and the Health Service Executive for people not to go to hospital if they have flu symptoms, for workers to stay at home if they think they have the virus and for children to be kept off school if they are at risk of spreading the germs. The flu season will run for another fortnight before it is expected to peak. Meanwhile,the Irish Medical Organisation (IMO) has said Taoiseach Leo Varadkars apology for the overcrowding reflected a shocking ignorance of health services and the impact of years of austerity. IMO president Ann Hogan said his remarks were "particularly worrying" as he is a former health minister. "Austerity is the root cause of this crisis and investment, significant and urgent, is the only response," she said. Dr Hogan said the Taoiseachs promises of the crisis stabilising involves a 92% bed occupancy on average; a new norm of 500 patients waiting for admission on trolleys; and almost 700,000 patients waiting for an outpatient appointment; an ever-increasing number of cancelled operations and procedures; and a GP system which is struggling to meet demand. She said: "Is that what is acceptable to the Taoiseach as stability?" The number of murders in New York city last year dropped to its lowest level in the modern era. Officials said there were 290 murders in 2017, down from 335 the year before. Breakthrough policies According to a report released at the Ministry of Industry and Trade (MoIT)s meeting held in mid-December, Vietnams field of industry and trade has reached all targets set for 2017. In particular, exports were one of the highlights in 2017, as export turnover is expected to reach more than US$ 212 billion, up over 20% over the same period last year, much higher than the export turnover of over US$ 176 billion in 2016 and the highest level since 2011; meanwhile import turnover increased by approximately 21%, most of which are imported goods to serve production; additionally, Vietnam maintained a trade surplus of about over US$2 billion this year. According to the MoITs analysis of export markets in 2017, overall global trade has improved as market demand has increased. In particular, some of Vietnam's export products also had the opportunity to boost their exports due to the impact of climate change, which in turn reduced the supply in some countries, thereby increasing the demand for importing Vietnamese products, typically rice products. In addition to making the most of opportunities to promote exports to traditional markets, many Vietnamese agricultural products have been exported to new markets in the past year. However, the breakthrough was achieved thanks to "the push" from administrative reform. Especially, the solutions on administrative reform in the field of industry and trade have brought positive results for enterprises. According to Truong Van Cam, Vice President and General Secretary of Vietnam Textile and Apparel Association, in 2016, when the Minister of Industry and Trade Tran Tuan Anh signed the decision to abolish Circular No. 37/2015/TT-BCT, which stipulated the content limits and testing procedures for formaldehyde and banned cleavable aromatic amines from azo dyes in textile products, as well as inspection requirements, textile companies were very excited. The abolition has helped textile businesses to save VND1.5 million for each sample test and shorten the customs clearance time from 2.4 to 3.8 days, creating opportunities for exporting textile and garment products and helping the textile and garment industry to keep its position as one of the industries with the largest export turnover. Beside the textile and garment industry, the ministries and departments have also made efforts to remove all difficulties for businesses, despite the industry meeting many difficulties in the first months of the year. In particular, a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on rice trade between Vietnam and Bangladesh for 2017-2022 signed last May, 2017 was one of the key driving forces for export activities. Accordingly, every year, Vietnam will provide Bangladesh with one million tons of rice, depending on demand and world market prices. With the publicity of contracts on the online portal of the Ministry of Industry and Trade, the document has helped rice enterprises to acquire more trade contracts, so that the rice industry will break through and reach a higher growth rate than 2017 (24%), with the absolute figure of 5.9 to 6 million tons, an increase of 1.1 to 1.2 million tons compared to 2016. Opportunities for 2018 Opportunities for export growth in 2018 and the coming years are relatively bright, as Vietnam's competitive capacity is growing. Tran Thanh Hai, Deputy Director of the MoIT's Import-Export Department, said that in the Global Competitiveness Report, the World Economic Forum (WEF)'s ranked Vietnam 55th overall, up five places from last year and 20 from five years ago. The WEF notes that Vietnam has made significant improvements in technological readiness and labour market efficiency. Furthermore, joining Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) with commitments to reduce tariffs on Vietnamese origin also increases competitive capacity and helps Vietnamese products to expand their market share in partner markets. In the period 2018-2022, the tariff roadmap will be cut further and progressively towards 0% for many commodities, creating new opportunities to increase export turnover, boosting economic growth. In addition, the confidence of foreign investors in Vietnam's development prospects continues to be strengthened, especially after the APEC summit and in the context of security in many countries being unstable due to terrorism. Taking advantage of market opportunities and aiming at sustainable imports and exports, Deputy Director of the MoIT's Import-Export Department Tran Thanh Hai said that, besides continuing to disseminate and guide the implementation of signed FTAs, it is necessary to sign FTAs that have not been signed such as the FTA between Vietnam-EU. In addition, the Ministry of Industry and Trade should renovate their trade promotion activities in the direction of not being based on the State budget, but to also encourage outside trade promotion organisations to participate, he added. In addition, it is necessary to strengthen the use of other trade remedies such as safeguard, anti-dumping, subsidies to protect domestic goods, and to restrain imports in line with Vietnams context as well as international commitments. In particular, it is necessary to boost the supporting enterprises to overcome technical barriers, and meet the standards of the host country, which is an important activity for Vietnams export turnover to continue to grow sustainably. In 2018, the National Assembly has targeted the domestic product (GDP) growth rate of 6.5% - 6.7%. In particular, total export turnover increased 7% - 8%; and the trade deficit was equal to 3% of total export turnover. CAN it really be the case that there hasnt been a resale for six or seven years past, at the stylish The Avenue section of Woodville, above and just east of Glanmire, on the commutable edges of Cork city? Designed by Wilson Architecture back in the early- to mid-2000s, Woodville had over 50 new-builds ranged around a period 1800s Georgian grand home, which was itself converted into apartments, plus courtyard homes, in one of the decades more elegant schemes of contemporary design in the greater Cork region. Still looking fresh and aesthetically adept, Woodville (developed as a calling card of quality by a company called Rossdale around 2004/05) had its dozens of new arrivals slotted in around retained mature hardwood trees, lending one section the address The Beeches, for example. And, while the Price Register shows quite a few resales with a Beeches address going back to 2011 (with one of the more recent at 335,000 in 2016, and a few in 2017 under the 300k mark), not a single home appears to have sold at the more prestigious, upmarket The Avenue. The Price Register shows a sale at 414,000 in late 2013 with a simple Woodville, Dunkettle address listed, and so is possibly one of this house style and substance. Separately, No 3 The Avenue came to market back in 2016, and was a 1,720 sq ft four-bed on a 0-.3 acre site, with planning for two extensions to enable it to swell to a five-bed of 3,000 sq ft, should a new owner so wish. It had a price guide of 530,000, and doesnt appear to have been sold. Overall at Woodville, there was a good variety of size, and pricing, from day one, with the Avenue detacheds (19 in all planned) going from 1,400 to over 2,000 sq ft, and with a stand-out couple on large sites at up to 2,700 sq ft, and priced at 1m, reflective of the run-up to the times max pricing. The smaller homes sold from the mid/high 400,000s, up to c 700,000, and now No1 2 The Avenue comes to market for an early 2018 sale for its relocating owners, whove been here since day one. No 12 The Avenue is priced at 475,0000 by city-based estate agent Dan Howard, and as its c 1,460 sq ft, it seems as if its 2018 value is coming back close to what it was worth c 2005, when there was another year or two of price froth left in the then-rampant market. Its notable that Daft property websites consultant economist Ronan Lyons earlier this week forecast that Irish house prices are heading back to 2007 peak levels, and could be reached in a few more years time whilst adding the peak of the Celtic Tiger housing bubble is not, of course, a target. Launching No 12 and hoping for an early New Years sale, Mr Howard says a property as good as this rarely comes to the market. He started his open viewings on Wednesday, and his listing brought a lot of advance online views and calls: he put it up on the web on December 23, and it stayed at the top of the live new listings for Cork for ten days or so, getting over 5,000 hits over the holiday lull a tip there for other estate agents and vendors for next year? In its shape and outline, No 12 The Avenue is a sort of modern interpretation of the traditional Irish long house or long, two-storey Irish farm dwelling thats typically just one room wide. And, thats indeed the case here, at least in the example of the main, gable end living room, which had a triple aspect. Theres a mix of glazing, including tall narrow opes on one side by the entrance, as well as other floor-to-ceiling windows by a glazed corner under a grey-painted C-section steel beam, plus French doors to a patio. Theres also a dining room with French doors to the outside, kitchen with large, pale floor tiles and wood-effect slick cabinets plus range cooker, utility and guest WC. Moving around the house theres quite a variety of windows sizes, shapes and placements, including clerestory windows on high, a long, horizontal slit by the stairs. Several rooms (including the master bedroom and living room) have full-height corner/double aspect windows for an open and airy feel, even if furnishing/furniture placement and fitting of curtains/drapes calls for a bit more creativity for those hung up on high notions of privacy. Overall condition is excellent, with a lustrous walnut floor in the hall, well-specced bathrooms, and theres gas heating. Externally, the grounds are well landscaped with trimmed lawns ringed with sleepers and low, white, rendered walls. Theres a useful deck serving the living room and dining room, with bamboo planting. No 12s site is bounded by mature hardwoods and beeches: photography for the sales launch is a mix of seasonal winter shots and some taken during summer months, to show the glories of whats to come another sales tip for anyone who may be selling in the next few years: take good quality exterior shots in spring, summer, autumn, and winter, and keep/save them safely to be sure to be sure. No 12s vendors are trading across to another part of metropolitan Cork. Auctioneer Dan Howards says their home oozes charm and character, has a wonderful private and sunny site and would make an ideal family home. He anticipates good trading-up interest, as well as interest from those relocating. The Glanmire/Glounthaune/Little Island area is continuing to grow its employment base, with a major new office building going in during 2018 for back-office support services for pharma company Lilly at Eastgate among the larger moves. Its located a few minutes from the Dunkathel/Dunkettle interchange, due now for a major upgrade to relieve traffic congestion at the tunnels busy feeder roads. Developers OFlynn Construction are set to build new homes near the completed Woodville in the next year or so at Ballinglanna, while the development of their valuable ground at Dunkathel House may follow in later years, once tunnel congestion is removed. VERDICT: stylish still. Dunkathel, Glanmire 475,000 Size: 135 sq m (1,460 sq ft) Bedrooms: 4 Bathrooms: 3 BER: C1 The study, A Review of Respiratory medicines Expenditure in the Primary Care Reimbursement Services 2005 2015 , analysed data from the Primary Care Reimbursement Service schemes and shows total expenditure peaked in 2009 and has been falling since, with the level in 2015 of 135.25m below that of 2006 and similar to the spending back in 2005. It also found that 87% of respiratory medicines in the primary setting are funded by the Government through its public schemes and that 13% of respiratory medicines are funded privately. Author Jackie ODwyer, who has a masters in health economics from University College Cork, referenced a number of barriers to full take-up of respiratory medicines, including the cost of the medicines in some cases. It also referred to Irelands rapidly ageing population and the fact that chronic diseases are responsible for 76% of deaths in Ireland, with four out of 10 hospitalisations in Ireland in 2011 either directly or indirectly due to four of the main chronic diseases cancer, cardiovascular disease, respiratory disease, and diabetes. Irish research shows that there are several factors for a low adherence rate one of which is access to medications and treatments and another is the cost of medications, it said. It found that there were higher adherence rates in those who were on medical cards than those that had to pay or co-pay themselves. This is despite the costs of vaccinations and nebulisers rising but then falling over the period under review. According to the report: The extra cost in order to provide all respiratory medicines through public schemes could range from between 20.2m to 33.8m. As respiratory disease are chronic diseases and some are part of the chronic disease management programmes this extra cost could be paid through the LTI [Long-Term Illness] scheme. This could result in the removal of an adherence barrier, i.e. cost of medications. The research, carried out in collaboration with the Irish Asthma Society, is expected to be published in the Irish Journal of Medical Science in the coming weeks. www.ucc.ie/en/media/research/carl/JackieODwyerCARLreport2017IrishAsthmaSociety.pdf The orders were sought in respect of the woman, who has been hospitalised with the eating disorder for several weeks, currently weighs just 36kg (5.7 stone) and has a body mass index (BMI) of just 12. While the woman has told those treating her she does not want to die and wants to get better, she has refused to give her consent to allow the hospital to feed her by a nasal tube. However, the hospital says her life is in danger unless it is permitted to feed her via the tube. Focus Ireland says it is concerned at the surprise re-appointment of Conor Skehan as chairman of the Housing Agency, claiming that the move raises quite significant challenges. Mr Skehan was widely expected to step down from his role at the state body and had recently come in for criticism after he claimed some families in emergency housing may be gaming the system by declaring themselves as homeless to advance up the housing list. Those remarks brought swift rebukes from a number of homeless charities which claimed that it was not backed up by evidence. Yesterday, it emerged that the Minister for Housing, Eoghan Murphy, had re- appointed Mr Skehan to the role for 2018. The surprise move was met with unease by some homeless organisations, with Focus Irelands director of advocacy, Mike Allen, stating: The fact that he is now continuing as chair for the year raises quite significant challenges. We have been very clear that we think a number of things he said are personal opinions for which there was no evidence. Last night, the Department of Housing said: Dr Conor Skehan was due to step down from the role of chair of the Housing Agency at the end of his term. The department is currently in the process of identifying a suitable replacement. In the meantime, the minister has asked Dr Skehan to stay on as chair until a replacement has been appointed. Dr Skehans re-appointment has been made on a temporary basis for a period of up to one year. As soon as a suitable replacement has been identified through the normal Public Appointment Service arrangements, the department will then make the necessary order to appoint him or her in Dr Skehans place. Mr Skehan had also urged that homelessness charities should be subject to performance targets to justify the state funding they receive and last year said that the housing crisis was completely normal. The latest homelessness report showed that in November, there were 5,524 homeless adults and 3,333 children living in emergency accommodation. News: 7 Editorial: 14 Mr Harris defended the changes, which exempts small local shops from the more draconian elements of the bill regarding separation of alcohol, saying the alterations are common sense. Mr Harris, in an interview with the Irish Examiner, said he is satisfied with the final makeup of the bill. I said alcohol must be less visible to children and it will be. But this will be more practical for small shops. This was never about small shops having to spend a fortune to change their shops. I always felt certain compromises would need to be made to get the bill passed. The Taoiseach when he appointed me told me to get this passed and I feel the compromise was proportionate, he said. He rejected accusations that he has rolled over to the drinks industry: The fact I was not on their Christmas card list is probably a good thing. I dont see how that holds up that I have rolled over. It was 700 days from its initiation to the time it passed the Seanad. We were somewhat going around in circles and some in the drinks industry thought it would never leave the Seanad. We have made a number of common sense changes which dont alter the fundamental principle of what I wanted the bill to do, Mr Harris said. Mr Harris said under this bill minimum unit pricing will come into law, advertising restrictions will be introduced, and new labels with health warnings will come in. Even when Micheal Martin brought in the smoking ban he had to compromise on the legislation. It has to go through the Dail and hopefully we can get it done quickly, Mr Harris said. Mr Harris said he was the subject of intense lobbying from within his own party and from members of the Opposition: In fairness to them, they were transparent about it, they were true to their word. They said we dont have a problem about alcohol being less visible but is there a more practical way to solve it. They had very strong views based on what they heard from local retailers in their constituencies, Mr Harris said. A number of senators criticised of the Bill. Fine Gael senator Paudie Coffey said the bill should not make pariahs out of responsible shopkeepers who are trying to manage their businesses. Fine Gael senator Tim Lombard also said that he was concerned that the legislation would threaten the existence of small retailers. Fianna Fail senator Keith Swanick said the legislation would require small shops to put in place new shelving units, fire exits and work barriers. However, Independent Senator Frances Black urged the minister not to weaken on this part of the legislation. She said that this part of the legislation was about the woman who walks into the shop and just getting a bottle of wine, like as if it was a pint of milk and that bottle of wine could cause that woman breast cancer. The findings emerge from an international study that shows just under three quarters of fourth-class pupils here were almost never bullied. They did not experience four out of eight bullying behaviours asked about, and suffered from the others just a few times a year. However, 5% of Irish children were bullied weekly, meaning they were victims of half the kind of behaviours mentioned once or twice a month, and the rest a few times a year. The bullying mentioned ranged from being called names to physical attacks like hitting or kicking. Other behaviours listed in the questionnaire were: Being left out of games or activities; having lies told about them; having things stolen; being threatened; made to do things they did not want to; and having embarrassing information shared. The figures are based on the responses of more than 4,800 children at almost 150 Irish primary schools that took part in the Progress in International Reading Literacy (PIRLS) tests in April 2016. The 74% who were almost never bullied compares very well to an international average of 57% of children across 50 countries where the same questionnaires were completed. The pupils were asked how often in the present school year they had been the subject of different types of behaviour by other children from their schools, including by texting or online. The figures mean that at least one pupil in the average class of 20 pupils or more is very regularly bullied by others from their school. However, that is significantly less than the international average of 14%, or one in seven. It also compares favourably to 11% of pupils in Northern Ireland being bullied weekly, and 15% in English schools. Despite the relatively low levels of persistent bullying, the possible impacts are evident in the fact that those who are bullied about weekly scored 49 points lower on average than those who are almost never bullied. That is 10 points more than the difference internationally between those bullied least and most often, with only 11 other countries showing a wider gap. In most other countries the reading score differences were between 20 and 40 points. Only children in Kazakhstan and Finland were found to be bullied less than those in Ireland, with 77% and 75% of their pupils, respectively, being almost never victims. By contrast, 42% of South African pupils and nearly one third in Bahrain were bullied about weekly. In a separate questionnaire distributed during the PIRLS reading tests process, principals were asked about discipline issues. The responses from Irish principals suggest our primary schools are among the best-disciplined. With 83% categorised as having hardly any problems, it places Ireland sixth-highest for discipline. Across all 50 countries, an average of 62% of schools was in the same category. Schools were ranked based on answers by principals to questions about the degree to which issues like absenteeism, disturbances in class, profanity, vandalism, theft, fighting, and intimidation or verbal abuse of other students or staff, were a problem among their fourth-class pupils. Another 15% of Irish primary schools were found to have minor problems, and just 2% had moderate to severe problems. Nicholas Veale, aged 33, of Cluain Garbhain, Dungarvan, Co Waterford, pleaded guilty to a number of public order charges arising out of two incidents. Inspector John Deasy said Garda Timothy OSullivan was on beat patrol at Parnell Place, Cork, on the afternoon of January 31 last year. Nicholas Veale was passing Garda OSullivan and he proceeded to flick Garda OSullivans cap in an effort to knock it off his head. Garda OSullivan demanded his name and address and confiscated a half-full bottle of cider from his hand as he believed it was contributing to his offending behaviour. Mr Veale became extremely aggressive and pushed Garda OSullivan in an attempt to retrieve the alcohol. He was arrested for threatening behaviour, the inspector said. The accused committed the second offence at 2am on April 1 last year, on Grand Parade, where he shouted abuse at a second man. He failed to comply with a direction to leave the area. Yesterday, at Cork District Court, he pleaded guilty to being threatening and failing to leave the scene in respect of the Grand Parade incident and a threatening charge relating to Parnell Place. Insp Deasy said the accused had 40 previous convictions, 20 of which were for public order offences. Solicitor Eddie Burke said Veale was originally from Dungarvan and left Cork shortly after the incidents. A sentence of two months imprisonment was imposed by Judge Olann Kelleher. Robin Martin, of Cappanacush West, Greenane, Killarney, Co Kerry, has paid over 3,000 to the poor box after driving without insurance on six occasions in Kenmare and in Killarney. He pleaded guilty yesterday at Kenmare District Court which heard he was hoping to join the British Army. Martin admitted offences relating to September 2016 along with January 14, April 18, May 7, May 9, and June 10 last year. New figures show that sales in the 45 bars and canteens operated by the Defence Forces fell by 6.3% in 2016 to just under 1.84m down by more than 123,000 on the previous year. Turnover at messes for officers, NCOs and privates has been on a sharp downward trend since the early 2000s when annual sales of more than 5m were recorded. Profit levels also dipped in 2016 down 2.9% to 501,653. The Defence Forces Canteen Board which operates financial control of the bars and canteens said the 27% gross profit rate as a percentage of sales is satisfactory. The Department of Defence also provided a grant of 55,532 to the board in 2016 towards the cost of retirement of one employee. A significant reduction in operating expenses allowed the DFCB to post a net surplus of 10,451 in 2016 after recording a net deficit of almost 25,000 the previous year. It followed the return of almost 368,000 in profit to the individual bars and canteens. The DFCB said its cash reserves at the end of 2016 had increased to just under 35,000 while its net assets have also increased in value to a similar amount. Messes for private soldiers were informally established in 1990 as a result of the report of the Gleeson Commission on pay and conditions in the Defence Forces and put on a formal footing in 1997. Since 1999, the board has supervisory and financial control over all messes for officers, NCOs and privates in military bases around the country. Around 20 messes have been shut down in the past 15 years, while four dry canteens were closed in 2013 due to falling sales. According to the Defence Forces, messes are not public premises but civilians may attend as guests of Defence Forces personnel. Alcohol prices were increased in military barracks last year as a result of price hikes by drinks suppliers in June. The price of a pint of Guinness and Heineken was increased by 10 cent to 3.10. The price of a bottle of Budweiser and Miller also increased by the same margin to 2.30 and 2.40 respectively. A measure of 12-year-old Jameson 1780 costs 3.80 in military barracks following a 50 cent increase. Yesterday it was revealed that 14 homeless families, who have been living in Dublins Gresham Hotel will be forced to move elsewhere as the hotel is no longer accepting homeless people. Deputy CEO of Dublin City Council (DCC) Brendan Kenny said they had officially been informed last November that the hotel would not be renewing its contract to provide emergency accommodation. The Gresham Hotel had a financial contract with DCC to provide emergency accommodation. Mr Kenny stated that some of the families would now go to hubs and others were now eligible for permanent social housing. However, Sinead Hughes, who has been living in the hotel for the last 18 months with her eight-year-old son, said DCC had still not informed her about alternative accommodation. Inner City Helping Homeless (ICHH) CEO Anthony Flynn, said his charity has been assisting families left in the lurch when the hotels they are staying in need their beds on busy weekends. The bubble is going to burst. There are going to be more families in this situations. There are already over 600 families in hotels nationwide and there are more tourists coming in so those beds are going to be needed, Mr Flynn told the Irish Examiner last night. He said there was a child as young as one-and-a-half living in the Gresham Hotel. He explained that families learned about the change of contract from the hotel and not DCC. While Mr Kenny, who has responsibility within DCC for housing, said it was a positive thing that fewer families will be in hotels, Mr Flynn rejected this narrative. There is a narrative that this is a positive thing that people are being taken out of hotels, but theyre not being taken out of hotels, they are being forced out of them, Mr Flynn said. Mr Kenny said: We want fewer families in hotels. We have alternatives now, like hubs. However, Mr Flynn also challenged this assertion saying it was unrealistic as there is currently a shortage of housing and the DCC was waiting on a hub, on OConnell St, Lynams, to be ready. In 2014, at the first homeless summit, a Nama-managed hotel was tabled as a solution to get families out of homelessness. Yesterday, Labour spokesman for urban regeneration, Joe Costello, once again called on Nama to step in to help solve the crisis. There is now a public body that has the capacity to make an immediate and substantial difference in the crisis. The Government must accept that its existing policy of relying on the private sector to solve the crisis has failed as the homeless and housing lists continue to increase. Nama has completed its legislative remit. It has demonstrated flair and capacity in the construction industry. It is well resourced. Now is the time to redirect and reconfigure the agency into a new role as the States national housing body, he said. Editorial: 14 He made the request while hosting President of Samsung Vietnam Complex Shim Won Hwan in Hanoi on January 5. Dung lauded the companys large-scale investment in Vietnam, saying that it has created jobs for hundreds of thousands of Vietnamese workers, bolstered exports and ensured the trade balance between Vietnam and the RoK. The Vietnamese Government wants Samsung and investors from the RoK to expand their production and increase productivity and export values, bringing benefits to each country, he added. He also affirmed that Vietnam and the RoK are enjoying sound strategic partnership relations, which are concretised through the effective cooperation between enterprises from both sides. The RoK is currently the second largest ODA provider of Vietnam and two-way trade as of November, 2017 was estimated at US$56 billion, he said, noticing that Samsung has been the biggest investor in Vietnam for several years. Shim Won Hwan, for his part, highlighted that stable macro-economy is a positive sign for Vietnam as well as foreign investors. He took the occasion to thank the Vietnamese Government, ministries and branches for addressing the difficulties for his company to branch out their operations in the Southeast Asian country. There are 160,000 Vietnamese labourers working in Samsung plants and the company has carried out numerous policies to ensure social welfare in the country, he said. Netflixs new teen dramedy has been described as the cousin once removed to last years smash 13 Reasons Why. The success of that series, in which a high-school student outlines, from beyond the grave, the reasons for her suicide, was on a scale even Netflix was blindsided by. Of course it was also enormously controversial, with censors in New Zealand going so far as to create a new ratings category specifically for the show (high school suicide rates in the country being among the highest in the developed world). But this did not put audiences off and 13 Reasons Why, which is to return for a second season, is seen as one of Netflixs stand-out smashes in an uncertain year (during which the streaming service racked up flops such as Gypsy and Girlboss). On the face of it, The End of the F***ing World is every bit as dark and troubling as its spiritual predecessor. The eight-parter, previously available through Channel 4s on demand service but which now arrives in its entirety on Netflix, centres on anti-hero James (Alex Lather), a moany, wooly haired teenager who appears entirely archetypal apart from the fact that he has longed, for as long as he can remember, to kill someone. Enter Alyssa (Jessica Barden), a highly strung teen, who mistakes grumpy James for a bad-boy and potential love interest. The deal is sealed, as far as she is concerned, when he punches his father and steals the family car. The story is adapted from the graphic novel by Charles Forsman and shares with the source material a cheerful indifference towards authenticity.The tone is almost self parodyingly bleak and there are frequent lurches into black comedy, with the unlikely couple taking turns to deliver pithy narration. To reveal any more would be to spoil the surprises (of which there are many). Suffice to say 13 Reasons Why fans yearning for further bittersweet diversions will find much here to chill and thrill. WHEN US authorities arrested Arthur Rathburn last year, they hailed their investigation as a milestone in efforts to police a growing industry: Brokers who acquire bodies donated to science, dissect them, and sell or lease the parts for profit. The indictment alleges that Rathburn stored bodies destined for medical education and training in grisly conditions and dismembered them with a chainsaw. He is accused of endangering clients, mostly healthcare workers, by renting them cadavers and severed heads that were infected with HIV and hepatitis. A government news release touted the arrest as a significant step, one that demonstrates that protecting the public is a high priority. But authorities missed repeated opportunities to rein in Rathburn. Warning signs about his activities date back more than a dozen years. In the mid-2000s, for example, New York state health inspectors twice reprimanded him for failure to provide documentation that bodies he acquired were in fact willingly donated. Rathburn had also been on the radar of federal authorities since 2010, when border agents first questioned him about 10 heads he was transporting from Canada, court records show. Over the next three years, agents documented five similar cross-border shipments, one that included a severed penis. But agents did not raid Rathburns warehouse until December 2013. In the meantime, he acquired, sold, and rented out more bodies and parts. The failure to intervene sooner shows how easily brokers can evade government scrutiny and points to a gap in law surrounding the body trade, an industry that typically targets the poor with incentives such as free cremation. Rathburn and his then wife were charged with defrauding customers, not with selling or desecrating human remains. Selling or leasing body parts is not a federal crime and is largely unrestricted in all but a few states. The FBI told me they found my sisters shoulder inside Rathburns warehouse, said Carol Keenan. Her sibling had donated her body in 2013, hoping to aid cancer researchers. It was hard enough to lose her, but this has been devastating, said Keenan. I was shocked when I learned theres no regulation that any Joe-fly-by-night can start up a company and nobody knows what hes doing. Rathburn, 63, faces trial this month on charges of defrauding healthcare workers and lying to federal agents. He has pleaded not guilty and remains jailed. His ex-wife, Elizabeth Rathburn, pleaded guilty to one count of fraud and is cooperating with prosecutors. Neither the Rathburns nor their attorneys responded to requests for comment for this story. The FBI also declined to comment. A chance to establish national standards governing body brokers came in 2004, after disturbing reports emerged about the nascent industry. In one case, police arrested a California university employee for secretly selling donated cadavers. In another, the US army admitted that bodies originally donated to a university for educational purposes were used in landmine experiments. Harpers Magazine also published a 10-page expose on body brokers, briefly citing Rathburn as a supplier. Appalled by the reports, a federal health advisory panel meeting that year called for regulation of body brokers. The panel asked the US government to apply the same strict oversight to the body parts trade that already governed organ transplantation. Nothing came of the panels recommendation. Since that failed effort, the market for body parts has grown, and abuses abound, some reminiscent of those the 2004 federal panel sought to prevent. A Reuters review of court, police, and internal broker records and interviews identified more than 2,357 body parts obtained by brokers from at least 1,638 people that were misused, abused or desecrated. The customers include the US government. As Reuters previously reported, the US army used heads, arms, and legs from more than 20 bodies in blast experiments in 2012 and 2013, even though donors had not given permission. In one of the most egregious examples, the military used the body of an army veteran who signed a donor form two months before he died of cancer in 2013. The man was so angry about the poor healthcare provided by the US Department of Veterans Affairs that he checked no to military experimentation on the consent form. It didnt matter. His body was used in a violent army test anyway. An army spokeswoman said the military was deceived by its supplier and never knowingly used the bodies of donors against their wishes. Asked about the federal panels 2004 call to regulate body brokers, a US Health and Human Services Department spokesman said the agency was under no obligation to accept the recommendation. How and whether to police the industry, spokesman Martin Kramer added, is left to each state. Most US states, including Michigan, dont regulate body brokers closely, or at all. In those states, a broker may legally sell a donated cadaver or its parts, such as heads and arms, so long as the remains are not intended for transplantation. Only 10 states provide any oversight. Just a handful require licensing or disclosure. As a result, donors and their families are left to rely on the good faith of the people who run the programmes, said retired anatomy professor William Burkel, who supervised Rathburn at the University of Michigan when they both worked there in the 1980s. Because the laws vary so much from state to state, he said, there is a lot of opportunity for people like Mr Rathburn to do it without any sort of oversight. Rathburns alleged victims included not only donors and their families but also the doctors, dentists, and other healthcare workers who acquired parts from him. Steve Schomisch, who directs surgical training at Case Western Reserve School of Medicine in Cleveland, learned recently how unregulated the industry can be. Federal authorities told him that a head Rathburn supplied to train Case Western neurosurgeons in 2013 was among a number of body parts that could not be traced to a donor, raising questions about the donations legitimacy. We felt betrayed, said Schomisch. Then we said, What can we do to make sure this doesnt happen again? Schomisch formed a university committee to research the way the industry supplies body parts; the panel found little oversight and few rules. Today, Case Western leases only from a handful of pre-screened brokers that follow standards established by the American Association of Tissue Banks, a national accrediting organisation. Its such a difficult decision whether to donate, Schomisch said of people who bequeath their bodies. I think you just assume that by donating, youre doing something good. But people like Art Rathburn tarnish that. A CHARISMA ABOUT HIM Rathburn was hired in 1984 by the University of Michigan body donation programme, which uses cadavers for anatomy classes and research. He was 30 years old with a community college degree and a work ethic that endeared him to better-educated colleagues. He had a charisma about him, said former supervisor Stuart Baggaley. Rathburn arrived at a critical time. University archives show that Rathburn helped the programme rebound from complaints by donor families about poor customer service. He was just energetic, doing something all of the time, said Burkel, who led the programme during those years. He had a lot of ideas. One merited publication in a scientific journal and a patent: A State-of-the-Art Embalming and Autopsy Station, a device that promised safer and easier preparation of dead bodies. In 1988, Rathburn was prominently featured in the monthly Ann Arbor Observer newspaper. He expounded on the significance of cadavers in the classroom and told a whimsical tale about his entry into the business a friend bet him $10 he wouldnt fill out a funeral home job application. He did. In a photograph accompanying the story, Rathburn wears a tie, lab coat, and broad smile. A coffin, mops, and coolers used to transport body parts lie in an abandoned courtyard outside a warehouse once shared by Southern Nevada Donor Services. Picture: Reuters TWO years later, however, Rathburn left the school, records show, following unspecified allegations of misconduct. He obtained a court order barring release of his personnel records. But recently, two people with direct knowledge disclosed the alleged transgression: Rathburn mishandled the donor ashes, a cardinal sin in the funeral industry. With that information shielded from public view, Rathburn set out in the early 1990s to sell body parts. One person Rathburn impressed was Ed Eichenlaub, then a doctors assistant in Pittsburgh who began working with him to supply body parts for research and surgical seminars. I would call up Art and say, I need half a dozen human heads, he said. Later, Eichenlaub said, he worked for Rathburn handling body parts at medical seminars in New Orleans, San Francisco, and Chicago. I wont lie to you. It was creepy, said Eichenlaub. You arrive at this place and there is this huge ice chest and you open it and there are a dozen heads. Theyre wrapped up, but it takes a special person to do this. One reason entrepreneurs like Rathburn can avoid scrutiny is the patchwork of state laws relating to the sale of body parts. Only 10 states provide meaningful oversight, and almost all of them do it differently. For example, Virginia and Florida regulators need to give advance permission before a broker may bring body parts into the state for research or training. In Oklahoma and Oregon, regulators do not require prior approval to ship individual body parts, but they do inspect brokers regularly and require stringent record-keeping. In two of the 10 states, the laws do not appear to be a high priority. In New Jersey, said an official, a 2008 law restricting the business to nonprofits and requiring brokers to register with health authorities hasnt been implemented, because the legislature failed to authorise funds. In Maine, a state spokesman said that although the law requires brokers to be registered, officials havent bothered to create rules because nobody has ever applied for a permit. Perhaps no agency in America imposes tighter controls on body brokers than the New York state health department. New York requires licences, inspections and annual statistical reports for any broker, even those not based in the state, that ships body parts to customers in New York. State health officials travel around the country to inspect brokers. Still, neither New Yorks laws nor its regulators were enough to stop Rathburn, according to a review of court documents and state health records obtained under open-records laws. In 2004, a New York inspector travelled to Rathburns warehouse in Detroit. Though Rathburn was notified of the visit a week in advance, the inspector still found serious deficiencies flaws that demonstrate how body parts can enter a black hole of accountability after being donated, dissected, and shipped to customers. Among the problems: Rathburn could not produce documents proving that bodies were donated willingly. There are no such records for whole bodies and body segments received for use at the facility, stated the report. Rathburn, the records show, contended that privacy laws and supplier policies prevented him from providing such proof. New York officials said that was no excuse for not supplying consent forms. Your plan of correction, inspectors wrote him in 2005, does not address the core of this deficiency. In 2006, officials told Rathburn he could no longer ship body parts to New York until he resolved their concerns. In 2007, New York health officials issued Rathburn a provisional licence, allowing him to resume operations there. In a statement to Reuters, New York officials said they conducted a thorough examination. A New York health official added that her agency did not notify Michigan authorities at the time because such a regulatory agency does not exist in that state. The official did not elaborate on what agency that might be. The records show that, from 2005 through 2007, Rathburns business continued unabated outside New York as he distributed more than 200 severed heads. At least one broker voiced concern during this period. Walter Mitchell, former owner of BioGift, an Oregon body donation firm, said he stopped supplying body parts to Rathburn after a 2006 incident. A week after shipping two human torsos to Rathburn in Detroit, Mitchell got a call from the airline that transported them. No one had picked up the packages at the airport. When are you going to come? an airline employee asked, according to Mitchell. The coolers are leaking and it smells. Rathburn ultimately picked up the torsos, Mitchell said. In the mid-2000s, Rathburn launched an ambitious expansion, one that would lead to bankruptcy. FOR $1.8m in 2005, Rathburns company bought a funeral home and warehouse in Richmond, Virginia. People familiar with the deal said he chose the properties because they were strategically located near two interstate highway exits, a convention centre, and a medical school. The neighbourhood was also on the upswing. They were going to bring in loads of cadavers to be stored at the warehouse and, as needed, transferred to the funeral home, then to medical training events, recalled former city councilman Bill Pantele. Having invested a lot of years in revitalisation of that neighbourhood, I thought, This is a bad idea. Faced with community opposition, Rathburn abandoned the plan and struggled financially. While his Michigan company grossed almost $900,000 annually from 2006 to 2008, records show, debts mounted. By late 2008, when Rathburns company declared bankruptcy, it reported assets of $72,130 and debts of $621,905. It owed $210,402 in back taxes and at least $175,000 to companies supplying body parts. In court records, Rathburn described the Virginia venture as an ill-conceived plan. As part of the bankruptcy filing, Rathburn provided a list of assets. The inventory included 14 chairs, 10 file cabinets, 91 heads, 18 spines, six hips, and a copy of the hippocratic oath. He put the total market value of the body parts at $160,900. Despite the bankruptcy, Rathburn continued to operate. Through 2013, six body brokers shipped him more than 800 body parts worth hundreds of thousands of dollars, according to court and New York health department records. Federal authorities came into contact with Rathburn or his employees a dozen times including six border crossings from 2010 through 2013. In 2010 and again in 2011, federal law enforcement records show, Rathburn was stopped returning from Canada. Each time, he was carrying 10 human heads. In 2012, picnic-style coolers containing eight heads in red liquid arrived at the Detroit airport. Border agents confronted Rathburn. Among the lies agents allege Rathburn told them was that the liquid wasnt blood, but Listerine mouthwash, used to preserve specimens. The alleged lies to the federal agents appeared to accelerate the investigation of Rathburn, court records show, though no one intervened to search his warehouse or stop his business. Seven months later, alleges his indictment, Rathburn sent a cadaver infected with hepatitis B and HIV to a medical convention in Washington. No attendees were harmed, although they would not learn of the potential danger for years. In August 2013, New York officials inspected the Detroit warehouse once more and again reported problems with Rathburns ability to keep proper records for each body part. No other action was taken against him at the time. Rathburn continued to acquire bodies for $5,000 and heads for $500 until late 2013. Lachell Jeffries-Hanson: Her mothers head, legs, and shoulder were in Rathburns warehouse. Lachell had thought her mothers head had been cremated. Picture: Reuters/Joshua Lott Among those remains: The head, two legs, and a shoulder from Glorious Pearl Jeffries, according to her daughter, Lachell Jeffries-Hanson. The Chicago-area wedding planner, who died at age 72 of a pulmonary embolism, hoped her donation would educate others, recalled the daughter. She said the FBI told her recently that the donation firm that took her mothers body distributed some of its parts to Rathburn. You dont really read through everything, Jeffries-Hanson said of the donation paperwork she signed. I was distraught. In December 2013, after nearly four years of investigation, the FBI raided Rathburns warehouse and office. Inside, authorities said, agents found thousands of body parts. Rathburn stored human heads by stacking them directly on top of each other without any protective barrier, authorities state in a court filing. The FBI began informing next of kin with a form letter: There is nothing that I can say that can make this news easy for you. As a victim, however, you have the right to know the truth... We want justice, said Jeffries-Hanson. What troubles her most, said Jeffries-Hanson, is that her mothers head, which she thought had been cremated, was sitting on someones shelf. Thats her face, thats her brain, thats her, thats what made her function. Rathburn was arrested in January 2016. By then, he told agents, he was homeless and living out of his van. When tasting the sweet life, its arguable theres no better place than Italy. La Dolce Vita has long been a paradigm for living well, even before its meaning acquired international currency. After all, enjoying everyday luxuries, from food and wine to culture and the arts, are sanctified Italian rituals simple pleasures that qualify as special occasions. It is still arguable where the tastiest of these simple pleasures can be found. Not a mean feat in a country celebrated for its enviable lifestyle. Im happy to hang my geographical hat on the Emilia Romagna region a northern province known for its medieval cities, rich gastronomy, and unstudied elegance. Heres why. Having lived in Bologna (the capital of Emilia Romagna) for a year at university, I was no stranger to the areas gourmand status (they dont call it the fat city for nothing); not to mention its equally robust historical and architectural rap sheet. That said, I was none the wiser about the outlying regions, particularly the Adriatic Coast, until I recently sampled its delicious heritage. My travels took me an hours drive outside of Bologna to the historical town of Ravenna (easily reached in 90 minutes, with 24 trains a day leaving Bologna Centrale station). Small and perfectly formed, its unassuming size belies a more prodigious reputation. Once the capital of the western Roman and eastern Byzantine empires from the 5th to the 8th centuries, Ravenna has since accrued a laundry list of must-sees: Eight UNESCO World Heritage sites to be precise; a staggering boast which blends nonchalantly with its pedestrianised streets, unassuming wine bars (enoteca), and family-run restaurants (trattoria). Given my short overnight stay, I was surprised at just how much I could fit in. My tightening trouser waistband was another surprise but more on that later. Five of the eight sites can be covered under one 24-hour round ticket (9.50; www.ravennamosiaci.it). Pro-user tip? Aim for two and soak it all in; the sheer magnitude of the gilded basilicas and ancient mosaics will leave you slack-jawed. Speaking of which The mosaics. The oldest mosaics in the world. Words dont quite do justice to the ornate 6th-century tiles which were used by the ancients to illuminate biblical parables and Christian teachings. Given their pervasive presence, the best individual examples can be found in the Mausoleum of Galla Placidia and neighbouring Basilica of San Vitale. Greeted by a ceiling of breathtaking stars and representations of Christs triumph to eternal life, the mausoleum ranks as one of UNESCOs best-preserved mosaic monuments. The basilicas gilded Byzantine interior, vaulted ceilings, and vertiginous columns ranks an equal contender. True to Ravennas elegant discretion, the brick-faced exteriors of both monuments betray a certain awe upon entering. A neck pillow in both instances would have helped. Fast-forward to the present moment and youre bound to spy some colourful street art (Brazilian artist Kobra pays fitting homage) dedicated to the poet Dante Alghieri. Exiled in the 14th century from his native Florence to Ravenna, the authors neo-classical tomb can be found a few short steps from the basilica. Prefer your poetry in motion? Dont miss the Ravenna Festival (www.ravennafestival.org), a two-month-long summer celebration of the performing arts which often includes theatrical re-enactments of the Divine Comedy among other Dante-inspired pieces. After raising the minds eye to God, a two-minute cobblestoned walk to Al Cairoli restaurant (www.alcairoli.com) is in order. Serving regional produce with oodles of charm, this modest trattoria is vastly territorial. Expect only locally produced fare like fried crescentine breads, cold cut meats, parmesan cheese, 12- and 24-month old balsamic vinegar (rumour has it, most families have a tub of the sweet elixir in their attics); and, of course, Pignoletto and Lambrusco sparkling wines (bearing the strict Italian DOC and DOCG quality labels). We havent even talked pasta yet. Cue: Disappearing waistline. Need a post-prandial walk? Take a leisurely stroll to Cabiria Wine Bar (www.cabiriaravenna.it) one of Ravennas most popular after-dinner haunts; order an Aperol Spritzer and call it a day. Why? Youll want to save your appetite for Rimini. The Ponte Di Tiberi in Rimini An hour by car or train from Ravenna, Rimini is, without doubt, the main attraction of the picturesque Adriatic Riviera. A seaside resort, popular in summer with Italian tourists, the ancient town boasts more than its 15km coastline. Historically one of the culturally richest towns in the Roman Empire, the city is easily identified with era-centric gems from the Tiberius Bridge and Augustus Arch to the artistic masterpieces of the Malatesta era. Its also got the three Fs going for it: Film, festivals, food. You dont have to be a certified cinemaphile to appreciate the towns reverence for its most famous resident the late director Federico Fellini. Film buffs can follow the self-guided walking tours (www.gpsmycity.com) taking in the newly restored Cinema Fulgor where Fellini saw his first film; the Borgo San Giuliano a village decorated with colourful murals that commemorate his films; and the nouveau Grand Hotel made famous by Oscar-winning 1973 film Amarcord and officially listed as an Italian national monument in 1994. As a child, he was said to have gazed through the hotels gates not realising, as an adult, he would be a regular guest with his own favourite suite. With its coastal location, Rimini is a must for seafood. Not far from the Fellini borgo is the unpretentious La Marianna restaurant (www.trattorialamarianna.it) overlooking the Marecchia river a favourite with Beyonce who dined here in 2011 with husband Jay-Z. Although Queen Bey reportedly ordered oysters, clam tagliolini (traditional Emilia-Romagna pasta), a light broth and a buffalo mozzarella salad; the set menu A Taste of Romagna offers a gourmand greatest hits of the region for 30 per person. Start with fresh mussels, followed by handmade pasta tagliatelle with clams poveracce (onion, garlic, parsley, white wine, and extra virgin olive oil). Take a breather theres more. Continue with a mixed fry-up of young squid, anchovies, and vegetables and finish with a lemon sorbet, coffee, and wild fennel digestif. Now, do you see why Italian lunches generally last two hours? Luckily, Rimini is also known for its year-round festivals from The Worlds Longest New Year (www.capodanno.riminiturismo.it), a month-long celebration which turns the town into an open-air stage of performances, DJ sets, Christmas markets, and concerts; to Pink Night (www.lanotterossa.it) a one-night-only summer beach party involving all 100km of the Adriatic Coast. Dancing and digestion make fitting partners. Bear this in mind, especially if indulging in Emilia-Romagnas burgeoning food tourist trade. Fancy cooking with locals? Dont leave without visiting Agriturismo Ripabottina (www.agriturismoripabottina.it), a family-run olive mill and restaurant set in the green hills of Montegridolfo. Although a short 40-minute drive from Rimini, it is a much longer, and more expensive, train and taxi journey. That said, its worth the trek and the extra shekels. Why? The sheer fun of it all. Experience an olive oil tasting and learn what to look for when choosing a bottle (four generations of experience makes the Renzi family real experts). Learn how to make the ubiquitous piadina bread made from flour, lard, water, and salt. Try yours with squacquerone cheese and a plate of strozzapreti pasta prepared by the family and enjoy the countryside view. You may not have room for dessert (even I failed on that front) but one of the sweetest tastes of Italian life hides within the walls of once medieval fortified village, just a three-minute walk away. Impeccably restored by fashion designer Alberta Ferretti and a team of investors in 1988, the old brickwork town of Montegridolfo with its palace-turned-hotel Palazzo Vivianni (colourful window boxes and red-tile rooftops), resembles something from a movie set; not least its panoramic view of the Riminese hinterland. A true visual feast. Its a bitter pill having to leave but thats the thing about Italy; even when youve had your fill, youll come back for more. Getting there Annmarie travelled to the Adriatic Riviera with Topflight. Topflight offers a weekly programme from Dublin to the Adriatic Riviera and features the beach resorts of Rimini and Cattolica. Weekly prices include return flights from Dublin, airport transfers, accommodation for seven nights, 20kg baggage allowance, all taxes and Topflight resort representative services in resort. There is an extensive excursion programme in the resort including the option to visit the principality of San Marino. There are also numerous theme parks in the area which are great for families including Italy in Miniature, Aquafan Water Park, Fiabilandia Theme Park and Cattolica Aquarium. Guests can also hire a car and discover the surrounding towns and countryside. For 2018, La Notte Rosa takes place on the weekend of July 6. For further details and to discuss Topflights holiday options call 01 240 1700, visit www.topflight.ie or drop into your local travel agent. CHECK IN Ravenna - La Reunion www.lareunion.it Bijou hotel near UNESCO monuments. Best for: solo travellers, friends, couples Rimini - Villa Adriatica www.villaadriatica.it Friendly staff and centrally located. Best for: families and business travellers Montegridolfo - Palazzo Viviani - www.palazzovivianni.com Splash out on a special treat. Best for: solo travelers, friends, couples. LINKS There arent many niches left to fill in the automotive world these days we have SUVs styled like coupes, and off-road spec city cars, for example. However, Mercedes-Benz reckons its found a new one, that of the premium pick-up truck. Its argument is that more and more people are buying pick-ups for personal use, so theres a market for a truck thats a bit less utilitarian than whats currently out there. With almost 1,000 pre-orders in the nine months since it was revealed, Mercedes might be on to something... WHATS NEW? Rather than build a new vehicle from the ground up, Mercedes-Benz signed a deal with Nissan to use the platform for the Navara pick-up. That means the engine available at launch is from the Japanese manufacturer, albeit with new software, while the transmission and four-wheel-drive system is also carried over. The exterior is sleeker than the Navara, however, while Mercedes suspension has given the pick-up a much better ride quality. The interiors a massive step up, too, though some switchgear is reused. WHATS UNDER THE BONNET? At launch, theres one 2.3-litre diesel engine in two states of tune. The lower-powered X220d model has 161bhp, while the X250d gets 188bhp. We got behind the wheel of the latter, finding it to be surprisingly slow in everyday driving its fine once youre up to speed, but getting there is a genuine effort. Fortunately, for those who want to use the X-Class off-road, it proved more than torquey enough to get the truck out of trouble on a particularly boggy 4x4 course. Fortunately, a more powerful version is on the way a high-torque diesel V6 with 255bhp and a monstrous 550Nm of torque. It should be the pick of the bunch when it goes on sale in mid-2018. WHATS IT LIKE TO DRIVE? Typically, when driving pick-up trucks, you have to make a concession for the fact theyre set-up for having heavy loads in the back, leading to an often jiggly ride. However, Mercedes has done incredibly well to tame this, leading to a best-in-class ride quality. This is thanks largely to two things new suspension and a wider track. Because the wheels are further apart, it helps make the X-Class more stable than the Navara, while Mercedes road-tuned suspension helps smooth out the tarmac ahead of you. Its impressive in corners too, resisting too much body roll, though with slow steering its best to keep your speed in check, otherwise you could find yourself sawing at the wheel in tighter turns. HOW DOES IT LOOK? The rear two thirds of the X-Class are quite forgettable theres only so much you can do with the traditional pick-up shape. However, Mercedes has worked wonders with the front end to give the truck a distinctive face. In a segment where most cars are defined by simple, rugged aesthetics, the X-Class brings a sense of sophistication. Its a real head-turner, and many pick-up truck drivers along our test route in North Wales couldnt help but take a look. Higher-spec Progressive and Power models get alloy wheels and shiny chrome, but if you go for the entry-level Pure trim you get steel wheels perfect for those who want to make the most of the X-Classs 4x4 capabilities without damaging expensive alloys. The simple look doesnt quite work with the smart front end, but the Pure trim does have a slightly more function-over-form ethos than the rest of the range. WHATS IT LIKE INSIDE? The X-Classs interior is a mixed bag. This is where the clash between Mercedes reputation for high quality interiors struggles against its need to be functional in all weathers. By pick-up truck standards, its definitely up there with the best of them, with smart propeller-like air vents and a prominent infotainment screen. However, while the hard plastics used throughout might be normal for this segment, they feel slightly at odds with the premium image the X-Class is trying to portray. Its best described as premium for a pick-up truck, but if youre coming out of one of the German brands road cars you might get a bit of a shock. Fortunately, this is offset by comfortable seats and well-judged driving position, while theatre-style seating helps rear passengers view out the front. WHATS THE SPEC LIKE? The X-Class is well-equipped in all trims, but most private buyers will want to avoid the more ruggedly styled Pure trim. Opt for the top-spec Power trim instead and youre looking at chrome detailing and body-coloured bumpers, 17-in alloy wheels and LED lighting all around. Inside, black artificial leather and microfibre upholstery makes for extremely comfortable seating, while fully electrical adjustment makes it easy to get the seat in the perfect position. The entry-level model starts at 39,950. VERDICT Compared with pick-up rivals, the Mercedes X-Class is a bit of a revelation to drive. Those simply looking for family practicality would still be better served by an estate or SUV, but if the well-sized load bay appeals and you dont want to give up interior creature comforts, the X-Class treads a fine line very well indeed. If you qualify for the commercial rate, it makes financial sense, too. At a glance: Model as tested: Mercedes-Benz X-Class Power Engine: 2.3-litre diesel Power: 188bhp Torque: 450Nm Max speed: 109mph; 0-60mph: 11.6 seconds MPG: 35.8 Emissions: 207g/km 1. Promulgation of important laws, resolutions The parliament adopted 18 laws in 2017 to continue realising the 2013 Constitution, fine-tune market mechanisms, protect human and civil rights, ensure national security and defence, and prevent corruption and wastefulness. A number of key laws passed and amended in the last year are the law on public debt management, the law on planning and the law on combating and preventing corruption. 2. Overseeing the implementation of policies on food safety and state administrative machinery reform Based on the results from the supervision of the implementation of policies and laws on state administrative machinery reform during the 2011-2016, the National Assembly adopted a resolution on continuing to streamline the state apparatus. The parliament also oversaw the implementation of policies and laws on food safety during the 2011-2016 period and adopted a resolution on stepping up the implementation of policies and law in this field over the next five years. 3. Cooperation with other agencies in social supervision and criticism The NAs Standing Committee, the Government and the Vietnamese Fatherland Front (VFF) signed an inter-agency resolution detailing the forms of social supervision and criticism undertaken by the VFF and political, social organisations, helping make this activity to become an important channel in increasing the publics participation in the nations affairs. 4. Adoption of resolutions on important issues The parliament adopted several resolutions on building a number of sections of the north-south expressway for the 2017-2020 period, site clearance for Long Thanh International Airport, dealing with bad debt at credit institutions and special development mechanisms for Ho Chi Minh City. 5. Greatest ever degree of participation in question, discussion sessions There were more dialogues and discussions during the plenary sessions of the National Assembly in 2017, with 196 deputies asking questions and another 58 participating in discussions at the 3rd plenary meeting alone. NA deputies debated not only with ministers but also with other deputies in an open and democratic manner to express and clarify their viewpoints so that the competent agencies had more data to make their decisions. 6. Largest number of plenary meetings broadcast live The National Assembly broadcast live its activities on radio and television on 11 out of 26 days during the 4th plenary meeting to enable the public to keep abreast of the major issues being deliberated and passed by the law-making body. 7. Personnel work executed strictly and reaches a broad consensus At the proposal of the Prime Minister, the parliament approved the dismissal of the Transport Minister and Government Inspector General and the consequent nominations for these two posts. The National Assembly also voted to disqualify one deputy and suspend two others for their wrongdoings. 8. Hosting IPU symposium on climate change Vietnams National Assembly successfully hosted a seminar for parliaments in the Asia-Pacific region on responding to climate change - actions of legislators to achieve sustainable development goals (SDGs) from May 10-13. Within the framework of the conference, a self-assessment toolkit built by the IPU and the UNDP was launched with comprehensive and specific criteria to help legislatures evaluate their progress and the quality of their implemention of the commitments to achieve SDGs. 9. Vietnam takes chair of Asia Pacific Parliamentary Forum Vietnams National Assembly assumed chair of the Asia Pacific Parliamentary Forum (APPF) for the 2017-2017 tenure from Fiji and is gearing to prepare for the annual meeting of the APPF scheduled to take place from January 18-21 in Hanoi, under the theme Parliamentary Partnership: Peace, Innovation and Sustainable Development. 10. National Assemblys TV channel transferred to NA Office A television channel dedicated to the National Assemblys activities was transferred to the National Assembly Office after it was established nearly three years ago and managed by the Voice of Vietnam, the national radio broadcaster. 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. Talking to Chairman and CEO of the group Kim Jung Tai in Hanoi on January 5, Deputy PM Vuong Dinh Hue stressed that Vietnam welcomes RoK investors, including Keb Hana, to invest in developing a diverse financial market in the country. The group can also join the restructuring of banks, Deputy PM Vuong Dinh Hue said, adding that the Vietnamese Government has decided to accelerate the restructuring of the banking-financial systems in 2018, which is an opportunity for financial groups such as Keb Hana. The Deputy PM appreciated the cooperation between Keb Hana and the Bank for Investment and Development of Vietnam (BIDV). He said that there is potential for their partnership in Fintech and mobile payments in Vietnam. Deputy PM Vuong Dinh Hue added that Vietnam is also looking to develop its infrastructure through public-private cooperation forms, and hopes that Keb Hana could make direct or indirect investment in this field. Hailing the stable and unceasingly improving business environment in Vietnam, Chairman Kim Jung Tai said his group will invest directly or make investment via funds in infrastructure in the Southeast Asian country. He also said the group will expand its partnership with Vietnamese financial institutions via Fintech companies. According to Kim Jung Tai, Keb Hana is helping BIDV to develop its financial and credit services. The support of Vietnams court sector to its Lao counterpart is a vivid manifestation of the special relationship between the two countries Parties and States, the official said. He affirmed that the Vietnamese Government always backs the bilateral judicial ties, contributing to the development of each nation. The Deputy PM asked the Lao court to continue implementing the contents of the cooperation agreements reached by the two sides and organise visits and exchanges for Vietnamese and Lao judicial officials. The Communist Party, State and Government of Vietnam always do their utmost, in any circumstance, to preserve the traditional relationship and special solidarity between Vietnam and Laos, he emphasised. In reply, Khamphanh Sit ThiDampha informed his host that the Vietnamese and Lao court sectors have carried out a range of cooperation activities with a focus on judge trainingand have also increased the exchange of delegations at both central and local levels. Hailing the Vietnamese court sectors assistance in personnel training, the guest said that ten Lao court officials will be sent to Vietnam in order to attend training courses at the Vietnam Court Academy in 2018. On this occasion, Khamphanh Sit ThiDampha handed over an insignia of the Lao court sector to Deputy PM Binh to honour his contributions to the formation and development of the Lao Peoples Supreme Court. On January 4, on behalf of the Vietnamese Party and State leaders, Chief Judge of the Supreme Peoples Court of Vietnam Nguyen Hoa Binh presented a first-class Independence Order to the Peoples Supreme Court of Laos. As a subscriber, you are shown 80% less display advertising when reading our articles. Those ads you do see are predominantly from local businesses promoting local services. These adverts enable local businesses to get in front of their target audience the local community. It is important that we continue to promote these adverts as our local businesses need as much support as possible during these challenging times. Close Standing vice Secretary of the Ho Chi Minh City Party Committee Tat Thanh Cang made the pledge at a reception for visiting head of the Lao Office of Supreme Peoples Prosecutor Khamsane Souvong on January 5. Standing vice Secretary Tat Thanh Cang highlighted the close and effective relations between Ho Chi Minh City and Lao localities over the past year, particularly in education and investment. Ho Chi Minh City has established friendly and cooperative ties with the Lao capital city of Vientiane and Champasak province, he said, adding they have actively implemented cooperation projects, such as providing technical assistance for improving beef cattle herds and training budget management skills. The Standing vice Secretary expressed his hope that the two nations procuracy agencies would continue boosting their cooperation and information exchanges, and support each other in staff training. For his part, the Lao guest said that the fruitful cooperation between the two nations procuracy sectors has contributed to consolidating the long-lasting special relationship between Vietnam and Laos. He expressed his admiration for Ho Chi Minh Citys dynamic development, hoping that the municipal authorities would continue to facilitate the partnership between its firms and Lao localities in all fields. Deputy PM Pham Binh Minh called on the UK Government to encourage British businesses to step up their investment and business in Vietnam, to closely coordinate with the Vietnamese side to raise the efficiency of the use of capital sourced from the UK Commonwealth Foundation and create favourable conditions for the country to access the fund. He also suggested that the UK Government continue their coordination with its Vietnamese counterpart in building a long-term development pathway for the Vietnam-UK Institute for Research and Executive Education and make it easier for the entry and residence of Vietnamese students in the country. For his part, Mark Field highly valued the achievements that Vietnam has recorded in socio-economic development as well as in international integration in general and trade liberalisation in particular. He affirmed that the UK Government will prioritise deepening the strategic partnership across fields in the time ahead. Earlier the same day, Mark Field and Vietnamese Permanent Deputy Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son co-chaired the sixth Vietnam-UK Strategic Dialogue, which took place in an open atmosphere and on the basis of mutual respect and understanding. The two sides discussed orientations and concrete measures to beef up the strategic partnership in a more practical and effective manner, particularly in politics-diplomacy, trade-investment, education-training, science-technology and national defence-security, in the context that the two countries are celebrating the 45th anniversary of bilateral diplomatic ties (1973-2018). They agreed to increase the exchange of all-level delegations while fruitfully implementing the strategic dialogue mechanism on diplomacy, national defence and security. Furthermore, they will increase the promotion of trade, investment, culture and tourism, and people-to-people exchanges, along with intensifying their cooperation in international forums such as the UN, the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) and within the framework of the ASEAN-EU cooperation. Both sides stressed that economic cooperation will continue to be a key pillar of the Vietnam-UK strategic partnership. Permanent Deputy Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son affirmed that the Vietnamese Government will continue creating favourable conditions for UK enterprises to effectively conduct business in the country in the fields of infrastructure development, finance-banking, insurance, oil and gas, energy and pharmaceuticals. The two sides agreed to foster their cooperation to ensure the continuity of key cooperative fields, especially trade and investment, following Brexit. The two countries will also boost their connection in vocational training to develop high-quality human resources for Vietnam as well as to effectively implement the activities of the Vietnam-UK Institute for Research and Executive Education in Da Nang University and scientific research projects under the framework of the Newton Programme Vietnam funded by the UK Government. Regarding defence cooperation, Mark Field praised the fruitful relations between the two countries Defence Ministries, reaffirming the continued implementation of bilateral cooperation mechanisms and the Defence Cooperation Memorandum of Understanding between the two ministries. The UK will continue supporting Vietnam in joining UN peace-keeping activities, he said. The two sides reaffirmed their commitment to closely coordinate in fighting organised crimes, human trafficking, illegal migration, and illegal wildlife trade. As part of the dialogue, the two officials compared notes on regional and international issues of common concern, agreeing on the importance of improving the efficiency of global administration as well as regional links, and the role of international law in resolving global issues. Concerning the East Sea issue, they called on the involved parties to show their goodwill in implementing international obligations and avoid activities that could complicate the situation and increase tension in the region. They also stressed the increasingly important role played by ASEAN in maintaining peace and stability in the region, reiterating that disputes must be solved by peaceful measures in line with international law, including the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (1982 UNCLOS). The two sides also issued a joint press release on the outcomes of the dialogue. It was a totally unexpected step, commented Diaaeddin Al-Kousi, an expert on water issues and former adviser to the minister of water resources and irrigation, in reaction to news that Egypt wants the World Bank to give technical advice on the building of the controversial Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD). In a meeting with his Ethiopian counterpart Workneh Gebeyehu in Addis Ababa last week, Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukri proposed the involvement of the World Bank as an impartial third party in meetings of the technical committee studying the effects of the construction of the dam on downstream countries. The one-day meeting between Shoukri and Gebeyehu aimed to break the impasse regarding the work of the tripartite technical committee made up of representatives of Egypt, Ethiopia and Sudan. Ethiopia is attempting to prolong negotiations on technical matters in order to sidestep a report stating that the dam will harm downstream countries until after the completion of the dams construction, Al-Kousi added. Involving the World Bank has several advantages, as it was the party that initiated the Nile Basin Initiative (NBI) in 1999 on the management of the River Niles water and thus has ample experience in this regard. The NBI was a partnership initiated by the Nile Basin countries as a platform for dialogue and joint work on sharing the rivers resources, promoting peace and stability in the region. According to the international laws governing international rivers, differences between countries should be settled via direct negotiations between the involved parties followed by involving a third party or more. If the mediation fails, the issue can be referred to international organisations like the United Nations. Al-Kousi added that the bank has experts who have long experience in mediation issues. I cannot describe it as 100 per cent unbiased, but they have the skills and the ability to read, understand and analyse the issues, he said. Mohamed Hegazi, former assistant to Egypts foreign minister, agreed. During the difficult technical and political negotiations, World Bank experts assisted the involved countries in solving various legal hurdles and proposing the proper legal solutions to many problems that came up in the negotiations, he said. Hegazi pointed to the role played by the World Bank in the difficult negotiations between India and Pakistan which had led to the historic signing of the Indus Water Treaty in 1960. This was signed after nine years of negotiations between India and Pakistan with the help of the World Bank, which is also a signatory to it. It lasted until December 2016, when India wanted to build various hydroelectric projects on the river, to which Islamabad raised objections. The competition for water in the Indus River Basin has noticeably increased since the treaty was signed, necessitating the need for renegotiation of it. Delegations from India and Pakistan met at the World Bank headquarters in Washington in September last year for a round of talks on the issue. After they had failed to agree, Pakistan requested the World Bank to fulfil its obligations by establishing a court of arbitration to settle the dispute in the light of the Indus Water Treaty. Based on the success of previous third-party mediation in water-sharing issues, Egypt then suggested to Ethiopia last week that the World Bank be included in the River Nile negotiations. The failure of the technical committee to agree on the preliminary report submitted by the consultancy firms will impede the continuation of the studies on the impacts of the dam on Egypt and Sudan, Shoukri told his counterpart in Ethiopia. According to the Declaration of Principles signed in March 2015, the studies should be conducted before the dam filling process starts. Assuring his countrys commitment to the Declaration of Principles and its determination not to cause harm to Egypt, Gebeyehu promised to study the Egyptian initiative and respond at the earliest opportunity. Shoukri stated that he would submit the same initiative to Sudan within the next few days. The World Bank has not reacted to the Egyptian initiative, and no one was available to comment on the issue. Negotiations between the three countries on the GERD broke down last November after the 17th round of technical talks was held in Cairo and attended by the irrigation ministers of the three countries. After the meeting, Minister of Irrigation Mohamed Abdel-Ati declared that the technical track was facing deadlock. Egypt approved the preliminary report, but Ethiopia and Sudan demanded major amendments to the proposed studies. They failed to reach a compromise. It is strange that Ethiopia did not accept the preliminary report, Al-Kousi said. It is even stranger that Sudan did not either, although it signed an agreement with Egypt stating that both states should follow the same policies regarding Nile water issues, he added. The draft preliminary report was produced by a French consultancy firm in March last year. It includes studies to be conducted by the firm on the hydrological, hydraulic, environmental and economic impact of the dam. During last weeks visit to Addis Ababa, Shoukri also met with Ethiopian Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn to discuss the upcoming visit by Desalegn to Cairo later this month in addition to bilateral relations and the challenges facing the technical track on the dam. The involvement of the World Bank, Hegazi added, would be likely to provide a catalyst for establishing a framework for regional cooperation in which a multi-purpose project integrating water, power grids, railway and road network between the three countries could be drawn up. International financial institutions like the World Bank and other donors will certainly favour supporting a multi-dimensional project that involves many countries, in which water is just one factor in a multi-faceted cooperation programme, he said. The construction of the GERD has been a source of tension between Ethiopia and Egypt for some years. The dam, begun in 2011, is due for completion in the middle of this year. It will hold a massive 79 billion cubic metres of water and will be the largest hydroelectric power plant in Africa. Ethiopia argues that there will be no reduction of water downstream, as all the Blue Nile water will be cycled through the dam and eventually reach the downstream countries on its way to the Mediterranean. It also claims that more water will be available overall because there will be less evaporation. *This story was first published in Al-Ahram Weekly Short link: Rapid advances by the Syrian army into rebels' largest remaining stronghold, Idlib province, have brought it closer to a key insurgent-held military airport and displaced tens of thousands of people struggling to find shelter in winter weather. Supported by Iran-backed militias and Russian air power, President Bashar al-Assad's forces have taken territory in northeastern Hama and southern Idlib provinces since beginning an offensive in late October. The fighting and air strikes have forced more than 60,000 people to leave their homes since Nov. 1, according to the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA). In recent days the offensive has escalated, with forces progressing towards the strategic Abu al-Duhur military airport, to which rebels laid siege in 2012 before completely ousting Assad's forces in September 2015. A commander in a military alliance fighting in support of Damascus has said the army and its allies intend to capture the air base. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said on Friday the Syrian army and its allies had taken around 84 villages since Oct. 22, including at least 14 in the past 24 hours. The Britain-based war monitor said the rapid advance this week was made possible by intense air strikes which caused rebels to withdraw. The Syrian army lost Idlib province, which borders Turkey, to insurgents when the provincial capital fell to insurgents in 2015. It became the only province fully under opposition control. Tahrir al-Sham, spearheaded by al-Qaeda's former branch in Syria formerly called the Nusra Front, is the main rebel force in the province. A Syrian military source said the Nusra Front and its allies are the target of the military operation in northeast Hama and southeast Idlib provinces. "The army's operations there are continuing and the army is achieving advances. The terrorists (are facing) big losses in the area," he told Reuters. Idlib is part of Russian-engineered "de-escalation zones" meant to reduce fighting in western Syria. Turkish troops are also present in northern Idlib under the de-escalation deal struck with Assad's allies Russia and Iran. "De-escalation zones do not cover the Nusra Front at all, and the Nusra Front is in reality the one fully controlling Idlib," the military source said. Tahrir al-Sham is simultaneously under attack from Islamic State (IS) militants, which has been expanding a small pocket of territory in northeastern Hama on the edge of the Idlib enclave since the Syrian army ousted it from central Syria in October last year. Mustafa al-Haj Yousef, head of Idlib's Civil Defence, rescuers who work in opposition-controlled areas of Syria, said: "If martyrs, the displaced, the injured, are on the rise, collapsing the houses, striking civilians, targeting civilians? It's as if there's no de-escalation." DE-ESCALATION? The United Nations said the situation of civilians newly displaced by the fighting in Idlib was "dire", with humanitarian agencies struggling to meet their needs. Yousef, of the Civil Defence, said that even after fleeing heavy frontline air strikes and shelling, people face an air campaign deeper inside the province. He said there are not enough camps to cope with the flows, warning that if the army pushes up to Abu al-Duhur and beyond, "the displacement will double, it will multiply". "Most of them are sleeping on the ground, in tents that can't protect from the rain or the cold. Some people are able to rent, but the rent prices have also been very high." Idlib has been a haven for tens of thousands of rebels and civilians forced to abandon their homes in other parts of western Syria that the government and its foreign military allies have recaptured. It has also been the target of intensive Russian and Syrian air strikes that have killed thousands of civilians and destroyed hospitals and civil defence centres. Communities and camps, already hosting thousands of displaced, are struggling to absorb new arrivals. U.N. OCHA spokesman Jens Laerke said that in Idlib province 55 percent of communities are overburdened. In around 10 percent of these communities, internally displaced persons make up more than 70 percent of the total population. OCHA also said the fighting had forced some humanitarian organizations to stop work in parts of southern Idlib. "The greatest need we're seeing among people struggling to survive in this part of Syria is for food. Having been displaced repeatedly by conflict, they've exhausted their resources and are left with few choices, none of them good," said Christy Delafield of Mercy Corps, one of the largest organisations delivering aid in Syria. "It doesn't look to us like things will get easier any time soon." Short link: Pope Tawadros II of Egypt's Coptic Orthodox Church will lead on Saturday evening the first mass ever at the new Nativity of Christ Cathedral in the new administrative capital on the occasion of the Coptic Orthodox Christmas. According to Egyptian state TV, Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi and other top state officials are expected to attend the mass. The Coptic church is providing several buses starting Saturday at noon for worshippers who would like to attend mass at the new cathedral in the new administrative capital, which is located 28 miles (45 kilometres) east of Cairo. Coptic Orthodox Egyptians, who make up around 90 percent of all Christians in the country, celebrate Christmas on 7 January. A minority of non-Orthodox Christians observed the holiday on 25 December. In January 2017, following twin terrorist attacks that killed at least 27 Coptic Egyptians at St. Peter and St. Pauls Church in Cairo in December 2016, President El-Sisi commissioned the construction of the countrys largest mosque and church in the new administrative capital to become symbols of coexistence and national unity. The Nativity of Christ Cathedral would be, upon-completion, the largest church in the Middle East, with a capacity to accommodate 8,200 worshippers. The new cathedral stands at the heart of a large complex built on 15 feddans, and includes a papal residence, a reception hall, meeting halls and offices. The cathedral features two large vaults, 40 metres wide, which cover the central and cross nave. At their intersection a dome stands on four central arches. The two ends of the cross nave, and the western end of the central nave, terminate in large semi-domes while the apse area is flanked on the outside by two 60-metre spires. The countrys new administrative capital is set to be completed in 2020 and is part of the governments plan to expand urban areas to deal with the country's rapid population growth and improve the nation's infrastructure. The Coptic Orthodox Church has held its Christmas mass at the Saint Mark's Coptic Orthodox Cathedral in Cairo since the country's main cathedral was built. Egyptian police and army forces have been on high alert to secure the country's Christmas celebrations. The Ministry of Interior has deployed 230,000 security personnel to secure 2,626 churches nationwide. Short link: On 7 January, Coptic Orthodox Christians who comprise 90 percent of Egypt's Christians will break their 43-day fast and celebrate Christmas. The festival comes almost two weeks after most Western denominations, including Catholics and Protestants, held their celebrations on 25 December. Ahram Online asked Bishop Abram of the Fayoum Diocese to explain why there was a difference in the dates; he stressed that the difference in fact results from the use of different calendars, not from any underlying theological dispute. Although the exact date of Jesus' birth was -- and remains -- unknown, within the first few centuries after his death, churches around the world agreed to celebrate the nativity of Jesus Christ on 25 December (29 Kiahk in the Coptic calendar), most probably to replace the pagan feast celebrating the Roman winter solstice which continued to be observed until then. Bishop Abram argues that celebrating the birth of Christ, considered by Christians to be "the light of the world" is also astronomically apt, since night-time begins to shorten and daylight to lengthen in the middle of December. The different dates of the celebration in the modern period are a result of a change in calendar; while Western churches follow the Gregorian calendar, Orthodox churches continue to follow the older Julian calendar (named after Julius Caesar who introduced it in 46 BC), which in turn is in line with the ancient Coptic calendar. Until the Julian calendar, the date of 25 December and 29 Kiahk in the Coptic calendar happened on the same day each year. But the introduction of the Gregorian calendar changed this alignment. In the 16th century, Pope Gregory XIII of the Roman Catholic Church had his astronomers study the calendar, and they realised that the Julian year was 11 minutes shorter than the actual solar year. Over time, the 11 minutes had added up the equivalent of three extra days being added to the calendar every 400 years. The calendar date was becoming out of sync with the solar year. To correct this, Pope Gregory's recalculated the whole system and cut out the extra days for his new Gregorian calendar. As a result of the difference, the Julian calendar is now 13 days behind the Gregorian calendar, and 25 December in the Julian system falls on 7 January in the Gregorian system. Although the Gregorian calendar was adopted by Khedive Ismail in 1875, the Coptic Orthodox Church has continued to use the older calendar, and 29 Kiahk (or 25 December in the Julian calendar) falls, under the Gregorian system, on 7 January. *This article was first published on 6 January 2014 Short link: A South Cairo prosecution ordered on Saturday that an autopsy be conducted on a man who died in police custody on Friday, and has ordered the detention of 40 people accused of attempting to storm the police station where the man died. The death of the 22-year-old man, Mohamed "Afroto," sparked altercations between police and an angry crowd outside El-Moqattam police station in Cairo. The prosecution has ordered a post-mortem drug test be conducted on Mohamed, who was being investigated for alleged drug trafficking. Mohamed's family claimed that their relative was tortured to death in police custody. According to the prosecution, Mohamed's body "showed no outward signs of injury". The prosecution said that following Mohamed's death, 40 of his friends, family and others gathered in front of the police station where they torched two police vehicles and attempted to storm the station. Later on Saturday, Egypt's Interior Minister Magdy Abdel Ghaffar ordered the department of inspection at the ministry to launch an investigation into the incident, Ahram's Arabic news website reported. Short link: GOLD HILL, Ore. -- Jackson County Sheriff's Office deputies are warning people to be wary of old military souvenirs tucked away in storage after a live WWII-style mortar shell was found in a home this week. On Thursday, January 4, 2018, a Gold Hill woman reported finding a World War II-style mortar shell in a shed on her property in the 400-block of Chavner Street. It had been stored there as long for more than 30 years. She took the mortar out to her yard and set it on the ground before calling dispatch. Deputies responded and requested assistance from the Oregon State Police Explosives Unit. A military Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) unit was then sent from the Portland area to collect the device. In the meantime, deputies notified neighbors and blocked off the area. The EOD team took the mortar to a safe location for detonation. Nobody was injured during the incident. Deputies say these cases happen from time to time; usually the item turns out to be an inert shell kept as a souvenir. In this case, it turned out to be a live device and the homeowner was unaware of the potential danger. "Unfortuntately it's common. We find a lot of training devices that weren't live. Every once and a while, we find a live device that someone used a souvenir from back in the war. This one had been in the storage shed for over 30 years,"said Sergeant Don Adams with the Jackson County Sheriff's Office. Sometimes people find these old devices buried on trails. Sgt. Adams said in the last few years, the sheriff's office has come across roughly five. "Just our area we live in. It used to be an old logging area, an old mining area. So dynamite, the blasting caps, those kinds of things, we come across quite often," Sgt. Adams said. He added army training base, Camp White also used to be in the area so any of these devices still around could be dangerous. The training ones look just like the live ones so that's why we take them all seriously as if they were a live device and contact the Oregon State Police Bomb Squad and have them come up and deal with it," Sgt. Adams said. If you find a suspicious device on your property, military-type or otherwise, please do not handle it or move it to another location. Leave the item in place and call authorities so an expert can examine it safely. Egypt's foreign minister Sameh Shoukry met with Saudi counterpart Adel Al-Jubeir on Saturday in Jordan's capital Amman where they discussed regional and bilateral cooperation, Egyptian foreign ministry spokesman Ahmed Abu Zeid said. The meeting came on the sidelines of a meeting of the FMs of Palestine, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Morocco, the UAE, Egypt and Arab League Secretary-General Ahmed Aboul-Gheit to coordinate Arab efforts to preserve the historical and legal status of Jerusalem. The meeting, which was set up after the recent decision by US President Donald Trump to recognise Jerusalem as the Israeli capital, also involved discussion of ways to confront challenges facing Arab national security. Shoukry and Al-Jubeir agreed on "the importance of preserving the historical and legal status of the City of Jerusalem in accordance with the relevant international resolutions, highlighting the need to push efforts to revive the peace process to achieve a just and comprehensive settlement for the Palestinian question," spokesman Abu Zeid said in a statement released in Arabic and English. The two ministers also discussed ways to confront foreign interference in Arab countries and safeguard Arab national security and stability. The two officials agreed on the importance of "bolstering coordination and solidarity between their countries in addressing such challenges, and adopting common positions that would safeguard the interests of the two brotherly peoples." Shoukry and Al-Jubair also discussed developments in Yemen, Syria and Libya, especially the joint efforts by Egypt and Saudi Arabia in forming a Syrian opposition delegation to negotiate a political resolution in Syria. Shoukry said that he was keen on having this meeting with his Saudi counterpart in the context of ongoing consultation with the UAE foreign minister on threats posed by the increased external presence and interference in areas adjacent to the spheres of the three countries national security, and the overall Arab national security. Shoukry arrived in Amman on Saturday. On 9 December, the Arab League tasked the six Arab countries with discussing and evaluating the developments concerning the status of Jerusalem following Trumps decision. Egypt has long-maintained its support for a two-state solution where East Jerusalem would serve as the capital of a new Palestinian state. Short link: FILE - In this June 29, 2006, file photo, John Ramsey hugs his son, Burke, facing camera, at the graves of his wife, Patsy, and daughter JonBenet, during services for his wife at the St. James Episcopal Cemetery in Marietta, Ga. A judge has declined to dismiss a $750 million defamation lawsuit filed against CBS by JonBenet Ramsey's brother, Burke Ramsey. The Boulder Daily Camera reports a circuit court judge in Michigan on Friday, Jan. 5, 2018, denied a motion by CBS and other defendants who asked that he toss the case. (AP Photo/Ric Feld, File) At 7:30pm on Saturday, many Copts tuned in to TV channels to watch the soft inauguration of the New Nativity of Christ Cathedral at the New Administrative Capital. Coptic Orthodox Pope Tawdros II headed the Christmas mass at the cathedral, where President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi made an appearance to express felicitations for Coptic Christian Egyptians, who celebrate Christmas on 7 January. Of course I will watch for a short while before attending mass with my family and friends at the Mar Morcos Church [in Heliopolis]; of course it is a source of great joy for us to see a new large, beautiful cathedral being opened in Egypt, said Darine, a 35-year-old banker. Darine said that she finds the opening of this cathedral to be very significant, especially since it comes at these very troubling times of so many attacks not just physical but also verbal assaults in the media against the Coptic citizens of this country. It shows, she added, that the state at least feels it has a responsibility towards the Copts of this country; of course this does not make up for anything else, but I still think that it is very important that this cathedral is being opened now and that the president will be there himself. Since he took office in June 2014, President El-Sisi, who has enjoyed significant support from Copts in the wake of the ouster of Islamist president Mohamed Morsi, has made a point of consistently attending Christmas mass. The first time he visited the cathedral was in January 2015. We were praying at the Virgin Mary Church in Ain Shams [eastern Cairo]. We got the news on the phone and we were so joyful; it was the first time ever for a president to attend Christmas mass, said Samiyah, a 45-year-old nurse. Coptic Christmas, which is celebrated on 7 January, was declared a national holiday in Egypt in 2005 by the government of Hosni Mubarak. Unlike Easter, which goes against the dominant Muslim creed that does not acknowledge the crucifixion of Jesus, Christmas is acknowledged by the Muslim faith as the birth of the prophet of Christianity, not as the birth of the son of God. In 2005, Gamal Mubarak, the younger and politically ambitious son of Hosni Mubarak, started attending Christmas mass at St Marks Cathedral in Abbassiya, which was built in the 1960s in an initiative by then-president Gamal Abdel-Nasser, to the rejoicing of the church and worshipers alike. It was an important gesture from Mubarak to send his son, which we had all thought would be the next president, but Mubarak himself never came, Samiya said. She added that after the 2011 revolution, we saw all presidential candidates attend mass, but still, when El-Sisi attended mass in 2015, it was the first time ever for a sitting president to join mass; this was big. Like Darine and other Copts who spoke to Ahram Online while preparing to celebrate Christmas, Samiya pointed to the recent attack by an Islamist terrorist on the Mar Mina Church in Helwan, where seven people died, including a poorly armed guard at the church entrance. Honestly, if there had been enough security measures, this would not have happened, said Fady, a 28-year-old engineer. According to Fady, security around most churches is insufficient. It is much better than it used to be, but in the face of all the anti-Coptic sentiment that we come across in society and in the media both direct and indirect the state should expect that this incitement would result in terror attacks, Fady said. However, what is even more hurtful for Fady and some other Copts is the recent incident in Atfih, a small village south of Cairo where Copts were attacked by Muslim neighbours last month for holding mass at a property that was not officially sanctioned for use as a church. The grievance that many, if not most, Copts in Egypt have is the complications that surround obtaining permits to build churches. Last week, acting Prime Minister Moustafa Madbouli held a meeting with the representatives of the Coptic, Catholic and Evangelical churches to discuss regulations on the matter. We have been hearing about this regulation for long; but I dont think it will actually happen; I dont think there is enough will on the part of the state to face the anger of radical Islamist groups especially not this year, with the presidential elections coming up in March, said Lina, a 19-year-old university student. Lina said that for her, it would have been much better for poor people all around the country to be able to have small neighbourhood churches where they can pray rather than have a large new cathedral in this very remote spot. Today, weekly Coptic newspaper Watani reflected on the mixed feelings that Copts have this Christmas. While the paper published an article titled Sisi makes good on his promise to celebrate Christmas this year at the new cathedral, an editorial on the front page by editor Youssef Sidhom, titled A Christmas with the flavour of martyrs, lamented the continued loss of Coptic lives in terrorist attacks. The fear of a possible massive attack was on the minds of over 15 Copts that spoke to Ahram Online Saturday. Darine said she would be lying if she said that this fear was not on her mind, adding that she was praying for the safety of the worshipers. We hope we will not see one of the massive terror attacks on churches tonight; we are praying, she said. Search Keywords: Short link: FILE - In this Jan. 8, 2017, file photo, Harvey Weinstein arrives at The Weinstein Company and Netflix Golden Globes afterparty in Beverly Hills, Calif. A lawyer who represented actress Paz de la Huerta has filed a lawsuit against Weinstein and a former New York prosecutor, alleging they coordinated in a scheme to get the actress to drop her sexual misconduct complaint against the movie mogul. Aaron Filler's firm, Tensor Law, filed the lawsuit Friday, Jan 5, 2018 against Weinstein, his company and attorney Michael Rubin. (Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP, File) This 1965 photo made available by NASA shows John Young during the Gemini 3 mission. NASA says the astronaut, who walked on the moon and later commanded the first space shuttle flight, died on Friday, Jan. 5, 2018. He was 87. (NASA via AP) FILE - In this Aug. 9, 2017 file photo, John Landgraf, CEO of FX Networks and FX Productions, participates in the executive panel during the FX Television Critics Association Summer Press Tour at the Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills, Calif. Landgraf says an investigation into sexual misconduct by Louis C.K. found nothing involving his work for the company over the past eight years. The investigation followed a published report of misbehavior, Landgraf told TV critics Friday, Jan. 5, 2018. The network cut ties in November with C.K. after he admitted wrongdoing. (Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP, File) FILE - In this Dec. 15, 2017, file photo, President Donald Trump sits with Attorney General Jeff Sessions during the FBI National Academy graduation ceremony in Quantico, Va. TrumpAos White House counsel personally lobbied Attorney General Jeff Sessions to not recuse himself from the Justice DepartmentAos investigation into potential ties between Russia and the Trump campaign. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci, File) Iranian worshippers chant slogans while they burn a representation of U.S. flag during a rally against anti-government protestors after the Friday prayer ceremony in Tehran, Iran, Jan. 5, 2018. A hard-line Iranian cleric has called on Iran to create its own indigenous social media apps, blaming them for the unrest that followed days of protest in the Islamic Republic over its economy. (AP Photo/Ebrahim Noroozi) Egypt's President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi attended Christmas mass on Saturday evening along with top officials including the ministers of interior and foreign affairs as well as army officials at the partial opening of the new Nativity of Christ Cathedral in the new administrative capital. El-Sisi commissioned the building of the church, the largest in the country, in January 2017 following twin terrorist attacks that killed at least 27 Coptic Egyptians at St Peter and St Pauls Church in Cairo. The president, who entered the cathedral along with Coptic Orthodox Pope Tawadros II, stressed that the partial opening of the cathedral is "a message of peace and love from Egypt, not only to Egypt and the region, but to the whole world." "Evil and destruction and killing will never defeat goodness, construction, peace, and love," he said. El Sisi, who offered felicitations to Egyptian Copts, said "we are one, and you are our families. No one can ever divide us," adding that no one will be able to hurt Egypt as long as Egyptians are united. The Coptic Orthodox Church had announced that it would provide buses for worshippers who would like to attend mass at the new cathedral in the new administrative capital, which is located 28 miles (45 kilometres) east of Cairo. The Nativity of Christ Cathedral will, upon completion, be the largest church in the Middle East, with a capacity to accommodate 8,200 worshippers. The new cathedral stands at the heart of a large complex built on 15 feddans, and includes a papal residence, a reception hall, meeting halls and offices. The cathedral also holds two 40-metre-wide vaults that cover the central and cross nave. At their intersection, a dome stands on four central arches. The two ends of the cross nave, and the western end of the central nave, terminate in large semi-domes, while the apse area is flanked on the outside by two 60-metre spires. The countrys new administrative capital, set to be completed in 2020, is part of the governments plan to expand urban areas to deal with the country's rapid population growth and improve the nation's infrastructure. Coptic Orthodox Egyptians, who make up around 90 percent of all Christians in the country, celebrate Christmas on 7 January. A minority of non-Orthodox Christians observed the holiday on 25 December. Egyptian churches have been targeted repeatedly by Islamist terrorists in recent years. Egyptian police and army forces have been on high alert to secure the country's Christmas celebrations, with the Ministry of Interior deploying 230,000 security personnel to secure 2,626 churches nationwide. Short link: Regime and Russian air strikes on a rebel-held enclave near Damascus killed at least 17 civilians on Saturday, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said. The deadliest of the raids on the Eastern Ghouta region hit the Hammuriyeh district, leaving 12 civilians dead including two children, the British-based war monitor said. Eastern Ghouta is the target of near-daily regime air raids. Short link: PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) - A former Oregon special education teacher who pleaded guilty to two counts of first-degree encouraging child sexual abuse has been sentenced to one year in prison. The Oregonian/OregonLive reports that 40-year-old Andres Caputo was sentenced Thursday for sharing child pornography with others on the internet. Investigators say Caputo shared hundreds of photos and videos of child pornography with unknown people, but that none of the children were McMinnville students. Investigators also said Caputo didn't create any of the pornography. Caputo worked for the McMinnville district from 2010 to 2016. Defense attorney Steven Sherlag said Caputo resigned from teaching after investigators found that he had shared child pornography in April 2016. (Copyright 2018 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.) PORTLAND, Ore. Deputies are searching for the person responsible for throwing a dog crate in the Clackamas River, killing a Chihuahua inside of it. Authorities pulled the crate out of the river in December. The body of a female, short hair Chihuahua was locked inside, with a collar but no tag or microchip. Deputies believe the dog was intentionally killed. The Oregon Humane Society wants to get to the bottom of what happened. Its offering a $500 reward for information that leads to the person who did this. Egypts Zohr Field, the largest offshore natural gas field in the Mediterranean, started production on 16 December. It could prove to be a permanent remedy to Egypts power needs and bring it closer to the goal of self-sufficiency in the energy sector in 2018. The supergiant field covers an area of about 100 square km, with estimated reserves of 30 trillion cubic feet and expected initial production of 350 million cubic feet per day. This is expected to rise to about one billion cubic feet by next June and then to 2.7 billion cubic feet by the end of 2019. The fields output would cover the gap between Egypts total gas consumption, standing at 4.9 billion cubic feet per day in 2016, and its total daily production of four billion cubic feet, according to data from the British Petroleum (BP) Statistical Review. It could enable Egypt to return to exporting gas as soon as 2019. The country was a net exporter of gas for ten years before an energy crisis hit in 2013 when foreign companies stopped operations as they had not been paid their dues by the government, pushing Egypt to tap export markets. This was followed by Egypts purchasing 89 cargoes of liquefied natural gas (LNG) from international suppliers in 2015/2016 at a cost of $2.2 billion, according to Egypts Petroleum Ministry. Initial production from the Zohr Field is equivalent to three LNG cargoes a month at a cost of $90 million, according to the Petroleum Ministry. Meanwhile, the cost of local production does not exceed $30 million, which means that Egypt would be saving $60 million on a monthly basis. The Zohr Field is not the only newly discovered gas field off the Egyptian coast. The North Alexandria and Nooros fields will, together with Zohr, raise Egypts natural gas output by 50 per cent in 2018 and 100 per cent in 2020. The three fields together will contribute to natural gas self-sufficiency by the end of 2018, Petroleum Minister Tarek Al-Molla said recently. Foreign investors are keen to capitalise on the gas sectors potential. Italian oil giant Eni, which discovered the Zohr Field, intends to pump investments of $3.5 billion into Egypt in 2018, representing half the companys annual investments. BP has started gas production from the Taurus and Libra Fields in the West Nile Delta Field off Egypts coast. These currently add 700 million cubic feet of gas a day to the Egyptian national grid. The West Nile Delta development includes five offshore gas fields that could have a combined production of up to almost 1.5 billion cubic feet a day in 2019. This gas will also be fed into the national grid. The government is expected to issue another tender for LNG purchases in early 2018 to cover the countrys needs for the second quarter of the year. It plans to stop importing the fuel by the end of next year because of the gas from the Zohr Field. The government has also taken other steps to encourage energy investment in Egypt. Under Law 196 from August last year, private businesses will be allowed to transport and trade gas using the countrys pipeline network and infrastructure, moving away from a state monopoly, said Amira Al-Mazni, former vice-chairman of the National Gas Authority EGAS. The law is part of a push by the government to spur investment in the economy. Over the past year, the government, backed by the International Monetary Fund, has enacted economic reforms that have included floating the currency, cutting subsidies and passing legislation to attract foreign investment. Egypt has also adopted a flexible gas-pricing formula to encourage such investment. It previously paid a fixed price of $2.65 per 1,000 cubic feet. Talks are being held to price the gas at $4 per 1,000 cubic feet. The Zohr Fields output should satisfy the domestic market, with the nations two existing gas-liquefaction facilities being large enough to process the huge quantities of excess gas for export in 2019. If the Zohr and other gas fields generate more supplies, Egypt may consider adding a third LNG-exporting terminal, Al-Molla said. Egypt can also become a gas-exporting hub as the sector has many advantageous features. In addition to abundant supply, thanks to the newly discovered fields, Egypt has 19 plants for natural gas treatment and two liquefying facilities with total capacities of 12 million tons per year. Egypt has two floating deliquefying facilities with a total capacity of 1,300 million cubic feet per day. Osama Mobarez, head of Development of the Petroleum Sector at the Ministry of Petroleum, said Egypts strategic location together with its proximity to main international trade routes and the presence of Suez Canal enabled it to be a regional energy hub, being able to liquefy and store gas if necessary. Law 196 is an important addition as it allows the private sector to directly ship, transport, store, market and trade natural gas using the pipeline and network infrastructure. It also relieves the government from the burden of providing for the rapidly growing natural-gas consumption and turns it into a regulator, a practice common to countries that have liberalised their markets and freed them from state monopolies, said Hafez Al-Salmawi, an energy expert at the World Bank. *This story was first published in Al-Ahram Weekly newspaper Short link: MASON CITY, Iowa - A local woman is spearheading an effort on social media to encourage others to help each other. The "North Iowa Gives Back" Facebook page now has more than 3,000. People can post if they're in need of something like furniture, clothes or even prayers. You can also post items you have and are willing to donate to others. Like I said Ive always been helped through my whole life on different things clothes, food and I wanted to give back to the community and I wanted to see the community give back to each other, Administrator Kandi Torres said. One of the requirements is everything that's posted is free, you're not allowed sell items on the page, just donate them. DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) - An Iowa farmer-turned-reality television star, fighting to avoid prison after driving his pickup into the back of a tractor and killing a neighbor, plans to appeal his case to the Iowa Supreme Court. Chris Soules became known as "Prince Farming" during his 2015 appearance on "The Bachelor" and also appeared on "The Bachelorette" and "Dancing With The Stars." He lost a legal battle Friday in the felony case against him when a judge dismissed his constitutional challenge to an Iowa law requiring the surviving driver in a fatal accident to remain at the scene until police arrive. It goes beyond the statutes of many states. Soules' attorneys say he vigorously disagrees with the judge's ruling and will ask the state's highest court to review it. He faces trial Jan. 18. Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Hello from Kiwi-land - and a query about No Cut Buttonholes If you would like to post a reply, then please login (if you already have an account) or register (if you don't). Jan 5, 2018 20:37:47 # FuLeBeau Hi I am from New Zealand. I am an enthusiastic but not a very skilled knitter. Ive just been knitting for my two grand-children who have arrived at the same time coincidentally - one In NZ and one in Australia. I am delightd to have found on the site an explanation on how to make a no cut buttonhole in knitting as shown in a French knitting book. This technique would help me out with a problem Ive created in a garment Im knitting for my first grand-son. My first grand-daughter has received her cotton knit bolero already ! I wonder if any member has photos for that no cut button hole technique or knows where I might find that information with photos please. I would be most grateful. Many thanks. My best wishes to all Fiona Jan 5, 2018 20:49:38 # Becca Go to Google, type in no cut buttonhole and the second Knitting Paradise blurb will give you instructions on how to do this. Jan 5, 2018 21:12:52 # run4fittness (a regular here) Hello and welcome. Jan 5, 2018 21:43:43 # Neeterbug Welcome to KP from sunny and beautiful Arizona. Jan 5, 2018 21:59:18 # Glo54 Hello Fiona. Welcome from Christchurch. What part of N.Z. are you from? Jan 5, 2018 22:19:20 # In Memory of ScottybearNSW Hi there, welcome from across the ditch in New South Wales. Jan 6, 2018 05:49:50 # Vickie P Hello Fiona and welcome from freezing Eastern Ontario! You will find both help and inspiration here in abundance. Jan 6, 2018 06:22:33 # Colour wheel Hello Fiona and welcome to KP. Jan 6, 2018 06:45:08 # ChristineM (a regular here) Hello and welcome from Adelaide South Australia Jan 6, 2018 06:48:40 # HappieGram Hi Fiona! Welcome from NW Wisconsin. Jan 6, 2018 06:51:22 # tortie (a regular here) Hello Fiona and welcome from across the ditch. Jan 6, 2018 06:51:49 # SouthernGirl (a regular here) Welcome from South Carolina. Jan 6, 2018 07:17:34 # flitri (a regular here) G'day Fiona and welcome from Sydney NSW Australia. I'm sorry but I can't help you with the No cut buttonholes. Jan 6, 2018 07:18:36 # maurnie Hi Fiona and welcome very helpful knitters on here.Are North Or South Island? Jan 6, 2018 07:28:39 # DOWN THE RABBIT HOLE WE GO By Michael Hurt Photo illustration by Michael Hurt Today, I'm going to lead you down The Rabbit Hole. Literally. And I'm going to do something unusual for me and cut right to the chase. I'm using my picture/social commentary/visual sociology column slot this week to talk about the "Korean Girl," fashion and gender codes in Korea. And like all my columns so far, the picture is part illustration, but also the data in the argument, while also being the springboard for conversation and (hopefully) some critical thought that might make you enjoy that afternoon cup of coffee you're sipping while in front whatever screen you're using. Simply put, gender is a social construction. And while that assertion might seem obvious for some, I'm going to keep going. The "girl" is also a construction, in the same way that the "teenager" is a recent invention of late modernity as a commercially useful category in the nebulous region between child and adult. Back before certain market forces decided to focus consumption through this new demographic, one was a child and then quickly became an adult, usually by dint of marriage. The average age of marriage for a young female in both the Puritan Massachusetts Bay Colony and Joseon Korea was 13. You were a child until you weren't. In the same way, the idea of a girl who wasn't a woman or a child was the result of formations of capital. Without teenagers, girls, or teenaged girls, you can't have a demographic around which to market things. Without the social category, you can't create a lever of social control. So, that being said, in a neo-Confucian society such as Joseon>Chosun>Korea, the "girl" is an especially useful social category. That being said, one thing important to understand is that one's gender status, one's boyness or girlness, is not an inherent state of being one occupies without thinking or effort. Gender theorist/academician Judith Butler says gender is performed. It is conveyed/signified to oneself and others as a series of performative acts. And people are encouraged to stay within their categories, to stay in their lanes, because doing so is socially beneficial, necessary and possibly even fun. Yes, we are all told, being a girl is supposed to be fun! It can be fabulous, and in that regard liberating. But it's hard work being a "good" girl, as most women who were once girls and most drag queens know and will tell you. And, as those living here might have noticed, nowhere on earth is it harder to be a girl than in South Korea. The girl game here is on point and en pointe, on a level that can be bone-grinding, soul-crushingly intense. Photo illustration by Michael Hurt A screen shot of Pinoy Seoul By John Redmond A website aimed to provide useful facts and information about life in Korea for members of the Filipino community was launched recently in Seoul by Philippine national Nash Ang. Titled Pinoy Seoul, the site in both English and Tagalog covers a diverse range of topics and information relevant to Filipinos living, studying and working in Korea. The site also features local and overseas news, scholarship program information, travel advice and articles put together by the Filipino community. Ang, a former scholarship recipient for a master's degree program in film at Korea National University of Arts, spoke with The Korea Times about the site and the Filipino community in Korea. Nash Ang at his desk in Seoul / Courtesy of Pinoy Seoul Its good to do business in La Jolla. Thats the message the La Jolla Village Merchants Association (LJVMA) put forth at its inaugural Winter Gala, Dec. 14, which was held inside the Poliform La Jolla design/furnishings store at 7726 Girard Ave. In addition to the mixing and mingling, cocktails, hors doeuvres, pulsating deejay-hosted rhythms, photo station and ever-changing video screen showcasing iconic images of the La Jolla scene, the highlight of the gala was the presentation of LJVMAs first Jewel Awards. The winners were chosen by ballot mailed to Merchants Association members, who cast their votes in November in each category from the entities located within the 30-block La Jolla Business Improvement District. Drum roll, please! Emerald Award for Best New Business Opened in 2017: J. McLaughlin clothier Sapphire Award for Best Fast Casual Restaurant: Puesto Sapphire Award for Best Upscale Restaurant: Tie between Eddie Vs and Catania. Ruby Award for Best Long-term Business (over 25 years old): Warwicks Books. Sparkle & Shine Award for Best-Kept Storefront: Tie between Adelaides and Warwicks. And last (but surely not least!) Pearl Award for Outstanding LJVMA Board Member (2016-2017): Mike Dorveillier for his work with the La Jolla Concours dElegance, held in April. In presenting the awards, LJVMA president James Niebling told the more than 100 guests gathered: We are so happy to have you all here and we thank you for your support of the Merchants Association. He also noted his regrets, though understanding, that several of the award recipients could not be present to accept their recognition because This is their busiest time of the year! The gala was presented by member BizX, a community of local business owners who engage and leverage one another within the BizX network using a tool called the BizX dollar that enables them to buy from and sell to one another without spending cash. For more information about LJVMA, visit lajollabythesea.com or call (858) 454-5718. PRESS RELEASE Grassley, Graham Refer Christopher Steele to DOJ for Criminal Investigation Jan. 5, 2018 (EIRNS)Sens. Chuck Grassley and Lindsey Graham referred the author of the Trump Dossier, Christopher Steele, to the Justice Department "for investigation of potential violations of 18 U.S.C. 1001 for false statements investigators have reason to believe Steele made about the distribution of claims contained in the dossier," Sen. Grassley said in a statement on his website. Graham, who co-signed the referral, also called for a special prosecutor in the case. "I dont take lightly making a referral for criminal investigation," Grassley said. "But, as I would with any credible evidence of a crime unearthed in the course of our investigations, I feel obliged to pass that information along to the Justice Department for appropriate review. Everyone needs to follow the law and be truthful in their interactions with the FBI. If the same actions have different outcomes, and those differences seem to correspond to partisan political interests, then the public will naturally suspect that law enforcement decisions are not on the up-and-up. Maybe there is some innocent explanation for the inconsistencies we have seen, but it seems unlikely. In any event, its up to the Justice Department to figure that out." Grahams statement reads: "After reviewing how Mr. Steele conducted himself in distributing information contained in the dossier and how many stop signs the DOJ ignored in its use of the dossier, I believe that a special counsel needs to review this matter. The rule of Law depends on the government and all who work on its behalf playing by the rules themselves. I hope the Department of Justice will carefully review our letter and take appropriate action." Thursday evening, Grassley and Graham delivered to Senate Security a letter and classified memorandum for delivery to Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein and FBI Director Christopher Wray containing information that forms the basis of the referral. Their referal is ccd to the heads of the Intelligence and Judiciary Committees of both houses of Congress. Grassleys statement says: "Under 18 U.S.C. 1001, individuals are prohibited from making false statements to the federal authorities of the United States. Grassley and Graham are referring Steele for making potentially false statements about the distribution of claims from the dossier. This referral does not pertain to the veracity of claims contained in the dossier. The referral is for further investigation only, and is not intended to be an allegation of a crime. It is the practice of the committee to notify the Justice Department whenever it comes across what appears to be credible evidence of a criminal violation that warrants further investigation by appropriate authorities based on information from any source, public or non-public. "In the interest of transparency, the senators and committee staff are working to redact all sensitive information in the classified memorandum sent to Rosenstein and Wray. If and when that process can be lawfully and appropriately completed in consultation with the Justice Department, an unclassified version of the memorandum will be released." The letter to the DOJ reads: Dear Deputy Attorney General Rosenstein and Director Wray: American women dont earn as much as men do, a persistent phenomenon that cant be explained by disparities in education, opportunity or child-bearing. But a growing body of research points to a new and compelling cause: Women make less because of the sexual harassment they face at work. The gender-pay gap has hovered under 80% for nearly two decades. Most of the discrepancy is because men work in higher-paying jobs and in more lucrative fields, and most of the policy remedies have focused on encouraging women to pursue those same, high-paying opportunities. Months of revelations about sexual harassment and abuse of women across industries shed new light on why women dont lean in to higher-paying jobs more often. Whether women are earning more because theyre in more lucrative fields or because they have more senior positions, big paycheck jobs also often pose higher risks of sexual harassment, says Joni Hersch, an economist at Vanderbilt University. Whats more, women who experience sexual harassment at work are6 1/2 times more likely to leave their jobs compared with women who dont, according to research by Amy Blackstone, Christopher Uggen and Heather McLaughlin. Advertisement In one of the only studies that looks at the effects of sexual harassment over time, the sociologists asked about 1,000 men and women if they had experienced unwanted touching, offensive jokes and other behaviors that could be considered workplace harassment. Among the female respondents who said they experienced unwanted touching or at least two of the other, non-physical behaviors, 80% said they left their jobs within two years. When these women leave their jobs, Blackstone said, they dont tend to trade up. They land in less lucrative fields or positions, a negative economic effect on women that persists through the rest of their working years. Not long ago, Samantha Ainsley was on the academic fast track, pursuing a doctorate in computer science at MIT, imagining a future of research, consulting and maybe starting her own company. Then she was assaulted by one of the leading professors in her field at a conference. When she rebuffed him, she says, he continued to try to grab her and accused her of sleeping with fellow students to advance her career. For Ainsley, it was a life-changing event. All I could think about is, this guy is going to review all of my papers, she says. It crushed me. A few months later, she left her program at MIT to work as a software engineer at Google, which she described as a much more modest career than I had aspired to originally. I had to, in a sense, start over. Lower Pay Understanding exactly how much harassment affects earning power isnt easy, said Claudia Goldin, a Harvard professor who studies the gender-pay gap. Abuse at work is notoriously under-reported, especially at professional and managerial levels. Someone who experienced harassment may ultimately leave her job for an unrelated reason, which wouldnt show up in traditional economic analysis. At the same time, jobs and fields that are dominated by women are considered safer, according to Herschs research. They also usually pay less. Kristian Lum was working as a data scientist in academia when she was groped at a professional conference, an incident that, she says, prompted her to look for work in a new field. She now works at a nonprofit, in a job that pays less and offers less security than if shed stayed put. Advertisement I was looking to get away, she said. There was a general feeling of, I just dont want to be around this. Why Women Leave There are many factors that influence a womans career path, but even having children that notorious career-killer may not prompt the same adverse consequences as harassment and its effects on job satisfaction and performance. Of female engineers who quit or changed jobs over the five years that ended in 2012, only one-third left to take care of children, according to a 2014 study by Nadya Fouad, a professor of educational psychology at the University of Wisconsin in Milwaukee. The majority left for better opportunities, broadly defined, in other fields or companies. Similarly, a 2014 study of 25,000 Harvard Business School graduates found that only 11% of female baby boomers and Gen Xers had left the workforce to care for children and even among those women, the majority left primarily because they saw few prospects for advancement. Advertisement Hazard Premium Women who persist in hostile environments do earn more. Hersch, the Vanderbilt professor, studies hazard pay the premium workers require to work in dangerous environments. Traditionally, researchers have used on-the-job fatalities or physical injury to assess whether compensation accounts for physical risk. Hersch looked at complaints filed with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission to determine whether companies facing sexual harassment allegations also had to pay workers more. They do. Women earn on average an extra 25 cents an hour at such companies. Men in jobs known to be hostile earn even more: an extra 50 cents an hour, according to Herschs research. For many, a higher paycheck isnt worth the difficulties of staying in a hostile workplace. Women who experience harassment can lose their drive or develop anxiety and depression, any of which can have an adverse effect on productivity or performance, according to Lisa Kath, a psychology professor at San Diego State University who studies workplace harassment. And when those things start to suffer, opportunities for professional advancement and higher earning power also decline. Advertisement Greenfield and Colby write for Bloomberg. What you see, and how you see, Harmony Hammond's engrossing show closing soon at Susanne Vielmetter Los Angeles Projects depends on your angle of approach not so much the physical angle as the temporal one. Enter through the past and you're likely to regard the work in terms of Hammond's early dismantling of barriers between painting, sculpture and craft, as in her landmark "Floorpieces" of the early '70s, rag rugs she braided and painted. You're apt to consider her long, luminous history as a champion of female, feminist and lesbian visibility in the art world through her writings, her co-founding of a women's gallery and her own formidable example. Enter through the present and what you'll discover are captivating works richly informed by 20th century art history but sensually immediate, and relevant to the moment. The five large canvases (all 2016-17) are layered with planes of fabric and painted all over in tones of yellowed paper, pale wheat, dirty eggshell. The paint rests uneasily on these surfaces. It seeps into burlap's coarse weave and the fuzzy nubs of other fabrics, and it dries to a heavy crust. Fragments of cloth pucker and protrude in low relief. Loose threads dangle from raw edges. Other threads, stiffened by paint, jut out like tiny wires or branches. Harmony Hammond, "Bandaged Grid #7," 2016-2017. Oil and mixed media on canvas, 74.5 inches by 61 inches. Susanne Vielmetter Los Angeles Projects SIGN UP for the free Essential Arts & Culture newsletter Splits in the fabric layers reveal, as if peeled-back skin, glimpses of dark blood red. Grommets pierce the fields. Bodily allusions abound: small open mouths, pustules, nipples, tough hides. The grid, in all of its postminimal imperfection, recurs throughout. Crisscrossing straps invoke restraint, but also protection. There is a private archaeology at work here, a stratification of action and reaction. The pieces are embedded with the physical memory of their making. Lee Bontecou and Alberto Burri are clear touchpoints, and Robert Rauschenberg as well. Also brought to mind, though less obviously linked, are the intimate collages of Hannelore Baron material, domestic diaries of trauma and survival. Hammond, based in New Mexico since 1984, is a printmaker too. Three modest-size monotypes here share with the paintings a surface thats legible more as terrain than image. Each has rugged edges and a dozen grommets punctuating the paper in a slightly irregular grid. The sheets look like ancient texts, corroded shields or the residue of some sort of geological phenomena. Their hues run toward soil, lichen and rust. Like the assemblage paintings, they suggest both rupture and endurance. Their appeal, too, is visceral. Harmony Hammond, Rims 3, 2016 Monotype on Twinrocker paper with metal, 13 inches by 10 inches unframed, 16 inches by 13.25 inches by 1.25 inches framed Harmony Hammond / Alexander Gray Associates / Susanne Vielmetter Los Angeles Projects Susanne Vielmetter Los Angeles Projects, 6006 Washington Blvd., Culver City. Closes Saturday. (310) 837-2117, www.vielmetter.com See all of our latest arts news and reviews at latimes.com/arts. MORE ART: Machine Project is closing its doors Contested art and artifacts from Japanese American internment camps go on view What's next for the Getty's Pacific Standard Time? This critic has an idea UPDATES: For the Record The caption for the third artwork displayed here has been corrected. Happy New Year! Im Carolina A. Miranda, staff writer for the Los Angeles Times, with the first arts newsletter of the year. And this week, weve got it all: political art, the border wall and a giant tongue. Herewith, the most scintillating cultural stories of the week: POLITICAL ART THAT IS PERSONAL As we approach the anniversary of Donald Trumps inauguration and the wave of protests it unleashed Times art critic Christopher Knight looks at a pair of exhibitions in which issues of equity and power are top of mind: We Wanted a Revolution: Black Radical Women, 1965-85 at the California African American Museum and One Year: The Art of Politics in Los Angeles at Glendales Brand Library and Art Center certainly resonate in these times. Its art at the intersections of race, gender and politics. Los Angeles Times United States of Anxiety, 1995, by Scott Grieger at the Brand Library and Art Center. (Christopher Knight / Los Angeles Times ) Advertisement ADIEU TO A POSTMODERN ARCHITECT John Portman, the postmodern architect best known in Los Angeles for his design of the mediagenic Westin Bonaventure Hotel in downtown, has died at age 93. Portman brought a new level of drama to hotel architecture, writes Times architecture critic Christopher Hawthorne. In place of lobbies leading predictably past a check-in desk to a bank of elevators, Portman carved out giant central atriums that included elaborate water features, stacked balconies and restaurants on several levels. The result was a hotel that aspired to be a city within a city. Los Angeles Times In honor of the architect, Hawthorne spent an afternoon at the Bonaventure to see how it has stood the test of time. The only people I know who go there are architectural tourists, he writes. And they tend to leave disappointed, because the hotel is less the Super-Late Modern time capsule they expect than an oversized and poorly laid out 1970s hotel that has been serially though haphazardly and unsuccessfully updated over the years. Los Angeles Times John Portman designed the Bonaventure hotel in downtown Los Angeles, completed in 1976. (Los Angeles Times ) A MUSICAL REVOLUTIONARY Times classical music critic Mark Swed pays tribute to violinist Robert Mann, founder of the Juilliard String Quartet, who died on New Years Day. Robert Mann, he writes, was one of a handful of transformative American musicians who in the years after World War II forever changed the way we think about and make music, who gave it a new meaning and a new necessity for a new age. Los Angeles Times Robert Mann, left front, at his last L.A. performance with the Juilliard String Quartet in 1997. (Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times ) A PITCH TO THE GETTY Advertisement As Pacific Standard Time: LA/LA heads into its closing months, Christopher Knight makes a pitch to the Getty Foundation for the next PST series (provided there is one): Pacific Standard Time should underwrite full retrospective exhibitions of artists with significant histories of working in Los Angeles, beginning in the late 19th century and continuing to the present. Necessary, he writes, to counter the way in which an artists market so often determines the institutional treatment they get. Los Angeles Times An installation view of the John McLaughlin retrospective held at LACMA in 2016. (Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times ) THE BORDER WALL CRITIQUED Christopher Hawthorne recently paid a visit to the border wall prototypes currently lined up on the mesa near Otay, at the U.S.-Mexico border to have a look at what they might represent on an architectural level. The slabs in front of me seemed at once the most and least architectural objects Id ever seen, he says. They were banal and startling, full and empty of meaning. Here were the techniques of Land Art, medieval construction, marketing and promotion, architectural exhibition and the new nativism rolled uncomfortably if somehow inevitably into one. A must-read. Los Angeles Times Advertisement A border patrol officer rides past prototypes of President Trumps proposed border wall in San Diego. (Frederic J. Brown / AFP / Getty Images ) Speaking of the prototypes, artist Christoph Buchel has launched a petition to turn the wall prototypes into a national monument on the basis that they represent a major Land Art exhibition. New York Times But critic Laila Pedro says that the project, with its arch tone and conceptual trappings ... normalizes and sanitizes the man stoking tensions about nuclear war via Twitter. Hyperallergic ART OF INTERMENT Advertisement In 2015, a collection of artworks created by prisoners in World War II-era Japanese American interment camps went up for auction. But public concern that the pieces would fall into private hands led to their being acquired by the Japanese American National Museum in Los Angeles. Now the works, which include paintings, photographs and sculptures, are going on view at the museum. As part of the project, the museum is inviting camp survivors and family members to help share whatever knowledge they might have about some of these poignant pieces. Los Angeles Times A painted nameplate identifies the inhabitants of internment camp barracks. (Japanese American National Museum ) MACHINE PROJECT TO CLOSE Machine Project, the experimental artist-run space that has occupied a small storefront in Echo Park since 2003, is coming to a close. Established by artist Mark Allen, the space has, over its existence, featured experimental theater (a giant tongue sweeping actors off the stage) and wry installation (a fake forest complete with a live pig). Allen reminisces about the spaces most iconic events and the role it has served in the local arts ecosystem. My favorite thing, he tells me, is when artists have a ridiculous idea and they need someone to say, Yeah, lets do it. Los Angeles Times Advertisement Founder Mark Allen in Machine Projects storefront space in Echo Park. (Francine Orr / Los Angeles Times ) BEN VEREEN ACCUSED OF SEXUAL ASSAULT Broadway and television actor Ben Vereen has been accused of sexual assault by several young women he cast in a 2015 Florida production of Hair. Among the allegations are unwanted sexual advances and unwanted sex. In a statement issued in response to the accusations, Vereen said: I would like to apologize directly to the female cast members of the musical Hair for my inappropriate conduct when I directed the production in 2015. New York Daily News (via Los Angeles Times) Actor Ben Vereen in 2008. (Frederick M. Brown / Getty Images ) Advertisement IN OTHER NEWS Artist Nan Goldin, who once struggled with an addiction to OxyContin, writes a searing indictment of the Sacklers, the family behind the drug, and the art that they fund. Artforum The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York has changed its admission policy. Non-New Yorkers will now have to pay a mandatory admission fee of $25 (instead of the customary pay-what-you-wish donation). New York Times Critics Holland Cotter and Roberta Smith say the policy is a mistake. You should be able to walk in off the street and see the art just as you can enter a public library and read the books on the shelf, says Cotter. New York Times Advertisement Critic Philip Kennicott sees the Mets admission decision as the nuclear option. Washington Post Visitors to the Metropolitan Museum of Art inspect a map of the galleries. (Mary Altaffer / AP ) In Australia, controversy over plans to replace an Aboriginal cultural center with an Apple store designed by Norman Foster in Melbourne. CityLab Innovative ceramic artist Betty Woodman has died at 87. ARTnews Advertisement Plus, Dominican artist Tony Capellan, who currently has work on view in Long Beach at the Museum of Latin American Art, died suddenly between Christmas and New Years. Dominican Today A list of all the L.A. area museums participating in free admission day on Jan. 28. Los Angeles Times The Cake, a theatrical comedy by Bekah Brunstetter about a conservative baker asked to make a cake for a lesbian couple, will land at the La Jolla Playhouse in February. Los Angeles Times AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST Advertisement Katy Kellehers fascinating cultural histories of color. The Awl Sign up for our weekly Essential Arts & Culture newsletter carolina.miranda@latimes.com @cmonstah On frosty nights in India, people sip a glass of hot milk into which has been whisked a heaping teaspoon of turmeric. In Ayurvedic medicine, the drink called haldi doodh is considered a panacea for everything from the flu to inflammation. Proponents says regular turmeric consumption may also be one reason India has relatively low rates of Alzheimers and dementia. Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center says turmeric has also demonstrated anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer activities in lab studies. Those findings along with turmerics anti-bacterial properties is why Dr. Taz Bhatia, an Atlanta-based physician and author of Super Woman RX, touts its benefits. There is one downside, she said. It is not always the most palatable, so when combined with other spices it is delicious. (Bhatias homemade version includes ginger and honey.) Known more commonly outside India as golden milk the golden comes from the rich yellow of the turmeric the fortifying drink is now increasingly found in alternative formulations such as a breakfast bowl, bottled drink and an easy-to-prep mix. Advertisement Here are a few ways to get your fix as winter sets in: Stir a teaspoon of this golden milk mix from Gaia Herbs into a cup of warm dairy or non-dairy milk. Other ingredients include date palm, cardamom, vanilla and black pepper. The mix also contains ashwagandha, a staple of Ayurveda medicine, for its immunity-boosting reputation. Info: $19.99. gaiaherbs.com Gaia Herbs golden milk (Gaia ) :: You dont just have to end your day with golden milk; you can wake up with it too. Daily Harvest makes a golden milk breakfast bowl that stores in the freezer and is then warmed up on the stove or in the microwave with milk. The brand adds other healthful ingredients like chia seeds, organic mango and pineapple, ginger, cinnamon, cardamom, coriander and pepper. Daily Harvest delivers the cups of Mango + Turmeric Chia Parfait to your home or office as part of a monthly subscription. Info: Starts at $6.99 a cup. daily-harvest.com Golden milk breakfast bowl (Daily Harvest ) Advertisement :: GoldynGlows Goldyn Mylk mix includes cacao, cayenne and nutmeg for an extra nutritional boost, said Saara Vakil, founder of the Los Angeles-based brand. Adding these superfoods and other healing spices has helped improve the taste of a traditional golden milk while supercharging the benefits, said Vakil. A teaspoon of the ground powder can be mixed with any warm milk. The product has a small amount of coconut sugar, but sweetness can be enhanced with honey, agave or stevia. Info: $25. goldynglow.com GoldynGlows Goldyn Mylk (GoldynGlow ) Advertisement :: Coconut milk is the base of the bottled Turmeric Golden Milk from Emeryville, Calif.-based brand Rebbl, creating a creamy and slightly sweet beverage that can be consumed right out of the refrigerator or heated on the stove. The black pepper fruit in the drink is said to make the turmeric easier for the body to absorb. Info: $3.79 to $3.99 at Whole Foods, Sprouts and other natural grocery stores. rebbl.com Rebbl golden-milk (Rebbl ) Advertisement READ ON! Yes, you can eat your way to beautiful skin 10 high-tech gadgets to help you get to sleep How Scandals Katie Lowes hid her psoriasis Advertisement 7 steps to making your health your No. 1 priority He lost 84 pounds in four months and kept it off Among journalists, Fire and Fury has hydrated a handful of freeze-dried complaints about Wolff, a tireless panelist, devotee of the rich and snide opiner on media who is never not described as a gadfly. In a more serious key, Wolff has been faulted for making stuff up. Writing in the New Republic, Michelle Cottle argued in 2004 that the scenes in his columns arent recreated so much as created springing from Wolffs imagination. He has also been accused of flacking for [Rupert] Murdoch, although the Murdoch connection seems to have served him well in reporting Fire and Fury. A lion in winter, Murdoch is evidently bored by Trumps idolatry of him, and now hardly conceals his contempt for his acolyte. My favorite line in the New York magazine excerpt is his. Heres hoping it works without the obscenity: What an idiot, said Murdoch, shrugging, as he got off the phone. Its clear that Wolff uses all manner of sleight of hand tricks common to a more reckless period in 20th century magazine journalism to generate operatic effects in Fire and Fury. The dialogue, for example, is suspiciously Netflix-ready, although Wolff claims to have reported all from what he told New York was his semi-permanent seat on a couch in the West Wing. He conducted about 200 interviews with capricious flakes, and Wolff also has some skeletons in his sourcing closet that someones bound to drag out. But who cares, really? Wolffs dislikable. He plays by his own rules. Big surprise. No one likable or rule-bound would have been able to abide this unsavory crew Murdoch, Bannon, Roger Ailes, or, for Gods sake, Trump long enough to squeeze this much big, fat, soapy story out of them. Wolffs ace has always been his excitement about cartoonish power dynamics among insufferable old men. In the past, this excitement has been decidedly uninfectious. But this time Wolffs subjects are not boresville moguls with interchangeable faces and net worths but the president of the United States and his psycho crew. And, because the world finds itself at their mercy, wed do well to hear their fetid locker room talk interpreted by a writer who can stomach it. >> Click here to read more So many people have fallen sick with influenza in California that pharmacies have run out of flu medicines, emergency rooms are packed, and the death toll is rising higher than in previous years. Health officials said Friday that 27 people younger than 65 have died of the flu in California since October, compared with three at the same time last year. Nationwide and in California, flu activity spiked sharply in late December and continues to grow. The emergency room at UCLA Medical Center in Santa Monica typically treats about 140 patients a day, but at least one day this week had more than 200 patients mostly because of the flu, said the ERs medical director, Dr. Wally Ghurabi. The Northridge earthquake was the last time we saw over 200 patients, Ghurabi said. A rush for treatment Experts say its possible that this years flu season is outpacing the last simply because its peaking earlier. No, it's not too late to get a flu shot The flu season is typically worst around February, but can reach its height anytime from October to April. Though influenza had only only killed three Californians at this time last year, it had taken 68 lives by the end of February, according to state data. Many California doctors, however, contend that the recent surge has been unusually severe. Rates of influenza are even exceeding last year, and last year was one of the worst flu seasons in the last decade, said Dr. Randy Bergen, clinical lead of the flu vaccine program for Kaiser Permanente in Northern California. Source: California Department of Public Health. Graphics reporting by Soumya Karlamangla State health officials said Friday that there was no region of the state where people were being spared from the flu. In Riverside and San Bernardino counties, ambulance services have been severely strained because of the number of flu calls coming in, local health officials said. Plus, emergency rooms are so crowded that ambulances arriving at hospitals cant immediately unload their patients, so theyre unable to leave for incoming 911 calls, said Jose Arballo Jr., spokesman for the Riverside County Department of Public Health. The ambulances have to wait and if theyre waiting there, they cant be out on calls, Arballo said. Most people in California and nationwide are catching a strain of influenza known as H3N2, which the flu vaccine typically doesnt work as well against. National health officials say the vaccine might only be about 32% effective this year, which could be contributing to the high number of people falling ill. H3N2 is also a particularly dangerous strain of the flu, experts say. It tends to cause more deaths and more hospitalizations than the other strains, said Dr. Jeffrey Gunzenhauser, L.A. Countys interim health officer. Of extra concern this year are large numbers of older patients who are showing up at hospitals with the flu and pneumonia, a potentially fatal combination. You have no choice but to admit them and hydrate them on IV antibiotics to prevent -- God forbid -- a bad outcome, Ghurabi said. Each year, the number of flu deaths reported by the state includes only people younger than 65 and therefore underestimates the flus real toll, since elderly people are most likely to succumb to the illness, experts say. In Los Angeles County, 33 people have died of the flu this season and only a handful were under 65, Gunzenhauser said. Dr. Matthew Mullarky, an emergency physician at St. Joseph Hospital in Orange, said that half of the patients he saw on a recent ER shift were so sick that he had to keep them in the hospital. Most of them were older than 85, with the flu and pneumonia. Its incredibly scary, he said. A search for Tamiflu Doctors often prescribe the flu medication oseltamivir, known by the brand name Tamiflu, to patients with the flu. But doctors and patients said this week that the drug was hard to find. Caroline Bringenberg, who lives in Silver Lake, fell ill when she was visiting her family in Denver for the holidays. She had headache, fever and weakness. I dont remember the last time I was this sick, said Bringenberg, 25. When her doctor prescribed her Tamiflu on Wednesday, Bringenberg learned that a CVS pharmacy in Glassell Park was out of the medicine. All the CVS pharmacies in the area had run out, the pharmacists there told her. Bringenberg then called a nearby independent pharmacy, but it also had exhausted its supply. Ive just sort of given up, said Bringenberg, through sniffles. I think honestly it would make me feel worse to be in the car driving all over town, so I've just opted for ibuprofen and DayQuil. CVS spokeswoman Amy Lanctot said increased demand for Tamiflu in California may have led to some stores being temporarily out of stock. Other pharmacies reported that they were running low on the medicine or were out completely. Theyre all on back order right now, said Talia Dimaio, a pharmacy clerk at Rancho Park Compounding Pharmacy in West L.A. We cant get it. Bob Purcell, spokesman for the San Francisco-based pharmaceutical company Genentech, which makes Tamiflu, said there isnt a national shortage of the medicine, suggesting that pharmacists shelves were emptied this week by a sudden surge in demand. Marenna Bielman, right, takes Angelica Lara's blood pressure as she is treated for flu-like symptoms at St. Joseph Hospital in Orange. Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times Doctors say Tamiflu doesnt eliminate the flu but lessens the severity of symptoms and how long they last. It works best if taken within 48 hours of when patients start to feel sick. Nihar Mandavia, a pharmacist who owns the Druggist Pharmacy in Laguna Niguel, said hes been ordering as much Tamiflu as possible from wholesalers and filling 25 prescriptions a day, compared with a typical one a day. He said out-of-stock pharmacies are referring patients to him. Its been crazy, he said. And theres still more -- were getting calls right now. On Friday morning, Mandavia had enough left for only four more patients, he said. And some of his wholesalers had run out too. Avoiding the flu Though flu season is underway, health officials say its not too late to get the flu shot. The vaccine is recommended for everyone older than 6 months. Even if youre healthy, the downside of getting the flu vaccine is so low its relatively inexpensive. At the worst youll have a sore arm, Gunzenhauser said. The vaccine can also mean not getting sick and then infecting someone who might not recover so easily. Nationwide, 13 children have died of influenza this flu season. Dr. Greg Hendey, UCLAs chair of emergency medicine, said people usually develop flu symptoms two to three days after theyre exposed to the virus, but are most contagious the day before symptoms develop. So before you even know youre sick youre already spreading the virus, he said. He recommended that people wash their hands often and avoid close contact with anyone coughing or sneezing. Hendey said theyve been trying to adjust staffing levels at the ER to keep up with the crowds, but theres been an added challenge lately. Sometimes we dont have our full complement of nurses because, theyre people too, they get sick, he said. Support our journalism Please consider subscribing today to support stories like this one. Get full access to our signature journalism for just 99 cents for the first four weeks. Already a subscriber? Your support makes our work possible. Thank you. soumya.karlamangla@latimes.com Twitter: @skarlamangla ALSO America, it's time to get ready for the flu Australia's flu season has U.S. health officials bracing for a bad winter and wishing for a new vaccine The boat left Redondo Beachs King Harbor early Friday morning under conditions so perfect, I couldnt think of one good reason to ever go back to the office. The overnight fog had lifted, with only a thin layer lingering over the Palos Verdes Peninsula. A small swell rolled gently under the boat, gulls sailed through the salt air, harbor seals frolicked and common dolphins used our wake as a playground. We were headed to Redondo Canyon, just off the peninsula, the day after the Trump administration announced plans to open coastal waters around the country to drilling, including six regions off California. The administration is also rolling back protections put in place to reduce the risk of oil spills. This is one of two major submarine canyons in Santa Monica Bay, Sarah Sikich, vice president of Heal the Bay, said when we arrived at our destination. Advertisement Beneath us, in the blue-green depths, fish big and small swam through copper-colored ribbons of kelp. Heres where it drops from shallow to very, very deep, said Sikich, who wore a hat that said, Oil & Water Do Not Mix. The unique thing is that the canyon supports a diversity of wildlife. One of the things a submarine canyon does for the ecosystem is that its a funnel for deep, cold, nutrient-rich waters to come to the surface. That makes Redondo Canyon rich in plankton, which draws blue and gray whales, among other wildlife. Heal the Bay Chief Executive Shelley Luce, left, and Vice President Sarah Sikich are rallying forces against a Trump administration proposal for offshore drilling in coastal waters across the U.S., including six regions off California. But while some might view the wonder of the sea as a gift too precious to squander, and the green energy movement gains momentum as evidence of climate change becomes undeniable to all but a fossilized few, President Trump sees a different kind of treasure in the depths. Dont worry, say the presidents men. Drilling will be good for the economy and energy independence, and the technology is safe. You can mark Shelley Luce, president of Heal the Bay, as a skeptic. We havent seen it done safely yet, said Luce, who joined us on our morning cruise. There were rules before Deepwater Horizon blew [in 2010 in the Gulf Coast, killing 11, releasing millions of barrels of oil and devastating the environment], and that didnt help. How many months did it take to cap that? And now the new rules put in place after Deepwater Horizon are being rolled back. Advertisement Some drilling operations are ongoing in California, but there have been no new leases since the Reagan administration. It may be that the drilling plan announced by the Interior Department is all bluster, or that world oil markets will make it impractical to invest in massive new drilling operations. But Californians made clear they are not about to let Trump mess with our beaches or kick sand in our faces. Gov. Jerry Brown joined the governors of Oregon and Washington also targeted for coastal drilling in vowing to resist any attempts to pump black gold from beneath the sea. Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom, a member of the state Lands Commission, tweeted Aint. Gonna. Happen. State Sen. Hannah-Beth Jackson (D-Santa Barbara) and Assemblyman Al Muratsuchi of (D-Torrance) reintroduced legislation outlawing new pipelines and other oil-extraction infrastructure in state waters. Advertisement This is our lifeblood, our power and our strength, Katie Davis said of the California coast and the tourism and fishing industries it supports. The chairwoman of the Santa Barbara Sierra Club recalled the extensive marine damage in 2015 from the Refugio pipeline break and promised to fight any new oil operations. Were fortunate in that we have good congressional leaders, state leaders, business leaders and a very active citizenry broadly united against this, said Jennifer Savage of Surfrider Foundation. The latest polling shows that 73% of the people are against offshore drilling. Richard Charter, a senior fellow at the Ocean Foundation and a longtime oracle on the dangers of offshore oil and gas extraction, surprised me with his response to the Trump plan. He said he was somewhat relieved. How so? Advertisement Because, in his opinion, the oil and gas grab is so gargantuan, it could collapse under the weight of its own greed. I would not have advised them to take every square inch of everything, because politically and strategically, its a moronic move, said Charter, especially coming just after news that the administration wants to relax protections against accidental catastrophes. By itself, California might not have been able to stop it, Charter said of the Trump proposal. But now weve got plenty of allies, because Trump and Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke want to lift bans not just in Alaska and the West, but in the Arctic and along the Eastern Seaboard, where Democratic and Republican governors alike have opposed drilling that could threaten tourism and fishing economies. Advertisement In California, the plan would open the northern, central and southern regions to a total of six new drilling sites. Charter said a number of Republican congressional representatives in California hold seats where they cant get reelected unless theyre in favor of saving the coast. Charter said the oil companies covet oil off La Jolla, Palos Verdes and Malibu, among other places, while the far northern part of coastal California contains natural gas deposits. There is no way to assuredly prevent human error or mechanical failure in extraction, Charter said. You cant, and so once you have either routine pollution from day-to-day permitted releases from a rig, or an accidental spill or pipeline spill, you are not going to have the capability to clean it up. You cant sell that theory in California because we know better, not just from the 1969 blowout in Santa Barbara, but because of Refugio. All you have to do is get oil into the prevailing ocean currents and into the food source for our marine ecosystem, and your fishery is toast, and your coastal-dependent tourism is toast. Advertisement And yet, as we saw in its unsuccessful attempt to drill in Hermosa Beach, the oil industry can be expected to spend millions on lobbying and marketing, trying to sell the notion that drilling is safe and that communities will benefit from jobs and tax revenues. And in the near future, for better or for worse, it will have the White House on its side. On our Friday cruise, the skipper was Apryl DeLancey, interim operations manager at Heal the Bays aquarium on the Santa Monica Pier. She said she grew up surfing, kayaking, swimming and diving, and the water quality has vastly improved to the benefit of humans and sea life. That took decades of work, including public policy changes, public education and a growing respect for our greatest natural resource. We used to dump raw sewage into Santa Monica Bay 35 years ago, said Luce. Advertisement The sewage flows out of Washington, D.C., these days, but California is ready for the fight. We are not going to go backwards, said Luce. Get more of Steve Lopezs work and follow him on Twitter @LATstevelopez Orange County stands as an outlier in California, a state that has become increasingly friendly to immigrants. At a time when state leaders resisted President Trumps hard line against illegal immigration, Orange County Sheriff Sandra Hutchens reached out to the Trump administration, stating that she wanted her deputies to work more closely with federal immigration officials. When state legislators drafted Senate Bill 54, a measure that positioned the Golden State as a sanctuary for those who are in the country without legal status, Hutchens vehemently spoke out in opposition. But as 2017 drew to a close and with SB 54 taking effect at the start of this year, Hutchens took a step back and ended her agencys participation in a federal-local immigration enforcement program known as 287(g), which allowed Orange County deputies to act as immigration agents in its jail. Advertisement The program was emblematic of the countys historical opposition to illegal immigration and cozy relationship with Immigration and Customs Enforcement. The O.C. Sheriffs Department was a holdout in California, becoming the only government entity in the state to participate in the program. Los Angeles County dropped out of the program in 2015. Its no surprise that a place that gave rise to some of the most influential immigration enforcement activists in the country would hold on for so long, said Louis DeSipio, a professor of political science at UC Irvine. It certainly has always been an anchor of right wing populism in the state, he said. In the mid-1990s, Barbara Coe of Huntington Beach launched Proposition 187, a ballot initiative approved by voters that sought to deny public services such as public schooling and healthcare to people in the country illegally. The measure was eventually struck down in the courts. In 2005, Jim Gilchrist of Aliso Viejo co-founded the Minuteman Project, a civilian militia that patrolled the U.S.-Mexico border in Arizona. On Dec. 27, Hutchens announced shed halt her departments participation in program because it would run afoul of the state legislation that shed lobbied against but was ultimately signed into law by Gov. Jerry Brown in October. Still, Hutchens promised to cooperate with ICE as much as the law allowed. Orange County, for example, has a contract to house ICE detainees in its two jails and will continue to do so. We were always against SB 54 because it hinders our ability to cooperate with another law enforcement partner, Sheriffs Department spokesman Ray Grangoff said. Its put much more responsibility on the federal government. Orange County has long had a closer relationship with ICE than any other county in the state, and that isnt likely to change unless the countys leadership changes, DeSipio said. Advertisement Orange County has just been stuck in the past. It still looks like the state used to in the past and I think it will take a change in the Board of Supervisors. For that sort of change to happen, you need a change in the electoral demographics that can have an effect on county agencies, including the Sheriffs Department, he said. The 287(g) program trained deputies to screen jail inmates for their immigration status, place a hold on those they deemed removable from the country and notify ICE. The new state law forbids state and local law enforcement from using resources or staff to help immigration agents with deportations. Under the new law, local law enforcement agencies can still notify ICE of inmates release dates if they were convicted of specific crimes mostly violent or serious ones. However, its up to ICE agents to check arrest records to find out who is in jail and request notification of an inmates release date if they want to send an agent to pick up that person for possible removal from the country after theyre released, Grangoff said. Advertisement Orange County has an estimated 250,000 residents who lack legal status, according to an analysis by the Public Policy Institute of California. Immigration rights advocates had lobbied county officials for years to leave the program, contending that it encourages racial profiling. The program became so controversial that the Obama administration scaled it back and reduced its funding. Yet, Orange County remained on board because Hutchens said it helped her deputies get rid of criminals in the community. It allowed us the opportunity to be in communication with ICE on serious and violent offenders. ICE would know they were in custody and they would make it possible for them to remove dangerous people from our community once they serve our local sentence, Grangoff said. Advertisement In 2016, 391 county inmates were turned over to ICE under the 287(g) program, he said. Thats less than 1% of the approximately 57,000 inmates. Immigrant rights activists welcomed the end of 287(g) in Orange County but remain cautious. Despite a demographic shift in Orange County and the results of the 2016 election, in which a majority of the countys voters supported the Democratic presidential nominee for the first time since the 1930s, DeSipio said the establishment in Orange County is reflective of old California. Those elements are still present in the county and are influential in county politics. he said. The southern part of the county is very much like it was in the past. There is a core of support of the electorate there for strong enforcement of immigration law. Advertisement cindy.carcamo@latimes.com Follow Cindy Carcamo on Twitter @thecindycarcamo Orange County sheriffs investigators struggled Saturday to unravel the mystery surrounding the abrupt disappearance four days ago of a 19-year-old college student who was home on winter break, authorities said. Blaze Bernstein, a pre-med student at the University of Pennsylvania, failed to return to his parents home in Foothill Ranch late Tuesday night after going to nearby Borrego Park with a friend, said Carrie Braun, a spokeswoman for the Sheriffs Department. The friend told investigators that he went to a restroom at the park and when he came out, Bernstein had walked off, Braun said. We do not believe foul play was involved at this point, and the friend is only a witness, not a suspect or person of concern. On Saturday, sheriffs search-and-rescue teams and canine units fanned out across the park and adjacent rugged canyon lands searching for clues, including Bernsteins cellphone. The search was expected to continue until nightfall. Advertisement Bernsteins cellphone, which had been lent to him by a relative a week earlier, was not receiving calls, according to investigators and friends of the family. Blaze Bernstein was last seen late Tuesday at Borrego Park near Whiting Ranch Wilderness Park. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times ) Were doing everything we can to find Blaze and bring him home, Lt. Brad Valentine said during the search Saturday in the vicinity of Bernsteins last known whereabouts. Were hoping hes, perhaps, incapacitated and in need of medical attention. Its going to be a slow, tedious search, he added, as we get out there and beat the bushes for any sign of him. Bernstein left personal belongings, including his keys, wallet, credit cards and eyeglasses, behind when he left his parents home to see his friend without saying goodbye we didnt even hear him leave, his father, Gideon Bernstein, said in an interview with The Times on Saturday. Blaze left the house around 10:30 p.m. or so, but exactly why he left is a big mystery, he said, adding that we didnt know the person he met up with. Were hoping he comes back, or we find him, he added. Searchers scouring Borrego Park and the trails of nearby Whiting Ranch Wilderness Park for signs of Bernstein, who is scheduled to fly back to Pennsylvania on Sunday, included Katherine and John Coster, who are friends of the Bernstein family. Advertisement We run in the canyon quite often, so we know it well, Katherine Coster said in an interview. Were still hopeful, all of us. Before leaving home, Bernstein had been in lengthy communication with his friend using social media apps that do not leave a permanent record, authorities said. He was last seen in the park about 11:30 p.m. Tuesday. He is described as white, 5 feet 8, 130 pounds, with brown hair and blue eyes. Bernstein was wearing a dark-colored jacket, a dark-gray long-sleeved top and white Adidas sneakers at the time of his disappearance, authorities said. There are so many unknowns to deal with, Annee Della Donna, a friend of the family, said. Were talking about a brilliant kid who goes to a small park five minutes from home, then disappears. Advertisement Sheriffs investigators are urging anyone with information about Bernsteins whereabouts to call (714) 647-7000. louis.sahagun@latimes.com irfan.khan@latimes.com. UPDATES: Advertisement 4:20 p.m.: This article was updated with new information from sheriffs officials. 2:40 p.m.: This article was updated with new information from sheriffs officials. 1:35 p.m.: This article was updated with new information from authorities and friends of the Bernstein family. This article was originally published at 11:45 a.m. Three additional women have come forward with allegations of sexual misconduct against Oscar-winning director and screenwriter Paul Haggis, in support of a woman who sued him last month alleging that she was raped. The new claims were detailed in an amended complaint filed Friday in New York by publicist Haleigh Breest. She has alleged that Haggis, 64, a Canadian filmmaker best known for Crash and Million Dollar Baby, raped her in his SoHo apartment after a movie premiere in 2013. Haggis preemptively sued Breest hours before her Dec. 15 lawsuit was filed, alleging that the woman had attempted to extort $9 million from him with a false claim. After the suits were filed, three additional women contacted Breests attorneys with allegations against Haggis. One of the new accusers also said Haggis raped her. None of the women were named in the complaint. Advertisement On Friday, Haggis attorney denied the latest claims in whole, and said in a statement that the additional allegations appear to be spearheaded by Breests attorneys as a tactic to obtain a settlement. In a society where one of a persons fundamental rights is the ability to confront an accuser, that right has now been eviscerated when it comes to anyone being charged in the press with any sort of sexual misconduct, said attorney Christine Lepera. One of the additional accusers, identified as Jane Doe #1 in the complaint, said she met Haggis in 1996 while working as a publicist for a television program. She said Haggis forcibly kissed her while in a back office and when she pushed him away, he became menacing and threatening and asked if she wanted to continue working in the industry, according to the complaint. He forced her to give him oral sex and pushed her to the floor, then raped her, according to the complaint. The Associated Press, which first reported the new allegations, corroborated the womans account with a friend. The friend told the AP that the woman lost weight and appeared to be depressed after the alleged rape. When asked about it, the woman told the friend that Haggis had raped her a few weeks earlier. Two additional women, identified as Jane Does #2 and #3, said Haggis attempted to rape them in 2008 and 2015, respectively, when they were young women discussing professional opportunities. Jane Doe #3, who met Haggis at a film festival, said she screamed for help, physically fought him off and ran into her building to stop his advances. In her initial lawsuit , Breest said she was 26 when she met Haggis while working on a movie premiere on the upper west side of Manhattan. Haggis, who was a guest at the premiere, offered her a ride and then invited her to his apartment for a drink, she alleged. Breest said she asked to go to a public bar instead, but the director insisted and she relented, not wanting to offend him. Advertisement Breest said she repeatedly told Haggis no, but the director used significant force and violence to tear off her tights and rape her, according to the lawsuit. She said she went to a Planned Parenthood clinic to be tested for sexually transmitted diseases, and in June 2017 began receiving mental health treatment for trauma from the assault. Haggis, in his lawsuit, said he had maintained what he believed was a friendly and at times flirtatious relationship with Breest but denied raping her. He said he was recovering from back surgery at the time of the alleged rape and was unable to lift anything more than a light grocery bag. He questioned whether the allegations were related to his public comments about Scientology, of which he has been a vocal critic since defecting from the church in 2009. The women denied any connection to the religion, according to the AP report. Breests attorney declined to say whether any police reports had been filed. Representatives of the New York Police Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Advertisement At the Television Critics Assn. winter tour Friday, actress Hilary Swank, who starred in Million Dollar Baby, was asked if she was aware of the allegation against Haggis. She said she hadnt heard them, but said she was supportive of women bringing sexual misconduct to light. I think that its wonderful that women are able to be so courageous and come out and speak something that has been so troubling for a very long time, she said. I applaud their bravery. Times staff writer Yvonne Villarreal contributed to this report. victoria.kim@latimes.com Advertisement For more California news, follow me on Twitter @vicjkim Its not an indictment of President Trump that he failed in his first year in office to broker what he once called the ultimate deal an agreement between Israel and the Palestinians. After all, the effort to end that bitter conflict, which has been underway in one form or another for well over 100 years, also eluded his recent predecessors, despite intense effort and creative diplomacy. Trump can be faulted, however, for his arrogance, his ignorance and his shortsightedness, which ultimately made an unsatisfactory situation worse. Although he boasted that a deal was within reach and not as difficult as people have thought over the years and although he appointed a team of emissaries to explore the possibilities of peace (including his son-in-law, Jared Kushner), efforts to move forward have been overshadowed by Trumps own words, actions and intemperate tweets. He has emboldened extremists in both the Israeli and Palestinian camps, alienated Americas allies and sowed the same sort of confusion about U.S. intentions in this arena that has clouded other aspects of foreign policy. Most recently, reversing decades of bipartisan U.S. policy, Trump decided to formally recognize Jerusalem as Israels capital, a premature and provocative step but one that cheered many of his supporters. The president portrayed his action as a simple recognition of the reality that the seat of Israels government is in (West) Jerusalem. In defending the decision, his advisers also suggested that the move didnt commit the U.S. to any particular view of Jerusalems ultimate borders or the future of East Jerusalem, which Israel captured from Jordan in 1967. [Trump] needs to stop pandering for domestic audiences and get serious about bringing the parties back to the negotiating table. Advertisement Yet the Palestinians dont see Trumps actions in such innocuous terms, and Trumps own words arent likely to reassure them. This week he tweeted: We have taken Jerusalem, the toughest part of the negotiation, off the table an inscrutable statement that could be read to endorse Israeli claims to all of Jerusalem. If thats indeed what he means, it would deal a serious blow to hopes for a negotiated two-state solution. In the same series of tweets, Trump complained that we pay the Palestinians HUNDRED OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS a year and get no appreciation or respect . . . [W]ith the Palestinians no longer willing to talk peace, why should we make any of these massive future payments to them? (Some of the payments take the form of contributions to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees, or UNRWA. Even some prominent Israelis believe it would be a mistake for the U.S. to abruptly cut off those funds.) The Trump administration already had a credibility problem with many Palestinians because of his equivocal attitude toward a two-state solution, in which an independent Palestinian state would exist alongside Israel. In February Trump said: Im looking at two states and one state, and I like the one both parties like. I can live with either one. Trumps ambassador to Israel, David Friedman, a longtime supporter of right-wing Israeli causes, has continued to fuel suspicion that the administration is hostile to Palestinian aspirations. Recently the Israeli Broadcasting Corp. quoted Friedman as urging the State Department to stop using the word occupied to describe the Israeli military presence in territories Israel captured in 1967 that are claimed by the Palestinians. The administrations decision to recognize Jerusalem as Israels capital left it isolated at the United Nations. It was condemned by the U.N. General Assembly by a vote of 128 to 9, with 35 abstentions. A similar resolution in the Security Council had the support of 14 out of 15 members but was defeated when the U.S. exercised its veto. Yet the Trump administrations response to this overwhelming opposition wasnt to reconsider its position; it was to throw a party at the U.S. mission at the U.N. for the Friends of the U.S. i.e., only those that voted against or abstained on the General Assembly resolution. The Middle East peace process was ailing well before Trump came into office; he and his son-in-law can hardly be blamed for that. But they need to understand that the bedraggled and much-maligned two-state solution remains at the moment the only realistic hope for resolving the conflict. If they want to move beyond empty bluster toward a fair and durable solution, they need to stop pandering for domestic audiences and get serious about bringing the parties back to the negotiating table for tough talks on thorny issues. That process will of course be difficult. Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinionand Facebook To the editor: I was disappointed in your Jan. 3 editorial Keep mountain bikes out of wilderness areas, as it misrepresents HR 1349 by claiming that the bill would allow mountain bikers to cruise through the approximately 109 million acres of land designated as wilderness. Rather, the bill would allow the local land manager, at his or her discretion, to decide whether to allow bikes on wilderness trails based on the characteristics of the land and its historic usage. We mountain bikers are particularly concerned about National Forest Service land with a long history of responsible mountain bike access. When such land is designated as wilderness, we applaud the extra protection against motor vehicles and logging but fear losing historic mountain bike access. Also, we are concerned about small wilderness areas that separate larger nonwilderness areas that have long-established mountain bike access. Advertisement Ross Finlayson, Mountain View, Calif. .. To the editor: Thank you for opposing bikes in wilderness areas. Bikes are not only damaging to the environment, they also go a lot faster than humans and pose a serious risk. As a horse rider, I do not want a cyclist to whip around a switchback on a narrow trail and crash into me. Hikers also face a similar danger when they share a trail with mountain bikers. Horses and mules are used not only for the enjoyment of riding, but also for the necessary transportation they provide to trail maintenance crews that need special equipment. Carol May, North Hills .. To the editor: This editorial uses the term fake news to describe the distortion by Rep. Tom McClintock (R-Elk Grove) of the Wilderness Acts ban on mechanical transport. This term was co-opted by the Trump campaign to impugn the honesty of our national news media. Advertisement The news of McClintocks position is not fake. What is fake is McClintocks dissembling, which should be reported as a distortion or a lie. The use of President Trumps favored term here helps to propagate it as a meme and should be avoided. The term fake news should not be allowed to infiltrate our language when referring to the medias honest reporting of a politicians dishonesty. Alfred Sils, Woodland Hills Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinion and Facebook Gavin Newsom releases ad that highlights his push to allow same-sex couples to marry By Phil Willon A new ad from Democratic gubernatorial candidate Gavin Newsom features Phyllis Lyon, who with her partner, Del Martin, received the first marriage license after Newsom vowed to allow same-sex couples to marry when he was mayor of San Francisco in 2004. The current lieutenant governors push for marriage equality thrust him into the national spotlight and he has emphasized that effort to portray himself as a bold, progressive leader. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Failed California housing bill was not a bad idea, Gov. Jerry Brown says By Liam Dillon Gov. Jerry Brown (Rich Pedroncelli / Associated Press) Earlier this month, high-profile housing legislation that would have allowed for four- to five-story apartments and condominiums near transit stops failed to advance in the state Legislature. But had it reached his desk, would Gov. Jerry Brown have signed it? Maybe. I think that was not a bad idea, Brown said of Senate Bill 827 at a meeting with business leaders from the Bay Area Council on Monday afternoon. The bill, written by Sen. Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco), attracted national attention and a maelstrom of opposition in part because it would have eliminated single-family zoning near transit stops in favor of apartments or condominiums. Brown said that a relative of his who lives in West Portal, a low-density neighborhood in San Francisco, told the governor he was horrified by the bill. Brown also lamented dramatically rising housing costs. He said he bought his first house in Los Angeles in 1973 for $75,000 at a time when his salary as secretary of state was $35,000. Now, he said, buying a house for a little over twice ones annual salary is virtually impossible anywhere in the state. FOR THE RECORD May 1, 9:32 a.m.: This post originally misstated the year Brown purchased his house as 1970. It was 1973. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print John Cox begins California barnstorm with the delivery of gas tax repeal signatures By Javier Panzar Gubernatorial candidate John Cox, left, and Assembly candidate Bill Essayli load boxes of signatures for the gas tax repeal initiative. (Francine Orr) GOP gubernatorial candidate John Cox strolled up to the stack of 12 boxes in front of the Los Angeles County registrar-recorders offices in Norwalk on Monday and placed his hands on top of his partys hope for success in 2018. The boxes, stacked four across and three high, contained 211,000 signatures for an initiative to repeal recent increases in Californias gas tax and vehicle fees. Cox says the effort has gathered more than 940,000 signatures from registered voters to put the measure on the ballot far more than the 585,407 signatures that are required. The aim: to bring out the partys base to the polls this November and help candidates in tough congressional and legislative races down the ticket. A USC Dornsife/Los Angeles Times poll in November found 54.2% of registered voters surveyed said they would repeal the tax and fee hike, but a survey a month earlier by another group said a majority would vote to keep the higher taxes. Cox was flanked by Bill Essayli, a former federal prosecutor who is challenging Democratic Assemblywoman Sabrina Cervantes of Riverside in the June primary. Cervantes voted for the gas tax and Essayli plans to use that vote against her. He even launched his campaign at a 76 gas station in Norco. This is a central issue in my campaign, he said. Cox also submitted signatures in San Diego on Monday and is headed to Bakersfield, Fresno and Sacramento, as well as Shasta and Butte counties in coming days. We are going all across the state, Cox said. The whole state is paying this tax and the whole state wants it gone. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print All Californians would be able to serve on state boards even people in the U.S. illegally under new bill By Jazmine Ulloa Sen. Ricardo Lara (D-Bell Gardens) (Rich Pedroncelli / Associated Press) State lawmakers on Monday introduced legislation that would allow all Californians to serve on state boards and commissions regardless of immigration status. Senate Bill 174, by Sen. Ricardo Lara (D-Bell Gardens) and Assemblywoman Wendy Carrillo (D-Los Angeles), comes as the state is locked in a broader legal battle with the Trump administration over state immigration laws and his call for mass deportations. Lawmakers point to what they say is the states own discriminatory history as their basis for introducing the legislation. The proposal would amend an 1872 provision that was first adopted to exclude Chinese immigrants and other transient aliens from holding appointed civil positions. At the time, antipathy toward the Chinese had been building in California, though, Chinese immigrants opened hundreds of businesses across the state and would play a critical role in building the transcontinental railroad. The Senate bill would delete the phrase transient aliens from the government code and make clear that any person, regardless of citizenship or immigration status, can hold an appointed civil office if they are at least 18 years old and a resident of the state. That would allow any Californian to serve on hundreds of boards and commissions that advice in an array of policy areas, including farm labor, history and employment development. Californias two million undocumented immigrants are a source of energy for our state, Lara said in a statement. It is shocking to read the words of fear and exclusion that are still in California law but belong in historys trash can. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement Tony Mendozas fundraising dries up after resignation amid harassment inquiry By Patrick McGreevy Former state Sen. Tony Mendoza (D-Artesia). (Steve Yeater / Associated Press) Political contributions to Tony Mendoza, who resigned from the state Senate under pressure amid sexual harassment allegations, have nearly dried up. New documents he filed with the state in his bid to reclaim the seat he once held show that his support has eroded. As a result, five other candidates for the 32nd District senate seat in the June 5 election have raised more than Mendoza so far this year. With the June 5 election approaching, Mendoza has reported raising just $7,750 in cash from six supporters during the nearly four-month period from Jan. 1 to April 21. Mendoza, a Democrat from Artesia, went on a leave of absence from the Senate Jan. 3 and resigned a month later under the threat of expulsion from colleagues. An investigation ordered by the Senate found a pattern of unwanted flirtatious or sexually suggestive behavior based on testimony from six women. Mendoza has denied wrongdoing. Last year, Mendozas reelection campaign raised $412,600, or an average of about $34,000 per month, from more than 350 supporters. Most of Mendozas 2018 total was contributed by the political arm of the Southern California Pipe Trades District Council 16 on Jan. 22, a month before Mendoza resigned. Mendoza also reported that his campaign loaned $125,000 this year to his legal defense fund. That left him with $446,600 in his campaign account at the end of April. Mendoza is running against eight Democrats and two Republicans. Democrat Bob J. Archuleta, a Pico Rivera city councilman, raised the most, $210,000, during the period. On Monday, Mendoza suffered another setback when the State Legislative Womens Caucus endorsed Democrat Vicky Santana, a member of the Rio Hondo College Board. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Newsom and Villaraigosa affairs coming to TV ads in California By Phil Willon An independent political committee backing Republican John Cox for governor released an ad blasting both Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom and former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa for their past sexual affairs. The California Deserves Better ad, which was first reported by Politico, criticizes Newsom for having an affair with a woman on his staff in 2005 while he served as mayor of San Francisco. It also goes after Villaraigosa for having an extramarital affair with a television reporter in 2007 while he was mayor of Los Angeles. The ad, which begins airing on Fox stations in the states top media markets Monday, links Newsom and Villaraigosa to the men accused of sexual impropriety in the #MeToo movement, including movie mogul Harvey Weinstein and disgraced Today show veteran Matt Lauer. Powerful men are finally being held to account, punished for inappropriate sexual conduct with women over whom they exercise power, the ad begins. Newsom and Villaraigosa think the rules shouldnt apply to them. The independent campaign committee, called Restore Our Values, already has raised more than $100,000, said Leigh Teece of Emeryville in Northern California, co-founder of the group. Teece, the CEO of a nonprofit that helps line up students with professional mentors, said the campaign will actively support Cox. She called him a true conservative and noted that he supports cutting taxes and opposes Californias sanctuary state policy. John is a business person who has demonstrated integrity, Teece said. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Was that Cisneros in the voicemail? Dispute is latest espisode of Democratic infighting in crowded primary races By Christine Mai-Duc Gil Cisneros speaks during a forum at Fullerton College in January. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times) With less than five weeks to go before Californias primary, insults and accusations are flying with abandon in the most crowded races Democrats hope to ultimately win. The latest example of this is in the 39th Congressional District, where a half dozen Democrats are vying for a chance to replace Rep. Ed Royce, whos retiring. Its one of several California contests where Democratic leaders are already worried that divisions could ultimately split votes and shut Democrats out of key pickup opportunities. In that race, millionaires Gil Cisneros and Andy Thorburn are going negative about going negative. Cisneros was recently elevated to the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committees Red to Blue program in hopes it would serve as a signal to Democratic activists and donors that his campaign was the most viable. But both Cisneros and Thorburn have poured millions into the race, which promises to be a knock down, drag out fight through June 5. At the center of the latest controversy is a voicemail, allegedly left by Cisneros on Thorburns home answering machine earlier this month. The recording, which the Thorburn campaign turned over to media outlet The Intercept, lasts less than 10 seconds. Hi Andy, its Gil Cisneros. Im gonna go negative on you, a mans voice is heard saying. Cisneros campaign manager Orrin Evans denied the candidate made the call, posting a cease and desist letter to The Intercept on Twitter. The letter, sent by a Cisneros campaign attorney, called the voicemail fabricated and demanded that the story be taken down, calling it defamatory. It gave the publication until 3 p.m. Friday to take down the story before they pursue all legal rights and remedies. An attorney for The Intercept, in a letter to Cisneros, said the publication confirmed with multiple sources familiar with Mr. Cisneros that his voice was on the recording, and that it stands by its reporting. Thorburns camp says it flatly rejects Cisneros denial, and that the timing of a negative website filled with unflattering background on Thorburn, released three days later, suggests it was him. Track the California races that could flip the House According to The Intercepts report, Cisneros campaign manager did not respond to initial inquiries about the voicemail, calling its questions ridiculous. In a follow-up statement Friday, Evans said called the episode a dirty, desperate trick by the Thorburn campaign and said they are readying to pursue legal action for defamation and false light against both him and the publication. It sounded like him to me! said Thorburns wife, Karen, in a statement released by the campaign. She was the one who first heard the voicemail, they said. Thorburn campaign manager Nancy Leeds called Cisneros threats Trump-like tactics and accused the candidate of trying to harass and intimidate anyone who stands in his way. Its not the first time candidates from the same party have clashed in the lead-up to the June 5 primary, and its all but certain to not be the last. Cisneros sued two of his opponents, Thorburn and Sam Jammal, over their ballot descriptions until they had to change them. Earlier this month, Democrat Bryan Caforio asked his opponent, Katie Hill, to sign a pledge rejecting the use of independent expenditure committees, entities that neither of them can legally coordinate with, in the race to unseat Rep. Steve Knight (R-Lancaster). Hill refused and called the attempt hollow and likened it to political theater, while Caforio accused her of empty campaign promises. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print California Politics Podcast: The money raised in the race for governor hints at a race thats now red hot By John Myers With less than six weeks before election day, the cash raised in the California governors race mirrors the overall dynamics: one major front-runner and a heated race for second place. This weeks podcast episode offers a glimpse into those cash reports and how the Republican field seems more settled in a new statewide poll than the battle between Democrats. We also examine the reasons why a nationally talked-about housing bill in Sacramento was killed by the Democratic authors own allies. Im joined by Times staff writers Melanie Mason and Liam Dillon. You can subscribe to the podcast on iTunes, SoundCloud and Stitcher. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement L.A. County politician sexually assaulted woman when she was 16, lawsuit claims By Dakota Smith A woman sued an unnamed politician in Los Angeles County on Friday, alleging the man sexually assaulted her when she was a teenager after he gave her an unusual-tasting drink. The politician, identified as John Doe, was in his early 40s and a public figure at the time of the 2007 assault, according to the lawsuit filed in Los Angeles Superior Court. The man is an elected official today and lives in Los Angeles, said attorney Lisa Bloom, who is representing the woman identified in the lawsuit as Jane Doe. Bloom declined to say what branch of government the man represents. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Villaraigosa touts his working-class upbringing, accomplishments as mayor in first TV ad By Phil Willon Democrat Antonio Villaraigosa released his first TV ad in the governors race Friday, touting his record and accomplishments as mayor of Los Angeles when up against the economic downturn during the recession. The 30-second television spot opens with a sweeping shot of Los Angeles and cuts to Villaraigosa sitting on a bus. In kindergarten, my sister and I took three buses to get to school. As mayor, I remembered that, Villaraigosa says into the camera. And despite the recession, we built more new schools and rail lines than any city in America, added 200,000 living wage jobs, built 20,000 units of affordable housing and nearly doubled graduation rates. Campaign spokesman Luis Vizcaino said the ad will air statewide over the next week at a cost of approximately $1 million. The commercial will being airing Saturday. Two Democratic rivals in Californias race for governor, Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom and state Treasurer John Chiang, also launched ads this week, signaling the biggest ramp-up of the campaign as the June 5 primary approaches. Newsom is the front-runner, while Villaraigosa is battling for second place with Republican John Cox. One recent poll has Villaraigosa trailing both Cox and Republican Assemblyman Travis Allen of Huntington Beach. Chiang has been stuck in the single digits in almost all polling in the race. Last week, an independent expenditure group called Families and Teachers for Antonio Villaraigosa for Governor, funded largely by a trio of wealthy charter school backers, launched a spot in support of the former mayor of Los Angeles. That ad campaign is focused on increasing Villaraigosas chances of coming in second in the June 5 primary and moving on to the general election. Villaraigosas ad, titled Three Buses, emphasizes the struggles he faced growing up in East Los Angeles and addresses one of his central campaign themes that hes the candidate best suited to help working-class Californians. I know how far a bus can take you, Villaraigosa says in the ad. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Sen. Dianne Feinstein wont participate in pre-primary debate By Sarah D. Wire (Tom Williams / CQ Roll Call) California Sen. Dianne Feinstein will not participate in a proposed pre-primary debate because there are too many candidates in the race, her campaign spokesman said Thursday. Political activists with the group Indivisible Los Angeles said they had a venue and date May 5 reserved for a debate with four of the Senate candidates. But they said if Feinstein does not participate, it will be canceled. Feinstein faces 31 primary opponents in her bid for a fifth full term representing California in the Senate. Feinstein staffers initially said she had a prior commitment on May 5 in San Francisco. When organizers offered to let her campaign pick another date, her campaign said it wasnt fair for the group to invite only some of the candidates when there is such a big field, said Tudor Popescu, volunteer community organizer with Indivisible Los Angeles. The invited candidates, all Democrats, were Feinstein, state Sen. Kevin de Leon, political action committee director Alison Hartson and lawyer Pat Harris. They were selected based on fundraising and poll numbers. There are 11 Republicans, 10 Democrats, nine independents and 2 third-party candidates running for Senate on the June ballot. Indivisible Los Angeles is still hoping Feinstein will pick another date, Popescu said. Feinstein spokesman Jeff Millman pointed to a San Francisco Chronicle endorsement of Feinstein, which indicates that she told the editorial board she would be willing to have a debate ahead of Novembers general election. Senator Feinstein looks forward to debating her opponent in the general election, Millman said in an email. Feinstein holds a substantial lead in both fundraising and in the polls. Front-runners in statewide races have routinely declined to debate their challengers, knowing that its free publicity for candidates who dont have the cash to increase their name recognition on their own. De Leon spokesman Jonathan Underland said the state senator has done candidate forums before, but planned to attend the May 5 debate only if Feinstein did. We basically said well clear his calendar 100%, well clear his calendar if Feinstein shows up, Underland said. Wed love to make it happen, but we want her to be there. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement NRA, Olympic shooter sue California over its restrictions on ammunition sales By Patrick McGreevy Olympian Kim Rhode is a plaintiff in a lawsuit filed by the NRA and its state affiliate against California. (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times) The National Rifle Assn. and its state affiliate have filed a fourth lawsuit against California over its gun control laws, this time challenging new restrictions on the sale and transfer of ammunition. The NRA and the California Rifle and Pistol Assn. filed a challenge in federal court to a requirement that ammunition sales and transfers be conducted face to face with California firearms dealers or licensed vendors, ending purchases made directly from out-of-state sellers on the internet. The lawsuit in the United States District Court for the Southern District of California also challenged a requirement starting next year for background checks for people buying ammunition. The lawsuit was filed in the name of Kim Rhode, a six-time Olympic medal-winning shooter, and others. It challenges Californias new ammunition sales restrictions as a violation of the 2nd Amendment and the commerce clause of the United States Constitution. Restrictions on ammunition purchases were included in Proposition 63, approved by voters in 2016, and in bills approved by the Legislature. As a result of these laws, millions of constitutionally protected ammunition transfers are banned in California, Chris W. Cox, executive director of the NRAs Institute for Legislative Action, said in a statement. Californias law-abiding gun owners are sick of being treated like criminals and the NRA is proud to assist in this fight. Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom, who is running for governor, defended his initiative and vowed to fight the NRA lawsuit. We wrote Proposition 63 on solid legal ground and principle: If youre a felon banned from possessing guns in California, then you should not be able to purchase the ammunition that makes a firearm deadly, Newsom said in a statement. California voters said loudly and clearly that guns and ammunition do not belong in the hands of dangerous individuals but once again, the NRA has prioritized gun industry profits over the lives of law-abiding Californians. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Republicans hope to ride a gas-tax repeal to victory By Patrick McGreevy In a Central Valley barn decked out in red, white and blue, dairyman and state Senate candidate Johnny Tacherra drew cheers from a crowd of fellow farmers when he said he opposes the California Legislatures hike on gas taxes and vehicle fees. I would not have voted for that. It is not the time to be voting on (raising) the gas tax, said Tacherra, a Republican running against Democratic Assemblywoman Anna Caballero, who voted for the tax increase last year. Three hundred miles away the same week, a campaign mailer arrived at homes in Orange County from an Assembly candidate with a message blaring from the cover in bold type: Republican Greg Haskin tough enough to stand up to Jerry Brown and repeal the gas tax. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Treasurer John Chiang launches ad in governors race touting his record as a fiscal steward By Seema Mehta In his first television ad in the governors race, state Treasurer John Chiang touts his record on fiscal issues as California faced the recession. Some thought we were done, Chiang says in a voiceover in the 30-second spot he released Thursday, with images of him standing seriously at a lectern and complimentary headlines about his work as controller and treasurer. But I knew better. I made the tough calls. And brought California back from the brink of financial disaster because you trusted me to manage our economy. Chiangs campaign is spending about $500,000 to air the ad in Los Angeles and San Diego in coming days. That buy is dwarfed by seven-figure purchases for ads supporting Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom and former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa. Newsom is the front-runner, while Villaraigosa is battling for second place with Republican businessman John Cox. Chiang has been mired in the single digits in almost all polling in the race. His ad, called Quiet Storm, tries to portray Chiang as a progressive who is effective and can move policy in Sacramento. Chiang points to his work challenging Wells Fargo before arguing that he could accomplish what doubters say is impossible to improve the states healthcare, housing and schools. I say, we got this, Chiang concludes. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement Been ignoring the race for California governor? Thats OK, in some ways its just starting By Mark Z. Barabak On a recent trip to Iowa, Eric Garcetti the mayor of Los Angeles and a possible 2020 White House contestant raised eyebrows with a bit of exuberant outreach. Los Angeles and Iowa, Garcetti insisted, have a ton in common, and he didnt simply mean both are inhabited by carbon-based life forms needing oxygen to survive. Urban or rural, farmer or fashion plate, all of us harbor the same hopes and dreams, the mayor suggested, and if it wasnt a terribly original thought it also wasnt the most egregious sort of political pandering like, say, ordering that every home in Los Angeles be powered by Iowa-produced ethanol. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print California voters should expect to decide on an $8.9-billion water bond in November By Liam Dillon (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times) A proposal to borrow $8.9 billion for improvements to Californias water quality systems and watersheds and protection of natural habitats is eligible for the statewide ballot in November, Secretary of State Alex Padilla announced in a press release Wednesday. Padilla said the measure, which is backed by agricultural interests, had exceeded the 365,800 valid signatures it needed to qualify for the general election ballot. The bond measure will appear on the ballot unless proponents withdraw it by June 28, the release said. The bond is one of many voters could decide on in 2018. A $4-billion bond for parks and water infrastructure improvements will appear on the June 5 ballot. State lawmakers approved it last year. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print They came for Darrell Issa. They stayed with their inflatable chicken, blue wall and signs for political therapy By Christine Mai-Duc (John Gibbins / San Diego Union-Tribune) A mother of two turned ringleader of the resistance and more than a hundred of her faithful followers gathered on Tuesday morning outside Rep. Darrell Issas office in a northern San Diego County suburb. Across the street was her foil, a wedding DJ in a red Make American Great Again cap, setting up hefty speakers for an upcoming war of words. For about 65 weeks the deep divide in America played out along this 100-yard stretch of road in Vista. Here, at 10 a.m. every Tuesday, passersby found signs, chants, songs and, if they were lucky, sometimes a 20-foot-tall inflatable chicken with a Trump-esque coif. Theyd also glimpse the state of the body politic in 2018, a time when shock has turned to anger and post-2016 calls for reconciliation have morphed into grudging acceptance that each side might be better off in their respective corners. Or in this case, their sides of the street. On Tuesday, the anti-Issa, anti-Trump contingent fought this particular battle for the last time, declaring it their final protest at the congressmans office. They said they planned to use their energy to knock on doors and get out the vote, with an occasional protest on the side. Their pro-Trump rivals vowed to show up wherever they do. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Efforts to regulate bail companies have some unlikely allies: bail agents By Jazmine Ulloa Jane Un, chief executive and founder of Abba Bail Bonds, works with a client. ( Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times) In recent years, the seriousness and number of official complaints related to the bail industry in California have significantly increased while bail agents and bounty hunters face limited oversight, putting vulnerable communities at risk of fraud, embezzlement and other forms of victimization. This year, as Gov. Jerry Brown has pledged to work with lawmakers in a push to overhaul how courts assign defendants bail and to better regulate bail agencies, even some who profit from the court practice admit its time for regulation. These bail and bail-recovery agents could become unlikely allies, saying they advocate for change because theyve seen the system abuse the poor. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement California voters: Get ready for an onslaught of television ads By Seema Mehta After a sleepy campaign, California voters are now being bombarded with television advertisements in the governors race, an onslaught that is expected to ramp up in coming weeks. The ads most frequently seen on television are those promoting Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom, the front-runner in the race, and former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, who is trying to secure the second spot in the June primary. Newsoms campaign and an outside group backing Villaraigosa are spending seven figures weekly on these efforts, according to filings with the California secretary of states office and a media buyer who asked not to be identified in order to freely discuss the ads. Other gubernatorial candidates are expected to hit the airwaves soon, the media buyer said. State Treasurer John Chiang has reserved a half-million dollars in the coming days in the Los Angeles and San Diego markets, and Villaraigosas campaign has requested availability in at least five of the states biggest TV markets. The GOP candidates in the race, who will be seeking the state Republican Partys endorsement at its convention next weekend, have been much less active. Businessman John Cox in recent weeks has been spending about $90,000 per week, but doubled that this week in Los Angeles and added small buys on KFI-AM radio and cable in markets including Fresno, Bakersfield and Salinas. State Assemblyman Travis Allen of Huntington Beach, who has been scooping up Republican Party endorsements across the state, has yet to make a notable television or radio buy, though he and Cox have received some attention as commentators on Fox News. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Republicans ready to turn in signatures for ballot measure to repeal California gas-tax increase By Patrick McGreevy A Chevron gas station in Sacramento shows prices last year. (Rich Pedroncelli / Associated Press) Republican activists said Tuesday that they have collected at least 830,000 signatures for an initiative to repeal recent increases in Californias gas tax and vehicle fees, more than enough to qualify the measure for the November ballot. The activists need 585,407 signatures of registered voters to qualify the ballot measure. Because signatures are still being processed and counted by the campaign, backers hope to have 900,000 by the time they begin turning them in to the counties on Friday, according to Carl DeMaio, a former San Diego City Council member and organizer of the drive. The breadth and depth of voter anger over the car and gas tax hikes is just amazing, said DeMaio, who hosts a radio talk show. We are seeing Democrats, independents and Republicans sign the petition and volunteering to carry the petition, people from all walks of life. The initiative targets a law approved in April 2017 by the Legislature and Gov. Jerry Brown that is expected to raise $5.4 billion annually for road and bridge repairs and improvements to mass transit. The money comes from a recent 12-cents-per-gallon increase in the gas tax, a 20-cent increase in the diesel fuel excise tax and a new annual vehicle fee ranging from $25 for cars valued at under $5,000, to $175 for cars worth $60,000 or more. The petition drive raised more than $2 million with significant contributions from the California Republican Party and Republican members of Congress from California, including House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy of Bakersfield and Reps. Ken Calvert of Corona and Mimi Walters of Irvine. Republicans hope the issue will help their candidates for office in this years election and hurt Democrats who support the higher taxes. I think this is going to put Democrats in real bad spot, DeMaio said. A spokesman for Brown declined to comment until the signatures are filed. DeMaio said there were approximately 20,000 volunteer petition circulators who brought in more than 250,000 signatures, with the rest collected by paid circulators who received $1 to $2.50 per signature. Its a pretty comfortable margin [of signatures] that we have been able to hit here, DeMaio said. Opposition will grow, he said, as more Californians get their annual vehicle registration notice. The repeal campaign hopes to raise $5 million for the campaign to pass the constitutional amendment, which would not only repeal the increase in the gas tax and vehicle fees but require future increases to be submitted to voters. We know that Gov. Brown and his cohorts are going to spend an amazing amount of money to mislead voters, DeMaio said. But I feel pretty confident that we will repeal the gas tax. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Rep. Duncan Hunter sets up trust to raise money for legal expenses amid ongoing criminal investigation By Morgan Cook Rep. Duncan Hunter, R-Alpine, has filed paperwork to establish a legal expense fund amid an ongoing federal criminal investigation into misused campaign cash. Hunter filed the required paperwork March 27, seeking a rarely granted Legal Expense Fund through which members of Congress under investigation or being sued in connection with doing their jobs or running for office can raise money for their legal expenses. Such funds are administered by an independent trustee and allow donors to give above the maximum amount they can contribute a candidates campaign. Hunter has spent more than $600,000 of campaign money on lawyers. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Kamala Harris says she wont take corporate donations anymore By Sarah D. Wire (Jose Luis Magana / Associated Press) California Sen. Kamala Harris says she will no longer accept money from corporate political action committees. In an interview with WWPM-FMs The Breakfast Club, in New York that aired Monday, the senator said she wasnt expecting a question at a town hall this month about whether she would accept money for corporations or corporate lobbyists. At the time, Harris said it depends, but she said on Monday that she had reflected on the matter and changed her mind. Money has had such an outside influence on politics, and especially with the Supreme Court determining Citizens United, which basically means that big corporations can spend unlimited amounts of money influencing a campaign, right? Harris said. Were all supposed to have an equal vote, but money has now really tipped the balance between an individual having equal power in an election to a corporation. So Ive actually made a decision since I had that conversation that Im not going to accept corporate PAC checks. I just Im not. You can watch the video of the interview here. (Harris corporate money comments come about 30 minutes in.) Harris wouldnt be on the ballot for a second Senate term until 2022, though its widely believed that she is planning a presidential bid in 2020. Other potential 2020 presidential candidates, including Sens. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.) and Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), have also ruled out taking corporate PAC money. Soon after Mondays show aired, Harris campaign sent out a fundraising request noting her new stance. As corporate PACs continue to corrupt our politics and twist Congress priorities at your expense, were going to focus on raising money from small-dollar, individual donors like you, the email says. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement With money tied up in court, California lawmakers try again with new plan to spend $2 billion on homeless housing By Liam Dillon A man sleeps on the sidewalk in front of the Union Rescue Mission in the skid row neighborhood of Los Angeles. (Francine Orr / Los Angeles Times) A measure to spend $2 billion on housing homeless Californians could be on the November statewide ballot. State Sen. Kevin de Leon (D-Los Angeles) is pushing the idea to deal with what he said was a burgeoning humanitarian crisis whose epicenter is here in California. De Leons new measure is a do-over for a 2016 plan passed by the Legislature to redirect $2 billion toward building homeless housing from a voter-approved 1% income tax surcharge on millionaires that funds mental health services. A Sacramento attorney sued over that decision, arguing that the move violated constitutional rules on approving loans without a public vote and that lawmakers shouldnt take money away from mental health treatment. The case remains active in Sacramento Superior Court and its unclear when, or if, the state will be able to spend the $2 billion. De Leons Senate Bill 1206 would put the $2-billion loan on the ballot in November, freeing up the money if voters approve the measure. De Leon said had he been able to predict the 2016 plan would end up in court, he would have sought a ballot measure at the time. We thought this was like apple pie and baseball and puppies, De Leon said. Who would oppose the idea of repurposing the dollars to build immediate housing as a permanent solution for homelessness? Obviously with a crystal ball, had I anticipated the litigation, I would have worked to place it on the ballot. De Leon noted that the 2016 plan had bipartisan supermajority support in the Legislature, something his new bill also will need to get on the ballot. Sen. John Moorlach (R-Costa Mesa) is a coauthor of the plan. SB 1206 is scheduled for its first hearing in the Legislature on Wednesday. Should De Leons measure be approved, it will join a crowded list of housing issues before voters in November. Californians will decide on a separate $4-billion bond to help finance new low-income housing and home loans for veterans. De Leon said hes not worried those two measures will compete against each other because voters are aware of the scale of the states housing problems and the proposed homeless housing bond redirects existing dollars instead of raising taxes. Once [voters] know that the impact on their pocketbook is not existent, Im confident that theyll join me and my colleague John Moorlach in support of this measure, De Leon said. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print California lawmakers say too many former felons are being denied professional licenses By John Myers Assemblyman David Chiu (D-San Francisco) along with supporters of bills to allow more former felons to receive professional licenses. (John Myers/Los Angeles Times) A trio of California Assembly members urged colleagues on Monday to pass legislation that would prohibit state commissions and agencies from rejecting a professional license for those who were once convicted of less serious crimes. We cant say we want to rehabilitate people, and then block them from getting the jobs that they need when theyre released, said Assemblyman David Chiu (D-San Francisco). That leads to more recidivism and to more crime. The bills, scheduled to be heard in Assembly committees Tuesday, would ban the use of arrest or conviction records as the reason for denying a professional license. The bill would not apply to Californians who served time for any of the offenses on the states list of violent crimes. The authors, all Democrats, said that a government-issued professional license is required for some 30% of all jobs in the state. Their bills would change the licensing process at the California departments of Consumer Affairs and Social Services and agencies that certify emergency medical technicians. The bills would block prior convictions from leading to the delay or denial of a license unless that crime is directly related to the profession the person intends to pursue. Two of the bills also specifically say convictions less than 5 years old could continue to play a role in licensing decisions. Last year, Gov. Jerry Brown signed a law that keeps private sector employers from inquiring about a job applicants conviction history prior to an offer of employment. Advocates joined the lawmakers at a press conference in Sacramento to point out that limits on awarding licenses should focus only on those whose prior criminal activity could pose a threat to consumers. Continuing to hold people back for crimes that are 6, 7, 8, 10, 20 years old does not actually make sense if youre looking at public safety, said Jael Myrick of the East Bay Community Law Center. One of the proposals, Assembly Bill 2293, seeks to make it easier for ex-felons to get a license allowing a job with the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection the same agency that often uses prison inmates to battle blazes around the state. If a person is good enough to risk their life fighting fires for the state of California as an inmate, said Assemblywoman Eloise Gomez Reyes (D-Grand Terrace), their previous actions should not prevent from having a job utilizing the skill set that they learned. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Assembly speaker rebukes building trades union after it targets Assemblywoman Cristina Garcia By John Myers ( (Rich Pedroncelli / Associated Press)) The decision by a politically powerful labor group to openly campaign against an embattled Los Angeles-area lawmaker drew a sharp rebuke on Friday from Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon. The Lakewood Democrat lashed out hours after the State Building and Construction Trades Council of California filed paperwork for a political action committee to defeat Assemblywoman Cristina Garcia (D-Bell Gardens). Garcia, whos seeking her fourth term, took an unpaid leave of absence in February following allegations of sexual misconduct. She has denied the reports and an Assembly investigation remains underway. Rendon didnt criticize the labor group by name, insisting instead that the decision was driven by oil and gas industry interests. This is a thinly veiled attempt by Big Oil and polluters to intimidate me and my members. It is an affront to my speakership, Rendon said in a statement. We are proud of the work that the Assembly has done to increase jobs and wages while defending our environment. We will vigorously defend the members of our caucus from any ill-advised political attack. A statement from the labor group, which sparred with Garcia last year on her effort to link new climate change policies with a crackdown on air pollution, said it had decided to reverse past support for her. The Trades have thousands of hard working members in Garcias district, and we look forward to lifting up another Democrat in the 58th Assembly to better represent them and their families, said the statement. The political action committees campaign finance filing on Friday listed nonmonetary in kind contributions from Erin Lehane, a public affairs consultant aligned with the building labor group. Lehane said she had begun researching Garcia in November. In January, a former legislative staffer accused her of groping him in 2014. Lehane, who identified herself as a spokesperson for the labor groups political action committee, said on Friday that she believed Garcias hypocrisy threatened a movement that will dictate how much harassment and abuse my daughter will face in her work life. Garcia, who has been an outspoken advocate for women in the #MeToo movement, has complained that her political opponents helped fan the flames of the accusations. Through a campaign consultant, she declined to comment on Friday. Rendons critique came on the heels of a full-page ad in The Times on Friday, partly paid for by the Trades Council, that criticized well-funded ivory tower elites who push proposals that hurt the oil and gas industry. We are the real jobs that fuel the real California economy, read the advertisement. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement Legal tiff breaks out over independent committees ad backing Antonio Villaraigosa for governor By Phil Willon An attorney representing Gavin Newsoms campaign for governor is demanding that California television stations cease airing an ad by an independent political committee supporting his Democratic rival Antonio Villaraigosa. Attorney Thomas A. Willis, in a letter to the stations, said the ad is false and misleading and violates California law because it uses snippets of video footage from Villaraigosas own campaign ads. Willis called that illegal coordination between the campaign and PAC. Under California law, advertisements made by entities other than a candidate are presumed to be coordinated and thus not independent expenditures when the advertisement replicates, reproduces or disseminates substantial parts of a communication, including video footage, created and paid for by the candidate, the letter states. A representative for the independent expenditure committee Families & Teachers for Antonio Villaraigosa for Governor fired back. Attorney Brian T. Hildreth says those allegations have no merit and accused the Newsom campaign of being misleading. Hildreth sent a letter to the television stations in response, urging them to ignore the Newsom campaigns accusations. He said the Newsom camp appears to intentionally misrepresent the law and that the video use was permissible. He said only six seconds of video from Villaraigosas campaign ads was used, which is well within the legal limits. The independent committee is sponsored by the group California Charter Schools Assn. Advocates, according to the California secretary of states office. The ad is airing on broadcast and cable stations statewide. The committees ad is focused on Villaraigosas record as Assembly speaker and as mayor of Los Angeles when there was a drop in crime. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Governors race snapshot: Californians are generally upbeat but not focused on the campaign By Mark Z. Barabak Armand Werden, a 29-year-old community college student who works the taps at Dust Bowl Brewery in Turlock, said the state is on the upswing. (Phil Willon / Los Angeles Times) As California chooses a new governor one of just a handful in the last 40 years not named Jerry Brown the state seems to be enjoying something unusual in these tumultuous political times: a feeling of relative contentment. Not to say things are perfect. Still, more than 100 random interviews conducted over the length and breadth of the state from Redding in the north to Santee in the south, from the Pacific coastline to the edge of the Sierra Nevada found most saying things are looking up, at least so far as Californias direction is concerned. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement Sierra Club backs Gavin Newsom for California governor By Phil Willon Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom speaks with members of the public following a debate at USC in January. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) The Sierra Club endorsed Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom in the race for California governor, with officials in the established environmental group praising the Democrats record on climate change and clean energy. He has a proven record for leading on environmental protection, public health and clean energy, Kathryn Phillips, director of Sierra Club California, said in a statement released by the Newsom campaign. He understands that we are feeling the effects of climate change and that California must reduce carbon emissions and reach 100% renewable energy to achieve our climate goals. Phillips said the Sierra Clubs extensive network of volunteers will campaign for Newsom as the June 5 primary approaches. Sierra Club executive director Michael Brune also praised the Democrat, saying he will protect California from Donald Trumps attacks on our clean air and water. The Sierra Club joins a series of other influential groups in California that have backed Newsom. The California Medical Assn., the powerful state doctors lobby, announced its endorsement of Newsom on Thursday. The California Nurses Assn. and the Service Employees International Union, one of the most powerful labor unions in the state, also support Newsom. Newsom is the races front-runner in polls and fundraising. A poll released earlier this month by the nonpartisan Public Policy Institute of California found that 26% of likely voters backed Newsom. John Cox, a Republican from Rancho Santa Fe, was favored by 15% of likely voters and former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, a Democrat, by 13%. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Californias GOP House members are taking their challengers more seriously and the numbers show it By Christine Mai-Duc For much of last year, consultants and campaign managers for some of Californias most vulnerable Republican incumbents maintained a bullish tone on the prospect that the GOP would hold the House in this years midterms. The National Republican Congressional Committee insisted that longtime Republican incumbents in California had built up reputations as effective champions of local issues that would help them weather a flood of Democratic enthusiasm. Since then Rep. Ed Royce (R-Fullerton) and Rep. Darrell Issa (R-Vista) have decided not to seek reelection and the NRCC has opened a West Coast headquarters in Orange County. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print California officials say Pentagon has confirmed National Guard funding despite Trump threat By John Myers (Evan Vucci / Associated Press) The awkward dance between Gov. Jerry Brown and the federal government over the National Guard jerked back toward discord on Thursday, when Trump said he would refuse to pay for a new deployment of troops just hours after his administration said otherwise. And a few hours later, California officials said they had received written confirmation from the Pentagon that the mission would indeed be funded. Trump had earlier called Browns decision to approve 400 troops for a mission focused on combating transnational crime and drug smuggling a charade in a tweet. We need border security and action, not words! the president wrote. Governor Jerry Brown announced he will deploy up to 400 National Guard Troops to do nothing. The crime rate in California is high enough, and the Federal Government will not be paying for Governor Browns charade. We need border security and action, not words! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 19, 2018 A spokesman for Brown pointed to a tweet written Wednesday night by Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen, thanking the California governor for his efforts. Trump was meeting on Thursday with Nielsen at his Mar-a-Lago estate not long after his tweet was posted. A tweet later posted by the California National Guard said that almost three hours after Trumps comment, the state received written confirmation from the Pentagon to fund the mission as outlined by Brown the day before. In short, nothing has changed today, said a subsequent Guard tweet. Just spoke w @JerryBrownGov about deploying the @USNationalGuard in California. Final details are being worked out but we are looking forward to the support. Thank you Gov Brown! Secretary Kirstjen M. Nielsen (@SecNielsen) April 19, 2018 Brown was the last of the nations border governors to respond to Trumps insistence earlier this month that National Guard troops were needed to assist with immigration-related duties at the U.S.-Mexico border. And he has consistently refused to allow California troops to engage in any mission related to federal immigration law. This will not be a mission to build a new wall, Brown wrote last week to Nielsen and Defense Secretary James N. Mattis. It will not be a mission to round up women and children or detain people escaping violence and seeking a better life. Exactly what the California operations will cost remains unclear, as state officials have said it will depend on decisions made once the mission begins. The funds would not be transferred to the state, but instead would be paid directly by the Department of Defense. Trump has critiqued California several times over the past few days, often writing tweets that embrace the actions by some cities and counties to join his administrations lawsuit against the states sanctuary immigration law. He made similar comments to reporters on Thursday afternoon. If you look at whats happening in California with sanctuary cities people are really going the opposite way, Trump said. They dont want sanctuary cities. Theres a little bit of a revolution going on in California. 2:26 p.m.:This article was updated with additional information from the California National Guard and with remarks from Trump. This article was originally published at 9:51 a.m. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement Gay conversion therapy services would be banned under measure advancing in California By John Myers (Rich Pedroncelli / Associated Press) The California Assembly voted Thursday to add gay conversion therapy to the states list of deceptive business practices, following a debate that focused on the personal experiences of several lawmakers and hinted at potential lawsuits to come. It is harmful and it is unnecessary, Assemblyman Evan Low (D-Campbell), the bills author and one of the Legislatures most vocal LGBTQ members, said of the practice. Low, who told Assembly members that he explored conversion therapy as a teenager and suffered depression over his sexual orientation, insisted that the bill would be limited to efforts that involve the exchange of money. Theres nothing wrong with me, he said in an emotional speech on the Assembly floor. Theres nothing that needs to be changed. The bill, which now heads to the Senate, has become the focal point of intense debate on social media. Some religious groups have said that such a law would be a violation of their constitutional rights, while advocates insist the provisions are narrow and theres no credible evidence that the services work. One key part of the debate centers on whether Assembly Bill 2943 would stretch beyond businesses that charge for these programs and extend to printed documents, even Bibles. An analysis by the Assembly Judiciary Committee says the bill would apply only to services that purport to change a persons sexual orientation and offered on a commercial basis, as well as the advertising and offering of such services. Lawmakers who spoke in support of AB 2943 also made clear that they believe those kinds of services have been discredited. This is fraudulent, it should not be occurring, said Assemblywoman Susan Eggman (D-Stockton). But you can still try to pray the gay away, if you like. Assemblyman James Gallagher (R-Yuba City), who said the bill addresses a difficult issue, nonetheless said that its important to ensure laws dont tamper with religious freedom. We have to think about the legitimate experience of people who have gone through conversion therapy and said this was a good thing for them, Gallagher told his colleagues. California law already bans the use of conversion therapy by mental health professionals on those under age 18. Lows bill would expand the states efforts beyond minors. It would join a list of commercial activities deemed unfair or deceptive acts or practices and therefore banned under state law. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Gavin Newsom gets backing from doctors group, despite differences over single-payer healthcare By Melanie Mason Gavin Newsom speaks at the California Democrats State Convention in San Diego on Feb. 24. (Kent Nishimura) Californias doctors are siding with Gavin Newsom in the governors race, even though they dont see eye-to-eye on a defining issue of the campaign: single-payer healthcare. The California Medical Assn., the state doctors lobby and a political heavyweight, announced its endorsement of the lieutenant governor on Thursday. Gavin is a lifelong champion for health care in California, and we know he will continue to fight for pragmatic solutions to our most crucial health care challenges, including working to achieve universal access and tackling our states physician shortage, CMA President Theodore M. Mazer said in a statement. Newsom has made his support for state-financed healthcare a centerpiece of his campaign, and he earned the early backing of the most ardent single-payer supporters, the state nurses union. The doctors, meanwhile, oppose the nurses bill, SB 562, which emerged as a flashpoint in the healthcare debate last year. The CMA said the bill would dismantle the healthcare marketplace and destabilize Californias economy. Newsom has said SB 562 should advance in the Legislature, but also said it has open-ended issues that still need to be addressed. The doctors group is also battling with another prominent Newsom endorser, the Service Employees International Union, over a new measure that would impose price caps on an array of medical services paid for by commercial health insurers in the state. The SEIU is a leading sponsor of the proposal; the doctors fiercely oppose it. Newsom and the physicians group have a history of political alignment. Newsom was the first statewide official to support Proposition 56, a 2016 tobacco tax pushed by the CMA that raised revenue in part to increase money for doctors who saw Medi-Cal patients. That year, the association also endorsed two initiatives championed by Newsom: Proposition 63, which imposed new gun control measures, and Proposition 64, which legalized recreational marijuana. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Independent committee backing Antonio Villaraigosa for governor hits the airwaves with first ad By Phil Willon Antonio Villaraigosa speaks at the 2018 California Democratic Party Convention in San Diego in February.. (Denis Poroy / Associated Press) A well-financed independent committee backing Antonio Villaraigosas bid to be Californias next governor released its first television ad Thursday, praising his record for working with Republicans and as a candidate for all of California. The ad, which is to air statewide on broadcast and cable stations, is focused on Villaraigosas record as Assembly speaker and mayor of Los Angeles, including on education and a drop in crime while he was at City Hall. To move California forward, we need to help more Californians get ahead, the ad says. Thats why Antonio Villaraigosa brought both parties together to balance the state budget with record investments in public schools and new career training programs. The independent expenditure committee behind the ad campaign, Families & Teachers for Antonio Villaraigosa for Governor 2018, is sponsored by the California Charter Schools Assn. Advocates, according to the California secretary of states office. The committee is spending seven figures per week on the ad buy, said Josh Pulliam, a political consultant for the committee. As mayor of Los Angeles, Villaraigosa clashed with teachers unions, starting with his failed attempt to take political control of the Los Angeles Unified School District. His fight with those unions continued after he left office in 2013. Money has poured into the committee this month from wealthy charter schools supporters: Reed Hastings, chief executive of Netflix, donated $7 million, and Los Angeles billionaire and philanthropist Eli Broad donated $1.5 million. On Wednesday, former Los Angeles Mayor Richard Riordan donated $1 million. The independent expenditure committee is expected to provide a boost to Villaraigosas campaign. Democratic front-runner Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom has a major advantage in fundraising over all other candidates in the race and has received the backing of the California Teachers Assn. and other education unions. A recent Public Policy Institute of California poll also showed Villaraigosa lagging in third place in the race, trailing Newsom and Republican businessman John Cox. The candidates who finish in the top two in the June 5 primary will advance to the November general election, regardless of their party affiliation. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Gov. Jerry Brown says Trump administration will fund his National Guard mission without immigration duties By John Myers (Alex Wong / Getty Images) Gov. Jerry Brown formally mobilized 400 California National Guard members Wednesday for transnational crime-fighting duties, thus preventing any effort by President Trump to have the troops focus on immigration enforcement on the Mexican border. The governor announced that federal officials have agreed to fund the plan he announced last week a mission to combat criminal gangs, human traffickers and illegal firearm and drug smugglers in locations around California, including near the border. The order Brown signed makes clear that the troops will not be allowed to perform a broader set of duties as envisioned by Trumps recent comments. California National Guard service members shall not engage in any direct law enforcement role nor enforce immigration laws, arrest people for immigration law violations, guard people taken into custody for alleged immigration violations, or support immigration law enforcement activities, the order read. The cost of the mission, a spokesman for Brown said, will be paid directly by the federal government. No initial estimate has been made, as the exact amount will depend on exactly how the troops will be used. Though the duties of California Guard members were outlined last week, the state had been waiting for an agreement by federal officials to pay for the operations. Since that time, the president has taken Brown and the state to task over its decision to avoid any immigration-related duties at the border. On Wednesday morning, Trump tweeted, Jerry Brown is trying to back out of the National Guard at the Border, but the people of the State are not happy. Want Security & Safety NOW! There is a Revolution going on in California. Soooo many Sanctuary areas want OUT of this ridiculous, crime infested & breeding concept. Jerry Brown is trying to back out of the National Guard at the Border, but the people of the State are not happy. Want Security & Safety NOW! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 18, 2018 Looks like Jerry Brown and California are not looking for safety and security along their very porous Border. He cannot come to terms for the National Guard to patrol and protect the Border, Trump tweeted Tuesday. There was no immediate reaction from the White House to Browns announcement. On Tuesday, Brown told reporters in Washington that his plan was consistent with a safer border. That sounds to me like fighting crime, the governor said. Trying to catch some desperate mothers and children, or unaccompanied minors coming from Central America, that sounds like something else. The order Brown issued Wednesday after returning from a brief trip to talk climate change in Toronto and to speak to a national trade union and visit with reporters in Washington is set to expire at the end of September. It specifically says no Guard service member may participate in a mission that would exceed the mission scope and limitations related to transnational crime activity. It also says troops cannot help build any new border barrier. 5:27 p.m.: This article was updated with information related to the cost of the Guard mission and Browns trip to Washington. This article was originally published at 5:13 p.m. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement California bill aims to end practice that keeps workplace misconduct cases out of court By Melanie Mason A California bill would prohibit employers from requiring workers to use private arbitration to settle disputes, a practice that critics say shields improper workplace conduct from public view. The bill by Assemblywoman Lorena Gonzalez Fletcher (D-San Diego) would bar businesses from making employees, when they are hired, waive their future rights to take any harassment, discrimination or other claims to court. Arbitration can be a highly effective dispute resolution method when both parties can choose it freely, when both parties are equal, Gonzalez Fletcher said at a news conference on Wednesday. It is far less successful when the more powerful party forces the other to accept those terms, especially as a condition of employment. Forced arbitration has come under increasing scrutiny since the #MeToo movement, with high-profile figures such as former Fox News anchor Gretchen Carlson pointing to the practice as shielding workplace abusers from public disclosure because arbitration resolutions often include nondisclosure agreements. Last year, a bipartisan bill was introduced in Congress to end mandatory arbitration in employment agreements. Gonzalez Fletcher said she was pursuing an unusual tool to draw attention to the issue a subpoena issued by the Legislature to compel testimony from a worker bound by a nondisclosure agreement as a result of arbitration. The Legislature has subpoena power but it is rarely used. The bills sponsors believe lawmakers last issued a subpoena in 2001 while investigating price manipulation by Enron. Gonzalez Fletcher said she has requested Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon (D-Lakewood) to issue the subpoena to require Tara Zoumer, who sued the company WeWork in 2016 for overtime pay, to testify before the Assembly Judiciary Committee next week. Zoumers suit was moved to arbitration and resolved. She is now subject to a nondisclosure agreement and could face a financial penalty for speaking publicly about her case. A spokesman for Rendon said the subpoena request is under consideration. Business groups oppose the bill, AB 3080. The California Chamber of Commerce has dubbed it a job biller, claiming it would dramatically increase legal costs for businesses. Banning such agreements benefits the trial attorneys, not the employer or employee, the group said. The bill must first advance from the Assembly Labor Committee on Wednesday. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print At least 240 House lawmakers want a vote on immigration. California supporters say they arent ready to force one By Sarah D. Wire Rep. Jeff Denham (R-Turlock), flanked by Rep. Pete Aguilar (D-Redlands) and Rep. Will Hurd (R-Texas) speak about DACA legislation (Bill Clark / CQ Roll Call) Rep. Jeff Denham says at least 240 of the 430 current House members have signed onto his resolution to hold votes on four immigration bills, and he hopes House Speaker Paul D. Ryan (R-Wis.) and President Trump are paying attention to the show of support. But, the Republican from Turlock and his allies said Wednesday that they are not yet willing to commit to forcing Ryans hand through a little-used procedural move called a discharge petition; they acknowledged theres no guarantee that all of 47 Republicans and 193 Democrats House co-signers will back them up if they try to force the issue. Im sure that it is something that will be discussed in the coming weeks. You should not need a discharge petition. When you can show the overwhelming majority of the House, the support of it, you should not need a discharge petition, but it is something we would talk about in the future, Denham said. It is far too early to talk about next steps. Ryan said last week that he opposes Denhams effort, saying its a waste of time for the House to vote on bills the president might veto. Denhams resolution would prompt debate and votes on four very different immigration bills: one favored by the Trump administration, one preferred by Democrats, one bipartisan proposal and another immigration bill of Ryans choice. Whichever got the most votes would move forward to the Senate. All four bills would help Dreamers to differing degrees and include varying levels of border security or immigration enforcement. For example, the Trump-backed bill would also dramatically reduce legal immigration, while the Democrats would only deal with legal status for Dreamers. Democrats say they dont expect the show of support will sway Ryan. Congressional Hispanic Caucus Chairwoman Rep. Michelle Lujan Grisham (D-N.M.) said Tuesday night she expects Ryan will have to be forced into allowing a vote. It doesnt matter how many signatures we get. We could have every signature, technically, except his, on the floor of the House and... if he doesnt want to, it doesnt happen, Lujan Grisham (D-N.M.) said. Rep. Pete Aguilar (D-Redlands), who gathered the Democratic co-sponsors for Denham, also wouldnt give a deadline for House leaders to act, but said the co-sponsors are only willing to wait weeks not months. We do want to give them an opportunity to bring up the rule and to use whatever process they want, Aguilar said. They do have options, but I think they need to understand that we have options too. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Billionaire Democratic activist Tom Steyer endorses Kevin de Leon in his insurgent bid against Sen. Dianne Feinstein By Seema Mehta Tom Steyer, left, and California state Sen. Kevin de Leon (D-Los Angeles). (Getty Images; Los Angeles Times) Billionaire Democratic activist Tom Steyer is endorsing state Sen. Kevin de Leon in his insurgent challenge to Sen. Dianne Feinstein, and did not rule out funding an outside effort to boost De Leons chances. I think hes the kind of young progressive that reflects California and would be a very strong advocate for our state nationally, Steyer said in an interview on Tuesday, pointing to De Leons efforts on issues such as immigration, climate change and gun control while he was the state Senate leader. I know him well and hes a friend. We share a lot of values. Steyer, who flirted with running for the Senate seat, did not criticize Feinstein as he has in the past. Sen. Feinstein has been an outstanding public servant who has dedicated the bulk of her adult life to the service of our state and the country, he said. These are two strong, very good Democrats. I just believe Kevin is the true progressive and he reflects something we need representing California going forward. I have nothing bad to say about Dianne Feinstein. I have a lot of good to say about Kevin de Leon. De Leon faces enormous odds as he tries to oust Feinstein, who has served in the Senate for a quarter-century, is well known to the states voters and has daunting leads in polls and fundraising. But De Leon has gained notable endorsements, most recently from the 2.1-million-member California Labor Federation last week. Campaign finance reports released this week show that Feinstein has more than $10 million in the bank, while De Leon has just more than $670,000. Feinstein, a multimillionaire and one of the wealthiest members of the Senate, has already lent her campaign $5 million and could easily write another check. But Steyer, a billionaire former hedge fund manager, could write a larger one. He is among the largest Democratic donors in the nation and has already committed more than $50 million to push for the impeachment of President Trump and to register young voters. He was noncommittal when asked if he would fund an independent expenditure group on behalf of De Leon. I dont have any concrete plans for that, he said. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement Californias largest pension fund sends next years invoice to state government: $6.3 billion By John Myers The California Public Employees Retirement System building (Max Whittaker / Getty Images) As part of a shift toward less optimistic expectations for investment returns to pay for government worker pensions, board members of the California Public Employees Retirement System voted Tuesday to require an almost $6.3-billion payment from the state budget in the fiscal year that begins on July 1. The action, which could receive final approval on Wednesday, reflects a gradually higher annual contribution to public employee pensions by the state and from local governments across California. In 2016, CalPERS approved a half-percentage point decrease in its official estimate of the long-term investment return on its $353.3-billion portfolio. That shift was designed to happen over several years, in hopes it would lessen the financial shock of shifting more of the costs onto government employers. The highest costs are also, in part, a reflection of increases in the size of the states payroll. The states CalPERS payment will be about $450 million more than the total paid in the current fiscal year and more than double what it was only a decade ago. CalPERS board members voted on Tuesdays staff proposal with little discussion, save for a question about the increase in contributions also required from workers hired after a pension overhaul that took effect in June. It seems like it will be a ding on peoples salaries, said Theresa Taylor, the chairwoman of CalPERS finance committee and a member of SEIU Local 1000, the union that represents some 96,000 state employees. The $6.299-billion payment required from Californias state government must now be factored into the budget crafted by the Legislature and signed into law by Gov. Jerry Brown in late June. Brown had already assumed a similarly sized payment in his budget proposal unveiled in January. In February, a coalition representing city governments warned about the effects of rising pension costs under the expectations of less money from Wall Street investments. The report issued by the League of California Cities projected an average increase of more than 50% in annual pension payments made by the states largest cities over the next seven years. A CalPERS staff report notes that the net return on all of the funds investments for the fiscal year that ended in July was 11.2%. But expectations on profits over the next 30 years remain significantly more modest, and theres long been a robust debate about how to properly set those future expectations. The lower the rate of projected investment return, the larger the share of pension costs that must be covered by taxpayers and some employees. Overall, CalPERS officials believe the system has assets to cover 71% of its long-term obligations. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print California warns legal pot sellers not to participate in unlicensed 4/20 events By Patrick McGreevy Marijuana on display at a dispensary in Los Angeles. ( (Frederic J. Brown / AFP/Getty Images)) The state issued a warning Tuesday that businesses holding licenses to sell marijuana could face penalties if they participate in unlicensed temporary events away from their stores, including on Friday, April 20, which has become an annual celebration for counterculture groups. The warning was issued ahead of 4/20 by the state Bureau of Cannabis Control. Since Jan. 1, the bureau has issued more than 700 state licenses to sell marijuana for medical or recreational use. The bureau has issued 47 temporary event licenses to groups that are limited to holding the marijuana celebrations on county fairgrounds that have authorized such events with city approval. Any bureau licensee participating in an unlicensed cannabis event may be subject to disciplinary action, the warning said, adding that lawful participation by bureau licensees in any temporary cannabis event that allows sales and/or consumption is dependent upon issuance of the appropriate licenses from the bureau. While many Californians have been issued medical approval to sell or use marijuana, the law does not allow them to participate in unlicensed events, also referred to as Proposition 215 events after the ballot measure that legalized medical pot two decades ago in the state. Participation in such events may lead to civil penalties for unlicensed commercial cannabis activity, the warning said. Meanwhile, a survey of some 1,000 marijuana users that was released Tuesday by the firm LendEDU found that the average 4/20 participant plans to spend $71 on marijuana to celebrate the unofficial holiday, and about 35% of respondents are planning to take off work Friday. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print California police groups shift position on officer discipline records, now consider support for making some of them public By Liam Dillon Los Angeles Police Department recruits at a graduation ceremony in April (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times) Some major law enforcement groups signaled Tuesday they are willing to support making part of police officer disciplinary records public, a dramatic departure from their past positions. Local and national attention on police shootings and misconduct has led law enforcement organizations to reconsider their blanket opposition to proposals that would give public access to some internal disciplinary investigations of officers. Were going to be open to supporting efforts that would allow for some records to be released, said Ryan Sherman, a lobbyist with the Riverside Sheriffs Assn. Debate over secrecy provisions in officer disciplinary files came during a legislative hearing on Senate Bill 1421 from Sen. Nancy Skinner (D-Berkeley). Skinners bill, which advanced out of the Senate Public Safety Committee on Tuesday, would require public disclosure of all internal officer shooting investigations and confirmed cases of sexual assault and lying while on duty. Currently, all police discipline information is confidential outside of a courtroom in California, which has some of the nations strictest standards against public disclosure. Unfortunately, the fact that we have such strict restrictions on any access to public records has affected certain communities trust towards our law enforcement, Skinner said during the hearing. Prior to Skinners effort, other have tried to loosen these rules, some of which date back 40 years. Most recently in 2016, a bid by then-Sen. Mark Leno (D-San Francisco) failed in a Senate committee. In debate two years ago, no major law enforcement groups indicated they would accept changes to state laws that would make individual internal investigations public, saying they were essential to protect officer privacy and safety. But Tuesday, Sherman and other lobbyists including those representing the states largest police labor organization, signaled they might be willing to entertain changes. They said they were negotiating with Skinner on the bills details. Law enforcement groups still have major concerns about SB 1421 as written. Ed Fishman, an attorney for the Police Officers Research Assn., told legislators that the bill would wrongfully expose police officers who acted within departmental policy to invasions of their privacy. It has unintended consequences that are extreme and will hurt the public, Fishman said. Tuesdays hearing featured testimony from many who have had relatives killed by police officers in recent years advocating for the bill. Senators on the Public Safety Committee also gave public rebukes to law enforcement lobbyists, criticizing them for a lack of diversity and insensitivity to concerns raised by communities of color. I think that you are completely and utterly out of touch with the realities of how those you are representing are perceived by major segments of California, said Sen. Holly Mitchell (D-Los Angeles). You are not going to be able to continue to lobby your way out of it. The bill faces at least one more committee hearing in the Senate before reaching the floor. It will have to pass both houses of the Legislature by the end of August. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Newest member of the California Assembly arrives ready to work on criminal justice issues By John Myers Assemblywoman Sydney Kamlager-Dove prepares for the oath of office from Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon with her husband, Austin Dove. (California Assembly Democrats) Two weeks after winning a Los Angeles special election, the newest member of the California Assembly says she hopes to focus on reforms to the states criminal justice system during her time in Sacramento. Assemblywoman Sydney Kamlager-Dove (D-Los Angeles) took the oath of office on Monday, filling one of three vacant seats representing Los Angeles County in the lower house. The Democrat, a former community college trustee and legislative staffer, thanked her mentors in remarks from the Assembly rostrum. So many women, and in my life so many black women, have paid in giving me the kind of morals and integrity and grit that is required to fight on behalf of people that you know, and people that you dont know, she said. Kamlager-Dove won handily on April 3, receiving 70% of the votes cast in the 54th Assembly District which encompasses communities west of downtown Los Angeles, from Crenshaw to Culver City and as far north as Westwood. She will serve the remaining eight months of the term of former Assemblyman Sebastian Ridley-Thomas, who resigned last year citing health concerns. She has said she hopes to focus her attention on poverty issues and on reform of the states criminal justice system. I think we have an opportunity to really push the needle in terms of how we look at rehabilitation, how we look at incarceration, and how we look at changing the lives oftentimes of poor men and women of color, Kamalager-Dove said on Monday in a video released by Assembly Democrats. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement Survivors of violent crime raise their voices in California to call for a new approach to criminal justice By Jazmine Ulloa Aaliyah Smith marches with her cousins. (Jazmine Ulloa / Los Angeles Times) Her father, uncle, a cousin and two older brothers. Those are some of the family members 16-year-old Aaliyah Smith has lost to gun violence. Then there are her friends. Jermaine Jackson Jr., 27, was shot and killed in 2016 while he painted over graffiti in San Francisco. Toriano Tito Adger, 18, was shot there a year later at a bus stop. He called Smith, who was nearby, and warned her to run. She made it inside a library moments before the crack of gunfire. Last week, Smith was among hundreds who gathered in Sacramento for annual National Crime Victims Rights Week events, where calls were issued for a new approach to criminal justice and public safety in California, one that puts survivors at the center of policy. But a debate is brewing over what that entails. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print California expects $14 billion in tax payments this month By John Myers State workers handle income tax returns at the California Franchise Tax Board offices. (Laura Morton / For The Times) Gov. Jerry Browns proposed state budget is built on what taxpayers might find an audacious assumption: almost $14 billion in tax payments in the month of April, an average of $83 million collected per hour on every business day of the month. Most of that money will come from the taxes Californians pay in advance of Tuesday nights filing deadline for income tax returns. If history is any guide, the rate of payment could quadruple by weeks end. While tax rules have shifted some of the payment schedules to other months, April remains a vitally important month to the fiscal health of state government. The state controllers office reports more than 15% of all personal income tax revenues in 2017 were collected in April. In the recession years of a decade ago, tax revenue predictions were frequently off the mark by hundreds of millions of dollars. The last two state budgets have seen significant windfalls of personal income tax revenue, thanks in part both to an improving economy and to the continuation of a temporary surcharge on the wealthiest taxpayers extended by voters in 2016. In the budget plan he sent to lawmakers in January, Brown projected a $6.1-billion windfall and proposed using a sizable amount to top off Californias rainy-day fund ahead of schedule. The independent Legislative Analysts Office reports that through the end of last week, the months income tax tally stood at $3 billion, slightly ahead of projections. By the end of the current week, a single days total could be almost that large. Lawmakers began reviewing the governors $190.3-billion spending plan during the winter, but few decisions are made until they get a look at Aprils tax revenues. The governor will release a revised plan based on the new data next month; lawmakers are required to send him a completed budget no later than June 15. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Feinstein war chest tops $10 million while Kevin de Leon struggles to keep pace By Sarah D. Wire Sen. Dianne Feinstein widened her already-massive fundraising advantage in the run-up to Junes primary, raising twice as much in the first quarter than her strongest Senate challenger has sitting in the bank. Feinstein raised $1.3 million between January and March, bringing her war chest to just over $10 million as Californias U.S. Senate race begins in earnest, according Federal Election Commission reports. Former state Senate leader Kevin De Leon, the best known of the more than 30 people who will appear with Feinstein on the June primary ballot, raised just $575,991 in that same period, bringing his cash on hand to $672,331, according to his quarterly FEC report. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement Trump has met his match, says Gov. Jerry Brown in promoting climate action on a quick trip to Canada By John Myers (Rich Pedroncelli/Associated Press) Gov. Jerry Brown told a Canadian audience Monday that he believes President Trumps efforts to reverse course on climate change policy are a momentary deviation as others in the United States seek limits on greenhouse gas emissions. Thats very temporary, I can assure you, Brown said at a joint event in Toronto with Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne. The governors quick international trip, announced only late last week, comes as Wynnes Liberal Party faces a stiff challenge in Junes election from the Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario and its leader, Doug Ford. Critics of Wynnes party have called for Ontario to pull out of the Western Climate Initiative, a cooperative agreement between three Canadian provinces and California on efforts to limit greenhouse gases. Brown sought to link the efforts of Canadian conservatives with Republicans in the United States who oppose existing climate change programs. In contrast, he told the audience, several GOP lawmakers voted last summer to renew Californias cap-and-trade program. I would say to the conservatives of Canada, wake up and see what your friends in California are doing, he said. The Democrat took particular notice of Trumps efforts to shift away from climate change policies from the administration of former President Obama, as well as a push by the Environmental Protection Agency to cancel Californias strict limits on automobile emissions. If Trump tries to change that, well have litigation well beyond his term in office, Brown said while also noting Chinese government efforts to produce more low-emissions vehicles. Between California and China, Trump has met his match. What hes saying is not going to happen. Many of the governors remarks, though, were aimed at the tough political situation in which Wynne finds herself with seven weeks to go before Ontarios parliamentary elections. Dangers abound, but success is right in our hands, Brown said. So dont blow it! Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print California voters are getting to know the states attorney general through his aggressive stance challenging Trump By Patrick McGreevy Less than two months from his first statewide election, California Atty. Gen. Xavier Becerra has become adept not only at challenging President Trump but at using the bully pulpit of his office to raise his profile with voters. The aggressive effort may help boost the former Los Angeles congressmans chances at winning a full term in office this fall, almost two years after he was appointed to replace Sen. Kamala Harris in 2017. Appointed by Gov. Jerry Brown, Becerra took office as attorney general four days after Trumps inauguration. Thats afforded him an opportunity to get in front of Californians and potential voters on an array of issues including immigration, healthcare and the environment. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Gov. Jerry Brown forms commission for 2020 census outreach By Melanie Mason In an effort to make sure California has a strong showing in the next national census, Gov. Jerry Brown on Friday established a state commission to prepare outreach for the decennial count. It is vitally important for California to do everything it can to ensure that every Californian is counted in the upcoming census, Brown said in a prepared statement. The commissions formation comes on the heels of a Trump administration plan to ask about citizenship status as a part of the census. State officials fear that such a question, which has not been asked in a census since 1950, could chill participation among California residents. That could result in the state losing billions of dollars in federal funds and a seat in Congress. The 23-member panel, appointed largely by Brown as well as picks by legislative leaders, comes from private- and public-sector backgrounds, including civil rights groups, religious institutions and educational institutions. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement Garcetti kicks off Iowa visit with 2020 on his mind and a hardhat on his head LA Mayor - and 2020 prospect - Eric Garcetti makes his Iowa debut at the Carpenters Union Training Center. Fearlessly flaunts the never be photographed in head gear/safety glasses rule. pic.twitter.com/14bUOPXMvF Mark Z. Barabak (@markzbarabak) April 13, 2018 Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Asm. Rocky Chavez takes the lead in race to replace Issa, while Doug Applegate slips By Joshua Stewart A new poll shows that Republican Assemblyman Rocky Chavez has taken a clear lead over 15 other candidates running to replace Rep. Darrell Issa in Congress and has overtaken Democrat Doug Applegate, the previous frontrunner. In a SurveyUSA poll by 10News and The San Diego Union-Tribune, Chavez, R-Oceanside, has support of 16 percent of likely voters, putting him ahead of Applegate, a lawyer, who was favored by 12 percent of voters and is in second place. The top two vote-getters in June, regardless of party, will proceed to a November runoff election. Competing with Applegate for the No. 2 spot is Democrat Mike Levin, also a lawyer, with support of 9 percent of voters. Several other candidates were right at his heels. Democratic Businessman Paul Kerr and Board of Equalization Member Diane Harkey, R-Dana Point, were tied for fourth at 8 percent each. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Pro-Kevin de Leon group launches ad castigating Dianne Feinstein By Seema Mehta A group that is supporting Kevin de Leons bid for the U.S. Senate launched a blistering ad against Sen. Dianne Feinstein on Thursday, questioning her progressive principles and tying her to President Trump. The ad buy from A Progressive California is minuscule $10,000 to air it in Los Angeles for one day on CNN and MSNBC during programming such as The Rachel Maddow Show, Hardball with Chris Matthews and Anderson Cooper 360. The minute-long ad features news clips about Feinstein not getting the California Democratic Party endorsement earlier this year, as well as footage of Feinstein saying that Trump can be a good president and appearing to share a laugh with Trump. That moment actually came during a White House meeting in the aftermath of the Parkland, Fla., school shooting when the president suggested an assault weapons ban should be included in a bipartisan bill to expand gun background checks. It also features extensive clips of de Leons speech at the state partys convention. De Leon, who just ended his final term as leader of the state Senate, announced last year he would run against fellow Democrat Feinstein as she seeks her fifth full term. Feinsteins longtime political advisor dismissed the ad, noting the size of the buy. Its not really a buy, said Bill Carrick. Ten thousand dollars in cable in L.A. Poof, its gone. Still, he said he planned to have the campaigns lawyers review the ad to see if it violates campaign law that limits what outside groups like A Progressive California can do. Such groups cannot coordinate with campaigns or candidates, and are limited in how much their messages can support a candidate. Ann Ravel, the former chair of the Federal Election Commission and the California Fair Political Practices Commission, said if the ad was in a state race, she is certain that the state commission would open an investigation into potential coordination with de Leons campaign because of the messaging and the types of footage in the ad. But the bipartisan federal commission cant agree on how to enforce the federal regulations, she said. The problem is [outside groups] understand that given the lack of very strong enforcement at the federal level, theres the ability to stretch the law, she said. A spokeswoman for the FEC declined to comment. Dave Jacobson, a spokesman for A Progressive California, disputed the suggestion that the ad violated campaign law. This frivolous allegation shows that Sen. Feinstein is afraid of the public seeing an ad which showcases her own words, that Donald Trump can be a good president, he said. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement Dispute over money emerges in campaign to repeal Californias gas tax increase By Patrick McGreevy A motorist prepares to gas up her vehicle in San Rafael, Calif., in 2015. (Justin Sullivan / Getty Images) A proposed initiative to repeal hikes to Californias gas tax has been caught in the middle of a dispute involving Republican rivals in the governors race. Assemblyman Travis Allen, a Republican candidate for governor, decided in January to drop plans for his own initiative and said he would urge supporters to sign a separate petition being supported by several Republican members of Congress. Then last week, the committee Allen formed to finance his ballot measure reported a $300,000 contribution from PISF Inc., a Novato, Calif., real estate firm. Now, an organizer of the still active Give Voters a Voice committee is urging the Allen committee to immediately donate their funds in support of the ongoing signature gathering efforts. There is only one gas tax repeal measure currently in circulation and that is the measure sponsored by the Give Voters a Voice Committee, said Dave Gilliard, a consultant to the group. PISF Inc., he said, gave to repeal taxes a Donald Trump has this much in common with Barack Obama: Both presidents first years spawned books that chronicled crises. Obamas crisis, however, was inherited. Trumps has been largely self-made. Trump even provided the alliterative title Fire and Fury for the book that has roiled Washington and the nation. Michael Wolff lifted the phrase from a particularly memorable statement in which Trump seemed to threaten North Korea with nuclear annihilation. Metaphorically, it fits the warring and chaos within the White House which Wolff recounts. After two days of appetite-whetting excerpts and nonstop cable TV coverage, the book was released Friday morning rushed into stores by publisher Henry Holt & Co., in defiance of a cease and desist letter from Trumps lawyers that only stoked book-buyers interest. In Washington, it promptly sold out. Advertisement The 322 pages dont provide a lot of new news the picture of mayhem is mostly familiar to readers who have followed the daily reporting of White House correspondents. Some of what is new strains credulity. Yet Wolffs work carries a punch, the result of the power that comes from tying together in one place the dizzying events of Trumps initial year plus his ability to write as his subtitle proclaims that his account comes from Inside the Trump White House. Wolff offers anecdote upon anecdote, quote upon quote, to buttress his theme, but one of the strongest pieces of evidence of political incompetence in the West Wing is the simple fact that he was there. No other White House in memory would have allowed an author of Wolffs high-flying reputation to have such extensive and unrestrained access. The Trump White House, and Trump, have been quick to counterattack, impugning Wolffs credibility (much as Bill and Hillary Clinton sicced lieutenants on unflattering authors). In tweets, Trump derided the book as phony and full of lies, misrepresentations and sources that dont exist. He falsely claimed hed not spoken to Wolff. The Republican National Committee circulated past criticisms of Wolff by other journalists, in an email with the headline Liar and Phony (in a font mimicking Fire and Fury on the book cover). Yet for all the perceived flaws in Wolffs reporting notably a much-disputed anecdote in which Trump asks Whos that? about former House Speaker John A. Boehner significant parts of the book have been corroborated. Worse for Trump, his own record of repeated false statements on matters large and small has robbed his denials of much strength. My credibility is being questioned by a man who has less credibility than, perhaps, anyone who has ever walked on Earth at this point, Wolff said Friday on NBCs Today. Advertisement Little in the book has been refuted; the White House, asked for specific errors, cited only the Boehner passage. Wolffs main source, Stephen K. Bannon, headed Trumps campaign in its final months, was chief strategist in the White House until his firing in August and, even after, remained an architect of Trumps nationalist agenda. Bannons role as source and enabler for Wolff has outraged Trump, who said in a statement that Bannon had lost his mind. If Bannon is not dead to the president, the disheveled insurgent at a minimum has been reduced to the kind of sophomoric Twitter nickname the president likes to bestow on foes: Sloppy Steve. Other advisors are quoted as well, however. Sam Nunberg, a former Trump campaign aide, tells of Trumps eyes glazing over as Nunberg attempted to give him a tutorial on the Constitution. Former deputy White House chief of staff Katie Walsh, who ultimately quit, grouses of her exasperation at fielding competing directives from a trio of West Wing rivals: Bannon, Chief of Staff Reince Priebus (also now gone) and Trump son-in-law Jared Kushner. Advertisement The pre-publication excerpts caught many of the books highlights. Trump didnt expect to be elected, Wolff wrote; he thought hed parlay his greater fame into something else, perhaps a Trump Network, as former Fox News chief Roger Ailes, now dead, suggested. On election night, as it became clear Trump might win, Melania Trump was near tears and not of joy, he wrote. (Her office issued a statement insisting she had been happy with the result.) Perhaps most troublesome for Trump is Bannons condemnation of the meeting that Kushner, Donald Trump Jr. and former Trump campaign manager Paul Manafort had at Trump Tower, in June 2016, with Russians said to have incriminating information about Hillary Clinton. Even if you thought that this was not treasonous, or unpatriotic, or bad sh-t, and I happen to think its all of that, you should have called the FBI immediately, Bannon said, a line that severely undermines Trumps longtime contention that talk of a Russia-Trump connection is a Democratic hoax. Bannon is also quoted contradicting Trump and his lawyers predictions that the probe led by Robert S. Mueller III, the special counsel, will wrap up quickly and satisfactorily. Advertisement This is all about money laundering, Bannon says, adding that the path to Trump goes right through Manafort who has been indicted as well as through Trumps son and son-in-law. Perhaps most damaging both to Trumps ego and his reputation with the public are the vivid and repeated accounts of contempt for Trump from those around him. Some of those remarks unspooled in front of the author. Wolff hosted a small post-election dinner at his apartment in Manhattan spiced with banter from Bannon and Ailes belittling Trump. At one point, he recounts Ailes advising Bannon: I wouldnt give Donald too much to think about. For other remarks, Wolff leaves his sourcing ambiguous. Its unclear, for example, how he claims to know that after a nighttime telephone call with Trump, publishing baron Rupert Murdoch, exasperated by Trumps ignorance, exclaimed upon hanging up, What a f---ing idiot. Advertisement He similarly leaves a reader to guess who told him that Priebus and Treasury Secretary Steven T. Mnuchin called Trump an idiot, that economic advisor Gary Cohn said Trump was dumb as sh-t, or that national security advisor H.R. McMaster called him a dope. Whatever the flaws, however, the White House is right to fear that this book will do damage. Democratic strategist Joe Trippi, referring to Trump, recently told The Times, the sense of chaos, the constant fight, fight, fight and alarm bells going off all the time has so vexed voters that it helped elect Democrat Doug Jones, Trippis client, to a Senate seat in Alabama long held by Republicans. Theres this sense of being on edge, Trippi said, that most voters dont want anymore. Advertisement Wolffs book is a reminder of what made them edgy to date, and why more likely lies ahead. The California Legislature unveiled a new policy Friday that for the first time would reveal the identities of some who have been accused of sexual misconduct, two months after refusing to disclose detailed information about years of allegations. By expanding public access to a select number of employee files, legislative leaders acquiesced to the reckoning that continues to reverberate through workplaces across the nation. Activists and news organizations alike pointed out the political and legal risks of lawmakers keeping the documents shielded from public view. The new policy was outlined in a brief statement attributed to legislative leaders, who said the Senate and Assembly will release documents related to sexual harassment claims that have been substantiated against a high-level legislative employee or legislator for which discipline has been imposed or allegations have been determined to be well-founded. Advertisement Amid uproar over sexual harassment, California lawmakers return to work That language precisely mirrors the phrasing used by the Los Angeles Times in requests for records filed with both houses on Nov. 3. The statement goes on to say that documents covering some claims of past sexual harassment will be released in the coming weeks. While the public statement does not make clear whether the release of sexual harassment information is a one-time occurrence, an aide to Senate President Pro Tem Kevin de Leon (D-Los Angeles) said the policy will be part of the upper houses customs and practices, and not a formal rule. Allegations of misconduct have upended the state Capitol in the 11 weeks since more than 140 women wrote an open letter denouncing the pervasive nature of sexual harassment and abuse in Californias political world. Two legislators, former Assemblymen Raul Bocanegra (D-Pacoima) and Matt Dababneh (D-Woodland Hills), resigned after multiple women accused each man of inappropriate sexual advances. Both lawmakers denied the allegations against them. Sexual harassment hearings come as California Capitol is roiled by accusations and a resignation A third legislator, state Sen. Tony Mendoza (D-Artesia), is currently on a leave of absence while the Senate conducts an investigation into allegations that he behaved inappropriately with multiple female staff members, which the senator has denied. Mendoza, who had initially refused to temporarily step aside, gave in to the demands of his fellow Democrats after a tense private meeting on Wednesday. In early November, legislative officials revealed broad data about the number of sexual misconduct investigations that both houses had conducted since the beginning of 2006, disclosing a total of 31 investigations. That information was released after a request by The Times for more substantive information, including the number of actual complaints even when no additional investigation was conducted and the cost to taxpayers. Lawmakers refused to provide those details, citing a 1975 state law that allows the Legislature to deny access to records that other state agencies and local governments must make available to the public. Advertisement The Times then asked for records pertaining to instances involving legislators, staffers or even lobbyists where the charges were found to be true, discipline was imposed or the complaints were judged to be well-founded. Legislative officials rejected that request on Nov. 21. On Dec. 5, an attorney for The Times urged lawmakers to reconsider their position and said a California court would likely rule in favor of disclosure. If teachers and superintendents and finance clerks and city managers and mayors and licensed attorneys all are subject to disclosure of records explaining the basis for discipline or finding that allegations of workplace misconduct are well founded or true, then legislators also are subject to disclosure of such records, wrote Jeff Glasser, The Times vice president for legal affairs. Fridays about-face on releasing documents appears to have some boundaries that could limit the publics effort to understand the full context of sexual misconduct issues at the state Capitol. Disclosure, said the statement, will be limited to complaints against either a legislator or high-level legislative employee, which a De Leon aide described as someone who manages staff. That means there would be no disclosure of sexual harassment allegations against employees in jobs like scheduler or legislative aide the types of lower level jobs which many managers hold before being promoted. Advertisement In short, records pertaining to disciplinary action against anyone with a pattern of improper behavior could presumably be kept confidential. For legislative leaders, the controversies have proved challenging, pitting the desire to project a forceful reaction to the burgeoning scandal against long-held policy and the tendency to avoid disclosure. Its important that we are responsive as a body, both as an institution but as individual members, Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon (D-Lakewood) told reporters earlier this week. Theres a certain amount of vigilance that I think seemed to have been missing in previous generations in this building. In that same conversation, he demurred when asked if he was aware of any allegations of sexual misconduct against currently serving legislators. Advertisement I dont talk about human resources issues, Rendon said. De Leon, who is running for U.S. Senate, signaled at a news conference last month that requests for information about sexual harassment allegations would be handled in a more open manner. Part of changing that culture is to be more transparent, De Leon said. Part of changing culture is to work closely with the press. This is unprecedented but we will be moving forward with that. john.myers@latimes.com; melanie.mason@latimes.com Advertisement Follow @johnmyers and @melmason on Twitter, sign up for our daily Essential Politics newsletter and listen to the weekly California Politics Podcast UPDATES: 8:45 p.m.: This story was updated to clarify that the policy in the California Senate will be a custom and practice of the House, which a top aide to the Senate leader said is not the same as a formal House rule. This story was originally published at 4:35 p.m. Trump promotes sons Justice with Judge Jeanine interview President Trump promoted via Twitter an interview with his son Eric Trump just before it aired Saturday night on Fox News Justice with Judge Jeanine. Eric Trump on @JudgeJeanine on @FoxNews now! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 21, 2018 Eric Trump called into the show to defend his father from criticism prompted by the first government shutdown in more than four years, as well as a series of Womens March events that saw protesters in dozens of cities take to the streets to oppose the presidents policies. .@EricTrump joined me over the phone from Mar-a-Lago ! pic.twitter.com/Hro3TzUW52 Jeanine Pirro (@JudgeJeanine) January 21, 2018 Speaking to host Jeannine Piro who is reportedly an old friend of the presidents Eric Trump offered effusive praise for his father, ticking off glowing statistics to illustrate the strength of the U.S. economy and gains against Islamic State fighters overseas. My fathers working like no ones ever worked before to bring back this country and to fulfill his promise to make America great again, said the executive vice president of the Trump Organization. He also repeated a sentiment recently expressed on Twitter by his father: That Democratic lawmakers forced a government shutdown on the anniversary of the presidents inauguration in a bid to distract from his achievements. You look at this whole government shutdown, and the only reason they want to shut down government is to distract and to stop his momentum, Eric Trump said. I mean, my father has had incredible momentum. Hes gotten more done in one year than arguably any president in history. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Trump tweets: a perfect day for all Women to March President Trump hailed the nationwide Womens March gatherings Saturday. On Twitter, the president called it a perfect day for all Women to March, seeming to imply that those taking part were celebrating his administrations accomplishments: Beautiful weather all over our great country, a perfect day for all Women to March. Get out there now to celebrate the historic milestones and unprecedented economic success and wealth creation that has taken place over the last 12 months. Lowest female unemployment in 18 years! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 20, 2018 Participants in the marches across the United States were actually seeking to deliver a powerful rebuke to Trumps policies and mount a crucial mobilization for this years midterm elections. But Trump continued to tout his administrations unprecedented success in tweets sent later in the day: Unprecedented success for our Country, in so many ways, since the Election. Record Stock Market, Strong on Military, Crime, Borders, & ISIS, Judicial Strength & Numbers, Lowest Unemployment for Women & ALL, Massive Tax Cuts, end of Individual Mandate - and so much more. Big 2018! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 20, 2018 The Trump Administration has terminated more UNNECESSARY Regulation, in just twelve months, than any other Administration has terminated during their full term in office, no matter what the length. The good news is, THERE IS MUCH MORE TO COME! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 21, 2018 In addition to the roll call of major American cities where womens marches took place including New York, Washington, Los Angeles, Dallas, Philadelphia, Chicago, San Francisco, Atlanta protesters also raised their voices in suburbs and small towns, reflecting the aim of coalescing a broad-based movement on the anniversary of Trumps inauguration to oppose the presidents stance on immigration, healthcare, racial divides and an array of other issues. Read More This post contains reporting from Times staff writer Laura King. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Trump calls shutdown a present from Democrats By Associated Press President Trump is blaming Democrats for the government shutdown tweeting that they wanted to give him a nice present to mark the one-year anniversary of his inauguration: This is the One Year Anniversary of my Presidency and the Democrats wanted to give me a nice present. #DemocratShutdown Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 20, 2018 That comes after Senate Democrats late Friday killed a GOP-written House-passed measure that would have kept agencies functioning for four weeks. Democrats were seeking a stopgap bill of just a few days in hopes that would build pressure on Republicans, and they were opposing a three-week alternative offered by GOP leaders. Democrats have insisted they would back legislation reopening the government once theres a bipartisan agreement to preserve protections against deporting about 700,000 immigrants known as Dreamers who arrived in the United States illegally as children. Trump on Saturday accused Democrats of holding our Military hostage over their desire to have unchecked illegal immigration: Democrats are holding our Military hostage over their desire to have unchecked illegal immigration. Cant let that happen! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 20, 2018 Democrats are laying fault for the shutdown on Republicans, who control both chambers of Congress and the White House and have struggled with building internal consensus. In a series of tweets hours after the shutdown began, the president tried to make the case for Americans to elect more Republicans to Congress in November in order to power through this mess: Democrats are far more concerned with Illegal Immigrants than they are with our great Military or Safety at our dangerous Southern Border. They could have easily made a deal but decided to play Shutdown politics instead. #WeNeedMoreRepublicansIn18 in order to power through mess! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 20, 2018 He noted that there are 51 Republicans in the 100-member Senate, and it often takes 60 votes to advance legislation: For those asking, the Republicans only have 51 votes in the Senate, and they need 60. That is why we need to win more Republicans in 2018 Election! We can then be even tougher on Crime (and Border), and even better to our Military & Veterans! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 20, 2018 #AMERICA FIRST! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 20, 2018 The stopgap spending measure won 50 votes in the Senate, including five from Democrats. Although the House and Senate were in session Saturday, it was unclear whether lawmakers would take any votes of consequence. Trump had been set to leave Friday afternoon for a fundraiser at his estate in Palm Beach, Fla., where he intended to mark the inauguration anniversary. But he remained in Washington and ended up scrapping his plans to attend the Saturday fundraiser. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Trump tweet casts doubt on likelihood of averting shutdown President Trump appeared to cast doubt on the likelihood of reaching a deal to avert a government shutdown Friday night in a tweet. Trump also sought to blame Democrats for what would be the first shutdown since 2013. His message came just hours before the midnight deadline by which lawmakers must pass a measure to fund government agencies, or some operations will cease. Not looking good for our great Military or Safety & Security on the very dangerous Southern Border. Dems want a Shutdown in order to help diminish the great success of the Tax Cuts, and what they are doing for our booming economy. Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 20, 2018 Despite last-minute negotiations Friday between Trump and Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer, Congress remained deadlocked over a spending bill and the federal government was headed toward a shutdown at midnight. Senate Democrats joined by some GOP deficit hawks and immigration allies were set to filibuster a stopgap funding bill approved by the House on Thursday. A Senate vote was planned for 10 p.m. Eastern, and even White House officials predicted it would fail. Read More This post contains reporting from Times staff writer Lisa Mascaro. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement Trump signs surveillance law after confusing tweets By Associated Press President Trump on Friday signed a bill into law to renew a foreign intelligence surveillance program, announcing his action in the latest in a series of confusing tweets about the spy program: Just signed 702 Bill to reauthorize foreign intelligence collection. This is NOT the same FISA law that was so wrongly abused during the election. I will always do the right thing for our country and put the safety of the American people first! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 19, 2018 Trumps tweet on Jan. 11 created chaos in the House just before it voted to reauthorize what is known as Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act. He linked the intelligence program to a dossier that alleges his presidential campaign had ties to Russia. That caused people to wonder if he didnt support the program that allows U.S. spy agencies to collect intelligence on foreign targets abroad. Trump and other Republicans have alleged that Obama administration officials improperly shared the identities of Trump presidential transition team members mentioned in intelligence reports. Democrats say there is no evidence that happened. Shortly before the House vote, and after conferring with House Speaker Paul Ryan, Trump did an apparent about-face. This vote is about foreign surveillance of foreign bad guys on foreign land, he tweeted. We need it! Get smart! In his tweet announcing that he had just signed the bill, Trump wrote: This is NOT the same FISA law that was so wrongly abused during the election. I will always do the right thing for our country and put the safety of the American people first! There are no obvious links between the dossier Trump spoke of, which includes salacious but unsubstantiated allegations against him, and the reauthorization of the spying program, or between the program and Trumps oft-repeated claims that the Obama administration conducted surveillance on Trump Tower during the presidential campaign. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print In tweet, Trump suggests that Pennsylvania trip is a political one The White House press office was once again forced to walk back a tweet from President Trump on Thursday morning after he described a trip to Pennsylvania later in the day as a political one a statement that would force the Republican Party, not taxpayers, to pay for the journey. The White House had said Trump was going to an industrial equipment company outside of Pittsburgh to highlight the good economy and new tax cuts, making it an official, policy-oriented event. It was widely assumed that the trip had a political cast the area is holding a special election to fill a congressional seat vacated by a Republican who resigned. Trump, by his tweet, seemed to confirm that politics was the whole purpose: Will be going to Pennsylvania today in order to give my total support to RICK SACCONE, running for Congress in a Special Election (March 13). Rick is a great guy. We need more Republicans to continue our already successful agenda! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 18, 2018 Trump later shared via Twitter a pair of video clips of his speech at H&K Equipment, in which he touted the tax cuts he signed into law just before Christmas and tried to turn the conversation back to his accomplishments after weeks dominated by distractions, including questions about his mental health and comments about immigration that some considered racist: Departing Pittsburgh now, where it was my great honor to stand with our incredible workers, and to show the world that AMERICA is back - and we are coming back bigger and better and stronger than ever before! pic.twitter.com/kWPgylqFzj Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 18, 2018 AMERICA will once again be a NATION that thinks big, dreams bigger, and always reaches for the stars. YOU are the ones who will shape Americas destiny. YOU are the ones who will restore our prosperity. And YOU are the ones who are MAKING AMERICA GREAT AGAIN! #MAGA pic.twitter.com/f2abNK47II Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 18, 2018 The Republican National Committee, rather than the White House, is supposed to pay for political travel so that taxpayers are not financing party activities; for trips that combine policy and politics, parties have split the cost under past presidents. Neither the RNC nor the White House responded to emails sent Thursday asking who would pay. White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders released a statement later Thursday suggesting that taxpayers would foot the bill. She insisted that Trump would be conducting government business while in Pennsylvania. Read More This post contains reporting from the Associated Press and Times staff writer Noah Bierman. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement Trump tweets praise of Bob Dole after awarding him Congressional Gold Medal By Associated Press Former Senate Majority Leader Bob Dole knew the art of the deal before President Trump published the 1987 book of the same name. The two shared a stage under the Capitol dome Wednesday as Dole, 94, accepted Congress highest civilian honor, the Congressional Gold Medal, for his World War II service and decades of work in the House and Senate. Trump later praised Dole in a tweet, attaching to his message a video composed of clips from the ceremony: Today, we witnessed an incredible moment in history the presentation of Congress highest civilian honor to our friend, and true AMERICAN HERO, Bob Dole. #CongressionalGoldMedal pic.twitter.com/qNQqDLRmCk Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 17, 2018 At the ceremony, the president saluted Dole as a patriot and gave tribute to Doles struggle as a veteran who worked his way back from a grievous shoulder wound he suffered in Italy. He knows about grit, said Trump. But it was Doles penchant for working across the aisle that earned him his latest award, according to the legislation. Bob Dole was known for his ability to work across the aisle and embrace practical bipartisanship, reads the legislation Trump signed in September. Some of the awards 300 recipients include George Washington and Mother Teresa, according to the Congressional Research Service. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement Trump touts report that seeks to link terrorism cases with immigration By Joseph Tanfani The Trump administration on Tuesday released a report attempting to link terrorism with migration, arguing that it was evidence of the need to dramatically reshape the nations immigration system. New report from DOJ & DHS shows that nearly 3 in 4 individuals convicted of terrorism-related charges are foreign-born. We have submitted to Congress a list of resources and reforms.... Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 16, 2018 ....we need to keep America safe, including moving away from a random chain migration and lottery system, to one that is merit-based. https://t.co/7PtoSFK1n2 Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 16, 2018 The report, ordered by President Trump in an executive order last year, said that 75% of the 549 people convicted of terrorism charges since 9/11 were born outside the U.S. Administration officials called that a sign that the U.S. needs to scrap its policy of family preferences for visas, which they call chain migration, and a diversity visa lottery program. But the report did not specify how many if any of the convicted terrorists entered the country through those means. It also did not detail how many of the convictions were related to attacks or plans in the U.S. versus overseas and how many involved people who went to fight overseas for the Islamic State or another terrorist group. Those details were not available, officials said. The report, due last year, is being released in a highly charged moment in the immigration debate, as Trump and some Republicans in Congress seek tough new border and immigration measures in return for a deal protecting the 690,000 people in the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program. Trump also fired off a pair of tweets on the topic earlier Tuesday: We must have Security at our VERY DANGEROUS SOUTHERN BORDER, and we must have a great WALL to help protect us, and to help stop the massive inflow of drugs pouring into our country! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 16, 2018 The Democrats want to shut down the Government over Amnesty for all and Border Security. The biggest loser will be our rapidly rebuilding Military, at a time we need it more than ever. We need a merit based system of immigration, and we need it now! No more dangerous Lottery. Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 16, 2018 The focus of our immigration system should be assimilation, a senior administration official said on Tuesday, speaking on condition that his name not be used. He said the nation should give priority to potential immigrants who speak English, who have an education and those who are committed to supporting our values not family members of people already here. The official said the timing of the report was coincidental. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Trump tweets welcome to president of Kazakhstan By Associated Press President Trump said Tuesday that he and the president of Kazakhstan are united in a shared determination to prevent North Korea from threatening the world with nuclear devastation. Trump and President Nursultan Nazarbayev discussed North Korea along with other issues during meetings at the White House. Today, it was my honor to welcome President Nursultan Nazarbayev of Kazakhstan to the @WhiteHouse! pic.twitter.com/TerYFZViax Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 16, 2018 Trump said Kazakhstan, once part of the Soviet Union, is a valued partner in our efforts to rid the Korean peninsula of nuclear weapons. Together we are determined to prevent the North Korean regime from threatening the world with nuclear devastation, he said, as both presidents addressed journalists between meetings. Nazarbayev noted that his country once had one of the worlds largest nuclear arsenals but voluntarily gave it up after the Soviet Union collapsed. He said his country is in talks with Iran, which was the focus of a global deal that lifted some economic sanctions in exchange for Irans curbing its nuclear program. Trump has sharply criticized the Iran nuclear deal and threatened last week to pull out soon unless other countries fix what he says are terrible flaws. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Trump falsely claims his approval rating among black Americans has doubled By Alex Wigglesworth President Trump lashed out at the news media Tuesday morning in a tweet denouncing the special counsel investigation into Russian meddling in the 2016 election and possible collusion among members of his campaign team. Do you notice the Fake News Mainstream Media never likes covering the great and record setting economic news, but rather talks about anything negative or that can be turned into the negative. The Russian Collusion Hoax is dead, except as it pertains to the Dems. Public gets it! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 16, 2018 It wasnt immediately clear exactly what prompted the presidents tweet, but it appeared as though he was watching Fox & Friends. A short time later, Trump tweeted a headline from a report that aired during that mornings episode: 90% of Trump 2017 news coverage was negative -and much of it contrived!@foxandfriends Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 16, 2018 The segment focused on the latest survey results from conservative watchdog Media Research Center, which purportedly analyzed the evening news broadcasts on ABC, CBS and NBC from Jan. 20 to Dec. 31 and found that 90% of the statements made about Trump were negative. Study: 90% of Trump media coverage in 2017 was negative pic.twitter.com/vbrwup4Drg FOX & friends (@foxandfriends) January 16, 2018 But believe it or not, through all this negative coverage, they did a survey of 600,000 people about how black America views this president, co-host Brian Kilmeade said. His numbers have actually doubled in approval. Trump highlighted the statement in another tweet: Unemployment for Black Americans is the lowest ever recorded. Trump approval ratings with Black Americans has doubled. Thank you, and it will get even (much) better! @FoxNews Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 16, 2018 But its not true. The claim appears to have originated from a misreading of data from the online polling firm SurveyMonkey, according to factcheck.org. The firm polled 600,000 Americans in 2017 and found that Trumps approval rating among blacks actually dropped from 23% early in his presidency to about 17%, as of the week ending Jan. 3. Some conservative outlets, including Breitbart, produced an average from those and other SurveyMonkey figures and compared them to the scores Trump received from black voters in the 2016 exit polls. That methodology is not sound. And since the statistics measure different things, the comparison is misleading. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement Trump goes after senator who surfaced his immigration remark By Associated Press President Trump turned his Twitter torment Monday on the Democrat in the room where immigration talks with lawmakers took a famously coarse turn, saying Sen. Richard J. Durbin misrepresented what he had said about African nations and Haiti and, in the process, undermined the trust needed to make a deal. Senator Dicky Durbin totally misrepresented what was said at the DACA meeting, Trump tweeted, using a nickname to needle the Illinois senator. Deals cant get made when there is no trust! Durbin blew DACA and is hurting our Military. Senator Dicky Durbin totally misrepresented what was said at the DACA meeting. Deals cant get made when there is no trust! Durbin blew DACA and is hurting our Military. Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 15, 2018 Trump was referring to the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, which protects young people who came to the United States illegally as children. Members of Congress from both parties are trying to strike a deal that Trump would support to extend that protection. Trump also cast doubt on the likelihood of reaching an agreement in tweets sent earlier Monday: Statement by me last night in Florida: Honestly, I dont think the Democrats want to make a deal. They talk about DACA, but they dont want to help..We are ready, willing and able to make a deal but they dont want to. They dont want security at the border, they dont want..... Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 15, 2018 ...to stop drugs, they want to take money away from our military which we cannot do. My standard is very simple, AMERICA FIRST & MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 15, 2018 On a day of remembrance for the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., Trump spent time at his golf course with no public events, bypassing the acts of service that his predecessors staged in honor of the civil rights leader. Instead, Trump dedicated his weekly address to Kings memory, saying Kings dream and Americas are the same: A world where people are judged by who they are, not how they look or where they come from. That message was a distinct counterpoint to words attributed to Trump by Durbin and others at a meeting last week, when the question of where immigrants come from seemed at the forefront of Trumps concerns. Some participants and others familiar with the conversation said Trump challenged immigration from shithole countries of Africa and disparaged Haiti as well. Without explicitly denying using that word, Trump lashed out at the Democratic senator, who said Trump uttered it on several occasions. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Trump thanks pundit for laudatory Fox & Friends spot By Alex Wigglesworth President Trump thanked Fox News personality Stuart Varney after Varney praised Trump during an appearance on Fox & Friends. In a pair of tweets early Sunday, Trump quoted from Varneys commentary, in which he argued that Trump deserves more credit for the booming economy. The pundit, who also hosts a show on Fox Business Network, cited moves by some corporations to raise workers minimum wage or pay out one-time bonuses in response to the GOP tax cuts. President Trump is not getting the credit he deserves for the economy. Tax Cut bonuses to more than 2,000,000 workers. Most explosive Stock Market rally that weve seen in modern times. 18,000 to 26,000 from Election, and grounded in profitability and growth. All Trump, not 0... Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 14, 2018 ...big unnecessary regulation cuts made it all possible (among many other things). President Trump reversed the policies of President Obama, and reversed our economic decline. Thank you Stuart Varney. @foxandfriends Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 14, 2018 Varney was reacting to a quote from House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-San Francisco), who on Thursday called the bonuses handed down to workers pathetic in comparison to the gains corporations are expected to see from the tax cuts. In terms of the bonus that corporate America received versus the crumbs that they are giving to workers to kind of put the schmooze on is so pathetic, Pelosi told reporters. Its pathetic. Varney shot back Sunday that the bonuses, along with explosive stock market growth, are enriching all Americans. This is a huge shot in the arm, its the result of this tax cut deal and I think President Trump should get the credit for it, he said. .@Varneyco Sets the economic record straight after Nancy Pelosi calls U.S. mass bonuses crumbs pic.twitter.com/BvjIHGm3HE FOX & friends (@foxandfriends) January 14, 2018 The sweeping tax plan passed last month lowers the corporate tax rate from 35% to 21% and cuts personal income taxes. Analysts say the benefits will largely flow to corporations and the wealthy, as theyre more likely to be in positions to share in corporate profits. For instance, Wells Fargo & Co., which responded to news of the tax overhaul by announcing it will raise workers pay to at least $15 an hour, also reported that it expects to pay an effective tax rate of 19% this year, down from about 31% in previous years. That should amount to tax savings of more than $3 billion annually. On average, middle-class Americans are expected to see a very small tax cut in the near term and a tax increase after 2025, when all of the tax cuts for individuals expire. The tax cuts for corporations, however, are permanent. This post contains reporting from Times staff writer James Rufus Koren. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement Trump touts MLK proclamation in tweet, but ceremony is overshadowed by reports of racist remarks By Associated Press President Trump signed a proclamation Friday for Martin Luther King Jr. Day, noting the contributions of a great American hero. Today, it was my great honor to proclaim January 15, 2018, as Martin Luther King Jr., Federal Holiday. I encourage all Americans to observe this day with appropriate civic, community, and service activities in honor of Dr. King's life and legacy. pic.twitter.com/samlJsz1Nt Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 12, 2018 Overshadowing the event was mounting backlash from Trumps comments during a private meeting with lawmakers the day before. A short time after the meeting, which was called to discuss a possible immigration deal, reports emerged that Trump had asked participants why the United States should accept immigrants from shithole countries in Africa, Central America and the Caribbean. Illinois Sen. Richard Durbin, the Senates second-ranking Democrat, appeared to confirm those reports on Friday. Trump did not respond Friday to several questions about the incident, including whether he actually used vulgar language to describe African nations, or if he is racist. The president said at the White House that love was central to the slain civil rights leader. Trump said the nation celebrates King for standing up for the self-evident truth Americans hold so dear, that no matter what the color of our skin or place of our birth, we are all created equal by God. This post contains reporting from Times staff writer Noah Bierman. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement Trump criticizes Democrats in tweet calling for stricter immigration rules President Trump hit out at Democrats on Thursday night in a tweet calling for stricter immigration rules. Trump wrote that members of the party seem intent on having people and drugs pour into our country from the border with Mexico: The Democrats seem intent on having people and drugs pour into our country from the Southern Border, risking thousands of lives in the process. It is my duty to protect the lives and safety of all Americans. We must build a Great Wall, think Merit and end Lottery & Chain. USA! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 12, 2018 It wasnt immediately clear exactly what prompted the tweet. Earlier Thursday, Trump rejected a bipartisan compromise to resolve the standoff over so-called Dreamers, young immigrants who were brought to the United States illegally as children but have temporary permits to work, attend school or serve in the military. The president drew widespread condemnation after reports emerged that he had asked participants in an Oval Office meeting about the proposal why the United States should accept immigrants from shithole countries in Africa, Central America and the Caribbean. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement Trump touts bill aimed at improving border screening for fentanyl By Associated Press President Trump signed legislation Wednesday aimed at giving Customs and Border Protection agents additional screening devices and other tools to stop the flow of illicit drugs. Speaking at a surprise bill-signing ceremony while flanked by members of Congress from both parties in the Oval Office, Trump described the bill as a significant step forward in the fight against powerful opioids such as fentanyl, which he called our new big scourge. He echoed that language Thursday in a tweet: Yesterday, I signed the #INTERDICTAct (H.R. 2142) with bipartisan members of Congress to help end the flow of drugs into our country. Together, we are committed to doing everything we can to combat the deadly scourge of drug addiction and overdose in the United States! pic.twitter.com/ELZvFol5Lo Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 11, 2018 The legislation will pay for new portable and fixed chemical screening devices to detect and intercept fentanyl at ports of entry and in the mail, along with other laboratory equipment and personnel, including scientists. Trump has made fighting the opioid epidemic a centerpiece of his administration, though critics say he hasnt dedicated nearly enough money or resources to make a difference. Trump suggested during his remarks on Wednesday that hed like to take a more aggressive approach to the drug crisis but the countrys not ready for what he has in mind. So were going to sign this. And its a step. And it feels like a very giant step, but unfortunately, its not going to be a giant step, because no matter what you do, this is something that keeps pouring in, he said. And were going to find the answer. There is an answer. I think I actually know the answer, but Im not sure the countrys ready for it yet, he added. Does anybody know what I mean? I think so. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Trump applauds news that Toyota-Mazda plant is slated for Alabama By Associated Press Japanese automakers Toyota and Mazda on Wednesday announced plans to build a mammoth, $1.6-billion joint-venture plant in Alabama that will eventually employ about 4,000 people. President Trump lauded the news in a tweet: Cutting taxes and simplifying regulations makes America the place to invest! Great news as Toyota and Mazda announce they are bringing 4,000 JOBS and investing $1.6 BILLION in Alabama, helping to further grow our economy! pic.twitter.com/Kcg8IVH6iA Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 10, 2018 Good news: Toyota and Mazda announce giant new Huntsville, Alabama, plant which will produce over 300,000 cars and SUVs a year and employ 4000 people. Companies are coming back to the U.S. in a very big way. Congratulations Alabama! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 11, 2018 Several states had competed for the project, which will be able to turn out 300,000 vehicles per year and produce the Toyota Corolla compact car for North America and a new small SUV from Mazda. Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey and company executives held a news conference to announce that the facility is coming to the Huntsville area not far from the Tennessee line. Production is expected to begin by 2021. The decision to pick Alabama is another example of foreign-based automakers building U.S. factories in the South. To entice manufacturers, Southern states have used a combination of lucrative incentive packages, low-cost labor and a pro-business labor environment, because the United Auto Workers union is stronger in Northern states. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Trump highlights call for border wall in tweets on visit with Norways prime minister By Associated Press President Trump praised Norways prime minister in a tweet on Wednesday after Erna Solberg became the first foreign leader to visit with the president in 2018. Today, it was my great honor to welcome Prime Minister Erna Solberg of Norway to the @WhiteHouse - a great friend and ally of the United States! Joint press conference: https://t.co/qWR1BhfQZI pic.twitter.com/PJvwznjRCO Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 10, 2018 Trump also shared via Twitter a video clip of a joint news conference he held with Solberg on Wednesday afternoon. In the clip, Trump responds to a question from a reporter by saying there can be no bipartisan immigration deal absent funding for his long-promised wall along the U.S. border with Mexico. Republican and Democratic lawmakers have been seeking a solution for hundreds of thousands of so-called Dreamers, young people who were brought to the United States as children and are living here illegally. The United States needs the security of the Wall on the Southern Border, which must be part of any DACA approval. The safety and security of our country is #1! pic.twitter.com/4CFzQXb5aS Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 10, 2018 We need the wall for security, we need the wall for safety, we need the wall for stopping the drugs from pouring in, Trump said Wednesday. Any solution has to include the wall because without the wall, it all doesnt work. On Tuesday, Trump drew widespread attention when he said during a meeting with a bipartisan group of lawmakers that he would be agreeable to signing a stand-alone bill to protect the Dreamers, before moving on to a more comprehensive immigration bill. That contradicted the Republican consensus that Dreamers fate needed to be part of a broader immigration bill that would include some version of Trumps promised border wall and other immigration reforms. Trump backed away from a stand-alone Dreamer bill in subsequent tweets and public comments. Read More This post contains reporting from Los Angeles Times staff writer Noah Bierman. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Trump praises Cabinet in tweet touting meeting By Associated Press President Trump promoted a meeting of his Cabinet on Wednesday, sharing via Twitter a link to a video of the session posted on the White House YouTube account. In his tweet, Trump thanked his Cabinet for working tirelessly on behalf of our country and wrote that the last year has been one of monumental achievement. I want to thank my @Cabinet for working tirelessly on behalf of our country. 2017 was a year of monumental achievement and we look forward to the year ahead. Together, we are delivering results and MAKING AMERICA GREAT AGAIN! https://t.co/ptXa1hAPwW pic.twitter.com/yv6RALkQf3 Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 10, 2018 The former reality television star continued to dispense accolades at the meeting Wednesday, greeting reporters in the Cabinet Room by saying: Welcome back to the studio. Then he proceeded to relive a Cabinet Room session from the prior day, when he had allowed reporters and TV cameras to stick around for much of his meeting with a bipartisan group of legislators on the thorny issue of immigration. It was a tremendous meeting. Actually, it was reported as incredibly good. And my performance you know, some of them called it a performance I consider it work, Trump said. Trump went on to say he had received letters from news anchors calling it one of the greatest meetings theyve ever witnessed. He added that the media will ultimately support Trump in the end, because theyre going to say, if Trump doesnt win in three years, theyre all out of business. Asked for examples of letters received from news anchors, the White House said it had received private communications. It also offered a series of positive on-air comments and tweets from journalists about the unusual access to the meeting. During his remarks, Trump swung from praising his own meeting coverage to telling journalists that they were dependent on his presidency for ratings to threatening a strong look at libel laws. Still, Trump thanked the journalists in front of him, joking: Youve gotten very familiar with this room. I appreciate your nice comments yesterday. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement Trump blasts DACA ruling in tweet calling courts broken and unfair By Lisa Mascaro President Trump denounced the federal courts Wednesday as broken and unfair after a district judge in San Francisco issued a nationwide injunction keeping protections in place for so-called Dreamers. Trump tweeted: It just shows everyone how broken and unfair our Court System is when the opposing side in a case (such as DACA) always runs to the 9th Circuit and almost always wins before being reversed by higher courts. Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 10, 2018 On Tuesday night, U.S. District Judge William Alsup in San Francisco temporarily blocked the Trump administrations decision to phase out the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, known as DACA, which has protected from deportation some 700,000 people who came to the country illegally as children. Alsup granted a request by the state of California, the University of California and other plaintiffs to stop Trump from ending DACA on March 5. The administrations decision to end DACA, which was announced in September, was based on a flawed legal analysis, Alsup wrote in his decision. Dreamers would be irreparably harmed if their DACA protections, which allow them to live and work legally in the U.S., were stripped away before the courts had a chance to fully consider their claims, he ruled. The action is the mirror image of a ruling in 2015 by a federal judge in Texas who ruled in favor of that state when it sought to block President Obama from expanding DACA to include the parents of Dreamers. Trump administration officials praised that judicial ruling. By contrast, they sharply criticized Alsups decision. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Trump thanks lawmakers for productive immigration meeting, says deal must include border wall President Trump thanked a bipartisan group of lawmakers for participating in a meeting on immigration legislation on Tuesday. Much of the discussion involved so-called Dreamers, an estimated 700,000 young people who were brought to the country illegally as children and are now facing deportation. In a tweet, Trump wrote that there was strong agreement to negotiate a bill to protect Dreamers, as well as put into place some of the reforms favored by Republicans. Thanks to all of the Republican and Democratic lawmakers for todays very productive meeting on immigration reform. There was strong agreement to negotiate a bill that deals with border security, chain migration, lottery and DACA. https://t.co/SdqAQ3aL3z pic.twitter.com/8DYHZHspAy Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 9, 2018 The most notable exchange of the meeting came when Sen. Dianne Feinstein, the San Francisco Democrat, asked Trump whether he would be agreeable to signing a stand-alone bill to protect the Dreamers, before moving on to a more comprehensive immigration bill. Yeah, I would like to do it, Trump responded. The statement drew widespread attention because it contradicted the Republican consensus that Dreamers fate needed to be part of a broader immigration bill that would include some version of Trumps promised border wall and other immigration reforms. Trump later backed away from a stand-alone Dreamer bill, tweeting that a wall along the U.S. border with Mexico must be part of any deal: As I made very clear today, our country needs the security of the Wall on the Southern Border, which must be part of any DACA approval. Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 10, 2018 Pressure has been mounting for Congress to broker an immigration deal by Jan. 19 as part of a must-pass budget package to fund the government. This post contains reporting from Times staff writer Noah Bierman. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Trump thanks officers and veterans in tweets President Trump doled out a slew of accolades Tuesday via Twitter. He thanked the nations law enforcement officers, including in his message a hashtag denoting a day of appreciation organized by a national support group for law enforcement families. On behalf of the American people, THANK YOU to our incredible law enforcement officers. As President of the United States - I will fight for you, and I will never, ever let you down. Now, more than ever, we must support the men and women in blue! #LawEnforcementAppreciationDay pic.twitter.com/Qb4uxB4JRm Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 9, 2018 Trump later expressed gratitude for federal immigration agents, in particular: .@ICEgov HSI agents and ERO officers, on behalf of an entire Nation, THANK YOU for what you are doing 24/7/365 to keep fellow Americans SAFE. Everyone is so grateful!#LawEnforcementAppreciationDay President @realDonaldTrump https://t.co/HXCpTlruVo Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 10, 2018 The president thanked veterans as he cited his administrations efforts to curb the number of veteran suicides by improving mental health treatment for the high-risk group: Today, it was my great honor to sign a new Executive Order to ensure Veterans have the resources they need as they transition back to civilian life. We must ensure that our HEROES are given the care and support they so richly deserve! https://t.co/0MdP9DDIAS pic.twitter.com/LP2a8KCBAp Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 9, 2018 Trumps tweet included photos of the president signing an executive order Tuesday directing the secretaries of Defense, Homeland Security and Veterans Affairs to develop a plan to provide seamless access to mental health and suicide prevention resources for 12 months for members leaving the armed forces. Also on Tuesday, Trump touted a law he signed the day before designating the birthplace of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. a national historic park: It was my great honor to sign H.R. 267, the Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historical Park Act, which redesignates the Martin Luther King, Junior, National Historic Site in the State of Georgia as the Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historical Park. https://t.co/Qe0b6HBFTY pic.twitter.com/QTgaqTawPT Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 9, 2018 And he thanked House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Bakersfield) for sharing a video compilation comprised of clips of politicians and commentators praising the GOPs tax cut bill: Thank you @GOPLeader Kevin McCarthy! Couldnt agree w/you more. TOGETHER, we are #MAGA https://t.co/QaxtqpyXTR Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 10, 2018 This post contains reporting from the Associated Press and Times staff writer Alex Wigglesworth. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement Trump hails tax bill in tweets recapping speech to farmers By Associated Press Connecting with rural Americans, President Trump on Monday hailed his tax overhaul as a victory for family farmers. Farm country is Gods country, Trump told the annual convention of the American Farm Bureau Federation. Trump became the first president in a quarter-century to address the federations convention. His Southern swing also included a stop in Atlanta for the national college football championship game. Cant wait to be back in the amazing state of Tennessee to address the 99th American @FarmBureau Federations Annual Convention in Nashville! #AFBF18 On my way now - join me LIVE at 4:00pmE: https://t.co/QaljAqekdD. pic.twitter.com/Wm7Io0hYT8 Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 8, 2018 Joined by Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue, Senate Agriculture Committee Chairman Pat Roberts (R-Kan.) and a group of Tennessee lawmakers, Trump said most of the benefits of the tax legislation are going to working families, small businesses, and who the family farmer. The package Trump signed into law last month provides generous tax cuts for corporations and the wealthiest Americans, and more modest reductions for middle- and low-income individuals and families. In every decision we make, we are honoring Americas PROUD FARMING LEGACY. Years of crushing taxes, crippling regs, & corrupt politics left our communities hurting, our economy stagnant, & millions of hardworking Americans COMPLETELY FORGOTTEN. But they are not forgotten ANYMORE! pic.twitter.com/MdYS7xnukQ Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 8, 2018 The president vastly inflated the value of the package in his speech, citing a total of $5.5 trillion in tax cuts, with most of those benefits going to working families, small businesses and who? The family farmer. The estimated value of the tax cuts is actually $1.5 trillion for families and businesses because of cuts in deductions and the use of other steps to generate offsetting tax revenue. We have been working every day to DELIVER for Americas Farmers just as they work every day to deliver FOR US. #AFBF18 pic.twitter.com/QDH7fvFkZ7 Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 8, 2018 From Nashville, Trump traveled to Atlanta to watch Alabamas Crimson Tide and Georgias Bulldogs face off Monday night in the College Football Playoff National Championship. We are fighting for our farmers, for our country, and for our GREAT AMERICAN FLAG. We want our flag respected - and we want our NATIONAL ANTHEM respected also! pic.twitter.com/16eOLXg6Fi Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 8, 2018 Before departing for the game, Trump referenced his ongoing defense of the American flag and the national anthem, saying there was enough space for people to express their views. We love our flag and we love our anthem, and we want to keep it that way, he said. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Trump tweet hails drop in unemployment rate for African Americans By Associated Press President Trump touted a drop in the unemployment rate for African Americans on Monday in a tweet. African American unemployment is the lowest ever recorded in our country. The Hispanic unemployment rate dropped a full point in the last year and is close to the lowest in recorded history. Dems did nothing for you but get your vote! #NeverForget @foxandfriends Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 8, 2018 The rate fell to 6.8% in December, the lowest level since the government began tracking such data in 1972. The reasons range from a greater number of black Americans with college degrees to a growing need for employers in a tight job market to widen the pool of people they hire from. Trump also hailed the development via Twitter on Saturday. His latest tweet on the topic came about an hour after it was discussed during an episode of Fox & Friends, according to Mediaite. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Trump talks up the economy and dresses down the media in Sunday tweets With President Trump cheering from the sidelines, the White House on Sunday pressed its defense of the presidents fitness to govern, as fired former aide Stephen K. Bannon reversed course and apologized for his role in a new books explosive portrait of Trump. The presidents critics, meanwhile, said Trumps stream of taunts and insults in response to the book Fire and Fury: Inside the Trump White House, released last week served only to underscore the authors unsettling portrayal of Trumps year-old presidency, depicting a leader whose own aides consider him childish, ignorant and dangerously erratic. Trump provided more ammunition Sunday morning, as he continued to attack the book via Twitter while preparing to depart Camp David for the White House: Leaving Camp David for the White House. Great meetings with the Cabinet and Military on many very important subjects including Border Security & the desperately needed Wall, the ever increasing Drug and Opioid Problem, Infrastructure, Military, Budget, Trade and DACA. Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 7, 2018 Ive had to put up with the Fake News from the first day I announced that I would be running for President. Now I have to put up with a Fake Book, written by a totally discredited author. Ronald Reagan had the same problem and handled it well. So will I! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 7, 2018 The most vehement defense of Trump on Sunday came from senior advisor Stephen Miller, a onetime Bannon acolyte who distanced himself from his former mentor. In a combative appearance Sunday on CNNs State of the Union, Miller called the book grotesque and writer Michael Wolff the garbage author of a garbage book. Trump is known to closely monitor aides televised performances in putting forth his case, and he gleefully weighed in within moments of Millers televised clash with host Jake Tapper. CNN has long been a particular target of Trumps ire. Jake Tapper of Fake News CNN just got destroyed in his interview with Stephen Miller of the Trump Administration. Watch the hatred and unfairness of this CNN flunky! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 7, 2018 Trumps reaction, however, seemed to bolster Tappers on-air depiction of Miller as using his appearance on the show to play to the president rather than addressing questions put to him. I get it theres one viewer that you care about, the host said exasperatedly after Miller turned the discussion repeatedly to negative news coverage of the president while deflecting specific queries. Later on Twitter, Trump took up two themes that have been prevalent on his social media feeds recently. The president again went after the news media, tweeting that the recipients of his self-proclaimed most dishonest & corrupt media awards of the year, which he promised earlier in the week to announce on Monday, would actually be revealed the following Wednesday: The Fake News Awards, those going to the most corrupt & biased of the Mainstream Media, will be presented to the losers on Wednesday, January 17th, rather than this coming Monday. The interest in, and importance of, these awards is far greater than anyone could have anticipated! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 7, 2018 Trump later lauded a New York Post opinion piece that compared him favorably with his predecessor, President Obama, as well as Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton. In quoting the op-ed, Trump initally misspelled consequential as consensual, but he deleted those tweets and re-sent the messages. His is turning out to be an enormously consequential presidency. So much so that, despite my own frustration over his missteps, there has never been a day when I wished Hillary Clinton were president. Not one. Indeed, as Trumps accomplishments accumulate, the mere thought of... Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 8, 2018 ...Clinton in the WH, doubling down on Barack Obamas failed policies, washes away any doubts that America made the right choice. This was truly a change election and the changes Trump is bringing are far-reaching & necessary. Thank you Michael Goodwin! https://t.co/4fHNcx2Ydg Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 8, 2018 Trump also continued talking up the economy, which has been enjoying a period of strong gains. The Stock Market has been creating tremendous benefits for our country in the form of not only Record Setting Stock Prices, but present and future Jobs, Jobs, Jobs. Seven TRILLION dollars of value created since our big election win! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 7, 2018 In addition to Miller, other senior administration officials made the rounds of Sunday news talk shows to decry the claims made in Wolffs book. CIA Director Mike Pompeo said Wolffs characterization of Trump as averse to digesting classified briefing material was ludicrous, and the ambassador to the United Nations, Nikki Haley, insisted that that those around Trump love their country and respect their president. Read More This post contains reporting from Times staff writer Laura King. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Responding to book that mocks his intelligence, Trump tweets hes like, really smart By Tracy Wilkinson President Trump declared himself a very stable genius on Twitter on Saturday and later in a televised news conference called the author of a book that questioned his mental fitness a fraud. His comments came on a bone-cold day at Camp David during a weekend retreat with top administration officials and Republican congressional leaders strategizing on the years legislative agenda, including matters such as infrastructure, immigration, welfare reform and national security. Now that Russian collusion, after one year of intense study, has proven to be a total hoax on the American public, the Democrats and their lapdogs, the Fake News Mainstream Media, are taking out the old Ronald Reagan playbook and screaming mental stability and intelligence..... Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 6, 2018 ....Actually, throughout my life, my two greatest assets have been mental stability and being, like, really smart. Crooked Hillary Clinton also played these cards very hard and, as everyone knows, went down in flames. I went from VERY successful businessman, to top T.V. Star..... Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 6, 2018 ....to President of the United States (on my first try). I think that would qualify as not smart, but genius....and a very stable genius at that! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 6, 2018 Still, Trumps explosive rebuttal to author Michael Wolffs claims not only opened the day, but it also ensured the presidents capability to fill the highest office in the land was a topic that would not go away. In his early-morning tweets, Trump said two of his greatest assets have been mental stability, and being, like, really smart. He noted that his former Democratic rival, Hillary Clinton, played these cards [about competence] very hard and, as everyone knows, went down in flames. I went from VERY successful businessman, to top T.V. Star to President of the United States (on my first try). Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement In morning tweets, Trump touts job numbers and takes digs at news media By Associated Press President Trump used Twitter on Saturday morning to tout a drop in the unemployment rate for African Americans. He also used the tweets as an opportunity to take digs at media outlets whose past coverage he has found to be critical. The African American unemployment rate fell to 6.8%, the lowest rate in 45 years. I am so happy about this News! And, in the Washington Post (of all places), headline states, Trumps first year jobs numbers were very, very good. Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 6, 2018 The unemployment rate for African Americans fell to 6.8% in December, the lowest level since the government began tracking such data in 1972. The reasons range from a greater number of black Americans with college degrees to a growing need for employers in a tight job market to widen the pool of people they hire from. Still, the rate for black workers remains well above those for whites and some other groups, something experts attribute in large part to decades of discrimination and disadvantages. Robust job creation has lowered unemployment for all Americans. U.S. employers added nearly 2.1 million jobs in 2017 the seventh straight year that hiring has topped 2 million. In his tweet, Trump praised a report that noted the numbers, touting the fact that it appeared in the Washington Post (of all places). Minutes later, Trump renewed his attack on an ABC News reporter who was suspended last month after filing an erroneous report on Michael Flynn, Trumps former national security advisor. Brian Ross, the reporter who made a fraudulent live newscast about me that drove the Stock Market down 350 points (billions of dollars), was suspended for a month but is now back at ABC NEWS in a lower capacity. He is no longer allowed to report on Trump. Should have been fired! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 6, 2018 The reporter, Brian Ross, was reportedly reassigned within ABC News upon returning from his unpaid suspension. But on Saturday, Trump wrote that he should have been fired. Trumps tweets came hours before he was set to host congressional Republicans and administration officials at Camp David. The meeting scheduled to begin at midmorning Saturday was expected to touch on the budget, infrastructure, immigration, welfare reform and the shape of the midterm election this fall. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Trump commends Sen. Rand Paul after he proposes eliminating all U.S. aid to Pakistan President Trump commended Sen. Rand Paul after the Kentucky Republican announced plans to introduce legislation that would eliminate all U.S. aid to Pakistan. Trump tweeted Friday night: Good idea Rand! https://t.co/55sqUDiC0s Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 6, 2018 On Thursday, the Trump administration announced it was suspending security assistance to Islamabad until the country moves aggressively against local militants who have attacked U.S. troops in neighboring Afghanistan. Trump has repeatedly expressed frustration at the apparent inability of Pakistani authorities to rein in militants who cross out of the countrys rugged tribal areas to attack U.S. troops in Afghanistan. Read More This post contains reporting from Times staff writer Tracy Wilkinson. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Trump continues to lash out at Sloppy Steve Bannon in tweets on tell-all book By Associated Press President Trump is praising a major Republican donor family for distancing themselves from his former advisor Steve Bannon. Trump tweeted Friday: The Mercer Family recently dumped the leaker known as Sloppy Steve Bannon. Smart! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 5, 2018 Trump has continued to lash out at Bannon over an explosive new book that quoted his former aide as questioning Trumps competence and describing a June 2016 meeting at Trump Tower among Donald Trump Jr., Trump campaign aides and a Russian lawyer as treasonous and unpatriotic. On Thursday, billionaire GOP donor Rebekah Mercer issued a statement distancing her family from Bannon. Mercer is a co-owner of Breitbart, the populist website Bannon helps run. I support President Trump and the platform upon which he was elected, Mercer said. My family and I have not communicated with Steve Bannon in many months and have provided no financial support to his political agenda, nor do we support his recent actions and statements. The book, Fire and Fury: Inside the Trump White House, quickly shot atop Amazons best-seller list, and the publisher moved up its release date by four days, to Friday. Trump took up the topic again on Twitter on Friday night, denouncing both Bannon and the books author, Michael Wolff, in starkly personal terms: Michael Wolff is a total loser who made up stories in order to sell this really boring and untruthful book. He used Sloppy Steve Bannon, who cried when he got fired and begged for his job. Now Sloppy Steve has been dumped like a dog by almost everyone. Too bad! https://t.co/mEeUhk5ZV9 Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 6, 2018 Trumps message linked to a meme depicting a parody book cover titled, Liar and Phony, that featured a photo of Wolff and disparaging quotes about the author. In a tweet sent earlier Friday morning, Trump suggested the book was intended to serve as a distraction from the FBIs investigation into possible collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia, which Trump wrote is proving to be a total hoax. Well, now that collusion with Russia is proving to be a total hoax and the only collusion is with Hillary Clinton and the FBI/Russia, the Fake News Media (Mainstream) and this phony new book are hitting out at every new front imaginable. They should try winning an election. Sad! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 5, 2018 That came amid reports that Trump directed his White House counsel to tell Atty. Gen. Jeff Sessions to not recuse himself from the Justice Departments Russia investigation. Trumps effort to keep Sessions, a vocal and loyal supporter of his election bid, in charge of an investigation into his campaign offers special counsel Robert Mueller yet another avenue to explore as his prosecutors work to untangle potential evidence of obstruction. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Trump praises the economy ahead of meetings at Camp David By Associated Press President Trump is praising the strength of the U.S. economy ahead of meetings at Camp David with congressional Republicans. Trump tweeted early Friday: Dow goes from 18,589 on November 9, 2016, to 25,075 today, for a new all-time Record. Jumped 1000 points in last 5 weeks, Record fastest 1000 point move in history. This is all about the Make America Great Again agenda! Jobs, Jobs, Jobs. Six trillion dollars in value created! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 5, 2018 The president also told reporters on the South Lawn that the tax cuts are really kicking in after Congress passed a package of tax cuts at the end of 2017. And the president praised the December jobs report, which found U.S. employers added 148,000 jobs in December and the unemployment rate stayed at 4.1%, the lowest level since 2000. The modest but steady pace of hiring is a reassuring sign for investors who have been buoyed by the just-passed Republican tax plan and have been sending stock market indexes roaring to uncharted heights. The president is meeting with Republican congressional leaders and members of his Cabinet on Friday and Saturday to discuss the 2018 agenda. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement Trump tweets as Dow crashes through 25,000' By Associated Press President Trump dispatched a congratulatory tweet as the Dow Jones industrial average rose above the 25,000-point mark Thursday, just five weeks after its first close above 24,000. Dow just crashes through 25,000. Congrats! Big cuts in unnecessary regulations continuing. Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 4, 2018 After the Dow closed above 25,000, Trump shared a graphic depicting the stock indexs record-setting rise. MAKING AMERICA GREAT AGAIN! pic.twitter.com/iONbr1DkVk Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 5, 2018 Later in the day, the president was back on Twitter, complaining that news outlets had barely covered the stock market milestone. He suggested that the strength of the economy would be the biggest story on earth, had it unfolded during the presidency of his predecessor. The Fake News Media barely mentions the fact that the Stock Market just hit another New Record and that business in the U.S. is booming...but the people know! Can you imagine if O was president and had these numbers - would be biggest story on earth! Dow now over 25,000. Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 5, 2018 The Dow broke past 1,000-point barriers in 2017 on its way to a 25% gain for the year, as an eight-year rally since the Great Recession continued to confound skeptics. Strong global economic growth and good prospects for higher company earnings have analysts predicting more gains, although the market may not stay as calm as it has been recently. The Dow has made a rapid trip since it reached 24,000 points Nov. 30, partly on enthusiasm over passage of the Republican-backed tax package, which could boost company profits this year with across-the-board cuts to corporate taxes. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Trump reacts to Fire and Fury book in tweet lashing out at author and Sloppy Steve President Trump lashed out at the author of a soon-to-be-released book about the chaotic first year of his presidency Thursday night. In a tweet, Trump called Fire and Fury: Inside the Trump White House, a phony book and claimed that hed never spoken to its author, Michael Wolff. Look at this guys past and watch what happens to him and Sloppy Steve! Trump wrote. He appeared to be referring to former White House chief strategist Stephen K. Bannon, whose stunning criticisms of Trump and his circle figure prominently in the title. I authorized Zero access to White House (actually turned him down many times) for author of phony book! I never spoke to him for book. Full of lies, misrepresentations and sources that dont exist. Look at this guys past and watch what happens to him and Sloppy Steve! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 5, 2018 Trumps tweet came hours after he had his lawyer demand that Henry Holt & Co. and Wolff stop publication the book. Instead, the publisher expedited the books release to Friday, four days before it was slated to hit bookstore shelves, in response to unprecedented demand. Published excerpts on Wednesday and Thursday whetted that appetite and roiled Washington. Bannons comments, including that it was treasonous and unpatriotic for Trumps son Donald Trump Jr., son-in-law Jared Kushner and campaign manager Paul Manafort to have met in 2016 with Russians said to have dirt on Democratic rival Hillary Clinton, prompted Trump on Wednesday to rebuke his former advisor, saying Bannon had lost his mind. Read More This post contains reporting from Times staff writers Brian Bennett and Alex Wigglesworth. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Trump thanks senators who attended meeting on immigration President Trump tweeted thanks to Republican senators who attended a meeting about possible immigration legislation on Thursday. In his message, Trump also listed his top priorities when it comes to any type of overhaul of the nations immigration system. Thank you to the great Republican Senators who showed up to our mtg on immigration reform. We must BUILD THE WALL, stop illegal immigration, end chain migration & cancel the visa lottery. The current system is unsafe & unfair to the great people of our country - time for change! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 4, 2018 Trumps tweet echoed his remarks at the beginning of Thursdays meeting, when he insisted again that constructing a border wall and overhauling two legal immigration programs must be part of any deal with Democrats to protect the so-called Dreamers from deportation. Two-year deportation protections and work permits given under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program begin to expire March 6 under an executive order. Trump announced in September that he was ending the Obama-era program, but told Congress to draft a law to continue protections for people brought to the country illegally as children a group that has widespread public support. Read More This post contains reporting from Times staff writer Brian Bennett. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Trump resumes Twitter war against kneeling NFL players President Trump has resumed his Twitter war against NFL players who kneel during the national anthem to protest social injustice and racial inequality. In a tweet early Thursday, Trump replied to a supporter who shared a meme that appears to depict family members lying on the grave of a fallen soldier with the caption: This is why we stand. Show this picture to the NFL players who still kneel! Trump wrote. So beautiful....Show this picture to the NFL players who still kneel! https://t.co/tJLM1tvbvb Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 4, 2018 The president has denounced players who kneel during the anthem in previous tweets. Hes also called for the firing of players who do so. His latest message came amid news that the NFL finished the regular season with TV ratings that fell nearly 10% below the previous season. Analysts attribute the drop to controversies facing the league, as well as changing viewing habits and a possible saturation point in the number of games available. Read More This post contains reporting from Times staff writers Stephen Battaglio and Alex Wigglesworth. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement Trump credits himself with facilitating talks between North and South Korea By Associated Press President Trump says his tough stance on nuclear weapons on the Korean peninsula is helping push North Korea and South Korea to talk. Trump tweeted early Thursday: With all of the failed experts weighing in, does anybody really believe that talks and dialogue would be going on between North and South Korea right now if I wasnt firm, strong and willing to commit our total might against the North. Fools, but talks are a good thing! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 4, 2018 That assertion is in conflict with some of the presidents own statements. Last year, he ridiculed Secretary of State Rex Tillerson for talking about negotiations with the North. This week, Trump seemed open to the possibility of an inter-Korean dialogue after North Korean leader Kim Jong Un made a rare overture toward South Korea in a New Years Day address. But Trumps ambassador to the United Nations insisted that talks wont be meaningful unless the North is getting rid of its nuclear weapons. The overture about talks came after Trump and Kim traded more bellicose claims about their nuclear weapons. In his New Years Day address, Kim repeated fiery nuclear threats against the United States. Kim said he has a nuclear button on his office desk and warned that the whole territory of the U.S. is within the range of our nuclear strike. Trump mocked that assertion Tuesday evening in a tweet. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print After disbanding his vote fraud panel, Trump still says voting system is rigged By Brian Bennett One day after disbanding his troubled voter fraud commission without any findings of fraud, President Trump continued to call the U.S. voting system rigged and said states should require that Americans have voter-identification cards. In two tweets on Thursday morning, Trump blamed the commissions failure on the lack of cooperation from mostly Democrat States that refused to hand over voter rolls because they know that many people are voting illegally. However, voting supervisors in Republican-led states refused as well, objecting on privacy and other grounds. Many mostly Democrat States refused to hand over data from the 2016 Election to the Commission On Voter Fraud. They fought hard that the Commission not see their records or methods because they know that many people are voting illegally. System is rigged, must go to Voter I.D. Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 4, 2018 As Americans, you need identification, sometimes in a very strong and accurate form, for almost everything you do.....except when it comes to the most important thing, VOTING for the people that run your country. Push hard for Voter Identification! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 4, 2018 Despite Trumps assertions, analysts have not found evidence of widespread voter fraud. Trump created the Presidential Advisory Commission on Election Integrity in May after alleging, without proof, that millions of illegal votes were cast for Hillary Clinton in the 2016 election. Trump was elected after winning a majority in the electoral college, but the nationwide count showed Clinton received nearly 3 million more votes. The commission sought personal data on voters across the country and faced mounting lawsuits in recent months over privacy concerns. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Trump touts another good day for stocks, credits tax cut By Associated Press President Trump touted another good day for the stock market Wednesday in a tweet. Stock Market had another good day but, now that the Tax Cut Bill has passed, we have tremendous upward potential. Dow just short of 25,000, a number that few thought would be possible this soon into my administration. Also, unemployment went down to 4.1%. Only getting better! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 4, 2018 Big gains for technology and healthcare stocks helped U.S. indexes set records again Wednesday. Some analysts attributed the surge to investor enthusiasm for Trumps $1.5-trillion tax cut. All told, Wall Street analysts estimate the tax package should boost earnings for companies in the Standard & Poors 500 index by roughly 8% this year. Thats much more generous than the average tax cut of 1.6% that middle-class families will receive, according to the Tax Policy Center. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 4, 2018 The public has been less enthusiastic about the tax law. A Monmouth University poll last month found that nearly half of Americans disapproved of it, with only 26% in support. Still, as Trump also noted on Twitter, some workers have seen a benefit: So far, dozens of companies have announced bonuses and higher minimum wages as a result of the tax cut. AT&T, Comcast, Bank of America, and American Airlines have all pledged to pay $1,000 bonuses to their employees. Some 40 U.S. companies have responded to President Trumps tax cut and reform victory in Congress last year by handing out bonuses up to $2,000, increases in 401k matches and spending on charity, a much higher number than previously known. https://t.co/bmWrwWzxMR Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 4, 2018 Investors also appear less concerned than many politicians about how the additional profits will be used. The Trump administration says it expects companies will plow much of the extra profit back into their businesses, purchasing more software, machinery, and other equipment. Those investments will make workers more productive and provide a key boost to the economys long-run growth. They should also boost wages and salaries for employees. Opponents of the tax law respond that companies are more likely to pass the windfall on to shareholders in the form of higher dividend payments and share buybacks, which raise the price of those shares still in investors hands. Previous cuts in corporate tax rates, in the United States and overseas, havent always led to higher wages. For Wall Street, its all good, at least in the short run. Most analysts take the view that either way, companies and the economy will benefit. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Trump reacts to death of Mormon Church president By Associated Press President Trump mourned the death of Mormon Church leader Thomas S. Monson on Wednesday evening. Trump tweeted a link to a statement in which he said that Monson demonstrated wisdom, inspired leadership, and great compassion and delivered a message of optimism, forgiveness, and faith. Melania and I are deeply saddened by the death of Thomas S. Monson, a beloved President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints...https://t.co/ETD3fWtfU3 Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 4, 2018 A church bishop at the age of 22, Monson became the youngest church apostle ever in 1963 at the age of 36. He served as a counselor for three church presidents before assuming the role of the top leader of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in February 2008. After a life of church service, Monson died Tuesday at his home in Salt Lake City, according to church spokesman Eric Hawkins. He was 90. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement Trump tweets that Iranian protesters will see great U.S. support at the appropriate time By Associated Press President Trump continued to express support for Irans anti-government protesters on Wednesday. In a tweet, Trump commended the protesters and pledged that the United States will support them at the appropriate time. Such respect for the people of Iran as they try to take back their corrupt government. You will see great support from the United States at the appropriate time! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 3, 2018 Trumps tweet Wednesday morning came as Iranian Ambassador Gholamali Khoshroo sent a letter to United Nations officials complaining that Washington was intervening in a grotesque way in Irans internal affairs. The President and Vice-President of the United States, in their numerous absurd tweets, incited Iranians to engage in disruptive acts, the ambassador wrote to the U.N. Security Council president and U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. The U.S. didnt immediately respond to the letter, which maintains that Washington has crossed every limit in flouting rules and principles of international law governing the civilized conduct of international relations. At least 21 people have been killed and hundreds arrested in Iran during a week of anti-government protests and unrest over economic woes and official corruption. Meanwhile, tens of thousands of people took part in counter-demonstrations Wednesday backing the clerically overseen government, which has said enemies of Iran are fomenting the protests. Trump has unleashed a series of tweets in recent days backing the protesters, saying Iran is failing at every level and declaring that it is time for change in the Islamic Republic. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Trump congratulates Sen. Orrin Hatch upon news of his retirement By Associated Press President Trump congratulated Sen. Orrin Hatch for an absolutely incredible career upon news of Hatchs impending retirement. In a tweet Tuesday afternoon, Trump called Hatch a tremendous supporter and wrote that he will be greatly missed in the Senate. Congratulations to Senator Orrin Hatch on an absolutely incredible career. He has been a tremendous supporter, and I will never forget the (beyond kind) statements he has made about me as President. He is my friend and he will be greatly missed in the U.S. Senate! pic.twitter.com/0VjzLEeHTl Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 2, 2018 Hatchs decision to retire from the Senate after four decades lets the Utah Republican walk away at the height of his power after helping to push through an overhaul of the tax code and persuading Trump to downsize two national monuments. Retirement also preserves the 83-year-olds legacy by allowing him to avoid a bruising reelection battle that would have broken his promise not to seek an eighth term. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Trump tweet exaggerates progress in improving veterans care By Associated Press President Trump played up tremendous progress in improving care for veterans in his first year on Tuesday in a tweet. His message linked to an Instagram video describing eight accomplishments that show Trump is fighting for our veterans. But it overstates the impact of these steps. We will not rest until all of Americas GREAT VETERANS can receive the care they so richly deserve. Tremendous progress has been made in a short period of time. Keep up the great work @SecShulkin @DeptVetAffairs! https://t.co/ir25vW15hx pic.twitter.com/OtuzIgxMn6 Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 2, 2018 Of the eight achievements cited, two are ceremonial proclamations recognizing National Veterans and Military Families Month and National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day. Two are pieces of legislation that extended the troubled Veterans Choice program on a temporary basis. This became necessary because the Trump administration repeatedly miscalculated the amount of taxpayer dollars available to pay for care from private doctors outside the Veterans Affairs system when veterans had to endure long waits for treatment at VA medical centers. The departments poor budget planning caught lawmakers off guard. A fifth claim involves telehealth, a step letting doctors practice medicine across state lines using digital technology. Announced in August, it has yet to take full effect because a proposed VA regulation hasnt been completed. The VA wants authority to practice across state lines to come from legislation, not a regulation. On Wednesday, the Senate approved a telehealth measure that now goes to the House. A sixth claim refers to legislation that streamlines the appeals process for disability compensation claims within the VA. This step has had limited effect so far because it applies to new disability claims, not the 470,000 pending claims. The last two initiatives make it easier for the VA to discipline employees. The department has pointed to more than 1,300 employees who have been fired under Trumps watch. Because their infractions are not detailed in public documents, the effect on veterans care is not fully known. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Trump unleashes his first tweetstorm of 2018 By Noah Bierman President Trump clearly didnt resolve to change his Twitter habits this year. With nine disparate tweets over three hours on Tuesday morning, the first working day of 2018, Trump continued to exploit social media to be the most aggressive commentator in chief in American history. For any other president, his posts would have made for a monumental day of (mis-)statements. Yet for Trump, the series attacks on political foes and media, provocations of foreign leaders and self-praise for events he had nothing to do with was all but unremarkable. His Twitter barrage sent between 7:09 a.m. and 10:16 a.m. reflected a familiar gamut after nearly a year in office: Attacks on political foes: Nearly 14 months after his election, Trump called for the jailing of Huma Abedin, Crooked Hillary Clintons top aid (his misspelling, another occasional feature of Trump tweets). Crooked Hillary Clintons top aid, Huma Abedin, has been accused of disregarding basic security protocols. She put Classified Passwords into the hands of foreign agents. Remember sailors pictures on submarine? Jail! Deep State Justice Dept must finally act? Also on Comey & others Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 2, 2018 In the same tweet, he disparaged the Deep State Justice Dept, headed of course by his appointees, calling on it to act against James B. Comey, the FBI director he fired for investigating the Russia thing. Diplomatic provocations: Trump again called North Korean leader Kim Jong Un Rocket man, ridiculed the volatile nuclear-armed foe for recent military defections and openly speculated about potential talks between North and South Korea. Sanctions and other pressures are beginning to have a big impact on North Korea. Soldiers are dangerously fleeing to South Korea. Rocket man now wants to talk to South Korea for first time. Perhaps that is good news, perhaps not - we will see! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 2, 2018 Perhaps that is good news, perhaps not we will see! Trump wrote. Later Tuesday, Trump tweeted: North Korean Leader Kim Jong Un just stated that the Nuclear Button is on his desk at all times. Will someone from his depleted and food starved regime please inform him that I too have a Nuclear Button, but it is a much bigger & more powerful one than his, and my Button works! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 3, 2018 Also later Tuesday, Trump tweeted an attack on Pakistan, his second in as many days, and added a new one against Palestinians: It's not only Pakistan that we pay billions of dollars to for nothing, but also many other countries, and others. As an example, we pay the Palestinians HUNDRED OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS a year and get no appreciation or respect. They dont even want to negotiate a long overdue... Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 2, 2018 ...peace treaty with Israel. We have taken Jerusalem, the toughest part of the negotiation, off the table, but Israel, for that, would have had to pay more. But with the Palestinians no longer willing to talk peace, why should we make any of these massive future payments to them? Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 2, 2018 Undermining media: Trump offered Congratulations! to A.G. Sulzberger, who took over as publisher of the New York Times this week. The Failing New York Times has a new publisher, A.G. Sulzberger. Congratulations! Here is a last chance for the Times to fulfill the vision of its Founder, Adolph Ochs, to give the news impartially, without fear or FAVOR, regardless of party, sect, or interests involved. Get... Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 2, 2018 ....impartial journalists of a much higher standard, lose all of your phony and non-existent sources, and treat the President of the United States FAIRLY, so that the next time I (and the people) win, you wont have to write an apology to your readers for a job poorly done! GL Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 2, 2018 But the two-part post was really yet another slam against a perceived media foe: Trump said the paper had a last chance to fulfill its journalistic mission, and accused it of relying on phony sources and substandard reporters just days after he granted another exclusive interview to the paper. As a bonus, the tweet contained a recycled falsehood, that the paper apologized after the election for reporting on him unfairly. It didnt. Trump later said on Twitter that he would soon announce the most dishonest & corrupt media awards of the year. Stay tuned! I will be announcing THE MOST DISHONEST & CORRUPT MEDIA AWARDS OF THE YEAR on Monday at 5:00 oclock. Subjects will cover Dishonesty & Bad Reporting in various categories from the Fake News Media. Stay tuned! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 3, 2018 The president also tweeted a quote from Fox Business Networks Lou Dobbs Tonight, which aired a segment praising Trumps first-year accomplishments. Dobbs reportedly joined Trump at Mar-a-Lago on Sunday for a gala to celebrate New Years Eve. President Trump has something now he didnt have a year ago, that is a set of accomplishments that nobody can deny. The accomplishments are there, look at his record, he has had a very significant first year. @LouDobbs Show,David Asman & Ed Rollins Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 3, 2018 Taking credit: Trump congratulated himself for policing the border with Mexico, an area where his policies and anti-immigration rhetoric are believed to have had some effect on reducing illegal crossings. Thank you to Brandon Judd of the National Border Patrol Council for your kind words on how well we are doing at the Border. We will be bringing in more & more of your great folks and will build the desperately needed WALL! @foxandfriends Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 2, 2018 He took credit for employee bonuses by companies after he signed Republican tax cuts into law last month. Companies are giving big bonuses to their workers because of the Tax Cut Bill. Really great! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 2, 2018 But the jaw-dropper was Trump congratulating himself for planes not crashing. Since taking office I have been very strict on Commercial Aviation. Good news - it was just reported that there were Zero deaths in 2017, the best and safest year on record! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 2, 2018 It was the safest year on record worldwide, but the American streak without commercial jet passenger deaths goes back to 2009. Trump, who has promoted deregulation as one of his top accomplishments, has not signed off on any new airline safety regulations. The White House pointed to new security screening of passengers, to electronic devices to prevent terrorist attacks and to Trumps support for privatizing air traffic control a proposal that has gotten nowhere in Congress. Falsehoods: Trump said President Obama, in brokering the 2015 nuclear arms limitation deal with Iran, foolishly gave money to the brutal and corrupt Iranian regime. He didnt. 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 The nuclear deal, which included major U.S. allies as signators, released Irans own funds that had long been frozen. Trumps art of the deal: When Trump sees a big deal looming, he often blasts the other side to gain leverage, as hes written. This week he resumes a showdown with Democratic lawmakers over funding the government and immigration protections for so-called Dreamers, who were brought to the country illegally as children. 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 Trump, who in September ordered a gradual end of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, sought to shift blame for the resulting controversy, saying Democrats are doing nothing for DACA and are just interested in politics. Trump has insisted that any help for Dreamers be paired with funding for a border wall and a crackdown on legal immigration. Democrats, and some Republicans, are opposed. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement In tweet, Trump suggests U.S. will withdraw financial assistance to Pakistan By Shashank Bengali Pakistan lashed out Monday after President Trump accused its leaders of lies & deceit and suggested the United States would withdraw financial assistance to the nuclear-armed nation it once saw as a key ally against terrorism. 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. The United States has foolishly given Pakistan more than 33 billion dollars in aid over the last 15 years, and they have given us nothing but lies & deceit, thinking of our leaders as fools. They give safe haven to the terrorists we hunt in Afghanistan, with little help. No more! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 1, 2018 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 and asked for clarification about Trumps comments, according to two foreign office officials who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly. Pakistans prime minister, Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, called a Cabinet meeting for Tuesday and a meeting of the National Security Committee on Wednesday to discuss Trumps New Years Day tweet. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Trump continues to tweet in support of Iranian protesters 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 Trump has tweeted about the protests for three days straight as Iranians took to the streets despite a heavy police presence, tear gas and scores of arrests. The defiance gained urgency after two people were reported shot to death in the city of Dorud, about 200 miles southwest of Tehran. As the conflict escalated, Iranian authorities on Sunday slapped a temporary ban on Instagram and the messaging app Telegram, which were widely used to fan protest fervor. Iran, the Number One State of Sponsored Terror with numerous violations of Human Rights occurring on an hourly basis, has now closed down the Internet so that peaceful demonstrators cannot communicate. Not good! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 31, 2017 Irans leaders already are casting Trumps increasingly effusive expressions of support for the demonstrators as opportunistic meddling and are painting the demonstrators as foreign pawns, adopting a strategy that some analysts say could jeopardize the legitimacy of the nascent antigovernment protests. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement Trump tweets condolences after Colorado deputies are shot in ambush, one fatally By Associated Press A man fired more than 100 rounds at sheriffs deputies in Colorado early Sunday, killing one and injuring four others, before being fatally shot himself in what authorities called an ambush. Two civilians were also injured. President Trump expressed sorrow, writing on Twitter: My deepest condolences to the victims of the terrible shooting in Douglas County @DCSheriff, and their families. We love our police and law enforcement - God Bless them all! #LESM Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 31, 2017 Douglas County Sheriff Tony Spurlock said deputies came under fire almost South Coast Plazas 50th-anniversary book, detailing how the Segerstrom family transformed their lima bean farm into an iconic shopping center in Costa Mesa, is available for purchase online. Author Kedric Francis writes how the Segerstroms envisioned creating more than just a place to shop but a cosmopolitan center for culture and arts for the county, according to publishing house Assouline. The South Coast Plaza area now includes South Coast Repertory and the Segerstrom Center for the Arts. The book, released in November, can be bought for $195 at assouline.com. Costa Mesa audio/video company celebrates 50 years QSC, a Costa Mesa-based designer and manufacturer of professional audio/video systems, is celebrating its 50th anniversary. The company started in 1968 as Quilter Sound Things in an industrial building in Costa Mesa. It originally focused on handbuilt guitar amplifiers. Our story is one of constant innovation and forward transformation, always with the passion to serve our customers needs, Barry Andrews, one of QSCs founders, said in a statement. Slapfish expands in Huntington Beach with Raw Bar Andrew Gruel, founder of the grill and fried seafood restaurant chain Slapfish, is testing another restaurant concept in Huntington Beach. According to the Orange County Register, Raw Bar by Slapfish is scheduled to open this month next to the flagship Slapfish restaurant in the Newland Center at 19696 Beach Blvd. Its menu will include chilled seafood and oysters. Recovery center names new executive director New Directions for Women, a Costa Mesa-based drug and alcohol treatment center, has named Sue Bright as its new executive director. Bright last worked as vice president of patient services and quality at the Livengrin Foundation, a recovery company based in Pennsylvania, according to a news release. She starts at New Directions on Feb. 8. In their first meeting of 2018, Costa Mesa planning commissioners Monday will wade through a flood of requests for city permits from operators of sober-living homes and alcohol and drug treatment facilities. Though the establishments up for review are already operating, a city ordinance passed in 2015 requires such facilities with at least seven residents in multifamily areas to obtain conditional use permits to remain open. Most of the applications on Mondays agenda are from Northbound Treatment Services which is seeking permits for its facilities at 2417 Orange Ave., 171 and 175 Rochester St., 125 and 131 E. Wilson St. and 235 and 241 E. 18th St. The maximum number of residents at each of those properties would be 20 to 26, according to the applications. In letters to the city, Devon Wayt listed online as Northbounds chief operating officer wrote that its facilities are substantially compatible with surrounding permitted uses and not materially detrimental to other area properties. Residents, who are transported by passenger vans, are required to stay on the property unless accompanied by a staff member and are limited in where they can smoke, Wayt wrote. Another operator, RAW Recovery LLC, has applied for conditional use permits to operate a sober-living home with up to 22 residents at 3016 and 3018 Jeffrey Drive. RAW [Recovery and Wellness] provides the best possible opportunity for successful long-term recovery by supporting our residents transition into the community, David Alexander of RAW Recovery wrote in a letter to the city. We instill the importance of 12-step-based recovery in our residents while promoting the importance of purpose. Alexander added that residents are closely monitored by staff and have restricted smoking areas. Alexander and Wayt said parking has not been an issue at their properties. The proliferation of addiction-treatment and sober-living homes in residential neighborhoods has been the subject of local debate and consternation in recent years. Some residents have complained that such facilities which typically house recovering alcoholics and drug addicts harm the character of their neighborhoods and create problems with parking, traffic, litter, noise and cigarette smoke, among other issues. Supporters, however, say the facilities strive to be good neighbors and give people a safe place to maintain a lifestyle free of alcohol and drugs. According to a city staff report, all the Northbound properties up for review Monday run afoul of the citys rule that group homes, licensed alcohol and drug treatment facilities and sober-living homes be at least 650 feet from one another in residential areas. Northbound is asking the Planning Commission to consider waiving that requirement. No similar facilities are within 650 feet of the RAW property, the staff report states. However, per city codes, sober-living homes may occupy only a single parcel. Because of that, RAW had to apply for separate permits for the two properties on Jeffrey Drive meaning the buffer rule would still come into play. RAW is seeking leniency on the distance requirement. Barring that, the commission has the option to approve one of the requested permits and deny the other, according to the staff report. Mondays commission meeting starts at 6 p.m. at City Hall, 77 Fair Drive. luke.money@latimes.com Twitter @LukeMMoney In its first meeting of the new year, the Newport Beach City Council on Tuesday may weigh in on an issue that has essentially turned into a parking dispute between a local yacht charter company and its Lido Marina Village landlord. The council will consider an appeal of a Planning Commission adjustment of the shopping centers parking management plan. Last fall, the commission updated Lido Marina Villages city permit to allow employees of the centers roughly 30 businesses to park for free in the onsite parking garage. Previously, workers chose between two options: pay $85 a month to park at a medical office building about a mile and a half away and take a shuttle or seek free parking in the residential neighborhood across the street from the recently refurbished center. Many took their chances on the latter. But the influx of employees at the garage is crowding out customers of Electra Cruises, sending some onto the same surface streets and causing some to miss their boats, the company says. Electra, a longtime tenant at Lido Marina Village, offers charter superyacht cruises for weddings and other events. Electra representatives say Lido Marina Village management failed to honor a private parking agreement and misled the city by not sharing the scope of the centers parking circumstances, according to an appeal filed after the Planning Commissions October decision. In a report for the council, city planning staff did not comment about the private agreement. It recommended that the council uphold the commissions decision because it allows flexibility. Lido Marina Village still has offsite options and maintains its shuttle system for busy periods. Tuesdays meeting starts at 4 p.m. with a study session, followed by the regular session at 7 p.m. at City Hall, 100 Civic Center Drive. hillary.davis@latimes.com Twitter: @Daily_PilotHD As Glendales hospitals welcomed their first babies of 2018 on New Years Day, Anita Johnson Mackey a resident of Scholl Canyon Estates retirement community in Glendale turned 104 years old. Johnson Mackey, who moved into Scholl Canyon Estates as its sixth resident eight years ago, had a lunchtime birthday celebration on Thursday as she was joined by a two visiting family members. Estates staff member Marybeth Maloney Thicke also presented Johnson Mackey with a certificate from Hawthorne Retirement Group, the company that owns the facility, as well as a certificate from Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti. We love you dearly, and you are a ray of sunshine here at Scholl [Canyon Estates], Maloney Thicke said. Born in 1914, Johnson Mackey is originally from Riverside but calls Santa Barbara home, as its where she spent the most time when she wasnt earning advanced degrees at the University of Redlands and later the University of Chicago School of Social Service Administration. Johnson Mackey was raised mostly by her sisters and father, a descendant of U.S. President Andrew Johnson, because she lost her mother when she was 10 years old. They lived in Riverside. She said because her father had fair skin and blue eyes, he was able to listen discreetly to the opinions of white people about black people. He then shared with her what he heard in the real world. She recalled learning that black people were not welcome at Fairmount Park and were segregated to a different pool at Lincoln Park. I never learned to swim because I wasnt going to go to a segregated pool, she said At 23, Johnson Mackey joined the Seventh-day Adventist Church and, more than 80 years later, shes still active at a nearby Glendale location. I like it because they are not only interested in making it into the Kingdom. Theyre interested in leading a good life while youre here, she said. Missions with the church and her 49-year marriage to her husband, Frank Johnson, took Johnson Mackey to more than 100 countries. She said places in northern Europe, such as Norway, Sweden and Denmark, were her favorites. For 30 years, until her retirement in 1976, she made a living as a medical social worker for the Veterans Administration,visiting homes to see what veterans needed and that they were under proper medical care. Everything that a veteran was entitled to, I [saw] that they got it, she said. I was personally interested in each veteran. As a tri-county supervisor, she covered Santa Barbara, Ventura and San Luis Obispo counties. Johnson Mackey had advice she often shares after living more than a century. Dont waste your time on what people are doing to you, use your time on what you can be, she said. Education is the road to success Never fail to ask if you dont know, and of all things, be kind and considerate to others. jeff.landa@latimes.com Twitter: @JeffLanda With the help of local religious leaders, two Glendale hospitals held ceremonies Friday to help the large Armenian community in the city celebrate Armenian Christmas, which falls on Jan. 6 each year. At Dignity Health Glendale Memorial Hospital, Archbishop Moushegh Mardirossian, prelate of the western United States, and members of his clergy led a ceremony with prayers at 11 a.m. in both English and Armenian. The start of the new year presents a wonderful opportunity for mankind and will be patient for renewal, Mardirossian said. The new year brings this opportunity for renewal, however, [it] comes from God. Hospital staff, employees and executives were joined by local leaders such as Glendale Mayor Vartan Gharpetian, Fire Chief Greg Fish and state Sen. Anthony Portantino (D-La Canada Flintridge), who spoke briefly before the ceremony. As a Roman Catholic, representing an Armenian community, I love celebrating Christmas twice, he said. Its an honor to represent such a vibrant and spiritual community. Faith-based hospital Adventist Health Glendale held a similar Armenian Christmas ceremony at noon led by Archbishop Hovnan Derderian, leader of the Western Diocese Armenian Church. Derderian said prayers and blessed water and the Armenian pastry called Gata as a symbol of the baptism of Jesus Christ. There are millions of interpretations about our thoughts and feelings [of Christmas], but one statement in which I will leave with you: Christmas is the time where we lead our lives to holiness, he said. Council members Paula Devine and Vrej Agajanian as well as Mayor Gharpetian also joined the Adventist ceremony. In keeping with tradition, the Armenian Orthodox Church maintains Christmas on Jan. 6, which is 12 days after the Dec. 25 date many other denominations observe the religious holiday. Armenian Christmas is also referred to as the Epiphany or the Holy Nativity of Christ. jeff.landa@latimes.com Twitter: @JeffLanda I was fresh off a broken engagement, having dated my ex for four and a half years. My friend and I were at the annual Veuve Clicquot Polo Classic in Will Rogers State Historic Park in Pacific Palisades, and Id just posted a picture of us on Instagram. (First step to showing the world Im out and having fun, right?) My co-worker texted to let me know she was on the way and wanted to meet up for a glass of Champagne. She was coming with her husband and his cousin, Andrew, whom she said had just seen my #veuveclassic post and thought I was cute. I drunkenly texted her to meet me at the first picnic bench. They finally arrived and I was surprised by how attractive he was, especially his eyes. Before we left, he asked for a kiss and I laughed. You should probably take me out to dinner before that, I said. OK, give me your number. He had an attractive amount of confidence. I didnt quite know what my intentions were, but I was excited about the possibilities. Are you a veteran of L.A.'s current dating scene? We want to publish your story Advertisement Later that week I received a text about dinner. I couldnt wait. I had this unbelievably excited feeling in my stomach. I literally counted down the days and nights. Our first date was casual, the Woodman in Sherman Oaks. I felt like I couldnt stop laughing, and we probably could have continued talking for another couple of hours. Needless to say, it was a great first date. And the chemistry was out of this world. We ended up casually dating for about four months until I made a decision: I wasnt interested in dating him while we were both dating other people. He didnt agree. He also just got out of a serious relationship and just wasnt quite ready to jump back into one. And for some reason, that really hurt. Was I even ready to be in a relationship again? Or was I just scared of being alone? There was something about him that I couldnt shake off. More L.A. Affairs columns We broke it off and I continued to date other guys, convincing myself that all of these dates were fun and exciting. But nobody made me feel the way I felt with Andrew. I constantly wondered if I actually fell in love with him or if I fell in love with how he made me feel and who I wanted to be. Or maybe I was just running away from something, maybe the embarrassment and disappointment Id felt from an engagement that had ended two months before my wedding. I later heard that he met a girl and theyd become pretty serious. That was when I felt the knife sink in. Why her? And more important, why not me? The line between my feelings for him and my hurt ego were blurred. I wasnt this upset over my engagement ending. Or any of my other past relationships. How could this be? I barely knew him. Fast-forward a year. Advertisement I received an early morning text from an unfamiliar number. It turned out to be his, which Id deleted from my phone. It said: Sad, sad boy wanted to say hi. Let me know if you want to grab a drink. Was he serious? I ignored it and immediately felt satisfaction. Advertisement I won. He lost. The victory felt so good. A few days later I received an email with the subject line: I know my text was dumb but I still want to buy you dinner. OK. Well played. Maybe he wasnt being the callous, unapologetic person I thought he was. I quickly remembered why I felt so strongly about him. His sense of humor. He followed up with a heartfelt, genuine email about how he was in a different place now and wanted to see if something was there with me. I didnt know if I wanted the same. It had been enough to recover the first time, and I wasnt sure if I ever would if I tried a second time. After a couple of sassy email exchanges, I decided to let him take me out to dinner as friends. We had a great time. And I let him have it: I told him how bad he made me feel, and I told him how Id honestly felt about him. He apologized, not aware of how much Id cared about him. Advertisement I ended things with the guy I was dating. Soon, it was as if no time had gone by, and we started over. We went back and forth for another eight months, from deciding to be friends and then lovers to not speaking to each other to dating other people but occasionally getting together for hikes in Mandeville Canyon Park. I didnt know where we really stood, but I knew I just needed him in my life. I wrote him off as a potential boyfriend and decided to be content just having him as a friend. He was good at it. No guy I went on a date with seemed to really care about my job or my family or any of the trips I went on. But Andrew was curious about seemingly every detail of my vacations, my relatives, my career goals and my life. Slowly, we developed a friendship and an admiration for each other and created a relationship that wed never invested the time in years ago, when we first met. Advertisement I think thats why were together now, as a couple, engaged to be married. For the longest time I thought that having self-respect and dignity meant not being vulnerable, not giving someone that second chance to hurt me. But I needed to give this one more chance. One more shot. And I thank my lucky stars every day for doing so. Advertisement The author is a director of digital distribution at an independent television and film studio. You can find her on Instagram @brookemorgan124. L.A. Affairs chronicles the current dating scene in and around Los Angeles. If you have comments or a true story to tell, email us at LAAffairs@latimes.com. MORE L.A. LOVE STORIES She dumped me. By text. Advertisement Why I always fall for the bad boy How we hid our steamy love affair from co-workers home@latimes.com A one-time local doctor charged with molesting two children pleaded no contest Friday to endangering the two. Vamsimadhav C. Korrapati was charged with molesting a then-11-year-old boy and 7-year-old girl between 2008 and 2014. He pleaded no contest Friday to recklessly endangering the children. By pleading no contest, he admitted prosecutors have enough evidence to convict him of the crimes but didn't outright admit to them. The children are now ages 12 and 8. Northampton County Judge F.P. Kimberly McFadden sentenced Korrapati, 43, to two years of probation. It's not clear how the convictions will affect his ability to practice medicine or his citizenship status. He is a native of India but now lives in Basking Ridge, New Jersey. Korrapati completed his internal medicine residency at St. Luke's University Hospital in Fountain Hill and also worked in Easton Hospital. He took a similar plea deal in November 2016 but backed out of the deal in March 2017. He was scheduled to stand trial Monday but decided Friday to take the plea deal. Rudy Miller may be reached at rmiller@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter @RudyMillerLV. Find Easton area news on Facebook. A student at Salisbury High School faces terroristic threats and harassment charges for a post on the social media app Snapchat, the Lehigh County District Attorney's Office said Friday. Oliver Stewart, of the 1700 block of Piccadilly Circle in the township, is accused of posting a threat to the school. A screenshot of the post was emailed Thursday to the school, which was closed at the time due to snow, according to the prosecutor's office. School administrators, upon receiving the email, notified township police and an investigation was opened. "As a result of of their investigation, it is alleged that Stewart sent the Snapchat post," Friday's announcement from the district attorney's office says. Stewart acted alone, and there is no known threat to the community, the school district, the high school, or its students and staff, District Attorney James Martin says in the announcement. "Unlike other recent incidents involving alleged student threats, in this case, the student is an adult, so the Juvenile Act does not apply and more details about the incident itself, and the actor, may be released," Martin said. Salisbury Township police obtained a warrant for Stewart's arrest on the two misdemeanor charges, and he was scheduled to be arraigned later Friday in Lehigh County Central Booking. Martin thanked the administration and staff of the Salisbury Township School District for their cooperation in the investigation and commended township police officer Richard Nothstein and members of the Salisbury Township Police Department for their work on the case. Kurt Bresswein may be reached at kbresswein@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter @KurtBresswein. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook. A Slate Belt man had to be cut free from a luxury SUV he crashed into a tree then a utility pole after driving recklessly Friday on Route 611, according to police. William E. Sandnes, 28, of Upper Mount Bethel Township, was not wearing a seatbelt at the time of the crash about 1:20 p.m. on the North Delaware Drive in Lower Mount Bethel Township, according to Pennsylvania State Police at Belfast. He was taken by Suburban EMS to St. Luke's University Hospital, Fountain Hill. Police did not immediately say how badly he was injured. Sandnes was driving south "at an extremely high rate of speed" in a 2015 Land Rover Range Rover and passing other vehicles, police said, citing multiple witnesses. Route 611 in that area is one lane in each direction, divided by a solid double yellow line, according to police. A little more than 1,000 feet south of Upper Little Creek Road, Sandnes lost control while southbound in the northbound land and struck the tree head-on, Trooper John Stepanski said. The SUV then spun and hit the utility pole, snapping it in two, according to police. Sandes' vehicle came to rest against an embankment along the right shoulder of the northbound lane, police said. The Lower Mount Bethel Township Fire Department cut Sandnes free from the vehicle, in which multiple airbags had deployed, police said. He faces a citation for driving at an unsafe speed, according to police. Kurt Bresswein may be reached at kbresswein@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter @KurtBresswein. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook. The first major fashion day of the Irish racing calendar in 2018 takes place at Naas Racecourse this Sunday when the Winter Ladies Day is hosted at the Kildare track. Along with some top horse racing action, there will be plenty of competition off the track as the Hugh Statham Goldsmith & Jewellers-sponsored Winter Ladies Day will provide some exquisite prizes for those who are selected as the best dressed. The prize for the winning lady will be a stunning Raymond Weil watch worth more than 2,250, while there are also bracelets worth 190 each for the four runners up in the fashion competition, bringing the total value of the prizes to over 3,000. All prizes have been kindly sponsored by Hugh Statham Goldsmith & Jewellers, who is a boutique independent retailer based in Naas. The well known jewellers sells one of a kind jewellery that is impossible to get anywhere else, ensuring originality as well as elegance for the customer. Speaking ahead of the Winters Ladies Day at Naas Racecourse, Hugh Statham said; We are delighted to partner with Naas Racecourse once again to sponsor the Best Dressed Lady Competition. Jewellery is such a major part of every style, and with the right blend of jewellery to suit a dress it can turn an otherwise bland outfit into something more colourful and eye-catching. We like to think that our original pieces of jewellery provide that added touch of elegance to a persons outfit that can really make them stand out. A large crowd is expected for the first major meeting of the new year, and the Grade 1 Lawlors of Naas Novice Hurdle is the main race on the card. Fashion judges on the day will be celebrity stylist Ingrid Hoey, and Anna Fortune, Commercial Manager at the Kildare Post. Speaking in advance of Winter Ladies Day at Naas Racecourse, judge Ingrid Hoey said; Im really looking forward to seeing all the wonderful fashion that will be on show this year in Naas. In particular, I will be looking out for those who are able to combine comfort and warmth with style, considering the time of year. Naturally, its January so we dont want to see skimpy summer dresses or bare legs. I will be looking for an unusual head piece, a well-cut coat and someone who has put a great look together in an effortless, elegant and very individual way. The two ladies gave some tips to those who are coming along to the races this Sunday, and with temperatures expected to be rather chilly, it is very much about wrapping up well to suit the weather. Wear something appropriate Fashion does not have to hurt! Dress for the weather, look stylish and warm at the same time. Racewear should be elegant, classy and chic. It is not the same type of outfit you might wear to a night club! Anything too short or revealing will look out of place at the track. Wear something on your head If you dont want to wear a hat, think about a fascinator, head piece or elegant hair accessory such as a vintage clip. Accessories Dont forget your bag, shoes and jewellery will also be in show, make sure they coordinate with your outfit. Colour Although its January it is nice to see a little pop of colour. Think of a gorgeous shawl or scarf to lift your outfit. Grooming Make up and nails are part of your overall look. Watch out for your make up, this is a day time event, heavy make up looks odd in the cold light of day. Aim for a natural, warm, healthy complexion and go easy on the bronzer! There are seven races on the card with the first going to post at 12.40pm. Admission tickets cost 15 and include a 5 free bet. A range of hospitality packages are available and bookings can be made by contacting Naas Racecourse on (045) 897391 or by visiting www.naasracecourse.com A call for the council to put in place a schedule to clear drains and ditches to combat flooding was made at last months full council meeting, which was held on December 18 last. Cllr Carmel Kelly tabled a motion to cover the duration of winter 2017 to 2018. The meeting heard that the list of rivers and drains requiring cleaning exceeds the amount the council can cover annually. However, in general members were told that those causing flooding to properties are prioritised. The meeting heard that each January, the council decides which drains will require maintenance as part of the Drainage Channel Maintenance Programme. This is controlled by Inland Fisheries Ireland and is the only time the council are allowed to use machines to remove silt from rivers and drains. The meeting heard the council are allowed to use the machines to remove suspended silt and debris, but cannot touch the riverbeds. Health and safety requirements mean, however, that the council is generally restricted to smaller drains and streams, the meeting was told. Tree cutting has to be carried out in advance of any river cleaning and can only be done between the months of September to February, and is dependent on access to lands being granted by the relevant landowners. Members were told of the programme for 2018, once access from landowners and approvals from Fisheries are in place. The programme is funded from the revenue budget. Issues such as funding and refusal of access, either from the landower or Fisheries, can result in changes to the programme. Cllr Carmel Kelly acknowleged the report, but said that it fell short in relation to the road drains. Where are the road drains in the report? she said. The ones that get blocked in bad weather due to fallen debris. Look at the recent flooding in Dara Park in Newbridge during the heavy rains. Why is there reoccuring floods and what is the plan? Director of Services Joe Boland told the meeting that Dara Park was a complex issue adding that it was progressing well. The Newbridge interceptor sewer needs to be updated at a cost of 25 million. It is an Irish Water project. This will improve the sewage capacity in Newbridge. Despite 300,000 of council funds spent on flooding issues in Dara Park, the residents were hit once again by sewage floods last November. According to a council report, the flooding at Dara Park was caused by debris blocking a trash screen located in a property next to the estate owned by Irish Rail. The council said it is working with Irish Rail to ensure the problem does not reoccur. It stated that the Dara Park Surface Water Scheme was to alleviate flooding from the storm water system and not the foul water system. Both of these systems consist of separate pipe networks, with the foul network unfortunately compromised by illegal/improper and legacy surface water connections, the meeting heard. A PAKISTANI man pleaded guilty to sexually assaulting a middle-aged man with an intellectual disability on a bus in Limerick. Mohammad Sarwar, aged 43, of no fixed abode, is accused of inappropriately touching the Limerick mans genitals for a number of minutes during the journey. Kilmallock Court heard that the sexual assault occurred in the Dooradoyle area on January 19, 2017. Sergeant Donal Cronin said the State was objecting to the defendant being released on bail pending a sentencing hearing. He cited the nature and strength of evidence and the likelihood of the defendant reoffending. Detective Garda Mick Dunne said he believed if Mr Sarwar was given bail he would commit similar serious offences. Det Garda Dunne said Mr Sarwar has lived in Asylum Centres in Tralee, Foynes and Dublin and has come to garda attention in the past. In May 2016, Mr Sarwar inappropriately approached two children in a playground in Foynes, said the detective. In December 2016, he inappropriately approached a woman in a shopping centre in Tralee. In May / June 2017, he followed a female manager of an asylum centre from her workplace and made an unwanted approach. He was moved to another asylum centre and made another inappropriate approach to a woman at a bus stop. He asked her could he come home with her. She felt very uncomfortable. He was removed from the asylum centre system due to his behaviour to staff members, said Det Garda Dunne. Answering questions from Mr Sarwars solicitor, Sarah Ryan, Det Garda Dunne said no formal complaints were made to gardai relating to any of these incidents, and Mr Sarwar has no previous convictions. Ms Ryan said if granted bail a friend of Mr Sarwars has agreed to let him live with him and his family in Dublin. The male took the stand and said he has known Mr Sarwar for eight or nine years. He is a Muslim. I am a Hindu. We are friends, he told Kilmallock Court. Ms Ryan asked him if he was fully aware what Mr Sarwar is charged with. Yes. He said he hasnt done anything wrong. He cried one day. He has stayed quite a few times with me, said the man, who has a wife and three children aged 13, 11 and seven months. Do you have any concern about Mr Sarwar staying in your house? asked Ms Ryan. No, he said. Judge Marian OLeary also asked him if he had, Any difficulty in a man who allegedly inappropriately approaches women in your house? No, he replied. Sgt Cronin reiterated the States objection to bail on the grounds of the risk of reoffending, pleading guilty to a serious charge and he would leave the jurisdiction. Judge OLeary granted bail under very strict conditions. She ordered that 5,000 of an independent surety be lodged, Mr Sarwar must reside with the man in Dublin, sign on daily and commit no offences. Mr Sarwar was remanded in custody until the money is lodged. He appeared before Limerick District Court this week and it was adjourned to next Tuesday, January 9 for a victim impact statement to be prepared. Mr Sarwar was further remanded in custody with consent to bail. THE government made almost 400,000 available to Limerick council to tackle the aftermath of ex-Hurricane Ophelia. Figures released this week revealed that of a total of 7m given to councils nationwide, 391,041 came to Limerick. At least 6,814 homes across Limerick were without electricity at the height of Ophelias force in mid-October. Serious damage was caused to homes, businesses and roads across the country, but particularly in the south-west. But Independent councillor John Gilligan said that compared to other counties, Limerick dodged a bullet. Cllr Gilligan welcomed the allocation, saying: I wasn't expecting too much more than this. We didn't have as much damage as was forecast. It won't come out of our estimates. I think we dodged a bullet. We had no major flooding or infrastructural damage. I would have expected this. Meanwhile, Clare County Council received some 70,310 in support, and Tipperary County Council got 416,513. The two authorities with the largest funding support were Cork City Council and Cork County Council with 1.9m and 1.4m respectively. Elsewhere, Cllr Gilligan has welcomed news that the flood defences could be erected across the Kings Island in as little as 18 months. Preliminary designs went on display to residents prior to Christmas. A FORMER company director has admitted generating false invoices which resulted in the fraudulent payment of more than 600,000 to the company she owned, over a nine month period. Mary Donnelly, aged 71, who has an address at Rathmale, Mungret pleaded guilty to an offence under the provisions of the Companies Act after she was prosecuted following an investigation by Office of the Director of Corporate Enforcement (ODCE). Detective Garda Glen Mackessy of the National Economic Crime Bureau told Limerick Circuit Court the defendant was one of the directors of a family-owned business Shannonside Audio/Video Limited which was liquidated in November 2013. The detective told John OSullivan BL, instructed by state solicitor Padraig Mawe, a formal complaint was subsequently made by the liquidator to the ODCE and that he was appointed as the lead investigator. Judge Tom ODonnell was told the company, which was established in 1979, provided audio/visual services to a clients across the country. Mr OSullivan said it had a prestigious list of clients across a number of sectors including education, hospitality and banking. Det Garda Mackessy said Shannonside Audio/Video had entered a debt purchase arrangement with another company Close Invoice Finance Limited which ensured there were no issues regarding cash flow. As part of this arrangement, Mr OSullivan explained, Close Invoice Finance would give an advance based on invoices which were sent by Shannonside Audio/Video. Basically a company is able to trade and stay in business through this scheme, he said adding there was nothing unusual about the arrangement. Det Garda Mackessy said Shannonside Audio/Video used a computerised billing system and that invoices were automatically uploaded to Close Invoice Finance meaning there was a constant cash flow. The court heard that prior to the appointment of a liquidator, Shannonside Audio/Video had been experiencing difficulties as a result of the economic downturn. Concerns emerged during the ODCE investigation that false invoices had been created and uploaded onto the billing system. Detective Garda Mackessy said false invoices relating to 35 different clients were identified and that the total amount of money paid over by Close Invoice Finance Limited was 648,614.88. Tom Power BL, instructed by solicitor Darach McCarthy, said his client, who was paid a salary by Shannonside Audio/Video, suffers from ill-health and that a number of other family members were sick around the time the offences took place. He said she was just trying to keep the company running and that her family difficulties had affected her ability to make rational decisions. He said Ms Donnelly lost her family home and her pension as a result of what happened and that she has nothing left. Judge ODonnell requested the preparation of a probation report. TWENTY greyhounds and lurchers have said arrivederci to Limerick and ciao to Italy. Since 2012, Limerick Animal Welfare (LAW) has linked up with Pet Levrieri in Milan to rehome dogs. Often these animals have been abused or mistreated but after being nursed back to health and cared for in the sanctuary in Kilfinane they are now being treated like royalty in Italy. Marie Quirke, sanctuary manager, said: These are the lucky ones. It is a life that only a greyhound or lurcher can dream of, she said. These breeds of dogs are very popular in Italy, whereas in Ireland they are seen more as racing and coursing dogs. Marie says they make wonderful pets. She would prefer to see them being rehomed in Ireland but the demand just isnt there. It is completely different in Italy. On the day of adoption a huge crowd gathered, media covered the event and the families welcomed their greyhounds and lurchers into their lives, she said. This latest transportation of dogs brings the numbers to around 200 that Limerick Animal Welfare has helped live la dolce vita. Four rescues came together to make this trip possible -GSPCA, Erin Hounds and Limerick Animal Welfare, who took in and cared for the unwanted greyhounds and abandoned lurchers until they were ready for new homes. Italian rescue Pet Levrieri, in Milan, sourced homes where these dogs would become part of families. Our thanks too must go to Avril and Anthony, from Limerick Animal Welfare, who travelled with the dogs to make sure they were fed and exercised on the 40 hour journey, and arrived safe and well at their destination, said Marie. It is far from a matter off just loading them up and heading for the ferry. The adoption process starts months in advance of the big day. Profiles and photographs are sent from Ireland to Italy for prospective owners. Before travelling, all dogs must be issued with a pet passport, get a rabies vaccination and have a vet check. 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 subscribing to our ePaper and/or free daily Newsletter . Support our mission and join our community now. In Florida, its so cold that frozen iguanas are falling out of trees. In the Northeast, a major storm closed schools and roads, and temperatures continue to drop to bitter lows. Meanwhile, its unseasonably warm in San Francisco. Most of the Bay Area should expect temperatures in the low 60s through the weekend, with lows in the high 50s, said Anna Schneider, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Monterey. Thursday, there was a high of 70 degrees in San Jose breaking the record for the day of 68 degrees, which stood since 1911. Its been warm for this time of year, Schneider said. Friday, there were scattered showers throughout the day, mainly in the North Bay, which got between 0.25 and 0.5 of an inch of rain. The weekend is expected to be dry throughout the Bay Area. Weather in the rest of the country has had consequences for Bay Area travelers, though. Thursday, 103 flights to or from San Francisco International Airport were canceled. On Friday, at least 23 scheduled departures or arrivals had been canceled by afternoon, SFO spokesman Shawn Miyaki said. Not all of those cancellations were due to weather, Miyaki added, but many were. The Bay Area can expect its own storm next week. This is a more organized and stronger storm than weve seen, Schneider said. The past few days have been a little weaker. The forecast calls for moderate to heavy rainfall, probably starting Monday afternoon and continuing throughout Tuesday, Schneider said. There could be 2 to 3 inches of rain on some of the highest peaks in the North Bay and Santa Cruz Mountains. At lower elevations, were probably looking at more like an inch, she added. Southerly winds are predicted to reach 20 to 30 mph along coastal ranges with gusts up to 50 mph. In other areas, it will be breezy and gusty, but below what wed consider for a wind advisory, Schneider said. The storm could be good for resorts at high elevations in the Sierra, where snowpack this year has been anemic. A recent survey determined that its at 24 percent of average for this time of year. Theres definitely a possibility that elevations above 7,500 to 8,000 feet will get a couple of feet of snow, said Zach Tolby, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Reno. For resorts like Heavenly Mountain and Squaw Valley, where peaks are higher than 8,000 feet, thats good news. For lower resorts, not so much. They can expect an inch or two of rain. Its a warm, subtropical moisture system, Tolby said. Still, this storm might be better than nothing. We would like it to be 2,000 feet lower to get a good snowstorm, Tolby said. But after such a dry December, any good precipitation and snow will help the conditions out here. Sophie Haigney is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: sophie.haigney@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @SophieHaigney Astronaut John Young -- the first man to make six trips to space and the ninth to walk the moon -- died Friday night from complications from pneumonia. He was 87. Young was one of the nation's longest-serving astronauts, spending 47 years leading missions in the Gemini, Apollo and space shuttle programs. "Today, NASA and the world have lost a pioneer," NASA Administrator Robert Lightfoot said. "Astronaut John Young's storied career spanned three generations of spaceflight; we will stand on his shoulders as we look toward the next human frontier." Young's bravery and commitment "sparked our nation's first great achievements in space. But, not content with that, his hands-on contributions continued long after the last of his six spaceflights -- a world record at the time of his retirement from the cockpit," Lightfoot said in a prepared statement. He served in the U.S. Navy for 25 years, retiring as a captain in 1976. The pilot joined NASA in 1962 in the second astronaut class, known as the "New Nine." Young was inspired to join NASA by President John F. Kennedy's 1961 call to land a man on the moon. "I thought returning safely to Earth sounded like a good idea," said Young, according to a NASA statement. Lightfoot noted that Young commanded the Gemini 10, the first mission to rendezvous with two separate spacecraft; orbited the moon in Apollo 10; landed on the moon as commander of the Apollo 16 mission; and, on his final mission, landed the STS-9 with a fire in the back end. In early 1973, Young became chief of the Space Shuttle Branch of the Astronaut Office at Johnson Space Center. The following year, he was named chief of the Astronaut Office, a post he held until May 1987. During his decades, he received a Congressional Space Medal of Honor, three NASA Distinguished Service Medals, the NASA Outstanding Leadership Medal, two Navy Distinguished Service Medal and dozens of other awards, including four honorary doctorate degrees. He was inducted into the National Aviation Hall of Fame in 1988. Young, who lived in El Lago near Clear Lake, retired in 2004 after logging 835 hours in space. "I've been very lucky, I think," Young said at his retirement from NASA in 2004. As to which moment was most memorable, he says simply, "I liked them all." Around his retirement, Young recounted his first trip to the moon on Apollo 10 with the Houston Chronicle. "The impressive thing about the back side of the moon is how many darn craters it has," he said. "If the back side of the moon was facing us, I think human beings would be far more adaptive, far more educated, about (asteroid or comet) impacts on planet Earth." Former President George H. W. Bush mourned the loss of the astronaut in a statement Saturday, saying that Young was a good friend and also "a fearless patriot whose courage and commitment to duty helped our Nation push back the horizon of discovery at a critical time." Bush went on to say that Young, "represented the best in the American spirit always looking forward, always reaching higher" and "leaves a tremendous legacy of accomplishment, in addition to his wonderful family." Former NASA astronaut Terry Virts shared his sadness about Young's death, tweeting on Saturday: "You were one of my heroes as an astronaut and explorer and your passion for space will be missed." Retired NASA astronaut Scott Kelly, who spent 340 days on a mission to the International Space Station, called Young "a true legend" and "the astronauts' astronaut," in a statement posted to Facebook Saturday. "Fair winds and following seas, Captain," he wrote. After lawsuits and a Supreme Court decision, the Federal Emergency Management Agency has issued a new policy extending disaster relief to churches, synagogues and other congregations. Addressing a church-state separation issue, the agency's latest policy guide says FEMA made the change so houses of worship aren't considered ineligible "on the basis of the religious character or primarily religious use of the facility." It cites the June 2017 decision by the U.S. Supreme Court in Trinity Lutheran Church of Columbia v. Comer, in which the high court ruled 7-2 in favor of a Missouri church that claimed religious discrimination after it was refused state funds to improve its playground. In FEMA's previous guide, language deemed private nonprofits ineligible for aid if they primarily offered religious activities including worship and religious instruction. That language has been removed from the policy guide released Tuesday. President Donald Trump tweeted in September that Texas churches should be "entitled to reimbursement from FEMA" for aiding Hurricane Harvey victims. Texas officials followed up and asked him to change the FEMA policy so affected houses of worship could get rebuilding assistance. FEMA was sued by three Texas churches damaged by Harvey. They challenged the previous FEMA policy, saying it "explicitly denies equal access to FEMA disaster relief grants for houses of worship solely because of their religious status." Later, two Florida synagogues damaged by Hurricane Irma also sued FEMA. "Better late than never," said Daniel Blomberg, a lawyer with the nonprofit law firm Becket, which represents the Texas churches and the Florida synagogues. "By finally following the Constitution, FEMA is getting rid of second-class status for churches." Americans United for Separation of Church and State expressed concern about the new policy, tweeting, "The new FEMA policy raises very serious constitutional questions by appearing to authorize problematic tax aid to churches." And Larry T. Decker, executive director of the Secular Coalition for America, said: "A government that truly values religious freedom can never be in the business of building churches." But Nathan Diament, public policy director for the Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of America, hailed the policy change, which his organization sought for more than 15 years. "We thank the Trump administration for righting this long-time wrong," he said. The Interior Department has approved a land swap deal that will allow a remote Alaskan village to construct a road through the Izembek National Wildlife Refuge, according to local officials. The action effectively overrules wilderness protections that have kept the area off limits to vehicles for decades. The land exchange, which has been agreed to but not formally signed, sets in motion a process that would improve King Cove's access to the closest regional airport. The village, with roughly 925 residents, has lobbied federal officials for decades to construct a 12-mile gravel road connecting it to the neighboring town of Cold Bay. In an interview late Friday, City Administrator Gary Hennigh said residents "are encouraged that this administration has a different attitude about this road, and . . . that the needs of the people in King Cove can be met. At the same time, the special qualities of the Izembek refuge can continue." Environmentalists, along with two Democratic administrations, have blocked the road on the grounds that it would bisect a stretch of tundra and lagoons that provide a vital feeding ground for migrating birds as well as habitat for bears, caribou and other species. The refuge was established by President Dwight Eisenhower, and all but 15,000 of its 315,000 acres have been designated as wilderness since 1980. Motorized vehicle access is traditionally prohibited in such areas. Interior officials did not respond to a request for comment Friday, but Hennigh said Secretary Ryan Zinke and the King Cove Corporation's president will sign the agreement in Washington sometime in January. The department has declined to publicly discuss the land exchange negotiations, which The Washington Post first reported in October. Federal, state and local officials have long struggled to address the needs of King Cove, which is located on the southern tip of the Alaska Peninsula. The federal government has spent more than $50 million to fund a modern telemedicine clinic and a hovercraft that covered the distance between the village and Cold Bay in 20 minutes. Multiple federal analyses endorsed alternative solutions to the road project - such as a marine ferry to replace the hovercraft residents got rid of several years ago - and suggested poor weather could make the road impassible for stretches in the winter. Yet King Cove officials, as well as Alaska officials such as Republican Sen. Lisa Murkowski, have argued the same poor weather often makes air and boat transport treacherous and warrants construction of a single-lane route through the refuge. Between 1980 and 1994, 12 people died during aerial medical evacuations en route to the hub airport, though no residents have died during such evacuations since then. Hennigh noted there have been 68 evacuations by air or boat since then-interior secretary Sally Jewell blocked the road's construction in December 2013. Murkowski could not be reached for comment Friday. Local officials estimate 10 to 15 vehicles will travel the road daily, which may include employees coming to work at a seafood cannery in King Cove. Hennigh said the project would have "a minimal impact" on the refuge but provide a critical service for area residents. "A person is a person, if it's a cannery worker trying to get to King Cove or an Aleut trying to get to either Cold Bay or King Cove," he said, adding that the road would not be used to transport "commercial seafood products" to the airport in Cold Bay. "This will significantly improve the quality of our life and give us access to the outside world." Conservationists and ecologists caution that the very act of constructing a road could fragment critical habitat for species that need it, especially the waterfowl that undertake an arduous migration along North America's Pacific Coast. In spring and fall, nearly the entire global population of emperor and Pacific black brant geese consume the refuge's eelgrass. In winter, tens of thousands of the threatened Steller's eider sea ducks stay in Izembek and molt. The 1964 Wilderness Act bars new roads and the use of motorized vehicles in areas designated under the law except in rare instances - such as to provide access for the development of existing mining claims - and there appears to be no precedent for the executive branch's approval in this case. Randi Spivak, who directs the public lands program for the Center for Biological Diversity, said in an email that the advocacy group was prepared to challenge the agreement in federal court if it is finalized. The proposed project, she argued, would likely run afoul of the Wilderness Act, the National Wildlife Refuge System Improvement Act and the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act. "Bulldozing a road through the heart of the refuge violates federal laws designed to protect Alaska's pristine wild places," Spivak said. "Zinke's backroom deal is an end run around Congress and will destroy world-class wetlands critical to millions of migrating birds, bears and other wildlife. Once it's destroyed, we'll never get it back." It is unclear how much land the King Cove Corporation will give the federal government in exchange for the land it needs to build through the refuge. Hennigh said he expected the two sides would spend between four and six months appraising different parcels. Several years ago, the state of Alaska and tribal officials had offered to transfer the deed to tens of thousands of acres in the vicinity as part of any deal. According to documents obtained this fall by The Post, the corporation president had recently identified two parcels of tribal land totaling 2,604 acres along the refuge's southern boundary on Cold Bay as a possible swap for land within Izembek. The exchange proposal that Jewell rejected, Hennigh said, would have been "an outrageous price" to pay. By contrast, he added, the agreement now close to final will consist of "something that is a rational expectation of the King Cove Corporation shareholders and of all Aleuts." In an attempt to get his client a new trial, an attorney for a man convicted in the grisly 1998 dragging death of a Jasper man argued in federal court Thursday that the killing was a "backwoods drug deal gone bad," not a racially-motivated killing. John William King, 43, was the first of three white men convicted of capital murder for killing James Byrd Jr. almost two decades ago. Byrd, 49, was chained by his ankles to the bumper of a truck and fatally dragged on an old logging road on the outskirts of town. At a hearing at the U.S. Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans Thursday, King's attorney, A. Richard Ellis, argued that his client's trial lawyers were deficient and failed to present evidence that would have proven King's innocence. > > RELATED: The dragging death of James Byrd Jr. King, who is on death row at the Polunsky Unit in Livingston, was not present at the hearing. He was defended at trial by Sonny Cribbs, who died in June, and Brack Jones, who has previously declined to comment on the appeal. During the trial, King's tattoos, including one of a black man hanging from a tree, were used as evidence that the killing was racially motivated. Ellis argued Thursday that more than one of the tattoo artists who drew King's tattoos should have been called as a witness to prove that the tattoos were not racist. Ellis described the tattoo as "just a person hanging from a tree" who was drawn in black ink, a claim the state's attorney refuted by quoting testimony from King's trial that he had previously described the tattoo by using racial slurs. > > Scenes from Lawrence Russell Brewer's execution Ellis also argued, as he has previously in court filings, that Cribbs and Jones did not thoroughly investigate and challenge claims of who owned the sandals found in King's apartment with Byrd's blood on them, or the DNA on a cigarette butt used as evidence to tie King to the crime. Jason LaFond, assistant solicitor general for the Texas Attorney General's Office, called King's claims "meritless" and said the appeal is nitpicking the work of his attorneys without actually presenting any new evidence. He said evidence that Ellis argued should have been presented at trial didn't prove anything new and could be contradicted by other evidence presented at trial, including King's own words and statements. LaFond also argued that the claims of ineffective assistance of counsel have already been exhausted in previous appeal proceedings, and cannot be appealed again, while Ellis said the issues of evidence and failure to prove innocence are separate from previous rulings. Three federal court judges will rule on the case, after considering the oral arguments and filed motions. Both attorneys declined to comment further after the hearing. > > Texas death row inmates won't receive last meals after Jasper killer's final request LTeitz@BeaumontEnterprise.com Twitter.com/LizTeitz The Palestinian economy is crippled by restrictions on trade, investments and access to natural resources, but driving around Ramallah you might get the impression it's booming. Underground parking lots are brimming with Audis and BMWs, residential buildings are popping up at a frenetic pace, and cafes and restaurants are buzzing with customers. Helping drive the appearance of wealth in the West Bank city, just six miles from Jerusalem, is the emergence of a consumer loan market that was all but non-existent just a decade ago. Its growth can be can be attributed to a 2008 law that forced banks operating in the Palestinian territories - which preferred to lend their money abroad - to extend at least 40 percent of their credit to locals. In the past four years, the debt market has more than doubled to $6.4 billion, of which $2.6 billion has gone to local residents, according to the Palestine Monetary Authority. "This is a relatively new phenomenon," said Samir Abdullah, a former Palestinian Authority planning and labor minister who now does research at the Palestine Economic Policy Research Institute. "It's opened a new world of possibilities for some Palestinians, and of course the banks are quite happy too, because they charge relatively high margins on the loans." The credit growth has allowed members of the Palestinian middle class - those who already have a steady job - to boost their quality of life. But the overall picture for the West Bank's economy is still one of stagnation. Israeli restrictions on trade and investments and a shallow production base mean that large parts of the local society are falling behind. Unemployment in the West Bank and Gaza is at about 30 percent (versus a low of 4.3 percent in Israel) and economic growth in the West Bank is expected to be about 2 percent in coming years, which won't be enough to keep up with population growth, according to the World Bank. Palestinians import more than three times what they manage to export - a trade structure the World Bank says resembles failed states such as Somalia. The danger is the expansion of credit could lead to an asset bubble and widen inequalities between those with a steady job - typically people working for NGOs or the Palestinian Authority - and those who don't have a reliable income. "In many ways it's just leading to higher prices, which makes life unaffordable for many," said Chris Harker, a lecturer at the Institute for Global Prosperity at the University College London who has researched Palestinian debt. "Because there's nowhere to build, the price of housing has skyrocketed in Ramallah." "All this debt is a coping mechanism," he says. "A way to deal with the disillusionment of the failed Oslo peace process." But those in charge of the economy aren't concerned. The debt buildup is still low by global standards and the banks are careful in their lending, according to Palestine Monetary Authority Governor Azzam Shawwa, a former banker. He says defaults are relatively low and that the economy is on solid footing, though he's concerned that recent turmoil following U.S. President Donald Trump's decision to recognize Jerusalem as Israel's capital could derail growth. "There's no credit bubble here and there won't be one, because banks are very conservative," said Shawwa, from his glimmering new central bank building in Ramallah. "We have a very sophisticated credit scoring system here. Banks aren't lending wildly." With Trump's envoys shuttling back and forth in pursuit of the elusive peace deal, Shawwa stressed there is much to do to strengthen the economy, including granting Palestinians more control of lands and resources in the West Bank. "The Palestinian economy is being managed conservatively, we are doing everything we can to boost growth," he said. "But eliminating restrictions and allowing us to invest in infrastructure would really help the economy to take off." --- Bloomberg's Fadwa Hodali contributed. President Donald Trump on Saturday said he remains open to direct talks with North Korea's regime over its nuclear program and added that he hopes the rogue Asian nation participates in the Winter Olympics to be held in South Korea next month. "Sure, I always believe in talking," Trump said during a news conference at Camp David, where he was meeting with Republican congressional leaders over the GOP's 2018 agenda. "But we have a very firm stance. . . . But I absolutely would do that." Asked if has no prerequisites to bilateral talks - past U.S. presidents have demanded the North be committed to denuclearization - Trump said Pyongyang knows that he is "not messing around" in his past statements that he will protect the United States and its allies against attacks from the North. "At the same time, if we can come up with a very peaceful and a very good solution. . . . If something happens and something comes out of those talks, that would be a great thing for all humanity, it would be a great thing for all the world," Trump said. The president's remarks come amid mounting concerns that rising tensions on the Korean Peninsula could escalate into a military confrontation. Trump has engaged in a continuing war of words with North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un over the countries' nuclear arsenals. Trump recently tweeted that his nuclear button is "much bigger & more powerful" than Kim's, after the North's leader boasted about having a button on his desk at the ready. Even as he seemed to offer an opening to Pyongyang, the president appeared to suggest he remains ready to use military force if necessary: "You have to be prepared to do certain things, and I'm totally prepared to do them." Trump has vacillated between threats and offers of talks. Last spring he said he'd be open to talks but then shifted course after North Korea continued its nuclear and ballistic missile tests and after Otto Warmbier, an American college student, died several days after his release from 17 months in captivity in the North. Trump on Saturday took credit for Kim's recent overture to South Korea; the two nations spoke through a secure communications hotline and agreed to talks over the Olympics and other issues. "Right now, they're talking Olympics; it's a start, a big start," Trump said. "If I was not involved, they would not be talking Olympics right now." Trump, who agreed in a talk with South Korean President Moon Jae-in to halt joint military exercises through the Olympics, said of the North that he would "like to see them get involved in the Olympics and things will go from there. . . . I'd love to see them take it beyond the Olympics." Trump added that his tough talk of being willing to use military force against the North "is not a stance; it's what has to be done, if it has to be done." The world's top chipmaker Intel said on Friday that it will soon release patches to prevent computer systems with Intel chips from the attack of two new vulnerabilities, Meltdown and Spectre, which might cause serious net security risks. Those two vulnerabilities will enable hacker access to sensitive information such as passwords on computers, servers and smartphones, according to media reports. "By the end of next week, Intel will release patches that can cover more than 90 percent of the processors that have been launched by the company in the past five years," the company said in a statement it sent to the Global Times on Friday. Influence of the two bugs on Intel chips will be the greatest, Shanghai's cyberspace regulator said on Friday. It also noted that other mainstream processor chips and operation systems like Advanced RISC Machines chips, Windows and Android systems, will be affected. According to Intel, the new updates will have little influence on normal computer users. But for some special computers, the update will initially greatly affect their operations, but such influence can be reduced later with optimization. In a separate statement Intel sent to the Global Times on Friday, the company also noted that the two aforementioned vulnerabilities will not lead to attacks that can damage, change or delete computer data. But Xiang Ligang, chief executive of telecom industry website cctime.com, told the Global Times on Friday the fact that Intel chips were hit most by the bugs shows "a design flaw of Intel's chip architecture." "Unlike operating systems which are often exposed to security loopholes, the chip problem is a rarity which can be patched with software updates," he said, noting, however, the vulnerability of Intel chips that has the company hitting the security flaw brick wall would still augur ill for the chipmaker. Share prices of Intel slipped 1.83 percent to .43 per share as of press time. The cyberspace affairs office in Shanghai noted that the China National Vulnerability Database has already included the two flaws in its list of vulnerabilities. The office also urged the city's key information infrastructure and management authorities to start network security emergency plans and take measures to cope with the situation. The Vermont House of Representatives voted 83-61 Thursday in favor of a bill that would fully legalize the possession of up to an ounce of marijuana and allow individuals to grow up to six marijuana plants at home. The bill is expected to win approval in the Senate, which passed a nearly identical version last year. The state's Republican governor, Phil Scott, has already said he is "comfortable" with the legislation and has signaled he'd sign it. If that happens it would make Vermont the first state to legalize recreational marijuana through the legislature, rather than via a statewide ballot initiative. But Thursday's House vote was significant for another reason: Just hours earlier, U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced the removal of long-standing federal protections for state-legal recreational marijuana programs. That decision weighed on some Vermont legislators, who cited the federal policy change in introducing amendments that would delay implementation of the bill, according to the Burlington Free Press. But those changes were voted down. Lawmakers in the Vermont Senate, which is poised to take up the bill next week, were similarly defiant. "Apparently, [Sessions is] more troubled by an 80-year-old using medical marijuana to treat a terminal health condition than he is by coordinating election strategy with Russians," said Senate President Pro Tempore Tim Ashe. Vermont legislators' decision to move forward on legalization is emblematic of the difficulties the Justice Department will face if it attempts to crack down on state-legal marijuana operations. Lawmakers in states that have already passed legalization measures tend to be fiercely protective of them, particularly when the question of federal interference arises. Vermont's bill also differs from marijuana legalization measures passed in other states in that it doesn't set up a commercial market: Buying and selling pot would remain prohibited. With no large-scale marijuana growing and selling operations, Vermont would not offer much in the way of targets for zealous federal prosecutors. The public, meanwhile, appears eager to see an expansion of legal marijuana nationwide. Nearly two thirds of American adults say marijuana should be legal. Michigan voters are likely to see a marijuana legalization measure on the ballot this November, and New Jersey's new Democratic governor has pledged to legalize marijuana in that state. The next state-level challenge to federal marijuana policy will happen next week, when New Hampshire legislators take up a legalization bill of their own. Cat people, even a few people who would like to believe they are cats, strutted through the George R. Brown Convention Center in faux ears, detachable tails and cat-themed clothing worthy of a feline's curious stare. The Houston Cat Club hosted its 65th annual charity show on Saturday featuring regional and national breed judging, an agility contest, pet supply sales and for the first time, a "Meet the Breed" booth where guests could learn about the origins and unique traits of more than 40 show breeds. "This is my happy place," said Sarah Bailey, 12. "So long as there are cats all around me, I'm good." PHOTOS: Cats who clearly don't understand why they're at the cat show Within a few minutes of arriving with her mother Susan, Bailey purchased four books in a series on a cat with anxiety. She cooed at an American Shorthair kitten as her tied on cat tail swished behind her. All around, Siamese cat yowls, phone camera clicks and gasps at adorableness traveled through the air. Yet the volume in the center's Hall A was kept to a low hush all morning in an effort to keep from spooking any particularly wound-up cats, said show manager and cat club president Becky Galloway. A fourth-generation Texan, Galloway has been breeding and showing cats since 1983. What started as a side hobby turned into a full blown commitment as her Maine Coon cats started reaping awards coast to coast. She spent nearly every weekend of 2016 through April 30th traveling to shows, spending on first-class airfare, hotel rooms for herself and her felines, registration fees and equipment. One of the most notable perks of it all has been connecting with fellow breeders and competitors who become close friends. "It's a hobby with a social aspect," she said. Her pride and joy is named Crockett. Weighing in at 20 pounds and born on Texas Independence Day, the red-tabby- and white-colored Maine Coon was ranked 20th best cat in the nation in 2016 and best of his breed. On Saturday, Crockett took to the sidelines as his nephew, Roland claimed the spotlight. A 4-month-old kitten weighing 8 pounds, Roland won best in breed twice at his first show that morning. After lunch, it was time for the final round of kitten judging. Galloway held her breath, glancing over at the judge while also texting fellow show staff instructions on how to handle the line forming outside for entry. The judge, Don Williams, former president of the national Cat Fanciers' Association, scooped Roland out of his cage, stretching him out to full length. "Gorgeous condition," Williams concluded. Roland placed 10th among the 46 kittens. A good run for his first time, Galloway said. Just a few feet away, another first timer was giving it his all for a literal run. Riverspots Jungle Boogaloo, a 4-month-old Ocicat, leaped over wooden stairs, twisted and turned through poles and scampered through plastic neon green tunnels at the agility course. A crowd whispered cheers as the kitten did his best to reach the horsehair toy his owner dangled before him. He halted at the four-bar hurdle. The audience grew silent. During his first three tries, Boogaloo had failed to jump over, opting to run around it instead. One tentative paw reached out at the top bar, followed by another. The next moment, his whole body flew over and across. The crowd erupted into soft claps. At the opposite end of the hall, another celebration took place. Noel, the calico kitten, was about to go home with her new forever mother. Proceeds of the two-day cat show go to local animal welfare groups, with some offering adoptions on site. Nancy Kline, a foster mom for Homeless and Orphaned Pet Endeavor, burst into tears of joy as she greeted Baytown resident Tina Burton. When Burton first laid eyes on Noel, she knew the kitten would be the best fit for her family after they lost their 7-year-old cat in Hurricane Harvey. "I just want to say thank you," a tearful Kline said to Burton. "She's such a good kitty, you're going to love her." "Thank you, I knew I had to have her," replied an equally tearful Burton. While Burton finished filling out the necessary paperwork, Kline scooped Noel out of her cage. "You be good OK?" she whispered to the kitten. Snuggled in her foster mom's arms for the last time, Noel rubbed her head against Kline's cheek. Zimbabwe's wildlife conservation industry has welcomed China's ban on ivory trade but stressed on the need for strong enforcement for the measure to be effective. The ban entered into force on Dec. 31, 2017, in China, once the world's biggest market for ivory. Tom Milliken of Traffic International, a global wildlife trade monitoring network, told Xinhua Friday that the effectiveness of the ban was hinged on strict enforcement of the law. "China's ivory trade ban will be as effective as its law enforcement action that will be employed to implement it," Milliken said. "Policy changes alone is not going to work unless strong action on law enforcement is taken." Zimbabwe has over the years battled poaching of its wildlife, particularly the elephant and the rhino, with the number of its endangered rhino falling to about 800 due to poaching. The size of Zimbabwe's elephant herd, at 84,000, is more than its carrying capacity. Due to a Convention on the International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna (CITES) ban on ivory trade, Zimbabwe has been unable to sell its huge stockpile of ivory, which now stands at 70 tons. Last month, authorities intercepted 200 kg of ivory at the Harare Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport, which was destined for Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. In 2013, Zimbabwe witnessed one of its worst poaching cases in years when poachers poisoned more than 100 elephants with cyanide in the country's largest game reserve, Hwange National Park. Johnny Rodrigues, chairman of the Zimbabwe Conservation Task Force, said China's ban on ivory trade could potentially help reduce poaching of wildlife in Zimbabwe. "I believe it (ban) will help contain the poaching problem if the two countries enforce their policies and police their rules," Rodrigues said. The Government has doubled funding for Longford's National primary and secondary roads this year. Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) announced yesterday (Friday, January 5) that it is giving 5,103,907 to Longford County Council for its 2018 Roads improvement and maintenance programme - which is significantly higher than the allocations of 2,541,514 and 2,643,188 for Longford in 2017 and 2016, respectively. The 2018 allocation includes 600,000 for National Primary Route lighting improvement on the N4 at Newtownforbes. The National Secondary Route Allocation includes 600,000 for what are described as minor works on the N63 Majors Well, Longford town and 400,000 for N55 Ballymahon traffic studies. 436,512 has also been set aside for N55 Ballymahon street pavement strengthening and 1,138,752 has been allocated for pavement overlay, pavement strengthening and surface replacement at the N55 Ardagullion. 136m is being allocated nationally for multiple road safety schemes and road projects, and Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, Shane Ross said the funding will progress a number of long-awaited road projects, including the Ardee Bypass which will begin construction in 2018. Minister Ross said; I committed to providing funding for road safety programmes and I am very happy to be able to confirm that a significant number of safety schemes across country are going ahead next year. "Although road traffic collisions occur for a variety of reasons, the condition of our roads is an important factor in preventing crashes and saving lives. "I would like to stress that I am dedicated to improving road safety for all of our citizens in whatever way possible, whether through legislation, education or road maintenance and therefore I am delighted to see TII making this funding commitment to safety improvements across the country. Minister Ross added; I am also happy that TII have confirmed they are moving ahead with other major projects included in the Capital Plan. The Minister noted that funding has also been confirmed to allow the N5 Ballaghaderreen to Scramogue scheme to progress to statutory approval. This scheme is 35 km in length and involves the upgrade of the N5 National Primary route in Roscommon. You may also be interested in: Two fatalities in Longford as RSA report 15% drop in road deaths nationally to 158 during 2017 Longford Tourism to take part in Holiday World Shows largest ever Home Holiday Pavilion You may also be interested in: Longford set for freezing conditions this weekend Local Property Tax return of 2.1m in Longford is joint lowest in country Ceilings of 16 bus stations could not withstand weight of heavy snowfall Authorities in Hefei, Anhui province, have launched an investigation into how the ceilings of 16 bus stations collapsed, killing one person and injuring 27 others on Thursday. The accidents happened after a heavy snow had swept the city since Wednesday afternoon. The stations are all located along Wangjiang road, according to a release by the Hefei municipal government on Friday afternoon. They are all island-type stations located in the middle of the road instead of at the two sides, a design believed to be more efficient for public transport. Previous media reports show that 30 stations along the road were put into use at the end of 2016. Public bidding information said the project could cost 15 million yuan (.3 million), though the bid was later won by Anhui Chuangyu Construction Engineering, a local company, for 7.1 million yuan in May 2016. Five months later the company was criticized by the Hefei Key Project Construction Administration Bureau, which said "the company had been sluggish and the progress of construction had been slower than contracted". The person killed was a 63-year-old woman waiting to take a bus to her job at a restaurant. "A stranger called me with my wife's cell phone saying that the ceiling collapsed and hit her," said the dead woman's husband, surnamed Chen. "A doctor from a nearby small clinic was rescuing her, while the ambulance was not able to arrive immediately due to a traffic jam," said Chen, whose wife died later in the ambulance. Two people were severely hurt, but their injuries are no longer life-threatening, according to the government. The investigation team formed by the city's urban and rural construction commission includes experts in design, construction and steel structures, according to Friday's release. "If there were any illegal practices concerning the project's construction, those accountable will be severely punished," the release said. "All of the 30 stations have been cordoned off to prevent any more injuries and all the bus stations in the whole city will be checked to make sure they are safe," said the release. An employee surnamed Zhang with the Hefei bus company said bus company workers had been sent to guide passengers to buses in other areas and prevent people from entering the collapsed areas. Thrissur: Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan will not attend the inauguration ceremony of the 58th State School Arts Fest on Saturday as he has to participate in the CPM District Conference at Kollam. Speaker P Sreeramakrishnan will inaugurate the event in the absence of Chief Minister. The Kalolsavam will be held according to the green protocol in a plastic-free environment. Thrissur, the Cultural Capital of Kerala is all set to welcome the festival in which thousands of students are expected to participate. China COSCO Shipping Corp Ltd's first China-Russia multimodal transportation service kicked off on Friday from Tianjin, headed for Moscow with 46 containers measuring 40 feet (1,220 cm) long. The train will also stop in Ereenhot, the Inner Mongolia autonomous region; Zamyn-Uud, Mongolia; and Naushki, Russia. It will take 14 days to complete the 7,600 kilometer trip to Moscow. The train will start once each week from Tianjin and Moscow. The first train is loaded with automobile parts, telecom equipment, craftsmanship works, garments and electronic appliances shipped by COSCO Shipping from southern and eastern China to Tianjin, according to Liang Yongcen, president of the Tianjin Port Group. The Tianjin Port will significantly benefit from the China-Mongolia-Russia Corridor and it is beefing up efforts to enhance the strength of the multimodal transportation services, thanks to the Belt and Road Initiative, Liang said. COSCO Shipping and China Railway Corp recently announced enhancements to their partnership in train and rail services. More multimodal transportation services are in the pipeline from Shanghai, Lianyungang, Jiangsu province, and Qingdao, Shandong province, connecting ports and railways, said Huang Xiaowen, vice-president of COSCO Shipping. Just one day before the multimodal train left Tianjin for Moscow, Zhengzhou, capital of Central China's Henan province, and Wuhan, capital of Central China's Hubei province, opened their first 2018 freight train services to Europe. Those services have seen a big jump in numbers. During 2017, 3,600 China-Europe freight trains offered their services, surpassing the total number of combined runs from the previous six years. Wu Jingyu, director of the Coordination Center of China-Europe Freight Train Service under the China Communication and Transportation Association, said the surge in train services has significantly benefited from government subsidies. He told National Business Daily that some train lines are in losses and many companies are not upbeat about the existing economic returns. Initiatives like China-backed RCEP and FTAAP have huge potential to free up commerce and promote globalization With a leadership committed to more open global trade, China is rapidly emerging as a powerful driver of globalization and championing initiatives that could redraw the international trade map. Trade globalization has made it possible for more firms in more countries to operate across borders and Asian economies to sustain rapid growth. By the end of 2016, global exports totaled trillion, an eighth of that coming from China. Despite a recent backlash in some corners of the world, trade growth is likely to continue. "The positive impact of the spectacular rise of the People's Republic of China has been most tangible in East Asia and ASEAN (the Association of Southeast Asian Nations), that collectively form 'factory Asia', with the PRC at its center," said Lee Minsoo, an economist at the economic research and regional cooperation department of the Asian Development Bank. "The impact was not confined to those economies but reverberated across the whole region." Lee said China's growing affluence and purchasing power has turned it into a "significant source of demand (for) ASEAN and other subregions of developing Asia". Along with its growing wealth and influence, China is pushing deals that could redefine and strengthen global trade. Among the key initiatives are an existing but growing free trade deal with ASEAN, the proposed Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership, or RCEP, and the paradigm-changing Free Trade Area of the Asia-Pacific, or FTAAP. All of these are linked by the larger and more strategic Belt and Road Initiative, President Xi Jinping's plan to boost connectivity and free trade between China and the rest of the world. It will revive the ancient Silk Road routes through investments in infrastructure across the region. These initiatives could replace the "noodle bowl" of deals that stretches across Asia and beyond. The Asia Regional Integration Center database lists 147 free trade agreements involving at least one Asian country and another 85 not yet ratified or being negotiated. China is part of 24 FTAs, while ASEAN has seven as a group. For China, all those deals have helped grow a trade surplus that ballooned from 2 billion to 3 billion in the decade through 2015. By the end of 2016, the Chinese mainland was the largest goods exporter in the world, with total merchandise exports of .01 trillion well ahead of the second-placed United States, which exported .46 trillion, and Germany with exports of .34 trillion. Japan was the second-largest goods exporter in Asia, with exports of 5 billion, and Hong Kong came in third in the region and sixth worldwide with exports of 7 billion much of that being re-exports from the mainland. All these goods can move more easily around the world if trade barriers are lowered. A case in point is the growth in trade between China and ASEAN since the FTA between the two took effect in 2005, when ASEAN exports to China topped billion. A decade later, exports to China hit 5 billion. Continued growth is expected. ASEAN's total trade with China was almost 6 billion in 2015, according to the latest available figures from the ASEAN Secretariat. Trade between the two sides could hit trillion by 2020, said Lee. China has been the largest trade partner of ASEAN for the last seven years. In turn, ASEAN has been China's third-largest trade partner for the last four years. An upgraded China-ASEAN Free Trade Area Protocol took effect in July 2016 and calls for zero tariffs on as many as 95 percent of taxed items, improved rules of origin and simplified customs procedures, said Yang Chen, a senior partner at the Chinese law firm of Jincheng Tongda & Neal. "China already has goods and services FTAs with ASEAN, which are working well," said Amitendu Palit, a senior research fellow and lead for trade and economic policy at the Institute of South Asian Studies in Singapore. China also has bilateral deals with non-ASEAN members of RCEP like Australia and New Zealand, which have also helped make China an important partner to these countries. With all of these existing deals in mind, China is now pushing forward with the larger RCEP that would include the 10 ASEAN members, Australia and New Zealand, as well as India, Japan and South Korea. These 16 countries cover roughly half the global population, almost 32 percent of global output and 28.5 percent of global trade. The original framework for RCEP was first put forward in 2012 based on the ASEAN 1 framework that includes the 10 ASEAN countries and China. The goal of RCEP is to boost trade and investment among the 16 participating Asia-Pacific economies. When it comes online, it could potentially create a unified framework for trade among all the members. Representatives from RCEP group met in Manila on Nov 12 on the sidelines of the East Asia Summit. A framework for RCEP that covers areas such as trade, rules of origin, customs procedures and trade facilitation was announced in November. "RCEP will increase employment (opportunities), drive sustainable growth, promote inclusive development, push innovation and will fundamentally enhance people's living standards," said Yang. NORTH ADAMS -- A North Adams man has been arrested and charged with murder in connection with the death of his wife, the Berkshire County District Attorney's Office announced Saturday. Police arrested 47-year-old Mark S. Steele-Knudslien and charged him with one count of murder after the body of his wife, 42-year-old Christa Leigh Steele-Knudslien was found inside their Veazie Street home Friday night, the DA's office reported. The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner will conduct an autopsy to determine the woman's cause of death on Sunday in Holyoke, officials said. Mark S. Steele-Knudslien, who is being held without the right to bail, will be arraigned on the murder charge Monday morning in Northern Berkshire District Court. State police dectectives assigned to the District Attorney's Office, members of the North Adams and Adams Police Departments and the Massachusetts State Police Crime Scene Services Section are conducting the investigation. This updates a story posted at 12:25 p.m. SHELBURNE -- A single-story, ranch-style home was destroyed by fire Friday afternoon, and Shelburne fire officials say the cause remains under investigation, the Greenfield Recorder reported. Firefighters responded to a Fiske Hill Road house at about 11:30 a.m. to find it engulfed in flames and on the verge of collapsing, Fire Cheif John Taylor told the newspaper. A former Colrain couple living in the home were at work when the fire broke out. They had been renting the house from a friend who lives in Florida. Firefighters from Shelburne, Greenfield, Colrain, Buckland and South Deerfield braved fierce winds and brutally cold temperatures to fight the fire. It took nearly two hours to bring the fire under control. The state fire marshal's office and Shelburne police and fire departments are investigating the blaze. SPRINGFIELD --A long-time advocate for the homeless in Springfield is urging those who may be outside this weekend to beware of "life-threatening" weather conditions. Bill Miller, vice-president of housing and homeless services for Clinical & Support Options, said there has been collaboration between homeless advocates, city officials and public safety officials to help those who might be at risk during the extended freezing weather. "We just hope people take extreme caution this weekend," Miller said. "This is probably about as cold as it ever gets in this region. It's life-threatening." Miller is the former director of the Friends of the Homeless emergency shelter on Worthington Street, and continues to manage the shelter as part of his current duties. CSO and Friends of the Homeless merged in 2016. The National Weather Service has predicted extreme cold weather Friday night and throughout Saturday and early Sunday. There is a wind chill warning for Franklin, Hampden, Hampshire, Middlesex and Worcester counties in effect from 7 p.m. Friday until 10 a.m. Sunday. Miller said that approximately 150 homeless people have been staying at Friends of the Homeless on a nightly basis, which is about average. The agency's resource center provides warmth and programs for the homeless during the day, he said. Miller said he believes expanded efforts to house the homeless and provide them with programs in collaboration with the city and other agencies is one of the factors that the shelter numbers did not climb during the extreme cold. "We worked all year long to make sure there are not people stuck out there now in these critical conditions," Miller said. "The biggest focus is to move people into housing so they are not homeless when weather like this exists." Friends of the Homeless has roughly 110 to 120 beds for men and about 30 to 40 beds for women, Miller said. The agency can also place people in cots and on the floor if needed, he said. "We've been working through different challenges an awful lot of the year," Miller said. "We are concerned about the cold and we want people to be safe." SPRINGFIELD -- The Planning Board voted unanimously this week to recommend a moratorium on marijuana shops in Springfield for up to a year to allow time for the city to draft local regulations. The board's recommendation in favor of the moratorium, by a 7-0 vote, has been forwarded to the City Council for its needed approval. If approved, the moratorium would be in effect until Dec. 31, 2018 "or until such time as the City of Springfield adopts Zoning amendments that regulate Marijuana Establishments, whichever comes first," the proposal says. The council will take up the issue at a public hearing on Jan. 22 at 7 p.m. at City Hall. There was a similar moratorium last year, but it expired in August. The city needs time to evaluate state regulations on recreational marijuana, now being finalized, before it drafts its own regulations on retail shops, said Philip Dromey, the city's deputy director of planning. The state regulations may be finalized in mid-March, he said. "The purpose of the moratorium is to provide an opportunity for the city to study the potential impact of the state regulations on local zoning," Dromey said. In November, City Solicitor Edward Pikula said state law allows certain local controls for marijuana facilities such as: time, place and manner regulations; limiting the number of marijuana establishments in a city; restricting cultivation, processing and manufacturing of marijuana that is a public nuisance; establishing reasonable restrictions on public signage; and establishing civil penalties for violation of an ordinance. The city is also conferring with the Pioneer Valley Planning Commission regarding model regulations for marijuana retailers. In November, the planning commission's executive director, Timothy Brennan, said moratoriums are being recommended for many communities to allow time for local guidelines. "None of this is intended as a stall technique," he said. The moratorium is being considered as U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions was weighing in on the marijuana issue nationally. Sessions said this week that he was planning to rescind a memo issued by the administration of President Barack Obama that effectively allowed states to legalize marijuana. It was unclear what impact Sessions' recision would have in Massachusetts in which the voters, the Legislature and Gov. Charlie Baker approved a state law legalizing marijuana. Massachusetts voters legalized the recreational use of marijuana in November 2016, but manufacture and sale is prohibited pending state regulations and any local regulations approved. The city did approve a medical marijuana facility on Cottage Street in East Springfield, which followed similar state legislation. That facility is slated to open this spring. SPRINGFIELD - A Springfield teenager is being held on $2,500 bail following his arrest on heroin and cocaine charges. Brayan Mejias, 18, pleaded not guilty in Springfield District Court to six drug charges, including distribution of heroin and distribution of cocaine. Mejias and Reuben Santiago, 25, of Springfield, were arrested Wednesday as Springfield police conducted surveillance in the lower Forest Park neighborhood. The arrests were made by the department's Strategic Impact Unit between 12:30 and 1 p.m. on Longview and Fort Pleasant streets, said police spokesman Ryan Walsh. In all, police confiscated 35 packets of heroin, 36 rocks of crack cocaine, 7 grams of powder cocaine and $400 in cash, he said. The heroin was stamped with a Pikachu label, a reference to a long-running character in the "Pokemon" cartoons and games. Mejias was charged with distribution of heroin, distribution of cocaine, possession of heroin, possession of cocaine, conspiracy to violate narcotic drug laws, and violation of a drug-free zone. Santiago was charged with distribution of heroin, possession of heroin and crack cocaine, each with intent to distribute, violation of a drug-free school zone and conspiracy to violate drug laws. A third man, Jason Kendall, 41, of Springfield, was arrested and charged with possession of heroin. No further information on Kendall's case was available Friday. By agreement of Assistant District Attorney Cary Szafranski and defense lawyer Daniel Daly, bail was set at $2,500 for Mejias. Santiago's bail had been set at $1,500 earlier in the session. Judge William Rota continued both cases for pretrial hearings Jan. 30. File photo / The Republican This analysis looks at the number of times each senator sided with Republican Gov. Charlie Baker on his 179 vetoes of items in the 2017 session. A two-thirds vote is required to override a gubernatorial veto in the 40-member Senate, which includes 33 Democrats and seven Republicans. The governor needed the support of 15 senators to sustain a veto if all 40 senators voted -- and fewer votes if some members were absent. Baker fell short of that goal as nine votes were the most support he received on any veto. The Senate easily overrode all 179 vetoes, including 17 that were overridden unanimously. Don't Edit Overall support for Baker's vetos The governor's vetoes had little support among Democrats in the Senate. Only two of the chamber's 33 Democrats voted with Baker to sustain any vetoes, while the other 31 did not support the governor even once. The Democratic senator who supported Baker the most times was Sen. Sonia Chang-Diaz, D-Boston, who supported him 79 times, or 44.1 percent of the time. The only other Democrat to support the governor was Sen. Mark Montigny, D-New Bedford, who supported Baker three times, or 1.6 percent of the time. The GOP senator who voted with Baker the most times, meanwhile, was Sen. Ryan Fattman, R-Webster, who supported the governor 149 times, or 83.2 percent of the time -- more than GOP Minority Leader Sen. Bruce Tarr, R-Gloucester, who only voted with the Baker 109 times, or 60.8 percent of the time. The Republican senator who voted the least amount of times with Baker was Sen. Patrick OConnor, R-Weymouth, with 79 times, or 44.1 percent. Don't Edit How often Western Massachusetts lawmakers voted with Baker: Don't Edit Staff-Shot Anne Gobi Gobi, D-Spencer, supported Baker's vetoes 0 percent of the time in 2017. Don't Edit Adam Hinds Hinds, D-Pittsfield, supported Baker's vetoes 0 percent of the time in 2017. Don't Edit Don't Edit DON TREEGER / THE REPUBLICAN FILE PHOTO Don Humason Humason, R-Westfield, supported Baker's vetoes 119 times, or 66.4 percent of the time, in 2017. Don't Edit Dave Roback | droback@repub.com Eric Lesser Lesser, D-Longmeadow, supported Baker's vetoes 0 percent of the time in 2017. Don't Edit Stanley Rosenberg Rosenberg, D-Amherst, supported Baker's vetoes 0 percent of the time in 2017. Don't Edit Dwight B. Shepard | dshepard@repub.com James Welch Welch, D-West Springfield, supported Baker's vetoes 0 percent of the time in 2017. Don't Edit How often they voted with their party How often they voted with their party: Senators' 2017 Beacon Hill roll call records Don't Edit Members of Massachusetts' Congressional delegation called on U.S. Army officials this week to provide an update on the posthumous Medal of Honor recommendation for a Berkshire County man who is believed to be responsible for capturing a Confederate major general during the Civil War. U.S. Sens. Elizabeth Warren and Ed Markey, D-Massachusetts, joined U.S. Reps. Richard Neal, D-Springfield, and Niki Tsongas, D-Lowell, in sending a Thursday letter to Army Secretary Mark Esper seeking an update on the late Cpl. David D. White's Medal of Honor case. The lawmakers, who noted that White -- a member of the 37th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry regiment -- is credited with capturing Confederate Major Gen. George Washington Custis Lee at the Battle of Sailor's Creek in Virginia on April 6, 1865, asked to be immediately notified of the agency's decision in the case. "We write to express our continued interest in the case of the late Cpl. David D. White whose descendants have been engaged in a process to petition the Department of Defense to posthumously award him the Medal of Honor for his service in the Civil War ... We request to be promptly notified of the outcome of your department's reconsideration of this Medal of Honor case when it is complete," they wrote. The letter came shortly after Esper, following a recommendation from the Department of Defense's acting inspector general, called for the Senior Army Decorations Board to reconsider its denial of posthumously awarding the Medal of Honor to the former Cheshire resident. The Army secretary did not provide details surrounding his decision, but said in a December letter to New Jersey congressional lawmakers that he wanted to make sure all pertinent documentation is examined in the case, according to the Washington Post. Cynthia Smith, an Army spokeswoman, cast the move as "an act of prudence," the newspaper reported. Bruce Anderson, a spokesman for the inspector general's office, meanwhile, told the Post that "it appeared that relevant documents were not provided to the Army Decorations Board." White's descendant, Frank E. White, of Clinton, New Jersey, submitted the nomination for his ancestor to receive the Medal of Honor in July 2011, according to reports. Although Army documents show the Decorations Board quickly recommended that David White receive the Medal of Honor, the case was then forwarded to the Senior Army Decorations Board where it reportedly fizzled. Members of Congress from New Jersey and Massachusetts, in response to the lack of action, urged the Army to give the case a full review, according to The Post. The senior board voted in 2014 to return the recommendation without voting. In April 2015, meanwhile, the panel decided to deny outright the bid to award David White the Medal of Honor, the newspaper reported. The board's denial came despite a 2014 letter in which Massachusetts congressional lawmakers pushed Army officials to award White the Medal of Honor. White's family has reportedly accused Army officials of mishandling the case. Witnesses said David White's capture of Lee -- the son of Robert E. Lee -- "contributed to the disruption of the enemy command structure, helped to impede the ability of enemy leaders to coordinate effective resistance and brought an earlier conclusion to the fighting." Although David White's colleagues credited him with capturing Lee, another solider in the area at the same time, Cpl. Harris S. Hawthorne, of the 121st New York Infantry, ultimately received the Medal of Honor for that action -- a move which prompted a protest by members of the 37th Massachusetts in the 1890s, according to the Post. William H. Shaw, a Cummington resident and another soldier at Sailor's Creek, also documented Lee's capture by members of the 37th in a diary, although White is not identified by name. "We captured 15,000 prisoners, including the rebel Gen. (Richard S.) Ewell, and his staff, Gen. (Custis) Lee, several batteries and six miles of wagon train," the diary stated stated. The Republican was loaned a copy of the Shaw diary, which chronicles his war service from 1861 through 1865, by a reader from Northampton who contacted the newspaper. The diary includes references to other Western Massachusetts men at Sailor's Creek, including Samuel E. Eddy, of Chesterfield, who was awarded the Medal of Honor for actions on the same day. Another soldier, Charles A. Taggart, a 19-year-old farmer from Otis who had been wounded at Gettysburg in 1863, was also recognized for having captured an enemy flag that same day, fighting in hand-to-hand combat "with the fate of the contest still in the balance." Shaw's diary recounts the final exchange at Sailor's Creek in this way: "When all was ready we rose up and began an advance up a hill through scattering pines and some brush, after advancing about 40 or 50 rods we found (the enemy,) knowing well where they were. They gave us a terrible volley, sending some of the line back a little, but we gave them shot after shot as fast as we could, which was not slow for our Spencer rifles, the only magazine gun in the army. In about 20 minutes, we had the best of them, then they threw up white flags which means surrender, so we stopped firing and many of the boys walked right into our lines." The battle was far from over, however, wrote Shaw. "Supposing they were honest in their white flag business, but when we got among them, they pounced on us like tigers, using their bayonets, swords and the butts of their guns. In an instant we saw their game and met them on their own ground, using the same weapons. Those of our line that had not mixed in with the rebels opend fire again, and we soon had them prisoners, for (Gen. Philip) Sheridan was in the rear, and they could not retreat." Trump's Department of Justice has launched an official inquiry into whether the Clinton Foundation engaged in illegal activities or pay-to-play politics while Hillary Clinton was Secretary of State. Many are outraged at what they view as a witch hunt and attempt by the president to take down his political opponent. But others argue the DOJ is totally justified in investigating the Clinton Foundation. If the organization has done nothing wrong, it has nothing to worry about. What do you think? PERSPECTIVES The Department of Justice has launched an official inquiry into whether the Clinton Foundation engaged in illegal activities or pay-to-play politics while Hillary Clinton was Secretary of State. FBI agents from Little Rock, Arkansas, where the foundation was started, have reportedly already begun interviewing witnesses and other officials say "additional activities are expected in the coming weeks." Many are outraged by what they view as a political witch hunt and abuse of power by President Donald Trump, all in an effort to attack his political opponent. Trump is using the DOJ to investigate his political enemies including the Clinton Foundation and Hillary. This is a gross abuse of power. Maurice Ross (@MauriceMichael) January 5, 2018 Others argue this move is straight out of the authoritarian playbook. When the President of the US directs his Justice Department to investigate his opponent (Clinton Foundation), whom he seems to have an infatuation about, when that opponent had been cleared of any wrongdoing already, we are no longer America We are officially a Banana Republic! Brian Krassenstein (@krassenstein) January 5, 2018 For those of you scoffing at the idea were losing our democracy: What Trumps FBI is doing to the Clinton Foundation is straight from Putins playbook. He fabricates charges against political enemies to exclude them from politics. Look at Alexei Navalny. Matthew Chapman (@fawfulfan) January 5, 2018 But some believe the DOJ is totally justified in its probe into the Clinton Foundation, since it has not been seriously investigated before. Hillary started her pay-to-play scheme 8-9 years ago, so Clinton Foundation would've been investigated 6-7 yrs ago if we'd had a real president. But thank heaven it's finally happening.https://t.co/DmjPU34qBa Philip Schuyler (@FiveRights) January 5, 2018 Bad day for Hillary Clinton, The DOJ has reopened an inquiry into whether the Clinton Foundation engaged in pay-to-play politics and her email scandal has been reopened. Let's be honest, she was NEVER really investigated. That was the Obama DOJ that NEVER intended to indict her Stonewall Jackson (@1776Stonewall) January 5, 2018 Why is it unreasonable to make sure nothing illegal happened? The question is: While Hillary was Secretary of State, did foreign countries pump millions of dollars into the Clinton Foundation to receive favorable outcomes from our gov't?#ClintonFoundation #ThePersistence (@ScottPresler) January 5, 2018 And as Bret Baier of Fox News , the investigation is "far more expansive" than anyone had previously recognized. The Tylt is focused on debates and conversations around news, current events and pop culture. We provide our community with the opportunity to share their opinions and vote on topics that matter most to them. We actively engage the community and present meaningful data on the debates and conversations as they progress. The Tylt is a place where your opinion counts, literally. The Tylt is an Advance Digital, Inc. property. Join us on Twitter @TheTylt or on Facebook, we'd love to hear what you have to say. Washington state has sued budget hotel chain Motel 6, accusing it of illegally providing guest lists to U.S. immigration authorities. Washington state Attorney General Bob Ferguson said that motel employees had disclosed the names of at least 9,150 guests to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents in violation of the state's consumer protection and anti-discrimination laws. He said the motel also divulged birthdates, driver's license numbers, license plate numbers and room numbers, all without a warrant or the guests' knowledge or consent. Ferguson said at least six Motel 6 locations in Washington state had engaged in the activity from June 2015 to May 2017. He said Motel 6 knew ICE used the lists to target guests based on their national origin and to check whether any were wanted in connection with immigration issues. He said the disclosures led to the detentions of at least six people in Washington and noted the practices in the state mirrored those in Arizona, where media reports said in September that ICE had arrested 20 people at Motel 6 locations there after getting similar tips. Montana In Focus: The Musher follows the dogsledding career of Livingston-native Jenny Roddewig, who won Montanas prestigious Race to the Sky as an 18 year old and competed multiple times in Alaskas grueling Jr. Iditarod. The "semi-retired" racer now studies animal science at Montana State University, plans to attend veterinarian school and runs her dogs during winter camping trips with her husband Mike. Watch her describe the deep compassion she has for her team of four-legged athletes. Senator Jon Tester https://www.tester.senate.gov/ (D-MT) got some tough questions Friday as his "Montennial" tour continues. They didnt come from the media but from Kalispell students. Senator Jon Tester was at Glacier High School in Kalispell Friday morning to talk to students from Glacier, Whitefish, Columbia Falls, Flathead and Stillwater Christian School. After a brief introduction and background of himself, the senator answered questions ranging from net neutrality and the new tax bill to same-sex marriage and the state of the North Korea situation. By Jack Ginsburg http://www.kbzk.com/story/37204481/tester-fields-questions-from-hs-students-along-montennial-tour FCC Commissioner Clyburns passionate dissent at last months meeting left no room for guesswork on her position on the Commissions plan to eliminate net neutrality. But it wasnt all she had to say. Today, released alongside the final text of "Restoring Internet Freedom" order, is an extended statement that goes into further detail and strikes at the new rules numerous inadequacies. The whole statement is a whopping 6,000 words, and well worth reading in its entirety especially if you missed her delivery of it on the day. Perhaps half its length dedicated to the new, more technical exposition of the rules flaws. Devin Coldewey https://www.yahoo.com/news/fcc-commissioner-clyburn-apos-extended-212835554.html Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said that there has not been a big COVID spike after the Onam holiday as earlier feared. The State is expected to receive 9,97,570 more vaccine doses on Sunday. To say the least, it had been a long time. The air wasn't filled with cigarette smoke and the sound of gossiping little old ladies. The kitchen had doubled in size. Everything was clean and new with a 1950s diner theme. Rather than spinning on the bar stools and sipping chocolate milk, I was choosing from a menu of award-winning cheeseburgers and accompanying my coworkers to celebrate a work milestone. A lot had changed at the former Lunch Bucket, now Phil's Diner, since the last time I was there. I'm not even sure exactly when that last time was. I hadn't frequented the tiny restaurant on Railroad Street in Elkton since I was a child in the early-to-mid 1980s. As I sat down with my coworkers, I marveled at the fact that they sat us at the same table where I spent so much time as a kid accompanying my grandmother and her friends at their morning coffee gatherings decades ago. My early days at the Lunch Bucket took place before there was a Cheeseburger Festival in Caseville. Now the menu at Phil's contains cheeseburgers entered in that festival's contest, and they are amazing. When I think about going to the Lunch Bucket as a kid, I think about my late grandmother. When I think of her, I think of her health struggles, and how those struggles never got in the way of her showing her love for us. I remember when it became a big deal to spend the night at her house. Her crippling arthritis pain had eased enough for her to handle taking care of me and another grandchild or two for a few days while we were on break from school. She once told me over breakfast at one of those sleepovers that rather than see one of her children or grandchildren suffer from arthritis, she'd double her pain. Her pain did worsen a great deal by the end of her life. And none of us ended up crippled by arthritis. Her doctor urged her to move to a warmer climate in order to ease her pain. She refused to move away from her family. There is so much more to the memories I have of my grandmother beyond her pain. There is her sense of humor, of which I would like to think I inherited a tiny part. She would work tirelessly in the kitchen before Christmas, filling a shirt box for each one of her kids and grandkids with goodies -- peanut butter balls, all sorts of Christmas cookies, peanut brittle and chocolate-covered anything you can imagine. She often used food to show her love for us, and her arthritis rarely prevented that. A member of the Elkton Historical Society, she was always proud when Autumn Fest rolled around, insisting that we all "come over for the doings" during Labor Day weekend. I've come a long way from spinning on the bar stools and blowing bubbles in my chocolate milk at the Lunch Bucket. But no matter what they call that restaurant; no matter how much they renovate and redecorate it; no matter how many award-winning cheeseburgers they sell, it will always remind me of a much simpler time: A time when a few days at grandma's house meant the world to me. A time I would give anything to have back, just for one more morning of coffee and gossip with Earline Powell, the woman who taught me how to love not necessarily through words, but through actions and deeds. Brenda Battel is a staff writer with the Huron Daily Tribune. She can be reached at bbattel@hearstnp.com HARBOR BEACH -- Harbor Beach Community School is hosting a used book sale next weekend. The sale will run from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, Jan, 13 inside the Harbor Beach Community Schools library. Soft cover books are 25 cents, hard cover books are 50 cents or bring your own bag and fill it for only $2. There will be a wide variety of used books, fiction, biographies, literature, sports, American history, world history, animals, health, references and much more. Also complete sets of encyclopedias for $5. BAD AXE -- The Huron County Chapter of Right to Life of Michigan will be hosting a memorial service later this month. The service is scheduled to begin at 1:30 p.m Jan. 21 on the steps of the Huron County Courthouse in Bad Axe. Huron County Prosecutor Timothy J. Rutkowski will be the keynote speaker. Following the service, refreshments will be served at the Knights of Columbus Hall, 1038 S. Van Dyke Road in Bad Axe. In case of inclement weather, it will meet at the Knights of Columbus Hall for the service. This memorial service is one of the many projects that Huron RTL, a nonpartisan, nonsectarian, nonprofit organization of diverse and caring people united to peacefully protect the precious gift of life, brings to the Huron County community. It is the goal of RTL to work so that women facing untimely pregnancies will come to know that abortion isn't the only option for them and their unborn child. For further information about the memorial service or the Huron Chapter of RTL, visit www.huronrtl.org, its Facebook page or contact Marilyn Stacer at 989-269-7024 or Jeanne Gusa at 989-658-8701. The group meets at 7 p.m. at the Huron County Senior Center on the first or second Tuesday of each month. If attending, call ahead. CASS CITY -- Hills & Dales recently announced a continued partnership with Central Michigan University's Comprehensive Community Clerkship program, part of the CMU Medical School. CMU College of Medicine has a strong emphasis on rural and medically underserved regions. In January, Hills & Dales will welcome two medical students, which marks the beginning of a sixth series of students joining Hills & Dales. This clerkship allows the students to gain essential experience in a rural setting. Beginning Jan. 15, two CMU medical students will partner with Dr. Surendra Raythatha at Cass City Family Practice. In addition to their time in the clinics, the students will rotate through other clinics (pediatrics, orthopedics, and general surgery), as well as spend time in the emergency department, operating room, and inpatient unit. Allison Hazy is from Rockford, Michigan. She earned her undergraduate degree from Michigan State University, with a bachelor of neuroscience. Hazy enjoys running and hiking in her free time. She will be working with Dr. Raythatha. Amanda McGinnis is from Keego Harbor, Michigan. She earned her undergraduate degree from University of Michigan, with a bachelor of science in biochemistry. McGinnis enjoys cooking, board games and working out. She will be working with Dr. Raythatha as well. The students are third year medical students with Central Michigan University's College of Medicine. "Working with CMU's students has been very rewarding for us," said Jean Anthony, President & CEO. "It's exciting to see the students learn and grow, as well as to see our physicians mentoring them. We hope this experience gives the students an understanding of the importance of rural healthcare." BAD AXE -- Huron County planners are frowning upon the use of the term "wind park" by wind developers. Planner Charles Bumhoffer criticized the phrase as stated in a DTE Energy year-end report at this week's Huron County Planning Commission meeting. The report was entitled, "DTE Energy Thumb Wind Parks 2017." "I didn't know we had any wind parks in our county," he said. "We have wind energy conversion facilities " Bumhoffer added: "I would have to ask the DTE Energy people, are your wind farms open to the public, without restricted access? Do the wind parks contain items usually associated with parks, such as trees, shrubs, playground equipment, swings, sandboxes, play-scape, barbecue grills, picnic tables, restrooms?" "Somebody at the public relations department at DTE Energy is really putting a stretch on things," he said. He eventually made a motion that the planning commission should send DTE, and any other developer that uses the term "wind park," a letter urging the company to change its language when referring to their developments in communications with the county. The motion passed unanimously. Bylaws review The planners also reviewed proposed changes in the commission's bylaws. One point of contention came was the bylaw committee's recommendation that commission officers must have three years of experience. Those that support the three-year minimum, which equals one term, said that those with experience on the commission know of the history of the board and how things work. Robert McLean, who is in his first term and also was elected vice chair of the commission in April, said such a rule is "discriminatory, exclusionary and short sighted." He argued that some planners have experience on township planning boards. County Corporation Counsel Stephen Allen said not all discrimination is bad except for that which is prohibited by law. "Any time you draw a line, it's discriminatory," he added. Allen said there are good reasons for requiring experience, giving examples of a bachelor's degree taking four years and police academy requirements to be a cop. Planner Robert Oakes said it's important for planning commission members to "leave our agendas out there and do the right thing." "Our job is not to be for or against wind turbines," he said, adding that so far, the commission's actions have kept the county out of court. Bumhoffer noted that no experience is necessary to be the President of the United States. Planner Ken Walker pointed out that the Huron County Board of Commissioners has no such rule. "Had there not been two nominations for chair, this would not have come up," he added. McLean, along with Chair Bernie Creguer were both nominated for the position last spring. The planners will discuss the bylaws further next month, and the final draft of the bylaws will be voted on at the March meeting. Repairs to wind facilities Another concern voiced at Wednesday's meeting was that NextEra Energy Resources, Inc. has not reported to the county on any repairs to its Pheasant Run Wind facility. NextEra built two parks, one of which was sold to DTE. Earlier this year, DTE reported to the planning commission on numerous pitch motors, gearboxes and blade bearings that had been switched out at its park. County Building and Zoning Director Jeff Smith said DTE officials planned to return in the spring with an update to the commission on blades. Planners were concerned because no news had been received from NextEra regarding repairs. "Is there anything in our ordinance that requires that we monitor repairs of the windmills?" Planner Terry Heck asked Smith. Smith replied that there is nothing in Huron's wind ordinance that addresses the county's right or ability to monitor repairs on turbines. He added that such a provision could be considered in future ordinance updates. Twelve months after a wind facility is constructed, the developer is required to give a post construction compliance update. "That's the only thing that is required by our ordinance," Smith said. A noisy debate In other business, the planners discussed whether to allow a debate between two acoustical experts regarding wind turbine noise at the next meeting. Rich Lampeter, acoustician from Epsilon Associates, will be at the Feb. 7 planning commission meeting to present an overview of Big Turtle Phase I and II sound compliance reports. Robert Gaffke, who has a long-standing complaint regarding a Big Turtle turbine near his property, asked the commission whether he could bring another acoustician to "keep an eye on" Lampeter. A few planners insisted that Gaffke be allowed to bring an acoustician, which they said should be given more than the three minutes than members of the public are entitled to. They also discussed putting that person on the agenda and giving them equal time to speak. Deerfield's post construction compliance report Officials from Deerfield Wind Energy, LLC provided an overview of its post-construction compliance report. The planners questioned a portion of the report that referred to the blades as having been produced in China. Deerfield officials said the blades had, in fact, been produced at the Vestas Colorado plant, although the company does have operations in China. Some 50 blades at the park were found to have problems with adhesive when it first went online last year. Deerfield officials also submitted raw data on the wind park's sound study. The planning commission will meet next Feb. 7. Alan Bean of Spicer Group will be present to facilitate work on the Huron County Master Plan. BAD AXE -- He wasn't supposed to, but he did it anyway. Newborn Rowan James Kretzschmer -- with a due date of Jan. 27 -- became the first baby born in Huron County in 2018. Rowan made his way into the world at 1:08 p.m. on Jan. 3. He weighed 7 pounds, 6 ounces and was 20 inches in length. When parents Wesley Kretzschmer and Emily Engler arrived Tuesday evening at Huron Medical Center, the thought of having the county's first baby of the year didn't even cross their minds. When they were told that the hospital hadn't had its first one yet, they still didn't think much of it. "There was another couple that was here, so we didn't think it was going to happen," said Engler. With the birth, the family took home the annual First Baby Contest that the Huron Daily Tribune runs in conjunction with the hospital, where various prizes donated by area businesses are awarded to the winner. "It's cool," Engler said. "We both grew up in Huron County and we were both born at this hospital, so it's kind of cool that he was the first one." Both Engler and Kretzschmer are from Caseville. After moving to Ann Arbor for eight years, the couple moved back to their hometown last year so Wesley could begin working on the family farm. "Our family is all here," Engler said of coming back. Part of that family is Rowan's 3-year-old brother Asher, who bounced around the room with the excitement of being a big brother. "He's very excited," Kretzschmer said. "It's going to be real fun," he added. "It's going to be rambunctious at our house." Work started so quietly that the news barely made the paper. "Without ceremony, without the tension which might be expected in the culmination of a dream of years, operators swung two big steam shovels into action at Lime Point, digging a pit for the Marin county shore anchorage," the San Francisco Chronicle announced on page 19 of the Jan. 6, 1933 edition. And, with that, the construction of the Golden Gate Bridge had officially begun. Although the actual groundbreaking ceremony would take place a month later, Jan. 5, 1933 is the official birthday of California's most beloved span. That day, 100 workers on the San Francisco and Marin sides of the bridge started digging the massive holes that would host the two anchorages. They'd eventually excavate 3.25 million cubic feet of dirt; By the end of the first six months, the Marin (north) tower was already done. MORE: Underrated San Francisco landmarks every local should visit at least once The bridge was seen not just as a great California accomplishment, but as a great international one. In February of 1933, the Sotoyome Scimitar of Healdsburg wrote that the bridge would be a "key link in the projected 'all-coast' highway system, eventually to stretch magnificently from South America to Alaska." Even though that lofty goal didn't quite pan out nearly a century later, there's nothing to disappoint about the Golden Gate. When the bridge opened to traffic on May 28, 1937, it was then the longest suspension bridge in the world; New York City's Verrazano Narrows eclipsed it in 1964. The Golden Gate Bridge was also finished ahead of schedule and under budget a feat that's hard to imagine happening today. To see rare photos of the construction of the Golden Gate Bridge, click through the gallery above. Shoreline Arts Alliance is presenting the 18th annual New Voices in Childrens Literature: Tassy Walden Awards competition. To date, the alliance has successfully seen books published by more than 30 former winners and finalists. The New Voices in Childrens Literature: Tassy Walden Awards is a Connecticut statewide, juried competition opened to writers and illustrators who are not published or under contract for publication. Categories are: Picture Book (text only), Illustrated Picture Book (author and illustrator must be same person), Childrens Book Illustrator Portfolio, Middle Grade Novel, and Young Adult/Teen Novel. All submitted works that meet the contest guidelines will be sent to literary agents for the first tier of judging. Works deemed outstanding will then be sent on to publishers and editors at major publishing houses for childrens literature. All submissions for this years contest must be postmarked by February 1, 2018. Call for Entry form and guidelines are available for downloaded at www.shorelinearts.org or call 203-453-3890. Gowrie Group donates to Bikes for Kids WESTBROOK At the end of the year, employees from Gowrie Group, a leading independent insurance agency based in Connecticut, donated over $1,150 along with many bikes, to the local non-profit Bikes For Kids. Gowrie employees undertook this effort to be their end of year thank you gift to the owners and partners of Gowrie Group. Nancy Sprigg, Manager of Gowrie Groups Boat Department, said, In prior years we [employees] have given the owners of Gowrie Group physical items as holiday gifts. About five years ago we decided it would be more meaningful to instead make donations to local non-profit organizations, on behalf of the owners and partners. It is a great way to show our appreciation for all that the owners of Gowrie Group do for us, and we are proud to have come up with a creative and generous holiday present that directly helps others. Bikes For Kids is a Connecticut based non-profit organization that brings smiles to children one bike at a time. Volunteers collect, repair, and safety test donated used bicycles. The refurbished bicycles, along with new helmets, are given away to individuals of all ages and needs. Most donated bicycles remain in Connecticut, but some have reached children in other states and countries. In 2017, Bikes For Kids gave away 1,300 bicycles, with 300 of those given to children in the month of December for the holidays. Since the inception of Bikes For Kids in 1989, the organization has donated more than 21,000 bicycles. Requests for bicycles come from local and state social service organizations, churches, schools, non-profits, and individuals. Learn more about Bikes For Kids at: http://bikesforkidsct.org/ Tax prep volunteers needed MIDDLETOWN The Community Renewal Team (CRT) is actively seeking volunteers to assist individuals and families with the preparation of their 2017 federal and state tax returns as a part of its annual Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program. CRT has provided this service to the community for the past 15 years, and has served more than 25,000 families during that time. The total return on investment (refunds plus tax preparation savings) for participants in the program is worth more than $76 million. Last year alone the refunds and tax preparation savings equaled more than $2.9 million, helping 926 tax filers. The average refund received during the past 15 years has been more than $3,000 per filer. Individuals that volunteer to help provide this valuable service receive free training so that they can work one-on-one with tax filers to prepare and electronically file their state and federal income tax forms, and to help determine qualifications for eligible tax credits and refunds. Tax preparation services are provided to eligible individuals in the community free of charge. Volunteers need to be able to commit to at least one shift per week (4 - 5 hours per shift), from February 1 through April 16, 2018. Volunteers are needed in both Hartford and Middletown - bilingual volunteers are strongly encouraged to apply. There is no experience necessary to become a VITA volunteer, and training sessions are available now. To find out more about becoming one of CRTs VITA volunteers, please contact Eileen Feliciano, CRT Financial Literacy Coordinator at: 860-560-4210. Women in Business luncheon is Jan. 9 CLINTON Geraldine (Geri) Brown Giomblanco is the guest speaker at the Women in Business Luncheon sponsored jointly by the Madison and Clinton Chambers of Commerce, Tuesday, Jan. 9, at 12 p.m. in the Hamilton Room at Food & Beverage Company, 36 Killingworth Turnpike, Clinton. Her presentation will outline the concepts, rational and importance of vision work. Vision is the ability to see a future. Its the ability to see beyond the barriers that stop the average person. It is seeing the possibilities where others see impossibilities. It is having the courage to stretch ones creativity to great and greater limits. It links the present to the unfolding future. Those able to see a plan for their future, accomplish far more in their lifetimes than those who wander along with no plan or awareness of where their life is going. This is true for individuals as well as all organizations and companies. Giomblanco will share real life stories of the power of vision from her professional and personal experiences. Learn about the state of mind required to set your brain in motion in order to achieve real success. The luncheon is open to all interested women. The cost is $15 for chamber members and $25 for non-members. To register, contact the Clinton Chamber of Commerce office at 860-669-3889, by email at chamber@clintonctchamber.com, or visit the registration link at ClintonCT.com. Girl Scouts of Connecticut seek volunteers Girl Scouts of Connecticut is looking for volunteers across the state to help girls and young women in Connecticut shine. Volunteers can help prepare girls in Connecticut for a lifetime of leadership and be the mentor she needs to succeed. As a Girl Scout volunteer, youll be a girls cheerleader, guide, and mentor, helping her develop essential life skills and confidence that will last a lifetime. Imagine the excitement, the impact, the memories madethose are the moments youll share at Girl Scouts. Learn more at www.gsofct.org/volunteer. CHELSEA, MI - A fire this week destroyed a home in a Chelsea subdivision and displaced a man, woman and young child. All managed to leave the burning structure, but the man was treated for smoke inhalation, Lt. Bill Regnier of the Chelsea Area Fire Authority said Saturday. According to a YouCaring page, established to raise money for the family, the man was at Michigan Medicine with an ulcer on his esophagus and inflammation from the smoke. By Friday, he was out of the hospital and resting with family "while they try to rebuild their lives." "Thankfully (the three) and their animals were able to escape the fire safely. Devastatingly, however, their entire house, belongings and vehicles are a total loss," reads the page. A neighbor first reported the fire just after 11 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 4, in the 400 block of Elm Street. Firefighters arrived to find the attached garage fully in flames. The fire was beginning to extend into the house, traveling through the attic. Last night we had a fire in the Heritage Point sub. Thankfully the residents all made it out. A funding page has been... Posted by Chelsea Fire Fighters on Friday, January 5, 2018 Regnier said the house is a "total loss." Most of the fire damage was in the attic area, which began to collapse and there was "significant structural damage." The cause was under investigation. Firefighters had the fire under control in about an hour but remained at the scene until about 3:30 or 4 a.m. Friday, the lieutenant said. Personnel from the Dexter and Scio Township fire departments were there to assist. Manchester firefighters covered the Chelsea station. The American Red Cross' Washtenaw Disaster Action Team responded to the fire and provided emergency financial assistance to help the family through the first few days, Disaster Program Manager Armando B. Falcon reported in an email. As of Saturday, the fundraising site had raised nearly $9,000. The family is staying with relatives but have no more than the clothes they were wearing the night of the fire, reads the YouCaring page. Stacks of severed heads, dead bodies frozen together and pools of blood and bodily fluid. Those were some of the gruesome discoveries investigators made when they raided Arthur Rathburn's nondescript Detroit warehouse in 2013. It was Rathburn's business, one that specialized in selling or making available for rental donated cadavers and body parts to schools, researchers and "primarily medical conventions," according to U.S. Attorney John Neal, who spoke during opening arguments at Rathburn's trial in Detroit federal court Friday. Rathburn, 64, of Grosse Pointe Park, is accused of fraudulently misrepresenting his unusual product, charged with 13 federal crimes, including nine counts of wire fraud, a count of illegal transport of hazardous material and two counts of making false statement to a public official. He's been jailed since his arrest in 2016 and his jury trial began Friday, Jan. 5 "This is a case about lying and deception," Neal said. The U.S. government claims Rathburn's business model included obtaining cadavers and body parts, which he received at a discount when they were infected with HIV, hepatitis or other diseases, and renting or selling them to customers. Neal offered one example during opening statements. An invoice was displayed for the jury, which includes eleven women and five men, including four alternates. The invoice showed that Rathburns company, International Biological at one point purchased a cadaver for $5,000, but was credited $3,500 because it was infected with HIV. Rathburn's attorney, James C. Howarth, countered during his opening statements: "The isn't a criminal matter at all ... At best, this is a contract case." Rathburn came to the government's attention when he arranged for a human head to be flown to Chicago from Tel Aviv. He'd provided the severed head to a dental seminar and it was being returned after the seminar concluded. It was, however, intercepted by U.S. Customs agents. Nean said the head was infected with sepsis and not shipped in accordance with bio-hazard requirements as it should have. Instead, it arrived inside a trash bag that was packed in a cooler in pooled fluid. The government claims Rathburn lied to officials, telling them the fluid, which turned out to be human fluids, was actually Listerine. He also lied to Customs officials when he said the head had been embalmed, a process of sterilization, Neal said. Federal prosecutors claim Rathburn, with the help of his ex-wife, Elizabeth Rathburn, operated the business fraudulently from 2007 until 2013. Elizabeth Rathburn, who's already pleaded guilty to a count of wire fraud in what Howarth called a "very sweet deal," has agreed to be a key witness against her ex-husband for the government. Rathburn's involvement in the body broker industry spans back to his stint as a donor coordinator for the University of Michigan, where he worked from 1984 to 1990. In the book "Body Brokers: Inside America's Underground Trade in Human Remains," author Annie Cheney writes that Rathburn was a morgue attendant at the U-M Medical School, who "supplied body parts to the American Association of Clinical Anatomists and other organizations until he was caught and fired." State regulators in 2014 permanently revoked Rathburn's mortuary science license. DETROIT - Federal agents spent days using a pneumatic chisel to separate frozen clumps of heads, arms, legs, organs and torsos found in a Detroit warehouse in 2013, an FBI investigator testified Friday in the fraud trial of a body broker. In some cases, body parts were found in ordinary beer coolers, Tupperware, paint cans, 50-gallon drums and even in a refrigerator next to ingredients for sandwiches, said FBI Agent Leslie Larsen during the opening day of the federal criminal trial for Arthur Rathburn. Rathburn, 64, of Grosse Pointe Park, and his ex-wife Elizabeth Rathburn were accused of operating a body broker business named International Biological Inc. and fraudulently misrepresenting its unusual products -- human body parts. They purchased disease-infected bodies at a discount and failed to disclose infections to customers, according to federal investigators. Sepsis, HIV and hepatitis were among the infections that U.S. attorneys say Rathburn failed to disclose. Customers would rent body parts that originated from dead people who donated their bodies and organs to science. The cadavers were dissected and displayed at "primarily seminars," U.S. Attorney John Neal said during opening statements. Arthur Rathburn is charged with 13 federal crimes, including nine counts of wire fraud, a count of illegal transport of hazardous material and two counts of making false statements to a public official. Elizabeth Rathburn pleaded guilty to a count of wire fraud and agreed to be a witness against her ex-husband for the government. The court testimony from the FBI agent Friday, Larsen called the warehouse "filthy" as she described photos she and her colleagues took while at the warehouse when it was raided in December 2013. There were piles of dead flies and other insects -- 10 to 20 piles, she estimated, bodies that had frozen together requiring a crowbar to separate and various power saws used to dismember cadavers in what she called the "cutting room." There was no running water nor operational restrooms. The FBI rented portable toilets they used while conducting the multi-day investigation at the warehouse. While each of the 16 jurors were provided copies of numerous gory photos, which they kept in manila folders, U.S. District Judge Paul Borman forbid attorneys from displaying them on the large overhead screen. Other, less gruesome images were projected onto the screen. The U.S. government claims Rathburn ignored basic industry standards that he knew customers expected his company to maintain, and intentionally withheld information about diseased bodies in order to secure business -- and widen his profit margin. The government says its case centers on three cadaver rentals to seminars that Rathburn's company supplied. In one case, Rathburn provided a cadaver for a dissection at a 2012 American Society of Anesthesiologists seminar in Washington D.C., according to court testimony from Dr. Kevin Vorenkamp, who signed the agreement with Rathburn. Court records entered into evidence by assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy J. Wyse included an invoice sent to Rathburn by the Biological Resource Center of Illinois, the entity that originally received the donor's cadaver. According to the invoice, Rathburn agreed to pay $5,000, but he received a $3,500 credit because the body had tested positive for HIV and hepatitis B. He received lab results for the same body in 2011 that revealed the same, based on another document presented to the jury. None of this was disclosed to Vorenkamp when he agreed to pay Rathburn for the cadaver, he testified. Vorenkamp said the agreement required that the human tissue was screened for HIV, hepatitis and other diseases. Had he known of the infections, Vorenkamp said, he never would have accepted the cadaver, due to health concerns. While the agreement said the cadaver had been screened, it added that the biological tissue should "still be treated by the service user and its research participants as if such materials may be infectious" and that "the service provider expressly disclaims any liability should any anatomical material prove infectious." Rathburn came to the government's attention when he arranged for a human head to be flown to Chicago from Tel Aviv in 2012. He'd provided the severed head to a dental seminar and it was being returned after the seminar concluded. It was, however, intercepted by U.S. Customs agents. Assistant U.S. Attorney John Neal, during opening statements, said the head was infected with sepsis and was not shipped in accordance with bio-hazard requirements. Instead, it arrived in a trash bag packed in a cooler with pooled fluid. The government claims Rathburn lied to officials, telling them the fluid, which turned out to be human, was actually Listerine. He also lied to Customs officials when he said the head had been embalmed, a process of preservation and sterilization, according to prosecutors. Rathburn's attorney, James C. Howarth, said this case should never have become a criminal matter, and was at worst a contractual dispute. He also says the office-related aspects of the business, including written agreements and decisions about which body parts to ship to customers, were handled by Rathburn's ex-wife, Elizabeth Rathburn. Trial is scheduled to resume Tuesday, and testimony is expected to run through at least Feb. 7, based on an online court court schedule. LOWELL, MI - When Beau Heimer crashed his dirt bike while drunk, incurring nearly $200,000 in medical costs, his insurance company denied benefits: the policy excluded injury resulting from "illegal use of alcohol." U.S. District Judge Janet Neff said those key words - "illegal use of alcohol" - didn't absolve Companion Life Insurance Co. of responsibility for the medical bills. Heimer was 22, legally allowed to drink, when the crash occurred in 2013. His illegal act wasn't drinking, rather it was riding the dirt bike while intoxicated before he crashed head-on into a friend's motorcycle. "He did illegally drive an off-road vehicle," Neff wrote in her opinion. "The question is whether that is an illegal use of alcohol. Under the unambiguous language of the (insurance plan), the Court cannot so conclude." The Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals in Cincinnati upheld Neff's decision this week. It found that Neff "read 'illegal use of alcohol' to disclaim coverage only for the illegal consumption of alcohol, and not for Heimer's illegal post-consumption conduct of operating a motorbike while under the influence of alcohol. The district court's reading is consistent with the ordinary meaning of 'use' and best gives effect to the contract as a whole." Heimer and his buddies were drinking beer in April 2013 on a field off of Two Mile Road NE in Lowell when he and his friend collided head-on while playing a game of "chicken," court records said. They were riding at each other to see who would "chicken out," court records showed. He suffered "catastrophic" injuries with medical bills exceeding $197,000. Heimer had a blood-alcohol level of 0.152 percent, or nearly twice the state's definition of intoxication, 0.08 percent. He pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge of operating an off-road vehicle while intoxicated. The appeal was decided by Chief Judge R. Guy Cole, and judges David McKeague and Jane Branstetter Stranch. Cole, who wrote the opinion, said: "What was illegal about Heimer's behavior was his use of a motor vehicle, not of alcohol. And if there were any doubts, the district court explained, the contract should be construed against the insurance company as the drafter." McKeague concurred in the ruling but issued a dissenting opinion. He disputed that the insurance policy's exclusion was unambiguous. "Let's consider the context. Beau Darrell Heimer and some friends decided to over-indulge in alcoholic beverages to work up the nerve to hurtle themselves toward each other at high speed on dirt bikes - after nightfall in a farm field - to see who might 'chicken out' at the last second. No one plays this game sober. The alcohol they deliberately ingested emboldened them to play a reckless game of chicken, leading to predictably tragic results when neither Heimer nor his contestant 'blinked' and they collided head-on." McKeague said that the insurance company "surely did not intend its policy to cover injuries arising from drunken participation in a reckless game of chicken. Reading 'illegal use of alcohol' so narrowly leaves one seeing double. But ultimately, in this case, the insurer must bear the consequences of its sloppy drafting." UPDATE Wednesday, Feb. 14: The deaths were ruled accidental. NILES, MI - Police are investigating after finding a 55-year-old woman and her 81-year-old father dead in their Niles home. Police said that the temperature in the home was below freezing. Police do not suspect foul play and autopsies, while not conclusive, showed no signs of violence involved in the deaths. Patricia Bivins and her father, Albert Bivins, were found Wednesday, Jan. 3, in their home at 621 Woodruff St., Niles police Detective Richard Krueger said. Police were called late that afternoon after a neighbor became worried because the Bivins had not been seen outside for some time, and snow had piled up on a car in the driveway. The doors were locked when police responded. Officers looked through a window and saw the father, who did not appear to be breathing, on a couch. Police and firefighters then broke out a window of the front door to gain entry. Once inside, police found that the father and daughter had died. Police immediately noted that the temperature in the house was "well below 32 degrees," but initial investigation showed that there was gas and electricity to the home. Autopsies were conducted Friday, Jan. 5, at Western Michigan University School of Medicine, police said. The causes and times of death could not be determined. Results of laboratory tests are expected within two weeks which could help explain why they died. "The cause of death (on both victims) was not violent in any way and all indications lead investigators to believe the deaths of Albert and Patricia Bivins was accidental in nature," Krueger said in a statement. The investigation continues. Anyone with information is asked to call police at 269-683-0404. GRAND RAPIDS, MI - The U.S. Attorney's Office in West Michigan is one of 27 nationwide that will add a prosecutor to fight violent crime. U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions said the new prosecutors - 40, in all - will focus exclusively on violent crime. Federal prosecutors already work with local, state and federal law-enforcement agencies with violent-crime task forces in Grand Rapids, Kalamazoo, Muskegon, Battle Creek, Benton Harbor and Lansing. The task forces are part of Project Safe Neighborhoods, and target crimes involving guns, gang activity and drugs. Sessions is seeking additional project funding for hiring under Project Safe Neighborhoods "because I believe nothing will be more effective at reducing crime," he said in a statement issued Friday, Jan. 5. "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." Andrew Birge, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan, said the added position "will be a significant force multiplier in our efforts targeting violent crime." He expected the position to be filled in the next few months. HOLLAND, MI -- The parent company of longtime Holland company, Thermotron Industries, recently acquired Lakewood Fab Tech, a Holland firm. Venturedyne, Ltd., Pewaukee, Wis- holding company purchased the firm, at 875 Brooks Ave, according to a release announcing the deal. The sale price wasn't disclosed. Thermotron is one of North America's biggest manufacturers of high-performance environmental test chambers and vibration test systems, widely used to simulate harsh environments to improve product quality and reliability. Acquiring the supplier is intended to help Thermotron quickly increase capacity. Lakewood has worked with Thermotron, supplying sheet metal fabrication and welding services. Recently, the smaller firm has taken on a more significant role manufacturing sheet metal for more of Thermotron's environmental test chambers. "Thermotron quickly became a primary customer for Lakewood and was a good fit, especially given our previous experience working with stainless steel," said Mike Miedema, former owner of Lakewood Fab Tech, in a statement. He will now serve as transition leader between Thermotron Industries and Lakewood Fab Tech. The firm's 27 employees have all been offered jobs with Thermotron, a company spokesman told MLive/The Grand Rapids Press. Part of the appeal of Lakewood is its geography. The firm is located across the street from Thermotron's Brooks Avenue plant. "The additional capacity Lakewood Fab Tech provides will help Thermotron reach a significant number of growth goals in the coming months and years," said Clint Peterson, Thermotron president in a statement. Lakewood has specialized in the manufacturing of machines, subassemblies, and parts for food processing, material handling and automated assembly. The firm's expertise includes laser cutting, metal forming, deburring and finishing, CNC machining, welding and passivation, assembly of stainless steel and powder coating. Venturedyne, Ltd., is a holding company for eight manufacturing, sales, and service companies. They include Climet Instruments, Dings Magnetic Separator Company, Scientific Dust Collectors, and Advanced Detection System Company. Thermotron was founded in 1962 by Charles F. Conrad, an entrepreneur and engineer who spent the early part of his career working on the development of high-performance refrigerant systems. Conrad may be known for bringing back the S.S. Badger, Ludington's iconic ferry service to Manitowoc, Wis. In the early 90s, he used his fortune to refit and refurbished the ferry to handle passengers and autos. Thermotron's first product was a thermo-electric heat transfer device that used space age semi-conductors. The company's product line has since grown to encompass other areas of product and environmental testing. KALAMAZOO, MI -- Look for the AMC Portage Street 10 theater complex to reopen on Saturday morning. After a week-long shutdown, a spokesman for the business said it is expected to reopen at 11 a.m. on Jan. 6, in time for midday movies. The 180 S. Portage St. multiplex (at the corner of Portage and South streets) was closed on Dec. 31, after a frozen pipe burst, causing damage inside the building, according to a company spokesman. On Monday, Jan. 1, AMC Spokesman Ryan Noonan said via email, "We've canceled shows for today and tomorrow and will reassess our opening timeline later this week." The closure was announced on the theater group's local web site, with the management stating, "We apologize for the inconvenience, this theatre is temporarily closed." The business has apparently been able to rectify damage problems caused by the burst pipe. There was no response to messages left Friday for Noonan. The closure happened during what is often a popular time for moviegoers, particularly young people off from school from Christmas through New Year's Day. Kansas City-based AMC, which is the nation's largest movie theater operator, launched its first venture in Kalamazoo on Nov. 2, renovating a space that had been used by Alamo Drafthouse Cinema. The complex opened as AMC Kalamazoo 10 but was later renamed to AMC Portage Street 10, avoiding conflict with Goodrich Quality Theater's Kalamazoo 10 movie complex just west of the city. PORTAGE, MI - A new book provides an oral history of the Portage Public Schools, from former superintendents Cleora Skinner to Pete McFarlane. Tom Vance, who served as community relations manager at Portage schools from 2000 to 2012, edited the 164-page document that is available on Amazon, with all proceeds going to the Portage schools collection at the Portage District Library. Superintendents participating in this project include Varl Wilkinson, James Rikkers and Pete McFarlane, with a prologue featuring an interview conducted in 1963 with Cleora Skinner, who served as the first superintendent of the consolidated school district from 1921-39. Board presidents interviewed include Robert VanderRoest, Bill Boyer, James Ellinger, Patricia Dolan, Phil Sheldon, Kevin Flynn, John Whyte, Kevin Hollenbeck, Tom Eddy and Shirley Johnson. Vance said the book is meant to be a reference for anyone interested in certain decades or how a superintendent or board president led the district. "This is history not journalism," Vance said. "It will give someone a pretty good idea of what goes into running, developing and growing a school district. The whole collection is really about leadership." Vance did most of the interviews in 2004 as part of his master's degree program in United States history at Western Michigan University. The interviews covered eight decades of the district's history and were initially on the PPS website until he decided to put them into a book form. "I wanted to turn it into a book format, so it is available for library users, students in high school or the college level," he said. An introduction by Steve Rossio, the local historian at the Portage library, places the oral histories in context. He also wrote about one room schools in Portage for the appendix. The appendix also contains a listing of district leadership provided by Edna M. Kent, recently retired administrative assistant to the superintendent. "An Oral History of Portage Schools" is not the first book to examine the district's history. In 1997, "75 Years of Shaping the Future" was published and in 1976 Grace Potts wrote "Portage and Its Past" that focused on the city but had information about the Portage schools. Vance said he obviously could not interview the late Cleora Skinner, but she did an interview in 1963 that talks about some of the challenges of not only being the first superintendent but a woman in a time when her gender was seldom in leadership roles. The new book includes remarks by Ted Vliek Sr., former administrative assistant to the superintendent and board of education secretary who served as interim superintendent between Varl Wilkinson and George Conti. "Public education is a vital component of our culture and a basic part of our democratic system of government," Vliek said. "On this premise, Tom Vance interviewed district leadership spanning eight decades. "The vast array of issues throughout the development of Portage schools include enrollment (reaching a peak of nearly 11,000 students in the 1970s); instruction; building, closing and renovating schools; state and local funding; collective bargaining; changes in social mores; and technology. How the district met these challenges is revealed here." Vance is a former president of the Michigan School Public Relations Association and a past chair of the History Section, Michigan Academy of Science, Arts & Letters. His career in public affairs includes the Army (both active and reserve duty), The Upjohn Company and later Pharmacia & Upjohn, Biggs-Gilmore Communications, Portage schools and currently is a communications officer for the Kalamazoo Community Foundation. The book can be purchased at https://www.amazon.com/Oral-History-Portage-Schools-McFarlane/dp/1534635564/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1511661763&sr=1-1&keywords=an+oral+history+of+portage+schools or can be found at the Portage schools collection at the Portage library. MIDLAND, MI -- Members of the Midland Branch of the American Association of University Women are offering $1,000 scholarships to two women to attend the 2018 National Conference of College Women Student Leaders (NCCWSL). The conference helps students develop leadership and networking skills. This year, it is held May 30-June 2 at the University of Maryland campus at College Park. Scholarship applicants should have a 3.0 GPA, be attending a local college or university or be from the area and attending college elsewhere. The award process includes an application with a short essay, recommendation from a college or university official or faculty member and a list of college and community activities noting any leadership roles held. The scholarship deadline is Jan. 29. For more information, visit www.midland-mi.aauw.net under the scholarships tab or email Carol Hoerneman Plaush, College/University Liaison, AAUW-Midland Branch at cchp43@gmail.com. SANDUSKY, MI -- A 25-year-old Michigan State Police trooper was charged with operating while intoxicated after he allegedly crashed his car into a tree while off-duty Thanksgiving morning. Cody Gueldenzopf was arraigned on that misdemeanor charge Dec. 22, The Times Herald reports. Gueldenzopf was taken into custody after a hunter reported a 2010 Cadillac had crashed into a tree about 100 yards away around 8 a.m. Nov. 23, Sanilac County Undersheriff Brad Roff previously said. Investigators say Gueldenzopf drove about half a mile across a field before crashing into the tree, which was located about a quarter mile west of Germania Road north of Cass City Road. After Gueldenzopf was treated for injuries, he was arrested on suspicion of drunken driving, Roff said. Michigan State Police Lt. David Kaiser said Gueldenzopf is currently on sick leave for an injury to the arm he suffered in the crash. Once he is OK'd to return to work, he could be placed on administrative duty until the case has concluded, Kaiser said. That decision, he added, will be made by the police agency's human resources department. An internal investigation will follow the conclusion of the criminal case against Gueldenzopf, Kaiser said. "Even if he's found not guilty in a criminal prosecution, it doesn't mean he won't be disciplined," Kaiser said. "We hold our troopers to high standards. If you violate that, it could result in discipline." Kaiser said possible disciplinary measures include an involuntary transfer to another post or firing. Gueldenzopf, a Sandusky native, graduated recruit school on Dec. 22, 2016, and was assigned to the Michigan State Police Flint Post, according to a news release from the agency. He was give a personal recognizance bond of $1,000, The Times Herald reports. Infosys Former Infosys Chief Financial Officer V Balakrishnan today praised the company's co-founder Nandan Nilekani for correcting the 'wrongdoings' committed by previous board, by fixing a reasonable salary for the incumbent CEO. "I think the board under Nandan has done the right thing to correct the previous wrongdoings.. The salary structure for the current Chief Executive Officer Salil Parekh looks reasonable with a large part tied to variable salary with greater focus on long-term retention," he told PTI. Balakrishnan said it is important for the board to clearly articulate the performance metrics for the vesting of variable salaries to senior management. "The metrics should have clear focus on increasing shareholders' value by achieving superior growth.. If the board wants to exercise any discretion it should be explained to the shareholders with proper reasoning," he said. Infosys has fixed Parekh's salary at Rs 6.5 crores with an eligibility for variable pay of Rs 9.75 crores at the end of the 2018-2019 fiscal year. Elaborating on the 'wrongdoings' by the previous board, Balakrishnan said, "unfortunately, it never clearly understood the culture or value systems followed by Infosys under its founders, which resulted in excessive senior management salaries and a huge disconnect with rest of the organisation." "The former CEO's (Vishal Sikka) salary was increased substantially without clear reason while the rest of the organisation had to contend with meager salary hikes and reduced variable compensation," he added. The USD 20 billion target by 2020 was loosely used to justify the pay increase to the CEO that lacked conviction, Balakrishnan alleged. Recalling N R Narayana Murthy's views, he said excess in capitalism will make the acceptance of capitalism difficult to a large sections of the society. "The CEO compensation should be reasonable enough to attract top talent while at the same time be comparable with peer group companies," the company's former CFO said. "It should also reflect the realities within the organization otherwise selling it internally will be difficult," he added. Balakrishnan also said when the founders ran the company, the senior management salaries were reasonable enough to attract top talent and were never considered excessive. Also, in difficult times, the leadership took the pain before it being passed on to rest of the organisation, he added. "Leadership by example was practiced both in substance and form," Balakrishnan said. He also said, "As a shareholder, I want the board to be restructured quickly with some members who were part of the earlier dispensation like the erstwhile co-chairman (Ravi Venkatesan) and audit committee chairman (Roopa Kudva) be replaced." An effective board is the need of the hour to establish proper checks and balances that was lacking in the earlier dispensation, Balakrishnan said. The issue of poor air connectivity with Gir National Park in Gujarat has been taken up with the Ministry of Civil Aviation, the environment ministry has told a parliamentary panel. The environment ministry stated this in its action taken report to a parliamentary standing committee on science and technology, environment and forest. The ministry has also said that the Gujarat government has also been asked to take action regarding the recommendation of the committee to remove encroachments from around the Park. "Encroachments and construction around the national parks and sanctuaries are in purview of the states. In so far as Gir National Park is concerned, state government of Gujarat has been communicated to take action according the recommendation of the committee. "The ministry has also taken up the matter with Ministry of Civil Aviation regarding poor air connectivity of Gir National Park and requested for improving air connectivity," the Ministry told the panel chaired by Congress leader Anand Sharma. The panel in its 308th report has said that although encroachments and construction around national parks and sanctuaries is in the purview of the states, the Ministry can always impress upon the concerned state governments to comply with the law in this regard. The action taken report came after the committee in one of its earlier reports had observed that Gir national park is very poorly connected with air and had recommended that the environment ministry should take up the matter with the central and state government agencies so that it can be improved. The committee in one of its earlier reports had noted that granting of licences to dhabhas and hotels being run near the national park needs to be reviewed keeping in view the fact that a lot of garbage is generated and thrown by them in the area. The committee had then recommended that illegal construction or encroachment in and around national park should be viewed "seriously" and stringent steps must be taken in this direction. The Indian Navy and Cochin Port Trust (CPT) have entered into an Memorandum of Understanding for utilising the Port's berthing facility at Mattancherry wharf for Naval ships. As per the MoU, Cochin Ports Q2 and Q3 berths at Mattacherry wharf, totaling 228 metre quay length, would be be handed over to the Indian Navy for five years for berthing their ships. The Indian Navy had requested for an exclusive berthing facility in Cochin Port for berthing their ships during reconstruction period of their berths. "In view of the national interest involved, Cochin Port examined the request and decided that Cochin Port's oldest wharf, Mattacherry Wharf can be spared, since those are not suitable any longer for berthing of big cargo ships due to limitation of draft and displacement", a CPT release said. This is a landmark decision in the history of Cochin Port and would go a long way in the combined efforts of the Port and Navy for ensuring the safety of the nation, it added. The MoU was signed yesterday on behalf of Cochin Port Trust by Goutam Gupta, Traffic Manager and Commodore Deepak Kumar, Chief Staff Officer (Ops), Southern Naval Command for Indian Navy, a Port Trust release said here today. PM Narendra Modi Prime Minister Narendra Modi will attend a top-level police conference on January 7-8 at the Border Security Force (BSF) Academy at Tekanpur in Gwalior. An official release said that the "Annual Conference of Director General of Police (DGPs) and Inspector General of Police (IGPs) of states" is an event where top police officers share and discuss security-related issues. The PM has earlier addressed the conference in Guwahati in 2014, in Dhordo in Gujarat's Rann of Kutch in 2015 and at the National Police Academy in Hyderabad in 2016. "During the last meeting, issues such as cross-border terrorism and radicalization were discussed in detail. The Prime Minister emphasized the importance of leadership, soft skills and collective training. He specifically mentioned the importance of technology and human interface for the police force," the release stated. Meanwhile, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh arrived in Gwalior today to take part in the annual conference. The Delhi Police will proceed with its probe into the case of a newborn being wrongly declared dead by a city-based hospital only after it receives a reply from the Delhi Medical Council on whether there was medical negligence in the matter, a police official said. The Delhi Medical Council (DMC) has received replies from the nine doctors and two nurses of Max Hospital, Shalimar Bagh who were issued notices last month for alleged medical negligence in connection with the case. A senior DMC official said that they have received the replies and these will be put up before its executive committee. The committee will form an expert panel comprising paediatricians and gynaecologists that will prepare a report in the matter, he said. The process might take a fortnight. A police official, privy to the probe, said that they will proceed further with the investigation only after they receive a report in the matter from the DMC. The DMC had sent the notices on December 20 and sought a response from them within 15 days. The case pertains to a baby boy being wrongly declared dead after his birth on November 30 by the upscale private hospital. His twin, a girl, was still-born. The infant boy died a week later at a nursing home in Pitampura. The case sparked a public outcry. Their family has been protesting in front of the hospital after an appellate authority stayed the order of the Delhi government cancelling the licence of the facility. The Uttarakhand High Court has suggested that the state government bring in a law which imposes death penalty for raping minors, so that it acts as a strong deterrent against such offences. A Division Bench of Justices Rajiv Sharma and Alok Singh made the observation, while upholding the death sentence of a man, who was convicted by a lower court last year for raping and killing an eight-year-old in June 2016. Citing steady rise in crime against children in recent years, the Bench observed that it is the state government which can bring an appropriate legislation to impose death penalties on convicts, who are found guilty of raping minors aged 15 or below. The High Court underlined the need for a strong deterrent as it is coming across a number of cases, where the victims aged 15 or below are being raped and murdered. It quoted a recent report by the National Crime Records Bureau titled 'Crime Against Children (States & UTs)', which said 676 such cases were registered in the state in 2016, compared to 635 in 2015 and 489 in 2014. Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe arrives to address the 72nd United Nations General Assembly at U.N. headquarters in New York, U.S., September 21, 2017. REUTERS/Eduardo Munoz - HP1ED9L1NA1B2 Two former Zimbabwean cabinet ministers who served under ex-president Robert Mugabe have been charged with corruption, their lawyers said on Saturday, the latest sign of a crackdown on officials loyal to Mugabe. Mugabe, 93, stood down in November after 37 years in power following a de facto military coup, making way for his former deputy Emmerson Mnangagwa to take over. When the military seized power they arrested key allies of Mugabe and his wife, Grace, who was vying with Mnangagwa to succeed her husband. Former foreign minister Walter Mzembi and ex-energy minister Samuel Undenge were charged on Friday with "criminal abuse of office", their lawyers said. They both deny wrongdoing. Undenge is accused of issuing a $12,650 contract without due tender to a company that did no work, according to a charge sheet seen by Reuters. Mzembi and Undenge were both granted bail on Saturday, asked to surrender their passports and remanded until Jan. 22 when their cases will be heard. "We are going to make an application for an exception to the charge because the charges that my client is facing are ridiculous," Job Sikhala, Mzembi's lawyer, told reporters outside the court. Undenge's lawyer Alex Muchadehama described the case against his client as a "circus". Former finance minister Ignatius Chombo is on bail after being charged in November over accusations he tried to defraud the central bank over a decade ago. Chombo denies wrongdoing. The author of a book that is highly critical of Donald Trump's first year as U.S. president said his revelations were likely to bring an end to Trump's time in the White House. Michael Wolff told BBC radio that his conclusion in "Fire and Fury: Inside the Trump White House" that Trump is not fit to do the job was becoming a widespread view. "I think one of the interesting effects of the book so far is a very clear emperor-has-no-clothes effect," Wolff said in an interview broadcast on Saturday. "The story that I have told seems to present this presidency in such a way that it says he can't do his job," Wolff said. "Suddenly everywhere people are going 'oh my God, it's true, he has no clothes'. That's the background to the perception and the understanding that will finally end ... this presidency." Trump has dismissed the book as full of lies. It depicts a chaotic White House, a president who was ill-prepared to win the office in 2016, and Trump aides who scorned his abilities. January 06, 2018 Trump Offloads Foreign Policy Problems - Lets EU Grow A Spine The U.S. is more and more isolated in international politics and even Europe is growing some spine and implements an independent foreign policy. U.S. imperialists are miffed but can do little about it. This development may well be part of Trump's plan of "Making America Great Again". After Trump declared that the U.S. sees Jerusalem as Israel's capital, the UN Security Council as well as the UN General Assembly condemned the move. The U.S. had to veto a UNSC resolution that 14 other members supported. While the minor protests and riots in Iran are calming down (as predicted here), the U.S. ambassador Haley tried to use them to stage some UNSC verdict against the country. She was rebuffed by several countries including the U.S. allies Sweden and France: A United Nations Security Council meeting on Friday to discuss recent protests in Iran turned into criticism of the United States for requesting to meet on what some member states said was an internal issue for Tehran. The EU spoke out against any condemnation of Iran. Russia and China repeated Iran's arguments that such internal issues have no place in the UNSC and that a string of much worse riots and police massacres in the U.S. would be more deserving of such attention: China and Russia -- which seldom like to discuss political protests at the UN -- led a group of countries that said the demonstrations were a domestic affair that didnt threaten international security and shouldnt be taken up. Chinas envoy said that if Haleys logic were to be followed consistently, the Security Council should have held hearings after the 2014 racial protests in Ferguson, Missouri, and the Occupy Wall Street demonstrations in 2011. France spoke for the EU: We must be wary of any attempts to exploit this crisis for personal ends, which would have the diametrically opposed outcome to that which is wished, Ambassador Francois Delattre said. However worrying the events of the last few days in Iran may be, they do not constitute per se a threat to international peace and security. This was a repeat of the fear that President Macron expressed two days ago and which we quoted here. Even U.S. media are now taking note of it: The official line pursued by the United States, Israel and Saudi Arabia, who are our allies in many ways, is almost one that would lead us to war, Macron told reporters, according to Reuters. It was a deliberate strategy for some, he added. The U.S. attempt to use protests against neoliberal policies of the Rohani government as a step to regime change in Iran has evidently failed. Trump has threatened to end the nuclear agreement with Iran but his administration is wary of the consequences. The agreement is between a number of countries, not the U.S. and Iran alone, and the UNSC has endorsed it. But Trump also loathes to certify Iran's adherence to the agreement every three month. It keeps the issue boiling and he has no interest in that. The certification is a condition the Republicans in the U.S. Congress had written into law. Trump's solution is not to kill the nuclear agreement but to change the law to relief him of the certification demand: The Trump administration is working with key lawmakers on a legislative fix that could enable the United States to remain in the Iran nuclear deal, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said in an interview with The Associated Press on Friday. The changes to the U.S. law codifying Americas participation the 2015 agreement could come as early as next week or shortly thereafter, Tillerson said. President Donald Trump faces a series of deadlines in the coming days about how to proceed with an accord he describes as terrible and too soft on Iran. ... The president said he is either going to fix it or cancel it, Tillerson told the AP as he sat in front of a fireplace in his State Department office suite. We are in the process of trying to deliver on the promise he made to fix it. Trump and Congress have no power to change an international agreement. So what would that "fix" be? One option lawmakers are discussing with the White House is removing the requirement that Trump certify Iranian compliance. Another possibility is changing the law so certification occurs far less often, officials said. If this is really all that is needed to get Trump off the anti-Iran train it neatly fits the "isolationist" theory discussed below. But back to the EU position. Trump has reversed a U.S. opening to Cuba but the EU is not following its move. The EU foreign policy chief is currently on the island and rejecting the U.S. stance: The European Union wants to be a reliable partner for Cuba in the face of the reversal in U.S.-Cuban relations under President Donald Trump, its foreign policy and security chief said Thursday. Federica Mogherini said at the end of a two-day visit that the EU is a "predictable and solid" partner that can help Cuba manage a political transition and slow, halting economic opening. ... "We are consistent and we do not have unpredictability in our policies, or sudden shifts," Mogherini said, in a clear dig at Trump's reversal of some elements of President Barack Obama's opening with Cuba. After Jerusalem and Iran, Cuba is the third foreign policy issue on which the European Union is setting itself in opposition to the United States. After years of marching in lockstep with U.S. policies the change is a pleasant surprise. Two more issue are likely to follow - Syria and Russia. With the German chancellor Merkel still busy to find a domestic coalition to renew her rule, the French president Macron is taking the lead when he now echos what the Syrian president Assad has been saying for 7 years: Emmanuel Macron @EmmanuelMacron - 4:54 PM - 5 Jan 2018 Ce n'est ni a Ankara ni a Paris qu'on decidera de l'avenir de la Syrie. Le peuple syrien, y compris ceux qui ont fui le regime, devra lui-meme decider de son avenir. [Machine translated from French] It is neither Ankara nor in Paris that it will decide the future of the Syria. The Syrian people, including those who have fled the regime, should itself decide its future. Poland was one of the parties which had strongly pressed for regime change in Ukraine. It got its wish fulfilled but now finds that the new Ukrainian rulers are elevating those fascist groups and people who historically were responsible for massacring ten-thousands of Poles. Oops. The sanctions on Russia over the situation in Ukraine and Crimea have cost Germany huge export opportunities. The combination of both of these factors will likely lead to a change in the EU policy towards Russia. While the U.S. delivers new weapons to the Ukraine I predict that the EU will lower its exposure to the issue. Its sanctions against Russia will be eased or circumvented. The imperial think-tanks in the U.S. are not happy with an independent EU. Here are voices of Brookings, the premier "centrist" lobby and influence peddlers, and of the Washington Institute, part of the Zionist lobby: Suzanne Maloney @MaloneySuzanne - 7:24 PM - 4 Jan 2018 Suzanne Maloney Retweeted Michael Singh This is a huge missed opportunity for Europe, both to use their diplomatic & economic leverage for the long-term good of Iran & to demonstrate the possibility and even utility of making common cause with Washington on Iran Michael Singh @MichaelSinghDC - 7:14 PM - 4 Jan 2018 Regrettable that preexisting gaps between the US and Europe over Iran seem to be widening due to protests - supporting human rights in Iran should be an area of transatlantic agreement Brookings on Cuba: Tom Wright @thomaswright08 - 11:02 PM - 5 Jan 2018 Tom Wright Retweeted EU External Action A real moral failing here. Okay to engage Cuba but should pressure regime to liberalize. Combined with "both sides-ism" on Iran, it's been a terrible week for European foreign policy. The Europeans may judge that differently. Trump made loud noise towards North Korea and even boosted that his dick is bigger than Kim Jong-un's schlong. But when North Korea offered a quiet period for the Winter Olympics in South Korea and renewed talks, Trump agreed with the peace seeking South Korean president Moon and let him take up the offer. Patrick Armstrong and Andrew Korybko see a method behind these developments. Armstrong: Trump Cuts the Gordian Knot of Foreign Entanglements Trump has little interest in the obsessions of the neocon and humanitarian intervention crowd. ... President Trump can avoid new entanglements but he has inherited so many and they are, all of them, growing denser and thicker by the minute. Consider the famous story of the Gordian Knot: rather than trying to untie the fabulously complicated knot, Alexander drew his sword and cut it. How can Trump cut The Gordian Knot of American imperial entanglements? By getting others to untie it. Armstrong, a former Canadian defense official and Russia specialist, thinks that Trump is taking his extreme positions only to press others to take over and let Trump and the U.S. leave the issue aside. If the EU takes up the Iran issue or Cuba, if Russia engages in the Middle East "peace process" and if South Korea handles the North Korea problem, Trump will be fine with it. There nothing to win in those issues for his core agenda. Korybko's piece, Trump: Agent Of Chaos (a.k.a. The Kraken), presumes that Trump is deliberately creating chaos to better the U.S. position. There is a high chance that this will not work and the U.S. will have to retreat to its hemisphere. Trump knows this but does not care - he can live with both outcomes but may even prefer the retreat to a more isolationist stand. I do not believe that Trump is as stupid as his enemies portrait him. Trump simply does not explain what he is doing. He is letting everyone guessing, even his own staff. One has to watch what he does, not what he says. Trump does not care about many foreign issues where the Clinton, Bush and Obama administrations were the first to meddle. In his view the various adventures abroad do not further U.S. core interests. If other countries can be pushed into taking these up, the U.S. can leave the issues aside. His position is the opposite of what the usual Washington grown-ups are used to do. That is why they are fighting him down to tooth and nail. Will Trump survive long enough to successfully pursue this strategy and to make a lasting difference? Or is the Armstrong/Korybko theory completely wrong? Posted by b on January 6, 2018 at 13:25 UTC | Permalink Comments next page next page Welcome to Morningstar.co.uk! You have been redirected here from Hemscott.com as we are merging our websites to provide you with a one-stop shop for all your investment research needs.To search for a security, type the name or ticker in the search box at the top of the page and select from the dropdown results.Registered Hemscott users can log in to Morningstar using the same login details. Similarly, if you are a Hemscott Premium user, you now have a Morningstar Premium account which you can access using the same login details. UPDATE: Photos added from Bean and Grape's interior on opening day. Small Bites is already looking toward a busy 2018 with new restaurants and drink shops on the horizon. A tea shop, Asian restaurant and a few fast food chains are opening up soon. In the meantime, here is what's going on recently among food spots and restaurants. Appetizers You've probably seen the commercials, but Whataburger has released its Mushroom Swiss Burger for a limited time. The burger is built with two patties topped with mushrooms, Swiss cheese and a creamy Au Jus sauce. In other Whataburger news, the Midkiff location will host Coffee with a Cop with new Midland Police Department chief Steve Henry. Visit with the chief from 7 to 9 a.m. at 3206 N. Midkiff Road. ICYMI, see photos from LongHorn Steakhouse's opening day here. The restaurant opened Dec. 18. Read why Abilene Christian University is encouraging students not to apply at the new Hooters which is set to open soon. Have you seen this tamale hack from this San Antonio woman? Mind. Blown. Coming Soon Coming off its inaugural New Year's Eve Party, the coffee, wine and beer boutique Bean and Grape announced today that it will open its doors on Monday. From Bean and Grape: Bean & Grape will be open for craft beer, wine, coffee and small bites. Located at 3211 W. Wadley, Suite 21 of the Imperial Shopping Center in Midland, our establishment provides an eclectic atmosphere to enjoy unique libations and delectable eats. Outside of our passion for good food and drink, we hope to inspire connection and conversation among friends, new and old, while visiting. Our space is the perfect one for early morning conversation with a loved one, a quick lunch meeting with an associate, an after work refreshment with friends, a private party celebrating a milestone, and more! Starting Monday, Bean & Grape's hours will be 5:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Wednesday, 5:30 a.m. to midnight Thursday and Friday, and 8 a.m. to midnight on Saturday. We are closed on Sundays. Welcome to your new spot for great coffee, a dynamic wine list, an assortment of craft beers, and in-house made breakfast, lunch, and light bite items. Find us at beanangrapemidland.com and on Facebook and Instagram for updates on special offerings and events. On the menu Dickey's Barbecue Pit announced three new menu items Thursday that are expected to appeal to southern palates. "Grilled Cheese, Texas Toast and cornbread are all southern staples folks love and we are proud to now offer that to our guests at all Dickey's locations nationwide," Renee Roozen, President of Dickey's Barbecue Restaurants, Inc. said. "Dickey's is a family-owned, family-run business and we pride ourselves on serving our guests delicious food that they can share with their family. By incorporating these new items, we are able to better serve all of our guests." From Dickey's press room: Dickey's Barbecue Pit incorporates three new southern favorites to their menu including Grilled Cheese, Texas Toast and Cornbread. Guests now have the opportunity to upgrade their slow-smoked barbecue meal by changing their side to either a piece of buttery Texas Toast or savory Cornbread. Dickey's Grilled Cheese is available both as a Kids Meal or as an a la carte option for adults. The addition of the Grilled Cheese is perfect timing as Kids Eat Free at Dickey's until January 31 with each purchase of a $10 adult dine-in meal. Closing Time Mercy Eatery and Catering Co. updated its closing time to 2 p.m. from 3 p.m. Farm to Table The sustainable and organic farm Farmer Troy of Odessa is now offering a create-your-own-bag option. Instead of the usual $20 bag, customers can now order custom bags with carrots, beets, turnips and even pecans. Farmer Troy is a sustainable and beyond organic farm. Order pick-ups are 5-7 p.m. Tuesdays at 407 W. 47th St. in Odessa. Upcoming food, drink and restaurant events Sunday | Sunday Skool Brunch with DJ JRey. 10:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. at Steak 42, 911 S. Big Spring St. Jan. 13 | Winter Market by the Midland Downtown Farmers Market. 8:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. at Museum of the Southwest, 1705 W. Missouri Ave. Jan. 14 | Urban Market Brunch with local vendors and food trucks. 11 a.m.-3 p.m. at So...Fly Boutique, 312 N. Colorado St. Feb. 2 | Empty Bowls 2018 hosted by West Texas Food Bank. The event features handmade ceramic bowls created by students and faculty of Odessa and Midland Colleges, UTPB, The Odessa High School International Baccalaureate Program, Boys & Girls Club of Odessa and Midland and Trinity School. Bowls are $15 each. 7-9 p.m. at Trinity School, 3500 W. Wadley Ave. wtxfoodbank.org. A Round Rock man accused of kidnapping his dead roommate's children apparently blamed his decision to flee with the girls on fear of "crazy Mexicans" he linked to the killing, according to federal court documents. Terrance Allen Miles was taken into custody Wednesday after authorities in Colorado pulled him over and found the two missing children 14-year-old Lilianais Victoria Cake Griffith and 7-year-old Luluvioletta Mariposo Bandera-Magret in the car with him. The Las Animas County traffic stop capped off days of searching begun in late December after authorities responded to the Leslie Court home of Tonya Ellen Bates for a welfare check. The mother of two had failed to show up for work for her 7 a.m. shift the day before, prosecutors said. When Round Rock police stopped by her home they found Bates dead from blunt force trauma, according to court documents. Investigators later determined she'd died sometime on Dec. 29, and her car and both daughters had disappeared. Authorities sent out an Amber Alert along with a tip that Miles, then considered a person of interest in the "suspicious" death of his roommate, could be headed to Louisiana. Police initially said the girls were in "grave or immediate danger" after an abduction. Surveillance footage later recovered from a Round Rock Walmart showed Miles purchasing camping supplies just after midnight on Dec. 30, driving what appeared to be Bates' vehicle, prosecutors later said. He stocked up on sleeping bags, tarps and ropes, according to court documents. About an hour after his late-night shopping trip, Miles' mother got a text, believed to be sent by her son from the older girl's phone. BACKGROUND: 2 missing Round Rock children found safe "Mom I left with the kids and came home to something bad I think Tonyas boyfriend," it said, according to court documents. "I cant talk now tonya was involved in some bad stuff I will talk to you later when im safe these guys are crazy Mexicans." By 6 a.m, the girl's phone pinged off a tower near Lubbock, and by mid-morning someone was using it to make calls in New Mexico. Investigators located the younger girl's phone where it had been apparently discarded in a wooded area near in Round Rock. Just after noon, license plate readers near Raton, New Mexico, recorded the dead woman's car headed north toward the Colorado border, according to court records. Later that day, police said, Miles was spotted on surveillance footage at a Trinidad, Colorado, business. Although authorities initially issued an Amber Alert covering much of Texas, by Wednesday police were certain enough the girls were in another state to call off the alert and reissue one for Colorado. Late Wednesday, a Las Animas County deputy acting on a tip spotted the missing vehicle and tailed it for a few miles before pulling over the erratic driver. Both girls were found safe inside, and Miles was taken into custody without incident, police said. "I'd like to say thank you to that tipster," said Round Rock Police Chief Allen Banks, adding that Miles' arrest with the help of the multi-state Amber Alert was "a prime example of the system working." Miles doesn't appear to have priors in Texas, according to Texas Department of Public Safety records. But he is already on probation for a 2015 domestic violence conviction in Louisiana and is considered a person of interest in a 2014 slaying there, according to authorities. He was also charged with second-degree attempted murder for trying to suffocate a woman he was dating in 2011 and allegedly staging a suicide scene. Miles is charged in the Western District of Texas but was slated to make his first court appearance Thursday afternoon in Colorado. He waived his right to a preliminary hearing in Colorado and prosecutors have filed a request to deny bail, citing the severity of the crime and possible flight risk. The Associated Press contributed to this report. In Focus with Allison Walker is a 30-minute public affairs program, featuring a roundtable of newsmakers representing a range of perspectives, including local officials and expert analysts as they tackle topical issues of importance to Floridians. In Focus airs Sundays at 11:30 a.m. and 8:30 p.m., right after Political Connections. States including Florida have passed laws legalizing marijuana for medical use and some even for recreational use. But a policy change by Attorney General Jeff Sessions lets U.S. Attorneys decide whether to enforce the federal rules regardless of what states decided. New federal policy lets U.S. Attorneys enforce marijuana regulation Rep. Carlos Guillermo Smith refiled bill to decriminalize marijuana in Fla. Sessions called the shift a return to the rule of law Representative Carlos Guillermo Smith recently refiled a bill to fully decriminalize marijuana in Florida. "Jeff Sessions seems to be stuck in the Dark Ages, and he's basing all of his actions not on facts but based on fear and misinformation about cannabis," he said. Sessions called the shift a return to the rule of law. In Florida, more than 70 percent of voters approved a constitutional amendment in favor of medical marijuana. Orlando Attorney John Morgan emailed Spectrum News 13 a statement that said: Jeff Sessions as a Senator was in favor of states rights. I guess that changed. Pharmaceutical companies are killing our children with opioids. The best alternative is medical marijuana and they know it. Opioid deaths are down in states with Medical Marijuana. These companies are engaged in the premeditated murder of our people. My law firm is representing states and cities across America against these horrible killers. What we know will shock you. As to this always follow the money. President Trump was in favor of medical marijuana. Last time I checked he was still President. White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders addressed the issue this week. The President's position hasn't changed, but he does strongly believe that we have to enforce federal law," she said. The turnaround may be a moot point. Legal pot is a multi-billion dollar business over several states, and the industry may be too large to bust. "Right now we just have to kind of keep pushing through, don't get scared by what we see at the federal level right now because I just truly believe you can't turn back a clock that's already been wound," said Roz McCarthy CEO, the founder of Minorities for Medical Marijuana. Organizations helping Puerto Rican evacuees who have come to Connecticut since Hurricane Maria have seen their state aid cut from the current budget. Staff writer Mary Ellen Godin joins the Morning Record to explain how those organizations are responding, and what this means for the surrounding communities. A meeting called for Saturday to discuss African Americans in city policy became a lively discussion on the black history surrounding the Jonestown massacre. James Taylor, a professor of political science at the University of San Francisco, gave a talk at the New Liberation Presbyterian Church in the Western Addition, focusing on what he said is the forgotten black history surrounding the 1978 Jonestown massacre. He drew parallels between the current African American departure from San Francisco and the mass murder-suicide in Guyana that killed more than 900 people the majority of them black Bay Area residents who were following Jim Jones, leader of the Peoples Temple. Pressure should be put on acting Mayor London Breed to install a monument to remember those killed, Taylor said at the event, which was organized by the Lower Fillmore Neighborhood Association. The Jonestown massacre became a taboo subject in the city, not only because of the loss of hundreds of lives, but also because of the subsequent political embarrassment. Before the tragedy, politicians who supported cult leader Jones ranged from Gov. Jerry Brown to former Mayor Willie Brown, now a Chronicle columnist. The erasure of Jonestown to me ... the erasure of the black people in Jonestown is not unrelated to the failures of the city of San Francisco, Taylor said. It also has to do with the black out-migration right now. As much as Jim Jones represented a real, deep evil, even without Jim Jones, the black community is still being erased. November marked 39 years since Jones ordered his followers to kill themselves by taking cyanide mixed with a sweet purple drink, forcing those who refused. The deadly event followed a visit by Rep. Leo Ryan, D-San Mateo, who went to Guyana to investigate the settlement but was shot by temple gunmen when he tried to leave. Among those shot and killed with Ryan were NBC photographer Robert Brown and reporter Don Harris, San Francisco Examiner photographer Greg Robinson and Patricia Parks, a temple member who wanted to leave. Jackie Speier, an aide to Ryan who now holds his seat in Congress, was severely wounded. The massacre has stayed with Yulanda Williams, now a lieutenant with the San Francisco Police Department, for years. As she listened to Taylor speak, she also called for a monument to be set up. Williams had been a member of the church and left the settlement with her family before violence broke out, she said. The ordeal became something to hide and deny, she said, and soon it wasnt discussed much in the city. When we first got back from Guyana, people said they could not understand how black people could be so foolish, Williams said. They made the survivors feel as though they were unintelligent. She suggested that a monument be placed at the post office in the 1800 block of Geary Boulevard the former Peoples Temple site. Nine hundred people lost their lives, and we dont even have a monument or statue or anything, she said. There should be a day of remembrance. The discussion became more heated as the group many of whom lost friends in the massacre debated Jones role as a leader, the role of the black movements of the 60s and 70s, and asked How did they get caught up in some madness like that? Jenna Lyons is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: jlyons@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @JennaJourno Black unemployment fell to 6.8 percent in December, the lowest ever recorded by the U.S. Labor Department since it began tracking the black unemployment rate in 1972. Economists say it's a sign the recovery from the Great Recession is finally starting to help a wider swath of the population. During the aftermath of the financial crisis, black unemployment soared to 16.8 percent in 2010, meaning more than one out of every six African-Americans was looking for a job but could not find one. The rate has steadily declined since, breaking the prior all-time low of 7 percent that was set in 2000 during dot-com boom. "6.8 percent unemployment rate for African-Americans is lowest on record. Good news, except pretty bad news that this is the best ever," tweeted Dean Baker, an economist at the Center for Economic and Policy Research. The white unemployment rate is 3.7 percent. The black-white gap in hiring and pay has existed for decades, with the black unemployment rate typically more than double that of whites. But the gap has narrowed slightly to 1.85 times higher unemployment for blacks instead of two times more. African-Americans face a number of barriers to employment, including biases from recruiters. An oft-cited study in 2004 took the same resumes and put more "white sounding names" and "black sounding names" on others. The study found that employers were 50 percent more likely to call in the person with the white sounding name for an interview, even though the two resumes had exactly the same qualifications. The experiment has been repeated several times since with similar results, leading some minority candidates to attempt "resumes whitening" when they apply for jobs. Beyond unemployment, blacks lag far behind whites on pay, wealth and homeownership. "If you are black and a college graduate, your net worth is still typically two-thirds that of whites who dropped out of high school," says Darrick Hamilton, an economist at the New School. On the campaign trail, President Donald Trump famously asked African-Americans: "What do you have to lose?" by voting for him. He promised his agenda would lead to more jobs and higher wages for everyone. He ended up winning 8 percent of the black vote, a bit higher than Mitt Romney in 2012. Hiring has been strong in Trump's first year in office, especially in manufacturing, construction and health care. The economy added 2.1 million jobs in 2017, the Labor Department said, slightly down from 2.2 million in 2016 and 2.7 million in 2015. Wages, however, continue to be stagnant, especially for African-Americans. The median income for black households is still lower than it was in 2000, according to U.S. Census data. Bankruptcy filings in South Central Texas dipped last year, the eighth-straight year that bankruptcies have fallen as the economy rebounded from the Great Recession. Overall, there were 2,976 consumer and business bankruptcy filings last year in the San Antonio division of the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Western District of Texas, 40 fewer than the 3,016 filings in 2016. It also was the lowest number of filings since 2006 when 2,743 were recorded. The number of businesses seeking refuge in bankruptcy plunged by almost half to 64 last year from 125 in 2016. The economy is doing better, said Ronald Smeberg, a San Antonio bankruptcy lawyer, in explaining the decline in commercial bankruptcies. RELATED: Bill Hall Jr.'s son loses court battle for murdered trucking tycoon's assets Smeberg said that many business bankruptcies in recent years were the result of balloon loans maturing and the borrowers not being able to obtain new financing. Now that the economy is doing better, most of those bad balloon (loans) have kind of filtered out, he said. You dont have as many of those notes going bad, which was causing the bankruptcies. The rebound in oil and gas prices last year also had a calming affect for companies in the oil patch after 2016s financial upheaval when prices bottomed. The drop in oil prices led to a slowdown in the Eagle Ford Shale that contributed to a rise in commercial bankruptcies in 2015 and 2016. For example, Sanjel Corp. and affiliates filed 11 bankruptcy petitions in April 2016 in San Antonio. Now that things have kind of leveled out, the businesses that were going to go under have gone under, Smeberg said. RELATED: Bankruptcy judge awards $8M to Alfaro investors There werent as many notable businesses to enter bankruptcy last year in comparison with 2016. Last years high-profile bankruptcies included Upper Padre Partners, a company affiliated with Schlitterbahn officials that managed a 500-acre Padre Island development, and Trey West Vacations, owner of the Flying L Hill Country Resort in Bandera County. Among those to file in 2016 were the owner of Cowboys Dancehall; Buffets, which ran more than 300 restaurants in 35 states under various names; Palmaz Scientific Inc. and Dickinson of San Antonio Inc., which did business as Career Point College. Last year, 35 businesses filed for Chapter 11 reorganization while 26 filed for Chapter 7 liquidation. One business, Texas Association of Public Schools Property and Liability Fund, an insurer for schools based in Boerne, filed Chapter 9, which generally is used by financially distressed municipalities. Consumer filings were essentially flat last year, rising by 22 to 2,912. RELATED: Atascosa bank swaps charters Nationally, the total number of bankruptcy filings fell by 5,400, or less than 1 percent, to 766,698, according to data provided to the American Bankruptcy Institute by Epiq Systems Inc. Total filings fell for an eighth-consecutive year as high filing costs continue to weigh on struggling businesses and families, Samuel J. Gerdano, the ABIs executive director, said in a statement Friday. The ABI wants to remove barriers to filing bankruptcy protection for distressed businesses, he said. Patrick Danner is a San Antonio Express-News staff writer. Read more of his stories here. | pdanner@express-news.net | @AlamoPD San Francisco police arrested a 27-year-old Fairfield man Friday whom they believe is the person who, wearing a Santa cap, shot at an occupied car in the Tenderloin on Christmas morning. A day after police released video of the shooting, narcotics officers arrested Xavier Watson in the 4500 block of Third Street in the Bayview. He was taken into custody without incident, and booked into San Francisco County jail on suspicion of willful discharge of a firearm with gross negligence, assault with a firearm, transportation of a narcotic for sale and possession of cocaine for sale. With events of DreamWeek set to begin Monday, one of the country's oldest minority chamber of commerce celebrated its 80th anniversary with a posh gala. City and business leaders gathered at Pearl Stable Friday for an evening of refreshments, dancing and networking in celebration of the Alamo City Black Chamber of Commerce's annual gala. The 49-year-old woman in Dr. Amy Cobbs office was complaining of typical flu symptoms: cough, aches, nausea, fatigue and a 101-degree fever. Because she hadnt gotten the flu shot, and she had a history of pneumonia, Cobb ordered a chest x-ray, which revealed the patient had what is sometimes called atypical, or walking, pneumonia. Nothing to sneeze at (as it were), atypical pneumonia is a less serious form of the potentially deadly disease that, Cobb warned, can sometimes strike those who get the flu. Not all pneumonia is the result of influenza, of course, she said. And not all flu becomes pneumonia. But its something patients need to watch out for. Flu kills thousands of Americans annually and sends tens of thousands to the hospital. About 50,000 people die of pneumonia each year. But together, the flu-plus-pneumonia combo is surprisingly dangerous, especially for those at increased risk such as the frail and elderly. In 2016, it was the No. 8 leading cause of death in the United States. When I worked in a hospital training to be a doctor, I saw people die from the flu every year, Cobb said. Often the cause of death would be the pneumonia they developed while sick. As we enter the peak of what promises to be a nasty influenza season, the Centers for Disease Control is reporting an increase in cases, apparently because this years flu vaccine is less effective against the predominant strains of the disease. So its important to do what you can do to avoid getting the flu and, if you do, to keep it from morphing into pneumonia. More Information Flu treatment toolbox In addition to seeking medical help, here are several ways to ease flu symptoms: Drink plenty of fluids Get plenty of rest Over-the-counter medications Throat lozenges. Soothe a sore throat Decongestant. Relieves nasal congestion and a runny nose. Cough medicine. Blocks the cough reflex. Saline drops. Thin and loosen mucous, making breathing easier. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (ibuprofen, naproxen, etc.). Relieve pain, decrease inflammation, and reduce fever. See More Collapse Locally, the University Health System is reporting a record number of new cases for a single week (excluding the swine flu pandemic of 2009). During the week ending Dec. 23, UHS confirmed 254 cases of influenza type A and B. There are several types of pneumonia. The most common, bacterial pneumonia, occurs when the flu virus weakens the immune system, making the lungs more susceptible to infection, often by the bacterium Streptococcus pneumoniae. This causes the air sacs (alveoli) in the lungs to fill with pus and other fluid, making breathing difficult and starving the body of oxygen. In a worst-case scenario, this can lead to organ failure and death. Viral pneumonia, on the other hand, occurs when the flu virus itself attacks the alveoli, to similar effect. Pneumonia can strike even young, healthy adults, but a list of those at greatest risk include the elderly (especially nursing home residents) and the very young, diabetics, pregnant women, smokers, the obese and those with chronic health issues, such as heart disease, diabetes and asthma, or who are immune-compromised, such as the HIV-positive. The obvious first step to avoid getting flu-related pneumonia is to avoid getting the flu. And the best way to do that is by getting the flu vaccine, which is recommended for everyone other than those with medical complications older than 6 months. While the flu shot is never 100 percent effective, most years it can reduce risk by 10 percent to 60 percent, depending on the prevalent flu strain. Even if you do get sick, the vaccine should reduce the severity of the illness, which, if youve ever had the full-blown flu, can make you feel darn miserable for a week or more. This year its particularly important to get the shot, said Dr. Jason Bowling, an infectious disease specialist with UT Health. In Australia, where the flu season begins before ours, the vaccines effectiveness was pretty low, about 13 percent, he said. Thats because this years flu tends to have more minor genetic mutations, called drifting. So the vaccine doesnt match up with it as well as wed like. Even if you havent been immunized yet, its not too late. The flu season runs from through the end of March, so theres still plenty of time, Bowling said. Other ways to reduce spread of the flu will be familiar to most people: avoid close contact with others, wash hands thoroughly and frequently, cover your mouth and nose when sneezing and coughing, avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth and, if you do get sick, stay home from work or school until youve been fever-free for at least 24 hours. There are also two pneumonia vaccines available for people 65 and older or at higher-than-normal risk. Yet only about half of healthy adults who are eligible are protected. The first vaccine, called PCV13 (Prevnar 13), is a one-time dose that protects against 13 types of pneumoccal bacteria. The second vaccine, administered a year later, is PPSV23 (Pneumovax) and protects against 23 strains. Depending on your age and overall health, your doctor may recommend a second dose of Pneumovax five years after the first. If you do get the flu, its important to see a doctor as soon as possible. If you suspect you have the flu, dont nurse yourself at home, said Dr. C. Junda Woo, medical director of the San Antonio Metropolitan Health District. See a doctor so you can be tested to confirm, but also so you can get treated with an antiviral medication like Tamiflu. Because antivirals are most effective if given within the first 24 to 48 hours of symptoms, the CDC recently put out an advisory stating that treatment should not be delayed even for a few hours to wait for the results of testing (for flu). Tamiflu (generic name oseltamivir) can help lessen flu symptoms and may also reduce the risk your illness will develop into pneumonia. Richard A. Marini is a San Antonio Express-News staff writer. Read more of his stories here. | rmarini@express-news.net | @RichardMarini DANBURY When State Police bloodhound Texas was lost last month during the search for a missing man near the Wooster Mountain State Park, numerous resources were immediately called in to help find the dog, including a helicopter. But it took several hours for the air support, which can cost as much as $6,000 an hour to operate, to deploy. A drone, on the other hand, could have been available in as little as 15 minutes and at a lower cost. That was not an option for Danbury at the time, but it is now. The Danbury Fire Department received its first drone last week. The device, which cost more than $20,000 and is equipped with a thermal heat-sensing camera, was given to the department by an anonymous donor. Jamie Gagliardo, the drone program administrator for the department, said his interest in drones, which can carry several cameras at the same time, began several years ago after he was introduced to the machines by Deputy Chief Bernie Meehan. We soon realized the value that this technology could provide in the field, Gagliardo said. With the drone we can hover over a fire scene providing us with a lot of information, from the location of the firefighters to hotspots inside the fire with the use of the thermal camera. You can set the drone so it will circle over a given point and maintain its camera position on the point of interest. Additional features can also be added, including a zoom camera that can read a license plate from nearly two miles away and a hazardous materials monitor, Gagliardo said. With the monitor on the drone, we could send it into a hazmat situation and determine the level of the contaminant before we ever send a firefighter into the scene, he said. That can be extremely valuable. Unlike Danbury, other towns in the state, including Westport, have drones operated by the police department, not the fire department. But even as the devices become an increasingly important tool for emergency officials, the drone industry and the rules that govern it are moving slowly. The state Legislature considered a bill last year backed by Berlin police that would have allowed cops to fly drones equipped with lethal weapons. The proposal snagged national headlines no other state allows lethal drones and died in committee. This was originally a good bill to protect communities from unwarranted police drone surveillance and prevent police from weaponizing drones, said David McGuire, executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Connecticut, in a May 1 statement. The ACLU (supports) protecting people from unwarranted drone surveillance, but opposes the amendment to allow police to equip drones with lethal and less-lethal weapons. In the year or so that Westport police have used a drone, its mainly flown at scenes of fatal or serious accidents, said Westport police officer Capt. Ryan Paulsson, a certified drone pilot. Considering possibilities Some Connecticut companies are positioning for a drone boom. We envision a future where every squad car in America has a drone integrated into its computer system, said Paul Ouellette, a spokesman for a West Haven-based distributor Drone USA. At present, the drone industry is in infancy. (Police) departments are just learning how drones can make their work simpler and safer. This summer, the company flew quadcopter and airplane-type drones in demonstrations to police departments in Trumbull and on Jennings Beach in Fairfield. Drone USA hopes to get a foothold in the Connecticut and New Jersey markets by selling and servicing drones like the DJI Phantom 4 that Paulsson flies. Stamford police use a slightly older model. They retail for between $800 and $1,400. The departments we encounter seem to be at different stages of interest, Ouellette said. For example, some departments are experimenting with DJI products; others tend to favor more sophisticated U.S. manufactured products. Like any novel technology, the drone industry faces a novel set of problems. In August, the U.S. military stopped using DJI drones, which are made in China, due to concern their data might not be secure. Documents posted online alleged data was shared with the Chinese government, and immigration officials started an investigation. DJI Ltd. said in a statement that it doesnt look at flight logs, photos or video unless customers actively upload and share them with us, the Associated Press reported in December. Flying and the Fourth Amendment Privacy and other civil rights concerns persist. Federal Aviation Administration rules treat emergency officials just like any other commercial drone operator, and prohibit flights before dawn. But without additional legislation, theres no definite rule prohibiting police from flying their drone cameras over peoples houses, according to a 2014 study by the Connecticut General Assemblys Legislative Program Review and Investigations Committee. U.S. courts have never defined exactly how far above the ground private property ends and the so-called public highway of the navigable skies begins. The Supreme Court has yet to take up a drone case. There is a place for drones in the police department, but they have to be used in accordance with the Fourth Amendment, which protects against unreasonable search and seizure, McGuire said. In Danbury, Gagliardo has been busy learning more about the technology and earning the certification from the Federal Aviation Administration required to pilot the device. The city is also in the process, in conjunction with Danbury Municipal Airport, of gaining a certificate of authorization that will allow the fire department to fly the drone in Danbury. Authorization from the FAA is required to fly any drones in the city because the entire municipality and parts of Ridgefield are within the airports five mile approach zone. All drone activity, even if its just recreational, must be approved by the control tower, said Mike Safranek, the assistant administrator of the airport. There is a misconception that hobbyists can fly wherever they want, but thats simply not true. The regulations are in place, he said, to protect planes from drone activity, particularly during critical landing maneuvers. Weve experienced a growing problem with people operating drones near the airport and its getting to the point where we will start calling the police, Safranek said. Its a criminal offense to fly a drone in the airports airspace. The drone will be made available through mutual aid to other departments in the area, and requests already started coming before the device was even delivered to the city. If other departments call for the drone, Gagliardo will also be on call as its pilot. We believe this will be a very popular resource, Gagliardo said. As far as I know, we are the only department in the area to have the technology. 1 Deadly fire: Two children and a woman died in a house fire Friday in Baton Rouge, La., where a neighbor watched in horror as another young woman ran from the home with her clothes on fire. A 19-year-old woman and a 5-year-old boy were taken to a hospital in critical condition, fire officials said. The cause of the blaze was not immediately known. Louisiana is experiencing a surge in fire-related deaths some of which are likely due to the use of space heaters during the recent spate of cold weather, the state fire marshals office said. Since December, fire officials have responded to more than six residential fires that resulted in more than 10 deaths. 2 Homeless eviction: Orange County officials are planning to clear an extensive homeless encampment on a riverbed trail within weeks. Authorities will post notices Tuesday that the hundreds of people living in tents on the 2-mile stretch near Angel Stadium in Anaheim will need to move. Supervisor Todd Spitzer said the county will clear the encampment on Jan. 22. The county has long said it eventually planned to clear the encampment that has ballooned in recent years along with a rise in homelessness. Homeless advocates say the plan will simply shuffle homeless people elsewhere due to a lack of housing. Roy Watford was 18 and borderline intellectually disabled, when a Virginia judge asked him to make a decision that would go a long way to determine his future: How would he plead to the charge of raping a 12-year-old girl? Watford contended he was innocent, but his grandfather urged him not to take the risk of going to trial. He was looking at the possibility of life in prison if convicted by a jury, while a prosecutor was offering a deal that would allow him to walk out of the courthouse without serving a day. So Watford rose on March 23, 1978, with a heavy sense of shame and uttered the word that would dog him over the next four decades: guilty. Watford, 58, of Chesapeake, Virginia, is now petitioning the Virginia Supreme Court to overturn his conviction, saying he erred in his plea and new evidence - including DNA tests - show he could not have committed the crime. The state opposes the motion, saying Watford has not met the high bar of proof to be cleared. The court will hear oral arguments Wednesday before returning a decision. Few think they would plead guilty to a crime they didn't commit, but a recent spate of cases like Watford's is bringing increased attention to the issue of defendants who claim they are innocent despite their guilty pleas. Innocence advocates say such cases raise questions about the plea bargain system, which has grown to resolve about 95 percent of felony criminal cases in the United States. U.S. District Court judge for the Southern District of New York, Jed Rakoff, said mandatory minimums and other factors that increased the length of sentences during the rise in crime between the late 1960s and mid-1990s have given prosecutors extraordinary leverage over defendants - even innocent ones. "The penalty for going to trial is so high if you lose that, many people cannot take it," Rakoff said. The National Registry of Exonerations database shows nearly 400 of the nation's roughly 2,140 known exonerees pleaded guilty to their crimes before being cleared, or about 18 percent of the total. The Innocence Project and others launched a campaign to highlight the issue earlier in 2017. "People plead guilty to crimes they didn't commit all the time. I didn't realize the gravity of the situation," Watford said. "I was raised by my grandmother and grandfather and was never told anything wrong by them, so I listened to them." Watford, who received a sentence of 10 years probation, said the rape conviction has left him unable to find steady work. He has bounced from job to job over the years, barely earning more than minimum wage. Faded memories, missing evidence and the death of the detective involved have made re-examining his case challenging, but the basic outline is not in dispute. Watford's trouble began on Sept. 14, 1977. At a recent evidentiary hearing held to help the court make a decision about Watford's innocence claim, the rape victim testified that she got on her bike in Portsmouth, Virginia, and set out to find Watford, a teen she knew from the neighborhood. The Post generally does not name victims of sexual assault. The victim testified she knocked on a door of a home that a neighbor said was vacant and used for trysts and partying. When the door opened, the victim told the court she saw Watford's 15-year-old brother inside before someone threw a blanket over her head. She said her view remained blocked by the quilt during the attack that followed. At the time of the incident, the victim told a detective she was taken inside the home, and raped and sodomized by three black males on a bare mattress, according to court records. The victim later identified the three Watford brothers as her attackers, according to court records. But at the recent evidentiary hearing, the woman said the only person she could definitively say was in the house was the 15-year-old brother. The victim said she did not see Roy Watford that day and could not say whether she heard his voice during the assault. She did not remember whether she specifically identified Roy Watford to police as one of her attackers. Joseph Edward Brown, a neighbor, testified at the evidentiary hearing that he and a friend happened to be passing by the vacant home around the time of the rape. "We heard a girl screaming on the way home, so we went into the vacant house, saw the girl standing up screaming to the right," Brown testified. "Some guys were on the left. We took the girl out of the house." After the attack, the victim went home and told her mother what happened, she testified at the evidentiary hearing. The victim's mother took her to the Naval Regional Medical Center, where she was examined and police were called. Sperm was collected from a vaginal swab of the victim, the girl's jeans and the mattress, according to court records. DNA matching was not yet developed, so the material was not tested at the time. Hairs were also taken from the scene of the crime that were eventually matched to Roy Watford and his other, 16-year-old brother. In the years since, hair matching has been discredited as a form of forensic science. The Watford brothers were subsequently charged with rape and sodomy. Roy Watford had no previous criminal record and told The Washington Post he was hanging out with friends at a store in Portsmouth at the time of the rape. The Post does not generally name juveniles charged with crimes, so is it not naming Watford's brothers. The 15-year-old brother was found "not innocent" in juvenile court and the charges against the 16-year-old were eventually dropped. The case against Roy Watford continued. At his arraignment in March 1978, Roy Watford was offered the plea deal that included dropping the sodomy charge. The prosecutor, Gregory Pomije, had only a faint memory of the case but confirmed it was unusual to offer a deal of no jail time on a rape charge, according to court records. Jon Sheldon, Roy Watford's attorney, said he felt the light punishment reflected the weakness of the case against Roy Watford. After the conviction, Roy Watford returned to his life, continuing high school and working a job. He completed probation and has not had another charge since, but he said the conviction narrowed his horizons. In 2005, then-Virginia Gov. Mark Warner ordered fresh DNA tests in thousands of criminal cases from 1973 to 1988 including Watford's, after a trove of biological samples was discovered in the case files of a deceased former analyst from the state's department of forensic science. The sweeping review came after DNA evidence led to a handful of high-profile exonerations in the state that shook confidence in the justice system. The DNA testing in Watford's case excluded all three brothers as contributing any of the biological material that was collected from the scene of the crime and the victim. The tests did not provide any positive matches. Detectives visited the victim in 2010 and 2016 following the results of the DNA tests, but she did not provide any other details about the case and said she wanted to put it behind her, according to court records. The woman did not respond to requests for comment. In August 2016, Roy Watford filed his petition for a writ of actual innocence with the Virginia Supreme Court. The Virginia Office of the Attorney General opposed the motion, writing there was not enough evidence in the record to grant it since there wasn't a trial and the DNA evidence alone was not strong enough to prove Roy Watford's innocence. The state argued the only DNA that could be definitively linked to the rape was that recovered from the victim's vagina, not what was found on her pants or the bed since they may have been deposited at other times. Since there were multiple assailants, the OAG reasoned Roy Watford could have participated in the attack, but one of the other attackers could have deposited the sperm found in the victim. The OAG declined to comment. "He has not shown by clear and convincing evidence that a rational trier of fact would have disbelieved [the victim]," the OAG wrote in response to Watford's petition. Earlier in 2017, the Virginia Supreme Court ordered the April evidentiary hearing to ascertain facts that weren't in the record. Watford said he is cautiously optimistic the court will side with him. The spillway failures at Oroville Dam that prompted tens of thousands to flee for their lives last winter were the result of years of mistakes, lax inspections and lazy repairs by the states water agency, a team of independent dam experts reported Friday. Their conclusions: State water managers should not have built the dams primary spillway on faulty bedrock. They should have done more when the spillways concrete began to crack and water seeped through. And they should have been on high alert when the ground below began to give way. Instead, during nearly 50 years of preventable decay, the California Department of Water Resources did only a few patch jobs on the half-mile-long water chute, leading up to its disintegration in February and prompting wider concern about how the state maintains its other nearly three dozen water storage sites. The six-person team charged by federal regulators with investigating the nations tallest dam has pointed out several of the structural deficiencies in previous reports, but its latest and final assessment links them to a steady run of human missteps. The 584-page document describes a culture of complacency, overconfidence and insularity at the Department of Water Resources that allowed errors to compound earlier errors, dating back all the way to the dams construction in the 1960s. Although the authors say state managers had numerous opportunities to prevent spillway problems, they dont blame any individual. Nor do they identify a single root cause behind the dams flaws. Although were recommending that DWR look at its organization and improve, many of the lessons apply to other dam owners as well, said John France, a geotechnical engineer and head of the review team. As a group, our industry needs to improve what were doing. State water officials said Friday they are still reading the report but that they take the findings seriously. As we have done in the past, we will carefully assess this report, share it with the entire dam safety community and incorporate the lessons learned going forward to ensure California continues to lead the nation on dam safety, said Grant Davis, director of the Department of Water Resources. The report notes that the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, the agency tasked with inspecting all dams that generate electricity, also failed to spot long-standing issues at Oroville Dam, as did several consultants who worked with the state. The report calls the repeated oversights a wake-up call for everyone responsible for dam safety. People should not lose sleep over this, but they should be concerned, France said. The problems at 770-foot-tall Oroville Dam, located about 75 miles north of Sacramento, became obvious to everyone on Feb. 7. A section of the giant spillway fractured as large volumes of water poured out of the reservoir, prompting dam operators to turn to an emergency spillway, essentially a barren hillside, to make releases. The backup chute, however, also began to fall apart. Fears that water would pour uncontrollably out of the lake prompted officials to order evacuations for 180,000 people living downstream. The new report takes issue with how state water officials handled the crisis as well. The slopes of the emergency spillway were geologically unsound and not tested, according to the document, and dam operators should not have allowed water releases there. As it turns out, dam operators were able to use the broken main spillway to make safe releases and prevent the reservoir from overflowing. The reports authors say the primary chute should never have been taken out of service. The decisions were made with the best of intentions, the report said, but against the advice of civil engineering and geological personnel. The panels assessment dates the issues at the dam to even before the first concrete was poured. The ground beneath both the primary and backup spillways was not as strong as it should have been, the authors say, and few at the Department of Water Resources took note initially or in the ensuing years. Although the poor foundation conditions at both spillways were well documented in geology reports, these conditions were not properly addressed in the original design and construction, and all subsequent reviews mischaracterized the foundation as good quality rock, the report said. The person who designed the spillway, the report said, had only limited experience with such work. Shortly after the dam was built, cracks emerged on the main spillway, according to the assessment. Rather than recognize a problem, dam managers assumed the fractures were normal. The report identifies five fixes that were done on the main chute as the cracks widened, one as late as 2013. But none got to the heart of the problem. According to the panel, water seeped into the ground and slowly ate away at the soil and the spillways anchors. In addition, the drains proved insufficient. The dams damaged spillways have since been mostly rebuilt in what amounted to one of the fastest construction projects in modern state history. The costs so far have totaled $500 million. In the wake of Februarys scare, state water officials have begun a review of Oroville Dam as well as evaluations of spillways at other reservoirs. Kurtis Alexander is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: kalexander@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @kurtisalexander President Donald Trump continues to defend himself in the wake of a new book that suggests top White House aides fear that he is unfit for the job. In a tweetstorm Saturday morning, the president called himself a "very stable genius" and called being "really smart" one of his greatest assets. Trump cited his career in business and reality television and his victory in last year's election as evidence of his mental prowess. And he again lashed out at the ongoing special counsel investigation into his campaign's contacts with Russian operatives, calling suggestions that he colluded with Moscow a "total hoax on the American public." "....Actually, throughout my life, my two greatest assets have been mental stability and being, like, really smart. Crooked Hillary Clinton also played these cards very hard and, as everyone knows, went down in flames. I went from VERY successful businessman, to top T.V. Star....." Trump tweeted Saturday, "....to President of the United States (on my first try). I think that would qualify as not smart, but genius....and a very stable genius at that!" Trump's outburst came a day after the public release of a new book, "Fire and Fury: Inside the Trump White House," by Michael Wolff, a New York media columnist who said he spent time in the West Wing interviewing top aides, as well as Trump. Wolff paints the picture of a president who is unfit for the job and aides who come to fear Trump is not capable of, or interested in, processing information and making important decisions. Late Friday, Trump blasted Wolff as a "total loser," and the president mocked his former campaign chairman and White House adviser, Stephen Bannon, who was a key source for the book. Bannon criticized other aides and Trump's son, calling a meeting at Trump Tower last year between Donald Jr. and a Russian lawyer "treasonous." "Michael Wolff is a total loser who made up stories in order to sell this really boring and untruthful book. He used Sloppy Steve Bannon, who cried when he got fired and begged for his job. Now Sloppy Steve has been dumped like a dog by almost everyone," Trump said on Twitter. White House aides have mounted an all-out attack on the book since it was first reported on Wednesday, calling it "fiction" and a "complete fantasy." And Trump's lawyers sent cease-and-desist letters to Wolff and his publisher demanding they not release the book. But the publisher, Henry Holt, moved up the release date from later this month to Friday amid the publicity, and hard copies were quickly sold out in the Washington area. Reporters asked White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders on Thursday to respond to the book's suggestion that Trump is mentally unfit for office. "It's disgraceful and laughable," she said. "If he was unfit, he probably wouldn't be sitting there and wouldn't have defeated the most qualified group of candidates the Republican Party has ever seen. This is an incredibly strong and good leader. That's why we've had such a successful 2017 and why we're going to continue to do great things as we move forward in this administration." A former H-E-B executive convicted in October on 48 counts of possession and promotion of child pornography was sentenced Friday to 10 years in prison. John Campbell was indicted in November 2016 on 53 counts of possession and promotion of child pornography and was fired after he admitted attaching a photo of a naked male who was a minor to a business email in April 2014. Bexar County jurors found him guilty on 48 counts and not guilty on five counts of possession. Campbell had elected to be sentenced by state District Judge Catherine Torres-Stahl. Earlier Friday, Campbell testified at a presentencing investigation hearing and spent most of the morning talking about his childhood and ambitions. He started at H-E-B while in high school and eventually worked his way up to executive management. His career spanned more than 40 years with the San Antonio-based grocer, and he was credited with designing the upscale Central Market stores. Under direct questioning by his lawyer, Charlie Baird, Campbell said he is a changed man and not the person he used to be. He also admitted he was an alcoholic, workaholic and a sex addict who viewed pornography up to eight hours a day, including while at work, which led to his firing and eventually his conviction. I was ashamed and heartsick that I had gotten into that situation, he said. It bought my career to a close and brought shame to the family. Under cross-examination by prosecutor Josh Somers, Campbell at first said he did not know the ages of the males in the photographs, but when shown an image taken from his computer of a 5-year-old boy engaged in a sex act, Campbell eventually admitted he knew the boy was underage and that the image sexually aroused him. My conduct was unnatural, reprehensible, disgusting and out of line, said Campbell. I couldnt help myself. Somers told Campbell the children in the images were victims of sex abuse and that each time he viewed the photos, it is as if they were victimized again. Do you believe you perpetuated and played a role (in victimizing them)? Somers asked. Yes, I did, Campbell replied. Family and supporters filled both sides of the gallery in the 175th state District Court, and the defense called 10 witnesses who spoke fondly of Campbell and touted him on his rehabilitation efforts since he was arrested in 2014 after he sent a lewd photograph to a co-worker. In his closing argument, Baird told the judge that Campbell, who had no previous criminal record, deserved probation because he is a man of exceptional kindness, who gave money to start a school for girls. This is not somebody who comes to you like a DWI who gets another chance and falls off the wagon, Baird told Torres-Stahl, adding that Campbell attended 90 meetings of Sex Addicts Anonymous in 90 days right after his arrest and has helped others with similar addictions. Somers reminded the judge that Campbell also participated in a lewd Skype chat in which he asked the boy, Is your mom around, to see if it was safe enough to chat. You didnt get to hear from those children, Somers told Torres-Stahl. You have the opportunity to send a message and to be a voice for those children. Before she sentenced Campbell, Torres-Stahl said although she felt the work Campbell has done in rehabilitation was admirable, she was disturbed by the lewd conversation in the Skype chat. She sentenced Campbell, 67, to 10 years on six counts of promotion of child pornography and eight years on 42 counts of possession of child pornography. The sentences will be served at the same time, and Campbell will be eligible for parole after he has served a quarter of his sentence. Promotion of child pornography is a second-degree felony punishable by two to 20 years in prison. Possession of child pornography is a third-degree felony with a punishment of two to 10 years in prison. The Alabama home of Tina Johnson, who accused former U.S. Senate candidate Roy Moore of groping her, was destroyed Tuesday in a fire that is being investigated as an act of arson. Johnson's house on Lake Mary Louise Road in Gadsden caught fire Tuesday morning, according to AL.com. Johnson and her husband were at work at the time and her grandson was at school. WASHINGTON - The White House on Friday presented Congress with an expansive list of hard-line immigration measures, including an $18 billion request to build a wall at the Mexican border, that President Donald Trump is demanding in exchange for protecting young unauthorized immigrants. The request, which totals $33 billion over 10 years for border security measures including the wall, could jeopardize bipartisan talks aimed at getting an immigration deal. Among the items on Trump's immigration wish list: money to hire 10,000 additional immigration officers, tougher laws for those seeking asylum, and denial of federal grants to "sanctuary cities." The list, delivered to Sen. Richard J. Durbin, D-Ill., who has been leading the talks related to young immigrants without documentation, is identical to one Democrats declared a non-starter when the White House issued it in October. "President Trump has said he may need a good government shutdown to get his wall," a furious Durbin said in an emailed statement Friday afternoon. "With this demand, he seems to be heading in that direction." The senator went on: "It's outrageous that the White House would undercut months of bipartisan efforts by again trying to put its entire wish list of hard-line anti-immigrant bills - plus an additional $18 billion in wall funding - on the backs of these young people." An estimated 780,000 young people brought to this country illegally were shielded from deportation under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals Program, a program instituted by former President Barack Obama in 2012. But in September, Trump rescinded the program, known by its acronym, DACA, and gave Congress six months to come up with a replacement. 'Punch list' delivered Since then, immigration advocates say, 14,000 young people have lost their protected status because they could not renew two-year work permits issued under the program. Durbin and four other senators - including three Republicans - have been meeting nearly every day for the past two months to negotiate a deal that would protect the DACA recipients while beefing up border security, a key Republican demand. Senators said they were making progress but were stalled while awaiting a "punch list" from the White House that would set forth the president's conditions. The White House documents include a list of "critical physical border security requirements," including the $18 billion for a "border wall system," first reported by The Wall Street Journal on Friday. The money would be used to construct more than 2,000 miles of new or replacement barriers along the border with Mexico. Durbin, who said he would continue the bipartisan talks with his senate colleagues "in good faith," made the documents public late Friday afternoon, sparking an intense reaction from his fellow Democrats. Rep. Nancy Pelosi of California, the Democratic House leader, took to Twitter, writing, "@realDonald Trump, that border wall funding you are asking for (again) could do so much more good in other places .... .NoWall". The White House issued the demands as Trump decamped to Camp David, where he was meeting with Republican congressional leaders to address a series of issues - including keeping the government open past Jan. 19. But part of the discussions were also expected to center on how to reach an accord with Democrats over protections for the immigrants brought to the country illegally as children, those known as Dreamers, as well as how to fund a major children's health care program that is in danger of running out of funds. The president met with Republicans at the White House on Wednesday, but the meetings at Camp David, the presidential retreat in Maryland, are designed to come up with a clearer strategic approach. Stopgap bill expires Jan. 19 The administration and Congress must also strike a deal to raise statutory limits on military and domestic spending before Jan. 19, when the current stopgap spending bill expires. If they cannot reach a deal, the government could be forced into a partial shutdown almost a year to the day after Trump was sworn into office. How Trump works with Congress over these critical domestic issues will set a tone for his second year in office, and could shape the 2018 midterm election landscape. Republicans are deeply concerned that their majorities in the House and Senate may be in jeopardy. Earlier this week, the president expressed some hope that he could reach a deal with Democrats over the Obama-era immigration initiative, which allowed immigrants illegally brought to the United States as children to be shielded from deportation and to receive temporary, renewable work permits. Trump said then that, in addition to the wall, he wanted to limit family-based migration, which critics call "chain migration," that allows relatives to sponsor family members to come to the United States. And he wants to do away with the diversity visa lottery, a State Department program that admits immigrants from countries that do not send many people to the United States. "We'd love to take care of DACA," Trump said Thursday, "but we're only going to do it under these conditions." In a Twitter message Tuesday, the president accused Democrats of "doing nothing for DACA" and being interested only in politics. Whether that approach will bring along dubious Democrats is not certain, but it is clear that DACA is only one piece of a larger puzzle. While many Democrats support ending the visa program and stiffening border and interior enforcement, it is not clear whether they will back the measures that Republicans demand to limit what they call "chain migration," allowing immigrants to sponsor family members once they gain legal status. "Nothing is agreed to until everything is agreed to," Pelosi said in an interview on Tuesday. Human trafficking is defined by the United Nations Office of Drug and Crimes as the recruitment, transportation, transfer, harboring or receipt of persons, by means of threat or use of force or other forms of coercion, abduction, fraud, deception, or the abuse of power or a position of vulnerability, or the giving or receiving of payments or benefits to achieve the consent of a person having control over another person for the purpose of exploitation. In developing countries such as Haiti, where, according to the World Bank, a quarter of people live on less than $1.23 per day, this type of activity happens frequently, often because parents are unable to provide their children with the education and food they need. In most cases, they are sent to live with other families or orphanages on the promise that they will be taken care of. In exchange, the children are required to perform domestic services. The term used to refer to these children is restavek, a Haitian Creole word meaning to stay with. There are an estimated 250,000 to 400,000 restavek children in Haiti. Because of the domestic nature of these services, it is hard for governing agencies to determine if many children are being used as restavek labor. Many children sent to live in orphanages end up in terrible conditions, with no clean water or medical care, and they are often sexually exploited. In November, a 35-year-old man from Miami was found guilty of traveling to Haiti multiple times to engage in illicit sexual conduct with minor girls under his care at an orphanage in the city of Jacmel. There have been several laws and decrees issued by the Haitian government to set boundaries for child domestic labor, including in 2015 the creation of a national committee on human trafficking. Most of these laws are underfunded or unknown to the public, and law enforcement struggles to implement many governmental policies. So restavek labor continues to be a widespread practice in all social classes across Haiti, despite the laws against it. January is Human Trafficking Awareness Month. This sheds light on what is happening not just in Haiti but around the world. Additionally, organizations such as Lumos and LiveBeyond are proactively trying to educate and end the cycle of human trafficking and child labor. So far, Lumos has worked with the Haitian government to close five orphanages that traffic children. At LiveBeyond, the Ke Pou Timoun program provides an alternative for parents faced with sending off their children. Ke Pou Timoun means Heart for Children in Haitian Creole. The goal of this program is to improve all areas of the childrens lives. Monday through Friday, more than 200 children come to the LiveBeyond base for two nutritious meals, literacy lessons in Creole and English, Bible lessons, tutoring, leadership training, and regular basic health checkups. Taking the financial stress off families means they can keep their children at home, where they are safe, and reduce the risk that they will be trafficked. What can the average American do to help prevent human trafficking? Because poverty is a root cause, the best course of action is to support organizations working to eradicate poverty with sustainable solutions, such as LiveBeyond. Anyone looking to donate to other groups working in Haiti should research them carefully, as Lumos has done, to ensure they are truly looking out for the best interests of families in need, and then give to those organizations. With all of us working together, we can make a difference for all these precious children, protecting them from lives of slavery and prostitution. Devin Vanderpool of Kerrville is the director of communications for LiveBeyond, a nonprofit humanitarian organization founded by David and Laurie Vanderpool in 2005 dedicated to providing clean water, medical care and adequate nutrition to the poorest of the poor. iStock/Thinkstock(SEATTLE) -- Washington state will allow residents to change the sex on their birth certificates to a nonbinary option called X. Social norms are changing, state registrar and Center for Health Statistics director Christie Spice told ABC News on Friday. When a persons gender designation on their birth certificate doesnt match how people present themselves, it opens the door to harassment and intimidation. The new rule, announced Thursday and effective Jan. 27, also removes the need for medical approval from a primary physician for adults who want to change the sex status on their birth certificate. Minors who don't identify male or female and want to change their sex designation still need written consent from a parent or legal guardian and medical input. The difference now is that the list of health care professionals who can approve the change has expanded for minors to include primary physicians, physician assistants, psychologists, psychiatrists, social workers and mental health counselors, according to the state Department of Health. People interested in changing their sex classification must complete a request, have it notarized and submit it to the health department. Washington state has allowed residents to change their sex designation from male to female and vice versa for the past 10 years, Spice said, adding that the movement toward a third option stemmed largely from changing social norms. We received a couple of requests from residents but we were already in the process of discussing the new rule, Spice told ABC News. The Department of Health put the process in motion in August, followed by a public hearing in December. [The hearing] was a packed house, Spice said. There were people on both sides of the issue but a majority supported the change. Some who argued against the rule said a birth certificate should only reflect information available at birth. Other attendees discussed what some see as positive aspects of the new rule, such as freedom of expression and speech, as well as destigmatization. The Department of Health also received about 1,000 written comments, Spice said. We took every comment into consideration when we drafted the language for the rule, she added. The rule was signed by Washington Secretary of Health John Wiesman and officially adopted Dec. 27, but not publicly released until Thursday, a state official said. Washington will be the second state to enact the third sex rule, after Oregon. California is also adopting the law, effective in September. Copyright 2018, ABC Radio. All rights reserved. By ANI JAKARTA: External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj on Saturday met with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Sectary General Dato Paduka Lim Jock Hoi in Jakarta. Ministry of External Affairs Spokesperson Raveesh Kumar took to Twitter to inform about the meeting. Kumar tweeted: Taking ASEAN-India relationship in the commemorative year! EAM @SushmaSwaraj met with Mr. Dato Paduka Lim Jock Hoi, Secretary-General, ASEAN and Ms. Retno Marsudi, Foreign Minister of Indonesia. #ActEastPolicy. pic.twitter.com/CRDqfe3zcF Raveesh Kumar (@MEAIndia) January 6, 2018 Later in the day, she will address the Indian community in the capital city. Earlier on Friday, India and Indonesia condemned all forms of terrorism at the 5th Joint Commission meeting between the foreign ministers of the two countries. "We unequivocally condemned terrorism in all its forms. We expressed our strong opposition to any selective approach to deal with this group of menace and called upon all the countries to stop providing state sponsorship to terrorism and prevent their territories to stop being used for establishing terrorist safe havens," Swaraj said. The two leaders also reviewed trade, energy ties, defence cooperation and people to people links in the meeting. NEW MILFORD Mayor Pete Bass this week apologized for the previous administrations disclosure of financial data pertaining to families who are clients of the Childrens Center. Bass said former Mayor David Gronbach wrongly disclosed that data last summer when he questioned why the center provides state-subsidized day care to some families earning more than $100,000 a year. Gronbach referred to the income data, which did not identify families by name, in a Facebook post and in a letter to the News-Times. He later released the data itself to Hearst Connecticut Media under a public records request. Days after Gronbachs post, the state Office of Early Childhood wrote the town that it constituted breach of contract with the state by disclosing family-level personal information that is considered confidential. Gronbach did not return a call seeking comment Friday. Bass, who was running against Gronbach at the time, said enrolling higher-income families helps ensure that the center serves a mix of children from different socioeconomic groups. In a press release, Bass said the state was very clear prior to my taking office that a letter of apology was required from the town in order to preserve a $325,000 state grant to the town. Gronbachs post and letter said he had learned that five of the centers families were making more than $100,000 a year. He argued that state-subsidized spots, which make up about half the centers enrollment, should be reserved for lower-income families. Gronbach said at the time, and Childrens Center officials confirmed, that all of the families receiving state subsidies, including those earning more than $100,000, were eligible under state income guidelines. Under those guidelines, families are eligible for subsidies as long as they make less than 75 percent of the state median income, adjusted for family size. Nevertheless, Gronbach wrote, From what I have heard about the motivation to support the working poor, not many of us would classify someone making over $100,000 as working poor. Something about the current priorities is not right when a family making over $100,000 takes the subsidized spot of a single parent making a fraction of that. blytton@hearstmediact.com; 203-731-3411; @bglytton The Community Culinary School of Northwestern Connecticut, based in New Milford, is accepting applications for its next session. The next 12-week program will start Sunday at St. Johns Episcopal Church on Whittlesey Avenue. If you love to cook and are interested in an exciting new career opportunity, you may be a good candidate for the Community Culinary School, said Dawn Hammacott, executive director of the school. The New Milford/Danbury area has more than 500 businesses that employ food service personnel, Hammacott said. The industry is always in need of reliable, trained employees, she said. The school trains people 18 and older for jobs in food service. Instructed by chef Justin Elander, a 2008 graduate of the Community Culinary School, the students will learn a range of cooking techniques in a full-scale kitchen. The school arranges internships for students, trains them in the life skills necessary to getting and keeping a job and assists with job placement. The meals students prepare are distributed to those in need through the New Milford Food Bank. Tuition is free for qualifying candidates. The school was established in 2007 to provide unemployed and underemployed men and women with the skills they need to find jobs with career paths in the food service industry. Classes will be offered Mondays through Fridays from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at St. Johns Episcopal Church, 7 Whittlesey Ave. The school is modeled on the Community Kitchen program of the anti-hunger organization Feeding America. It relies largely on donations and grants, and has received support from the Connecticut Community Foundation, the Harcourt Foundation, the Meserve Memorial Fund, Union Savings Bank, Savings Bank of Danbury, Diebold Foundation, Womans Club of Danbury/New Fairfield, and other area foundations and civic organizations. For information, call Dawn Hammacott at 203-512-5791 or email culinaryschool @sbcglobal.net. Newport County hiring crisis fueled by low wages, not unemployment Employers hope workers will come back after Labor Day, but the workforce is not collecting unemployment as much as they are leaving the market. Mumbai: Former Infosys Chief Financial Officer V Balakrishnan on Saturday praised the company's co-founder Nandan Nilekani for correcting the 'wrongdoings' committed by previous board, by fixing a reasonable salary for the incumbent CEO. "I think the board under Nandan has done the right thing to correct the previous wrongdoings.. The salary structure for the current Chief Executive Officer Salil Parekh looks reasonable with a large part tied to variable salary with greater focus on long-term retention," he told PTI. Balakrishnan said it is important for the board to clearly articulate the performance metrics for the vesting of variable salaries to senior management. "The metrics should have clear focus on increasing shareholders' value by achieving superior growth.. If the board wants to exercise any discretion it should be explained to the shareholders with proper reasoning," he said. Infosys has fixed Parekh's salary at Rs 6.5 crores with an eligibility for variable pay of Rs 9.75 crores at the end of the 2018-2019 fiscal year. Elaborating on the 'wrongdoings' by the previous board, Balakrishnan said, "unfortunately, it never clearly understood the culture or value systems followed by Infosys under its founders, which resulted in excessive senior management salaries and a huge disconnect with rest of the organisation." "The former CEO's (Vishal Sikka) salary was increased substantially without clear reason while the rest of the organisation had to contend with meager salary hikes and reduced variable compensation," he added. The USD 20 billion target by 2020 was loosely used to justify the pay increase to the CEO that lacked conviction, Balakrishnan alleged. Recalling N R Narayana Murthy's views, he said excess in capitalism will make the acceptance of capitalism difficult to a large sections of the society. "The CEO compensation should be reasonable enough to attract top talent while at the same time be comparable with peer group companies," the company's former CFO said. "It should also reflect the realities within the organization otherwise selling it internally will be difficult," he added. Balakrishnan also said when the founders ran the company, the senior management salaries were reasonable enough to attract top talent and were never considered excessive. Also, in difficult times, the leadership took the pain before it being passed on to rest of the organisation, he added. "Leadership by example was practiced both in substance and form," Balakrishnan said. He also said, "As a shareholder, I want the board to be restructured quickly with some members who were part of the earlier dispensation like the erstwhile co-chairman (Ravi Venkatesan) and audit committee chairman (Roopa Kudva) be replaced." An effective board is the need of the hour to establish proper checks and balances that was lacking in the earlier dispensation, Balakrishnan said. Riyadh: Saudi Arabia's King Salman on Saturday ordered a monthly payment of 1,000 riyals ($267) to state employees over the next year in compensation for rising cost of living after the government hiked domestic gas prices and introduced value-added tax (VAT). In a royal decree published by state news media, the king also ordered the payment of 5,000 riyals to military personnel serving at the front lines with Yemen where the kingdom is fighting a nearly three-year-old war. Saudi Arabia, the world's top oil exporter, roughly doubled gasoline prices on Monday as part of a broad reform initiative aimed at diversifying its economy. A 5 percent VAT on a broad range of goods and services came into effect on the same day. The new payment orders were an acknowledgment of "the increased burdens for some segments of the population following from the necessary measures which the state took to restructure theeconomy," according to the decree. King Salman directed the state to bear the burden of VAT in some situations, including special health and education services as well as the first purchase of a house that is valued at up to 850,000 riyals ($226,660). Allowances for students, retirees and social security recipients were also boosted. The decree did not reveal the total cost of the new allowances, but it appeared to be considerably smaller than some past handouts by Saudi kings, and therefore unlikely to have much impact on economic growth or the state budget deficit. About 1.18 million Saudis are employed in the government sector and there are more than 1.23 million pensioners and beneficiaries of pension payments, the central bank says. That suggests a total package cost of about 23 billion riyals, according to Reuters calculations. That compares to a projected 2018 deficit of 195 billion riyals, according to a budget plan released last month. A package of handouts marking King Salman's accession to the throne in early 2015 was estimated to cost more than 100 billion riyals. Saudi Arabia will slow plans to eliminate subsidies for a wide range of energy products, according to a new long-term fiscal plan in the 2018 state budget. New Delhi: Tata Group and Singapore Airlines are open to potentially bidding for debt-ridden national carrier Air India, a top official at Vistara, the joint venture owned by the firms, said on Friday. Air India, which was founded in the 1930s by the Tata Group and nationalised in 1953, is saddled with a debt of $8.5 billion. The government agreed last June to sell it, after multiple efforts to resurrect the business failed. Leslie Thng, chief executive of Vistara, the carrier launched jointly by the Tata Group and Singapore Airlines in 2015, said in response to a question at a news conference that the companies were "open to evaluating" a potential bid for Air India. "They keep an open mind," Thng said, without elaborating. It was not immediately clear if the companies might bid jointly or separately. Several private domestic carriers have expressed an interest in buying the beleaguered airline, which still has about a 13 percent market share in India, and is the country's third biggest carrier, according to analysts and government reports. Tata Group Chairman N Chandrasekaran said late last year that the company would be interested in bidding for Air India. Vistara's Thng, at the conference, also said the group would lease five more A320neo aircraft by June 2018. Vistara currently has a total of 17 aircrafts on lease, including four of the fuel-efficient A320neos. Lucknow: The Yogi Adityanath-led government might have announced a Minimum Support Price (MSP) to help out the about 25 lakh farmers of the state, but it does not seem to be good enough. On Saturday morning, the state capital woke up to see thousands of tonnes of potatoes strewn on city roads. Disgruntled farmers brought tonnes of potatoes loaded in tractor-trolleys, trucks and dumped them on roads, right in front of the CM House and UP State Assembly. After a record production of 155-160 lakh metric tonne potatoes in Uttar Pradesh during 2016-17, the state government after its cabinet meeting in April last year, had decided to buy the produce at a rate of Rs 487 per quintal. The procurement, of nearly one lakh metric tonne potatoes, was to start immediately. CM Yogi Adityanath had also reached out to the central government and asked Union agriculture minister Radha Mohan Singh to ask other states to procure potato from UP. Adityanath also wanted potato crop from the state to get prominence for procurement in the Centres E-National Agricultural Mart. Speaking to News18, farmer leader, Harnam Singh said, The government might have announced a basic MSP but the procurement is next to nil. Also, the support price of Rs 487 per quintal is not enough. They have not taken into account the money paid by farmers to store their produce in the cold storages. In such a situation farmers are forced to dump their produce on roads. Singh added that the government was only interested in handing out figures about their help to farmers. Figures dont help or provide any relief to farmers. Farmers sit on dharna in this cold weather and no one cares. If the government does not wake up now, it will face consequences, he said. BJP Spokesperson Rakesh Tripathi responded to the claims and said, UP was one of the first states to announce a minimum support price for potato. But yes, I admit that it might not be enough. We are working towards addressing this issue. Meanwhile, SSP Lucknow Deepak Kumar has said that strict action will be taken against those who littered with streets with potatoes. The police have identified the people and the vehicles they used to do this, he said. Indore: Police in Madhya Pradesh have booked the driver of the school bus which crashed along the Indore bypass killing him along with four students. The accident occurred on Friday after the steering wheel jammed of the bus belonging to Delhi Public School in Indore and it swerved into the opposite lane before colliding into a truck coming from the other side. Additional Superintendent of Police (ASP) Manoj Kumar Rai told PTI that an FIR was lodged at the Kanadiya police station under IPC section 304 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder) against Rahul Sisodia Sisodia (35) and some unidentified persons. However, following public outrage over the accident, Madhya Pradesh home minister Bhupendra Singh ordered DIG, Indore, to probe the accident. The probe report, a copy of which is available to News18, revealed that the bus at the time of the incident was running at the speed of 80km/hour which was sufficient to prove that the speed governor fitted in the vehicle was not working properly. Furthermore, DPS student Harman Singh who also used to travel in the same bus, told the media that Sisodia had told him about technical snags in the bus which he complained to administration but no one paid any attention. Had I attended school on Friday, I would have talked to school administration as requested by the driver, he said. Following the report, the government has ordered a case to filed against DPS Indore and the company which manufactured the defective speed governor. The order mentioned that the bus driver had complained to the school administration regarding some technical snag in the vehicle but the management did not listen to his inputs. A large crowd turned up to pay tribute to the children who died in the accident and took part in their funeral procession on Saturday. RTO Bhopal did not confirm the claims that no school bus failed fitness test in one year in the city. However, one of the officers off the record accepted that they dont reject application and hold it until shortcomings are done away with. (With inputs from Vivek Trivedi) Mumbai: While the Pune police has registered a case against Jignesh Mevani for a provocative speech, Union minister Ramdas Athawale on Saturday said the Gujarat MLA was not responsible for the violence at Bhima-Koregaon in Pune district on January 1. Speaking to reporters in Mumbai after meeting Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Athawale, a prominent Dalit leader, said there was tension in the area even prior to the 200th anniversary of the Bhima-Koregaon battle on January 1. Dalits visiting the war memorial at Bhima-Koregaon had reportedly come under attack on January 1. Dalit leaders had blamed certain pro-Hindutva leaders, who were opposed to the anniversary celebrations, for the attacks, while the latter sought to blame Mevanis provocative speech, which was delivered a day earlier. Jignesh is not responsible for the violence at Bhima-Koregaon. There was tension in the area prior to January 1. I had visited the place and the tension had eased. So, I had returned to Delhi on December 31. On the same day, Jignesh had delivered his speech at the Shaniwar Wada in Pune. He had not gone to Bhima-Koregaon. Some groups had held a meeting at night and the violence took place on January 1, the Union minister of state for social justice said. I have congratulated Jignesh on his Assembly election victory. It is good that a young, fresh Dalit face is emerging. My advice to him is that he should focus on uniting the society and not dividing it, said Athawale, who heads a faction of the Republican Party of India (RPI). On Mevanis demand that Prime Minister Narendra Modi speak on the January 1 anti-Dalit violence, Athawale said, It is not necessary that the prime minister should comment on every development. After the Una incident (where Dalits were assaulted by cow vigilantes), Modi had criticised it. Fadnavis had assured him that those responsible for the Bhima-Koregaon violence would be punished and accepted his demand of compensation for those whose properties were damaged, the Union minister said. Athawale also said he was going to organise a social harmony conference in Pune on January 13. Referring to a demand put forward by some leaders of the Maratha community, he said he was open to a debate on the misuse of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. If Dalits and tribals were treated with respect, there would not be any need for such a law, Athawale said, while ruling out the possibility of its abolition at present. The January 3 Maharashtra shutdown against the Bhima- Koregaon violence had put the Dalit communitys strength in focus, the Union minister said. If Dalits can come together to voice their anger, the RPI factions can also do so to lend political strength to the community, he added. He was ready to work under the leadership of Prakash Ambedkar (who had called for the Maharashtra Bandh on January 3), Athawale said, adding, United, we can decide if we should contest elections independently or align with the BJP or the Congress. The Pune police has lodged an FIR against Mevani and Jawaharlal Nehru University student leader Umar Khalid for their alleged provocative speeches during the Elgar Parishad, organised in the city on December 31 to mark the 200th anniversary of the Bhima-Koregaon battle. The FIR was registered under IPC section 153(a) (promoting enmity between two groups). Dalit leaders commemorate the British victory over the Peshwas army at Bhima-Koregaon in 1818 as it is believed that soldiers from the Mahar community were part of the East India Companys forces. The Peshwas were Brahmins and the victory is seen as a symbol of Dalit assertiveness. Mumbai: The police on Saturday arrested Yug Pathak, the son of a retired IPS officer and one of the owners of the Mojo's Bistro pub, in connection with the deadly fire at the Kamala Mills compound on December 29, which had claimed 14 lives. Officials from the N M Joshi Marg police station arrested Pathak, the son of retired director general of police and former Pune police commissioner K K Pathak, the police said. Yesterday, the Mumbai Fire Brigade, in its preliminary probe report on the fire, which had engulfed Mojo's Bistro and the adjacent "1 Above" pub at the Kamala Mills compound in Lower Parel on December 29, had said the fire possibly started at Mojo's Bistro due to the flying embers from a hookah. The police today booked Pathak and his partner, Nagpur-based businessman Yug Tulli, under IPC sections 304 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder), 338 (causing grievous hurt by act endangering life and personal safety of others) and other relevant provisions. The police had recorded Pathak's statement in the case earlier. The names of Pathak and Tulli were added to the FIR, which was lodged on December 29 against the owners of "1 Above" -- Kripesh Sanghavi, Jigar Sanghavi and Abhijeet Mankar -- said a police official. "As of now, we have arrested Pathak, while his partner Tulli has been summoned as he is also wanted in the case," senior police inspector, attached to the N M Joshi Marg police station, Ahmed Pathan said. "We will produce Pathak before a court soon," he added. Earlier, the police had arrested two managers of "1 Above" in connection with the fire. The police have also announced a reward of Rs one lakh for any information about the three pub owners, who are on the run. Srinagar: At least 11 people have been confirmed dead while three, including a seven-year-old, were rescued on Saturday, day after an avalanche hit Tangdhar sector in north Kashmirs Kupwara district. Among those killed was an officer of the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) whose vehicle was swept away in the avalanche at Sadna Top, an ascent point on the Kupwara-Tangdhar highway. Another BRO officer in the vehicle was among the three rescued. Two vehicles were buried in snow when the avalanche struck on Friday evening, following which rescue operations were launched comprising teams of civilians, army and police personnel. Among the first bodies to be recovered was that of Beacon officer MP Singh who was declared brought dead at a military medical facility in Chowkibal. In a separate operation, a 7-year-old boy was rescued in Khoni Nallah near Sadhna Top. The driver of the vehicle had jumped out when the avalanche occurred. The residents of Tandhar have been demanding a tunnel to bypass the treacherous uphill trek, especially with the onset of winters. The area is avalanche prone and every year casualties are reported on the stretch. A tunnel will make Tangdhar accessible throughout the year, without people having to go through the risks of taking the other route. Jammu and Kashmir minister for disaster management and relief, Javeed Mustafa, has sanctioned Rs 4 lakh each to the deceased and other relief material. This is not the first of weather related tragedy in the area. Several people perish every year to the avalanches and mudslides in the area. The problem for the roughly 70000 people who live in the area is that is gets buried under up to 10 feet of snow from the first snowfall of the season. The stretch from Chowkibal to Sadna Top and down are prone to snow slides. ''This is a perennial problem. We are cut off for months together wherever it snows here. We are literally in prison for six months. We can't take sick out of Tangdhar on winters,'' said Mohammad Maqbool, a resident. Maqbool, a former zonal education officer, said that residents of the area have been demanding a tunnel between Chowkibal and Zarla in Karnah. "This would bypass the treacherous Sadna Top and make travel less risky," he said. Arif Khwaja, who serves as a doctor in the area says the pre-feasibility study with government suggests the tunnel should be only 6.25 km long which is not a big deal considering the level of advancement in tunnel digging technology. "Tangdhar being at a strategically important location badly needs a tunnel. This will make the area accessible all the time," he said. Ranchi: Former Bihar Chief Minister and Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief Lalu Prasad Yadav was sentenced to three-and-a half-years in jail by a Ranchi court on Saturday in the fodder scam case. The punishment was handed down to 69-year-old Lalu by CBI court judge Shiv Pal Singh through videoconferencing since the RJD leader is lodged in Birsa Munda Central Jail after being convicted in the case on December 23. Soon after the sentencing, a post from his Twitter handle criticised the BJP for fixing him. I will die happily fixing myself for social justice, harmony & equality, Yadav said in the tweet. This is the second time that he has been jailed in the fodder scam. Prasad faces another three scam cases for illegal withdrawal of Rs 3.97 crore from the Dumka Treasury, Rs 36 crore from the Chaibasa Treasury and Rs 184 crore from the Doranda Treasury. The special judge also sent 15 other convicts in the case to prison for terms varying between three and six months and seven years under sections of Indian Penal Code (IPC) and the Prevention of Corruption Act (PCA). CBI counsel Rakesh Prasad said a fine totaling Rs 10 lakhs was imposed the RJD supremo. The counsel said failure to pay a fine of Rs 5 lakh each under the IPC and the PCA would entail another six months in jail for the RJD leader. Prasad was sentenced to three-and-a-half years in prison for offences of cheating, read with criminal conspiracy, using as genuine a forged document and other sections under the IPC He was also given a jail term of three years and six months in the case under the PCA. The sentences will run concurrently, he said. Lalus counsel Chittaranjan Sinha said his client would filed an appeal next week against the verdict in the Jharkhand high court. His son and RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav said he would also move the High Court for bail. A jail term of over three years means that bail can only be granted by the HC and not the lower court. Former Bihar CM and RJD senior leader Rabri Devi and leader of opposition Tejshwi Yadav after the press conference in Patna on Saturday. (PTI Photo) Apart from Lalu, convicts Phool Chand, Mahesh Prasad, Beck Julious, Sunil Kumar, Sushil Kumar, Sudhir Kumar and Raja Ram have also been sentenced to three-and-half-years in jail and a Rs 5 lakh fine was imposed on them. RJD leader Jagdish Sharma got the maximum jail term, seven years, and a fine of Rs 10 lakh was imposed on him. The court had on Friday concluded arguments on the quantum of sentence against Lalu in connection with the withdrawal of Rs 89.27 lakh from the Deoghar Treasury between 1990 and 1994 when he was the chief minister of Bihar. The RJD chief was given a prison term of five years on September 30, 2013, in another fodder scam case. He was released on bail by the Supreme Court after having remained in jail for over two-and-a-half months. The CBI special judge had on December 23 acquitted former Bihar chief minister Jagannath Mishra and five others in the case. Reacting to the verdict, the BJP and its ally JD(U) said no one was above the law while the RJD claimed its leader fell prey to a "conspiracy" by Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and the saffron party. BJP leader Shahnawaz Hussain asserted the verdict shows the law was equal for all. JD(U) Secretary General K C Tyagi said a new political chapter has begun with the courts decision and it means politicians will be afraid of committing any such wrongdoing. Mumbai: A major fire gutted the Cinevista studio at Gandhi Nagar Junction in Mumbais Kanjurmarg area on Saturday evening but no casualties were reported. According to the BMC Disaster Control, the fire erupted in the studio around 8pm and at least 12 fire tenders were rushed to the spot. The fire was confined to a 3,000 square feet ground plus first floor area of the studio where shootings are usually held. The blaze came just days after a massive blaze claimed the lives of 14 people in the Kamala Mills compound, and another one in Andheri that claimed the lives of four people. The official said that shooting for two TV serials was underway in the studio and there were some people inside, but they were quickly evacuated. Located in a five acre property, the studio has over 30 shooting locations. The studio is owned by Prem Kishen, son of erstwhile actor Premnath. Electric wiring, lights and other studio equipment were gutted in the blaze, the cause of which is not known. Last September, a shooting floor in the famous R.K.Studios, Chembur had been reduced to ashes along with some priceless memorabilia belonging to Bollywood's Kapoor family. Bengaluru: The seven-member expert committee constituted to look into the issue of separate religion status to Veerashivas/Lingayats has sought six months time to submit its report. The committee, which met for the fist time today,had been given four weeks time by the government to submit its report. "We cannot complete our work in the four weeks time that the government has given us," Committee Chairman, Justice H N Nagamohan Das told reporters here after the meeting. "This is an important issue and the committee has an important responsibility to fulfill," he said. Das said that in order to complete the work as per law and in a scientific manner, the committee has decided to seek six months time from the government to submit the report. Recently, the Karnataka State Minorities Commission (KSMC), to which the state government had referred the issue, had formed a seven-member committee, headed by retired high court Judge H N Nagamohan Das, to look into the issue of separate religion status to Veerashivas/Lingayats. With the committee seeking six months time, the issue of seperate religion status is unlikely to reach conclusion before the Karnataka assembly elections, due early this year. The Opposition BJP has been accusing the ruling Congress of using the issue for political reasons, keeping the assembly elections in mind. The demand for a separate religion tag to Veerashaiva/ Lingayat faiths has surfaced from the numerically strong and politically-influential community, amidst resentment from within over projecting the two communities as the same. While one section led by Akhila Bharata Veerashaiva Mahasabha has demanded separate religion status,asserting that Veerashaiva and Lingayats are the same, the other group wants it only for Lingayats as they believe that Veerashaiva is one among the seven sects of Shaivas, which is part of Hinduism. The Veerashaiva-Lingayat community that owes allegiance to the 12th century "social reform movement" initiated by Basaveshwara has a substantial population in Karnataka, especially in the northern parts of the state. Pointing out that no representation has been provided for women during its constitution, the committee has also decided to give an opportunity to any interested party to submit their petitions along with documents before it. It also said that opportunity would be provided to the petitioners for oral hearing, for which dates would be fixed during the next meeting. Initial petitions that went to the committee included one arguing that Lingayats/Veerashaivas are Hindus, and the other by Akhila Bharata Veerashaiva Mahasabha demanding minority religion tag for them. Kolkata: The political establishment of the country may have locked horns over the passage of the Triple Talaq Bill in Parliament, but one of Kolkatas most prominent Muslim Royal families has welcomed the move. Dr Talat Fatima, the great-great-granddaughter of Nawab of Oudh Wajid Ali Shah, backed the controversial legislation and called for the abrogation of instant triple talaq in the country. Speaking to News18.com, Fatima said, Triple Talaq has been banned in 22 Islamic countries. Hence, it must be immediately abrogated in India. Fatima a former Principal of Law College in Dholpur, Rajasthan and author of Cyber Crimes said, Triple Talaq is regarded as Talaq-e-Biddat by the Prophet and originated in Arab countries when writing was not in fashion. In India, it is highly misused by non-serious husbands and is responsible for the miseries, abject condition of Muslim women. Dr Talat Fatima, the great-great-granddaughter of Nawab of Oudh Wajid Ali Shah. She also expressed support for Muslim women who have been abandoned or rendered homeless by their husbands. I stand with lakhs of victimised and helpless Muslim women who were thrown out of their houses like a bag of rotten apples by their haughty husbands. When the erratic husband realises his mistake and wants to take back his divorced wife, he asks the woman to opt for Halala. This encourages another obnoxious tradition which insults women. Hence, Triple Talaq must go, she said. Halala is an Islamic marriage practised primarily by certain sects of Sunni Muslims, which requires a divorced woman to marry someone else, consummating the marriage and then get a divorce in order to remarry her first husband. The great-great-grandson of Wajid Ali Shah, Shahanshah Mirza, also opposed the practice, but said there were bigger issues facing Muslims in the country. I am against Triple Talaq but the issue is very small compared to other problems which Muslims are facing across the country. The issue (of Triple Talaq) is not troubling the Muslim community as a whole. There are issues like education, health and housing that need to be addressed for the larger benefit of the Muslim society, he said. Shahanshah Mirza further called for people to be educated as a mere law cannot ensure love between a husband and wife. Resorting to divorce because the wife did not serve tea in the morning is just insane. That person is not normal. There needs to be a plan to educate people, he said. The Muslim Women Protection of Rights in Marriage Bill, 2017, which criminalises instant triple talaq and makes it a non-bailable offence, was passed by the Lok Sabha but remained deadlocked in the Rajya Sabha. The bill will now be taken up in the Budget Session. Jaipur: Despite a series of modifications being made in the controversial film Padmavati including its renaming as Padmavat, the Karni Sena on Friday again raised a demand for a complete ban on film. Speaking to media here, Karni Sena observer Lokendra Singh Kalvi said that filmmaker Sanjay Leela Bhansali should forget dreaming about the film's release. "All efforts of Bhansali and CBFC (Central Board of Film Certification) shall go down the drain as we will never allow the screening of Padmawati anywhere in India or abroad. "We are still adamant on our demand. Let there be a complete ban on the release of Padmawati," he added. Kalvi also demanded a complete ban on the Ghoomar song. "We don't want any changes in the said song, however, we demand a complete ban on the same," he said. He also questioned the 'authenticity' of the panel formed by the CBFC to review the film. Not all of them were historians, hence, their suggestions hardly make a difference, he said, adding that the CBFC proposed to bring in nine historians in the panel but ended calling only three historians "which speaks volumes on their seriousness to justify our demands". Jodhpur/Jaipur: Gangster Lawrence Bishnoi of Rajasthan on Thursday issued a death threat to Salman Khan, saying the Bollywood actor will be killed in Jodhpur. "Salman Khan will be killed here, in Jodhpur... Then he will come to know about our real identity," Bishnoi told media persons while being taken to a Jodhpur court in police security. Bishnoi was being produced in the court following his arrest on charges of terrorising traders and extorting them. The gangster claimed that he had been framed in false cases and that to date, not even a single witness had deposed in the court to prove the charges. "Now, if police want me to do some major crime, I shall kill Salman Khan and that too in Jodhpur," he added. Bishnoi's death threat to Salman is being linked with the black buck killing case of 1998, in which Salman and his co-actors are accused. It was the Bishnoi community which had brought up the black buck hunting case, and ever since the community considers the Bollywood actor a "villain". However, some onlookers felt that the gangster talked of killing Salman just to create a sensation. On Thursday, the actor appeared in the Jodhpur's Chief Judicial Magistrate (CJM) Rural Court in connection with the hearing in the blackbuck poaching case. Bishnoi is a notorious gangster and has been charged in over 20 cases of attempt to murder, carjacking, extortion, snatching and under the Arms Act in Punjab-Haryana belt. Patna: Just after Lalu Yadav was sentenced to three-and-half years in jail in the fodder scam case, his younger son and leader of opposition in Bihar assembly, Tejashwi Yadav, on Saturday vowed to go to public with his father's message and continue to fight for the cause of the poorer section of society. Addressing the media after holding meeting with all MLAs, MPs and senior leaders of Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), Tejashwi accused Narendra Modi government at the Centre and state's chief minister Nitish Kumar of conspiring to frame charges against his family to wipe out opposition from the state. "Lalu is messiah of a common man. They know their leader has been framed by CBI at the behest of political opponents but no one can challenge our determination. We will not bow down and go to people's court after Makar Sankranti, he said. The judiciary performed its duty. We will go to the High Court after studying the sentence and apply for a bail, he added. Rejecting claims of bickering within the RJD after Lalu's incarceration, Tejashwi said the party was united and will give a befitting reply to BJP-JDU combine in the next elections. This is the second fodder scam related case in which Lalu was convicted and sentenced to jail along with 15 other convicts. Earlier the same court had held him guilty and sentenced him to five years in jail in 2013. He was granted bail by the Supreme Court in December, 2013. Lucknow: The Bahujan Samaj Party and Congress on Saturday skipped the all-party meeting called by Samajwadi Party here to plan for a strategy push for the use ballot papers in the upcoming by elections on Phulpur and Gorakhpur Lok Sabha seats. An invitation in this regard was sent from SP state president Naresh Uttam Patel to Congress, BSP, RLD, CPI (M), CPI, Peace Party and many others. SP national president Akhilesh Yadav was present in the meeting. Political analysts believe that this meeting was also important for any kind of collaboration between all the opposition parties as a part of the strategy for defeating BJP in the by-elections. There were unconfirmed reports of the opposition uniting in these two constituencies to defeat BJP and give a message ahead of 2019 Lok Sabha Elections. Earlier speaking to News18, SP spokesperson Rajendra Chaudhary said, We will discuss the issue of EVMs with other parties and will decide on how to get future elections conducted through ballot papers. This is an attempt by the party to maintain the sanctity of the election process and revive the confidence of people in our democratic system. Both the seats are significant as Gorakhpur has been a traditional stronghold of the BJP since 1991 while the saffron party won Phulpur for the first time in 2014 and will not like it to slip out of their grip. In Phulpur, Keshav Prasad Maurya had defeated his nearest SP rival by 3, 08,308 votes, while in Gorakhpur, Yogi Adityanath had defeated his SP rival by 3, 12,783 votes. The Lok Sabha seats of Phulpur and Gorakhpur were vacant after Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Maurya and CM Adityanath resigned from their posts and became MLCs. The by-elections on both the seats have to be held before 22 March 2018, however it is expected that these elections could be held along with state assembly elections of four other states, which is due in the month of February 2018. New Delhi: Congress President Rahul Gandhi on Saturday blamed Prime Minister Narendra Modis divisive politics and Finance Minister Arun Jaitleys genius for the bleak GDP forecast. Tweeting a day after estimates predicted a four-year-low growth of 6.5%, Gandhi took a jibe at Modi and Jaitley, saying they had given India a 63-year low in bank credit growth and an eight-year low in job creation. FM Jaitleys genius combines with Mr Modis Gross Divisive Politics (GDP) to give India:New Investments: 13 year Bank credit Growth: 63 year Job creation: 8 year Agriculture GVA growth: 1.7%Fiscal Deficit: 8 yearStalled Projects https://t.co/bZdPnREYiE Office of RG (@OfficeOfRG) January 6, 2018 Gandhi claimed the fiscal deficit had increased and projects had been stalled. Senior Congress leader P Chidambaram also hit out at the government, saying the worst fears of an imminent economic slowdown have come true. The Modi governments tall claims of India growing at a robust growth rate have evaporated in thin air. No amount of sugar coating, false bravado and rhetoric along with headlines management can conceal the stark reality. Our fears and warnings have proved true," Chidambaram said in a statement. He said the recent social discontent could be a "direct manifestation of this economic slowdown, which the government was conveniently hiding". The advance estimate of national accounts was released by Chief Statistician TCA Anant on Friday, projecting economic growth at 6.5 per cent, the lowest since Narendra Modi took office. The Gross Domestic Product (GDP) was 7.1 percent in 2016-17 and 8 percent in the preceding year. It was 7.5 percent in 2014-15. "Is there an impact of the GST (Goods and Service Tax) on average growth? The answer is, to some extent, of course and I can explain why," Chief Statistician TCA Anant told reporters. Elaborating further, he said, "When we did the first quarter estimates, we had explained this that because of fact that the GST is going to be implemented from July 1, there will be natural anticipation of GST...by the manufacturing sector. Since the first quarter is part of whole year, the manufacturing includes the first quarter as part of it. Yes that impact is built into the exercise." New Delhi: The Congress party on Saturday sought to distance itself from corruption-tainted Lalu Prasad Yadav, soon after he was sentenced to three-and-half years in jail in a fodder scam case by a CBI court in Ranchi. "Congress has always waged war against corruption. As far as the alliance is concerned, it is with RJD and not particular individuals," party leader RPN Singh was quoted as saying by news agency ANI. Bihar Pradesh Congress Committee acting president Kaukab Qadri said the alliance would continue, but refrained from commenting on the judgment. "The special court's judgement to convict and sentence Lalu Prasad will not have impact on forces fighting for secularism and social justice. Congress-RJD alliance will continue in Bihar," he said. This Congress stance is different from the one it had put up after Lalus conviction on December 23, when the party had come to the defence of the RJD supremo and said that criminal cases and political coalitions are separate matters. Manish Tewari had said that the CBI was behaving like a "pet parrot" of the BJP government, while Sanjay Nirupam said the torture of Lalu in the decades old case should stop. "This (case) has not started today. It had started in 1993-94. Between 1993-94 and today, we (Congress) have had coalition with RJD, during UPA-1 they were part of the government, they were part of mahagatbandhan as well. So criminal cases and political alliance are two separate matters," Tewari said. He had also questioned why similar actions were not initiated against Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar in the Srijan scam, in which the "quantum of embezzlement was of a much greater order". "Why are there different strokes for different folks?" Tewari alleged, while demanding an SIT probe into the Srijan scam. The special CBI court on Saturday sentenced Lalu Prasad and 15 others in the fodder scam case and also imposed a fine of Rs 10 lakh on him. While Lalus son Tejashwi said the CBI courts decision would be challenged in the high court, RJDs former alliance partner, JD(U), welcomed the judgment. This will prove to be a historic decision in Bihar politics. It is the end of a chapter, JD(U) leader KC Tyagi said. Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Kumar Modi, meanwhile, said the CBI court had upheld the charges he and others had levelled against the RJD supremo before the Patna High Court by sentencing Lalu to jail. The senior BJP leader also rubbished the "conspiracy" allegation levelled by the RJD against his party in connection with Prasad's conviction by the court. "In the PIL filed in the Patna High Court, Shivanand Tiwary, Lalan Singh and I had levelled the charges against Lalu Prasad with solid evidence. By awarding punishment to him, the court has upheld our charges," Modi said in a statement. New Delhi/Patna: No one is above the law, the BJP and its ally JD (U) said on Saturday after a special CBI court sentenced Lalu Prasad Yadav to jail in a fodder scam case, while the RJD said its leader has fallen prey to a "conspiracy" by Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and the saffron party. The special CBI court in Ranchi sentenced Lalu to three- and-a-half years in jail and imposed a fine of Rs 10 lakh on him in the fodder scam case relating to fraudulent withdrawal of Rs 89.27 lakh from the Deoghar Treasury 21 years ago. BJP leader Shahnawaz Hussain said the verdict shows the law is equal for all. "The court has done its job, and this is a message that if anyone robs the country of its wealth, however important, then the law is equal for all. This is justice for the people of Bihar because it was their money that was looted," Hussain told reporters. Janata Dal (United) Secretary General K C Tyagi said a new political chapter has begun with the court's decision and it means politicians will be afraid of committing any such wrongdoing. "It will now be difficult to keep the RJD together and people in politics will be fearful," he said, when asked about the significance of the court's verdict. "This is the end of a chapter that started with Laluji's leadership, where there was politics of corruption, nepotism and non-governance," Tyagi told reporters. Meanwhile, addressing a press conference in Patna, Lalu's son Tejashwi Yadav said the party would go to the people after makarsankranti to make them aware of the "conspiracy" hatched by Nitish Kumar and the BJP against the RJD chief. "Lalu is paying the price for his uncompromising stance against the BJP. Had he compromised, his detractors would have been comparing him to Raja Harishchandra," the former Deputy CM of Bihar said. He dismissed suggestions the party may disintegrate with its top leader being behind the bars. "The more we are harassed, the stronger will be the public support in our favour. Lalu resides in the people's hearts". "He is in jail, yet everybody is being talking about him. The only reason is that the people of Bihar are with us and this scares our opponents." He also took potshots at the Bihar's ruling JD(U)-BJP combine, saying, "Let the double engine do something for the betterment of Bihar. They should set their own house in order instead of wasting their energy on the future of RJD." With more than 1400 navigational satellites currently operational in the geosynchronous orbit, positioning of almost all the electronic equipment carrying an electric receiver capable enough to interact with the satellites signals, is being mapped constantly. These GPS receivers can be found on almost all the smartphones, laptops, computers, smart watches, cameras and of course, the GPS modules. This clearly indicates that the positioning of anyone in possession of such a device at any given time is being monitored. While this might raise serious privacy concerns and seem nightmarishly similar to Charles Xaviers Cerebro wherein the professor could monitor each and every individual on the planet through his mind, truth be told, location-based information has become an integral part of human lives across the globe. To think of it, the technology is the sole reason why we are able to navigate our way from one point of location to another, provide instant disaster management support to affected areas, issue warnings ahead of a natural disaster, map the topography of an area, detect seismic activities and perform numerous other tasks based on location etc. It wasnt always like this though. The GPS was first used for military activities after its origin in the United States. The transfer of this technology towards applications built to cater to the masses can be accredited to a few individuals. Kanwar Chadha, better known as Mr GPS, founded SiRF (now a part of Qualcomm) back in 1995 and achieved a breakthrough in the technology by integrating all the elements of GPS processing in small chips. Subsequently, many individuals, as well as private firms, have played crucial roles in evolving the location-based services over the years. One such individual, who to this date, propagates the agenda of locational information and its application through various platforms is Sanjay Kumar, Founder and CEO at Geospatial Media and Communications. We had a chance to interact with Sanjay regarding the ongoing focus on geospatial data around the globe, its current applications and how the agencies, both government and private alike, are now pushing to expand the boundaries of the technology to help create a better world. UNITED NATIONS GLOBAL GEOSPATIAL INFORMATION MANAGEMENT (UN-GGIM) Back in 2011, the United Nations set up a group of experts under the name of UN Global Geospatial Information Management in the statistics department of the UN, which is a part of the Economic and Social Commission. The objective of the group to date is to develop a global geospatial information platform to address the development, objectives and agendas of the UN. Through this initiative, the UN recognised that geospatial information is very critical and foundational for supporting the sustainable development goals by strengthening the monitoring capabilities towards the implementation of those goals. The group was formally approved in 2016 by then UN Secretariat, as the UN adopted 17 new sustainable development goals and handed the responsibility to the statistical department to provide information towards monitoring those goals. Essentially, United Nations supports the national governments with the framework for these goals and helps them monitor their implementation. Behind this body, is the aforementioned group of experts whose prime aim is to co-develop the structure, content and the legal and policy frameworks with regards to geospatial information and make it present as well as future technology compliant. For the latter part, the UN had to rope in private industry players as well, probably for the first time ever, in the form UNGGIM Private Sector Network (PSN). Sanjay Kumar, who serves as the Chair of the UNGGIM-PSN, urges all the private sector companies associated with geospatial technology to share their views and objectives with the agency. The goal is to integrate all the information systems and deliver a singular platform to work towards 6 thematic causes, which are - Geospatial and statistical integration, legal and policy frameworks, institutional arrangements, geospatial knowledge and platform services, geospatial information for disaster management, geospatial and marine integration. How active is India in all of this? India has traditionally not been very active in this initiative. The country has started engaging at the global level since the last 1 year. However, to push things forward, there is a need for better connectivity between Survey of India and Niti Aayog for implementing the assigned sustainable development goals within the country. UNGGIM will be adopting common minimum guidelines with regards to geospatial data and India should definitely be a part of this more actively. RADIANT EARTH Most of the development sector organisations face a lack of information many a time, especially while working in the developing countries, which are poorly equipped with regards to the information systems. This is a big challenge that hinders the work towards development goals at a very local level. Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and Omidyar Network recognised the problem at its core and developed a joint strategy committed to tackling challenges faced by these not-haves. The initiative was termed as Radiant Earth, with the sole aim of providing geospatial information in the form of maps and imagery, software, case studies and all the other tools and knowledge that might help in any sort of development work. The objective is to create a singular platform through which this information can be availed. Currently, Radiant Earth is expanding its reach as organisations like Amazon, HP and several others join this initiative. The information is readily available to everyone through an online portal. The information is collected from all the publicly available satellite imageries like those of NASA, ISRO and others. In addition, the organisation even buys more such information which is not available so readily and then makes it accessible at no cost. In essence, Radiant Earth acquires/ buys location-based information and then makes it available for free through a singular platform. Not only this, the organisation also helps all those who avail the information with its applications by manuals, technical support and several other ways. Sanjay Kumar serves as one of the five board members of Radiant Earth. New Delhi: China is planning to build its second overseas naval base near Pakistanis Gwadar port following the opening of its facility in Djibouti last year. A report in the South China Morning Post said that Gwadar port was a key part of the China Pakistan Economic Corridor. The report cited a source close to the Peoples Liberation Army (PLA) as saying that the navy would set up a base near Gwadar similar to the one in Djibouti. The source is reported to have raised questions on the feasibility of the decision and has told South China Morning Post that Gwadar port cant provide specific services for warships since public order there is in a mess. It is not a good place to carry out military logistical support, the source is quoted as saying. Experts quoted in the report said that the port on the Arabian Sea would be used to dock and maintain naval vessels and also provide logistical support. The expert, Beijing-based military analyst Zhou Chenming, pointed out that it was common practice to have separate facilities for warships and merchant vessels due to their different operations. The development comes just eight months after ships carrying personnel for China's first overseas military base in Djibouti, in the Horn of Africa, set sail in July last year to begin setting up the facility, as China's rapidly modernising military extends its global reach. China began construction of base in Djibouti in 2016 and is to be used to resupply navy ships taking part in peacekeeping and humanitarian missions off the coasts of Yemen and Somalia, in particular. The People's Liberation Army Daily said in a front-page commentary the facility was a landmark that would increase China's ability to ensure global peace, especially because it had so many UN peacekeepers in Africa and was so involved in anti-piracy patrols. New Delhi: Nikki Haley, the United States Ambassador to the United Nations, may be considering a White House run in 2020 when Donald Trumps first term as President comes to an end. If Michael Wolffs book Fire and Fury: Inside the Trump White House is to be believed, the Indian-American ex-governor of South Carolina believes that Trump will, at best, be a one-term President and she sees herself as the natural heir to the Trump administration. Many in Trumps inner circle have described Haley to be as ambitious as Lucifer, while a top Trump aide said she was so much smarter than Trump himself. Haley, the first woman to hold the office of Governor of South Carolina, supported Florida Senator Marco Rubio over Donald Trump in the Republican Partys primary race for President. However, she was quick to move to the Trump camp after he clinched the nomination. She is said to have befriended Trumps daughter Ivanka, which gave her access to the Trump familys inner circle. According to Wolff, Haley is said to have been groomed by the president in a "notable amount of private time" on Air Force One. According to the book, Trump even considered appointing her as the Secretary of State before finally appointing her as US Ambassador to the UN, describing her as a proven dealmaker. A moderate Republican, Haley is seen as a threat to the Trump Presidency by some of the more hardline elements within the establishment. That is, perhaps, why, former Trump advisor Steve Bannon, who is accused of being a White Supremacist by critics, is said to have pushed back against Haley when Trump was considering her name for Secretary of State. Dubai: Thousands of government supporters staged rallies in Iran for a fourth day on Saturday, in a backlash against widespread protests that the clerical establishment has blamed on the country's enemies. Saturday's show of support came a day after Iran's foreign minister said a United Nations Security Council meeting called by the United States to discuss the protests had proved a "blunder" by the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump. State television showed rallies in cities including Amol, Semnan and Shadegan waving Iranian flags and chanting "Death to America", "Death to Israel" and "Death to Britain". More than a week of unrest has seen 22 people die and more than 1,000 arrested, according to Iranian officials, in the biggest anti-government protests for nearly a decade. Unrest spread to more than 80 cities and rural towns as thousands of young and working class Iranians voiced anger at graft, unemployment and a deepening gap between rich and poor. Residents contacted by Reuters in various cities on Friday said the protests had shown sign of abating, after the government intensified a crackdown on protesters by dispatching Revolutionary Guards forces to several provinces. The provincial governor in northeastern Mashhad, where the protests started, was quoted as saying on Saturday that 85 percent of detainees there had been release after signing a pledge not to re-offend. "Those with a criminal record, or those charged with sabotage such a setting fire to motorcycles or damaging public buildings have been referred to judicial authorities," governor Alireza Rashidian told the ISNA news agency. Tehran University Vice-President Majid Sarsangi said the university had set up a committee to track the fate of students arrested during the unrest. "Our efforts at the university are aimed at cooperating with the relevant authorities to create the conditions for the return of the detained students to the university and their families in the shortest possible time," Sarsangi told ISNA. Separately, a member of parliament said about 90 students were detained, 10 of whom were still not accounted for. "It seems that the total number of detainees is around 90. Ten students from universities in Tehran and some other cities are in an uncertain position, and ... it is still unknown which body has detained them," the labour news agency ILNA quoted reformist politician Mahmoud Sadeghi as saying. Iran has several parallel security bodies and residents say arrests are often not immediately announced. Videos that appeared on social media in recent days showed relatives of detainees gathering outside prisons to seek information about the fate of their loved ones. A United Nations Security Council meeting on Friday to discuss the protests turned into criticism of the United States for requesting to meet on what some member states said was an internal issue for Iran. Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif tweeted: "The UNSC rebuffed the U.S.'s naked attempt to hijack its mandate ... Another FP (foreign policy) blunder for the Trump administration." Iran's elite Guards and its affiliated Basij militia suppressed the country's 2009 unrest over alleged election fraud, in which dozens of pro-reform Iranians were killed. Washington: A United Airlines flight was forced to make an unscheduled stop in Alaska after two of the aircraft's toilets were vandalised with excrement, officials said. The plane, carrying over 200 passengers from Chicago to Hong Kong, landed in Anchorage on Thursday evening due to a "passenger smearing faeces everywhere", Fox News reported on Friday. The police said the man, a US resident of Vietnamese origin, made no threats. It was not clear what led to the incident taking place. "We received a report of a passenger who had messed up the bathrooms with his own faeces," Anchorage Airport police spokesman Joe Gamache said. The passenger, a 22-year-old whose name was not released, was co-operative and faced "no appropriate charges for anything criminal", Gamache added. The man was handcuffed by the police at Anchorage International Airport and escorted off the plane. He was later taken to a hospital for mental health evaluation. He was not arrested, the police confirmed. United Airlines said in a statement that flight UA895 was carrying 245 people when it was diverted because of "a disruptive passenger". Hotel accommodation was provided for those on board, the statement added. Islamabad: Washington accuses Pakistan of playing a dangerous double game, taking billions in US aid while supporting militants attacking its forces in Afghanistan, including the Taliban. Its belated move to suspend assistance, after years of mistrust, highlights the perils of alienating a quasi-ally. The dramatic freeze in deliveries of military equipment and security funding comes after President Donald Trump lambasted Pakistan for its support for militant safe havens, including in a furious New Year tweet. What does the US want from Pakistan? Washington, New Delhi and Kabul accuse Pakistan of supporting militant groups, including the Afghan Taliban and the Haqqani group. They say the terrorists have safe havens in Pakistan's border areas and links to its shadowy military establishment, which aims to use them in Afghanistan as a regional bulwark against India. Pakistan's support for these groups must end, Washington insists. Islamabad has denied the accusations, insisting it has eradicated safe havens and accusing the US of ignoring the thousands who have been killed on Pakistani soil and the billions spent fighting extremists. It also levels the same charge at Kabul, accusing Afghanistan of harbouring militants on its side of the border who then launch attacks on Pakistan. Why hasn't Washington axed aid before? US figures show that more than $33 billion has been given to Pakistan in direct aid since 2002. Given fears that Pakistan is being duplicitous, cutting the money off seems an obvious step. It has been suspended before, notably after the US raid on the Pakistani town of Abbotabad in 2011 that killed Al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden. The discovery of the world's most wanted man, less than a mile from Pakistan's elite military academy, drew suspicions that he had been sheltered by the country's intelligence agency for years. But despite the provocations, the US does not want to completely rupture its relationship with Pakistan, where anti-American sentiment already runs high. Washington's footprint in Afghanistan is much smaller than it was at the height of the war, and it needs access to Pakistan's supply lines and airspace. Pakistan is still believed to have the strongest influence over the Taliban, making its cooperation necessary for peace talks. Pakistan also holds the Muslim world's only known nuclear arsenal and the US wants to prevent it from going to war with nuclear-armed India, or collapsing and allowing the weapons to fall into the hands of terrorists. "They want to apply graduated pressure to Pakistan to change its policy, rather than abandon it altogether," security analyst Hasan Askari said. Will the US strategy work? Some analysts have said there is no real way to pressure Pakistan, which believes that keeping Kabul out of India's orbit is more important than clamping down on cross-border terrorism. Hasan Askari warned the suspension of millions of dollars in security assistance might see the US lose crucial influence over Pakistan which will instead look to other countries for support. China which is investing some $60 billion in infrastructure projects in Pakistan was the first to rush to Pakistan's defence after Trump's latest tweet criticising its militant policy. But China may also prove to be intolerant of any double-dealing with terrorists. It has a horror of Islamist militancy and its own interests in keeping Pakistan and Afghanistan stable, from protecting its investment to ensuring security on the borders with its vast, restive western province of Xinjiang. In the end, observers say, until Washington addresses Pakistan's fears over India, it will not shake its support for militant proxies. "There's no amount of bribery or threat that can ultimately make people act against what they consider to be their core interests," tweeted journalist Murtaza Mohammad Hussain. President Emmerson Mnangagwa visited MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai, who is battling colon cancer, at his residence in Highlands yesterday where they held private discussions for close to an hour. Tsvangirai made public his health condition last year and ever since he has been in-and-out of hospital a development that has triggered divisive succession talk in his party ahead of crucial elections this year. Accompanied by his deputy, General (Rtd) Constantino Chiwenga, Mnangagwa addressed the media soon after the meeting, saying the MDC leader was on the mend. He is fine and recuperating very well and he says he will soon be going back for further medical check-ups in South Africa, Mnangagwa said. He brushed aside speculation that he had gone there to discuss the possibility of an inclusive government, insisting the situation in the country did not call for such. Whats the cause to form an inclusive government? he asked. You are allowed to lobby, its a democratic country. People are allowed to lobby for anything. Currently, there is no need, he emphasised. The Daily News can, however, report that the meeting was at the MDC leaders request. Tsvangirai had been eager to meet with Mnangagwa to discuss the way forward on elections and the worsening economic plight. Mnangagwa then seized on the request to also check on Tsvangirais health, more so given that they are related. Highly-placed sources familiar with the visit said the meeting was conducted in a friendly atmosphere so much that one would have confused it for an engagement among brothers. They said Tsvangirais visitors pledged to materially support the frail opposition leader in his battle with cancer, which has drained the familys savings. Mnangagwa also undertook to look into the MDC leaders long-standing grievances about his outstanding pension, accrued when he was prime minister in the inclusive government between 2009 and 2013. It will not be the first time that Tsvangirai has been assisted by his rivals in Zanu PF. Under Mugabes regime, Tsvangirai received about $70 000 to pay for his medical expenses. Sources said Mnangagwa repeated his commitment during his meeting with Tsvangirai that the forthcoming polls would be free and fair, and even pledged to work closely with the opposition in the event that he is re-elected. Analysts were unanimous yesterday that by taking time to visit Tsvangirai, Mnangagwa scored key political points to boost his political ratings. They were, however, divided on whether the timing was right for the MDC leader to accept such a cunning gesture, considering it has a double-edged sword effect of showing Zimbabweans that Tsvangirai was too sick to be a factor going into the 2018 polls while at the same time projecting him as an empathetic leader. Piers Pigou, a senior consultant at the International Crisis Group, said Mnangagwa has made an appropriate and powerful gesture but reckoned Tsvangirai was visibly unwell and needs to focus his energies on himself and his family. Pigou urged the MDC leader to get on with the business of facilitating the process for his succession. There will be understandably cynical interpretations of the photo opportunity this provides to the president, but much depends on how it is played. His visiting ... Tsvangirai, however, reflects a level of respect and political maturity rarely afforded an opposition figure; especially by the head of a party that had done its upmost to destroy Tsvangirai and his MDC, he observed. University of Zimbabwe political scientist Eldred Masunugure concurred saying the president has demonstrated a high level of statesmanship; that he is a national leader and not just head of Zanu PF. He said while his visit could well have been for other reasons, it was possible that he genuinely wanted to lend moral support to someone not feeling well. The fact that he was with his deputy also shows that Chiwenga too is moving in to assume the status of a national leader. So they have shown maturity and that is something that should be commended. They have shown Tsvangirai that he is not alone in his battle and that the nation empathises with his situation. Its also possible that ED wanted to lend financial support to a former prime minister in terms of his package that he so much deserves, said Masunungure. Professor of world politics at the University of Londons School of Oriental and African Studies, Stephen Chan, said there was a sense of seeking to offer Tsvangirai some place in the new government. Chan said Mnangagwa has sent a signal to foreign governments that his administration is looking at the opposition with respect unlike before. It may be rare in Zimbabwe, but in the United Kingdom, the prime minister and leader of the opposition often confer together, said Chan. Tsvangirai certainly looks frail. Cancer can be very difficult and he should release the clinical reports on his condition as a reassurance to his supporters. Again, that would be the usual step in the UK where ... (Theresa) Mays diabetes condition is fully known by the voting public, he added. Gladys Hlatywayo, a political analyst and civil rights campaigner, said it was normal for leaders across the political divide to constantly dialogue and share ideas. In this respect, the meeting of the two leaders might be seen as an attempt to build a new political culture predicated on political tolerance and maturity. Nevertheless, the genuineness of the visit is now tainted by the pictures of the opposition leader that are now circulating. It now appears the visit was to score a political point more than anything, said Hlatywayo. Addressing the media after the meeting, Tsvangirais deputy Nelson Chamisa described the development as positive. Its a welcome thing, its African to care for one another; its very Zimbabwean, it shows the spirit of Ubuntu is still in us, Chamisa said. He added: This is the new politics we want to see, the politics of peace, the politics of working together, the politics of feeling for one another. This is the direction and we hope it is the kind of talk that will be walked and talk that will be sustained. Going forward, we want this to be cascaded to the communities so that as we go into elections, people dont fight each other especially when their leaders are able to sit down and converse like this. In a statement released after the meeting, Tsvangirais spokesperson Luke Tamborinyoka said Mnangagwas visit came just as Tsvangirai was about to leave the country for his routine medical check-up. We thank president Mnangagwa for his gesture to come and pay a visit to the former prime minister of the land. We thank him for his gesture, which is in keeping with our African culture, he said. Tamborinyoka said the two leaders discussed the current dire situation in the country, the plight of the people, the cash crisis afflicting the country, the urgency of free and fair elections to ensure a return to legitimacy as well as the need to engage the international community so that the country rejoins the family of nations. Daily News Ex-combatants have accused their leaders of blocking them from occupying key positions in the ruling Zanu PF party. Zimbabwe National Liberation War Veterans Association (ZNLWVA) Mashonaland Central chairperson Sam Parirenyatwa has written to his leader Christopher Mutsvangwa saying the associations secretary-general Victor Matemadanda is scuttling their political ambitions. There is a systematic and deliberate marginalisation of ZNLWVA war veterans from the structures and the activities of the party seemingly yet evidently with support from very powerful members of the party. All our efforts to join the structures of the party have been strongly resisted to the extent that as we speak, there is no single war veteran from the association who has managed to join the structures of the party in the province, the letter reads. This comes as a result of nullification of all concessions to fairly share leadership positions in the party we had made with the civilian component of the leadership in the province by senior leadership who seem to be determined to ensure that war veterans who championed the demise of former president (Robert) Mugabes dispensation are not included in the new structures of the party. On two occasions Matemadanda had to call our provincial chairperson to advise war veterans in the province to recede their concessions as our actions are deemed tantamount to disrespecting the higher offices in the party. Parirenyatwa said the move by Matemadanda angered war veterans. I have been advising war veterans in the province, against their will and much to the erosion of my standing and authority, to back-off from their gains in line with the orders given to me by our SG. This has not gone down well with war veterans who have sacrificed their lives and personal resources to bring about the new dispensation. Their marginalisation remains a bitter pill to swallow as they expected due respect and recognition cognisant of the pronouncement by His Excellency the President on the importance of the role they played in bringing about the new dispensation and the constitutional provisions. According to Parirenyatwas letter, war veterans are afraid to speak out fearing the name-dropping of army generals to subdue them. Often the name of the president and army generals are used with threats to subdue us to the extent that the association could not attend the last PCC meeting held on December 30, 2017 where the party was restructured, completely sidelining us from the structures of the party. The new leadership in the province appears determined to forge ahead with party activities without our involvement. Such a situation will result in fierce resistance from the war veteran fraternity as war veterans feel shortchanged. Besides, there is a notable resurgence of the G40 cabal in some parts of the province with the cabal holding meetings in such places as Mt Darwin where such meetings are actually held at Saviour Kasukuweres homestead. Efforts to get comments from Mutsvangwa and Matemadanda were fruitless as their mobile phones went unanswered. However Mashonaland Central Zanu PF chairperson Kazembe Kazembe dismissed the allegations from the Mt Darwin meeting. We had a lot of war veterans in the meeting. Im not aware if some did not attend because I saw most of them at the venue. When we did introductions, a lot of them stood up to be recognised. No one was barred from attending the meeting. Those who constitute the PCC, according to the constitution, were free to attend. We had a full house. We are working together with the war veterans, all our wings and other affiliates in preparations for the 2018 harmonised elections, he said. Daily News (Newser) A 34-year-old man was arrested Wednesday for allegedly sexually assaulting a woman sitting next to him on a flight while his wife sat on the other side of him, the Washington Post reports. The Detroit Free Press, citing the criminal complaint, reports a 22-year-old woman sleeping next to the window on an early morning Spirit Airlines flight from Las Vegas to Detroit says she woke up "to a hand in her pants and noticed that her pants and shirt were unbuttoned." The woman says the man sitting in the seat next to her had his fingers in her vagina but removed them when he saw she was awake. She went to flight attendants, who say she "appeared visibly upset and was crying." story continues below The man, identified as 34-year-old Prabhu Ramamoorthy, was arrested when the flight landed. In an initial written statement, he allegedly said he had taken a pill and fallen into a "deep sleep" during the flight. His wife, who was sitting on the other side of him, corroborated his story, saying the woman fell asleep on her husband's knees. But a federal prosecutor notes Ramamoorthy gave "conflicting reports" regarding the incident. He later allegedly admitted the pill he took was "plain Tylenol" and told an FBI agent he was playing with the woman's bra and "might have" unhooked it. He also allegedly admitted to groping her breast over her clothing and putting his finger in her pants, though not in her vagina. Ramamoorthy, an Indian national living in the US on a temporary visa, was charged with aggravated sexual abuse. The AP reports he's due back in court Jan. 17. (Read more sexual assault stories.) (Newser) In what Gizmodo calls "a very sad commentary on the current state of geopolitical affairs," the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will later this month hold a briefing on the government's preparedness for a nuclear attack on US soil. The presentation, called "Public Health Response to a Nuclear Detonation," will be held Jan. 16 and feature officials from all levels of government discussing US preparations for a nuclear blast, USA Today reports. It will also feature information from experts in radiation studies. story continues below "While a nuclear detonation is unlikely, it would have devastating results and there would be limited time to take critical protection steps," Politico quotes the CDC as stating on a website for the briefing . Despite the fear surrounding such an event, planning and preparation can lessen deaths and illness. Topics for a teaching session being held along with the briefing include "Preparing for the Unthinkable" and "Roadmap to Radiation Preparedness." The briefing comes amid escalating tensions with North Korea. Last weekend, a former chairman of the joint chiefs of staff said nuclear war with North Korea is closer "than we have ever been." The CDC held a similar event in 2010. (Read more nuclear war stories.) (Newser) Felipe Rodriguez says he thought he was hallucinating when an eagle snatched his sister's little white dog from her yard and disappeared over the trees. Did he really just see that? The AP reports he had. Zoey the 8-pound bichon frise was gone, taken by a hungry raptor Tuesday in Pennsylvania, Rodriguez said. "It seemed like something from The Wizard of Oz," he said. Even more astonishing: Zoey would live to bark the tale. Rodriguez said he was by himself at his sister's home in Bowmanstown, and Zoey was playing in the fenced yard when he heard a loud screech and hurried to the door. "There was flapping of wings and then it was gone," Rodriguez said. He drove around the neighborhood looking for the 7-year-old bichon, to no avail. He assumed Zoey was gone for good. story continues below Rodriguez's sister and her family were devastated. "I did nothing but cry all day," Monica Newhard said. She and her husband scoured the woods for Zoey's body. Little did they know their dog would be found later that afternoona full four miles away. Zoey's rescuer was Christina Hartman, who said she was driving on a snow-covered back road when she spotted a furry white lump ahead. "I notice this little frozen dog, icicles hanging from all over. It could hardly move," Hartman said. She wrapped Zoey in a blanket and took her home, feeding the dog two bowls of chicken-and-rice soup. Hartman noticed several small wounds on the back of Zoey's neck, and the dog walked with a limp. She had no collar. Hartman spotted Newhard's public Facebook post Wednesday morning and returned Zoey. "She doesn't want to go out," Newhard said. "I really can't blame her." (Read more eagles stories.) (Newser) Using an airplane bathroom is often a nose-plugging experience, but passengers on a United Airlines flight from Chicago to Hong Kong encountered a new level of awful on Thursday night. KTVA reports the plane had to land in Anchorage after police say an unnamed male flier "smear[ed] feces everywhere," with everywhere allegedly encompassing two bathrooms, per KTUU. He also reportedly removed his shirt and tried to shove it into a toilet. KTVA describes him as "cooperative" by the time the plane landed around 6:30pm local time at Ted Stevens International Airport, and police noted he had no altercations with the flight crew. story continues below The passenger was taken to a hospital where a psych evaluation was planned, and the rest of those on board were forced to spend some time in Alaska, as the plane was grounded through Friday afternoon so that clean-up could occur and maintenance could be performed, reports McClatchy. It notes the 16-hour flight had seven hours to go when the emergency landing occurred. (Read more feces stories.) (Newser) Brutally cold conditions are expected to envelop the East Coast most of this weekend, prompting wind chill warnings from Virginia to Vermont. Temperatures will reach close to zero from Philadelphia to Boston through Saturday night, with wind chills making it feel like minus 10 degrees to minus 20 degrees. Even more temperate locations won't escape the cold, with the mercury dipping into the single digits in Baltimore and Washington, DC, over the weekendabout 20 degrees below normal for this time of year. The blast of cold air, which comes just days after a storm dumped as much as 18 inches of snow in some places, could bring the feeling of real jaw-clenching temperatures to people living further north, reports the AP. story continues below The National Weather Service said Friday that temperatures in the Berkshire mountains in western Massachusetts could seem like a frosty minus 35 degrees, parts of New Hampshire and Maine could experience minus 45, and Vermont's mountain regions could feel like minus 50 degrees. These locations, however, will have nothing on the White Mountains in New Hampshire. The Mount Washington Observatory, on its website, predicted the mountain's highest summits could see wind chills of minus 100 degrees into Saturday. "It's definitely cold and the type of bone-chilling cold that happens every few years," says Dan Hofmann, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Baltimore. He adds that the last time such extreme cold occurred was in February 2015. (Read more winter weather stories.) (Newser) FBI Agent Leslie Larsen says the body partslegs, arms, torsos, organs, and headsinside the Detroit warehouse were "frozen together in flesh-on-flesh chunks" that required a pneumatic chisel and crowbar to separate. She says there was no heat in the "filthy" warehouse, nor running water or functioning bathrooms. There were, however, piles of dead flies, dog bowls, dried blood on the floor, and, of course, the body parts stored in beer coolers, Tupperware, and a refrigerator next to sandwich fixings. MLive reports Larsen testified Friday on what agents found when they raided Arthur Rathburn's warehouse in 2013. Rathburn had been selling or renting parts from bodies donated to science to researchers for decades, according to Reuters. The Detroit Free Press reports he was indicted on fraud and other charges in 2016 following a years-long investigation. story continues below Court records show a human body, when cut into parts, can bring in $10,000 to $100,000, and there are no federal regulations covering so-called body brokers. However, Rathburn is accused of buying bodies infected with HIV, hepatitis, and other diseases at a discount and fraudulently providing them to researchers without disclosing the infections. An anesthesiologist testified that doctors won't accept such bodies due to health concerns. The government started investigating Rathburn after he shipped a human head from Tel Aviv to Chicago inside a trash bag in a cooler. Rathburn allegedly lied about the pooling liquid in the cooler being Listerine and the head having been embalmed. Rathburn's ex-wife has already pleaded guilty to fraud and is acting as a witness against him. Rathburn's lawyer says she is "most responsible" for any alleged wrongdoing. (Read more body parts stories.) The Daily News-Miner encourages residents to make themselves heard through the Opinion pages. Readers' letters and columns also appear online at newsminer.com. Contact the editor with questions at letters@newsminer.com or call 459-7574. Community Perspective Send Community Perspective submissions by mail (P.O. Box 70710, Fairbanks AK 99707) or via email (letters@newsminer.com). Submissions must be 500 to 750 words. Columns are welcome on a wide range of issues and should be well-written and well-researched with attribution of sources. Include a full name, email address, daytime telephone number and headshot photograph suitable for publication (email jpg or tiff files at 150 dpi.) You may also schedule a photo to be taken at the News-Miner office. The News-Miner reserves the right to edit submissions or to reject those of poor quality or taste without consulting the writer. Letters to the editor Send letters to the editor by mail (P.O. Box 70710, Fairbanks AK 99707), by fax (907-452-7917) or via email (letters@newsminer.com). Writers are limited to one letter every two weeks (14 days.) All letters must contain no more than 350 words and include a full name (no abbreviation), daytime and evening phone numbers and physical address. (If no phone, then provide a mailing address or email address.) The Daily News-Miner reserves the right to edit or reject letters without consulting the writer. New Delhi: The police today arrested Yug Pathak, the son of a retired IPS officer and one of the owners of the Mojos Bistro pub, in connection with the deadly fire at the Kamala Mills compound here on December 29, which had claimed 14 lives. Officials from the N M Joshi Marg police station arrested Pathak, the son of retired director general of police and former Pune police commissioner K K Pathak, the police said. Yesterday, the Mumbai Fire Brigade, in its preliminary probe report on the fire, which had engulfed Mojos Bistro and the adjacent 1 Above pub at the Kamala Mills compound in Lower Parel on December 29, had said the fire possibly started at Mojos Bistro due to the flying embers from a hookah. The police today booked Pathak and his partner, Nagpur-based businessman Yug Tulli, under IPC sections 304 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder), 338 (causing grievous hurt by act endangering life and personal safety of others) and other relevant provisions. The police had recorded Pathaks statement in the case earlier. The names of Pathak and Tulli were added to the FIR, which was lodged on December 29 against the owners of 1 AboveKripesh Sanghavi, Jigar Sanghavi and Abhijeet Mankar -- said a police official. As of now, we have arrested Pathak, while his partner Tulli has been summoned as he is also wanted in the case, senior police inspector, attached to the N M Joshi Marg police station, Ahmed Pathan said. We will produce Pathak before a court soon, he added. Earlier, the police had arrested two managers of 1 Above in connection with the fire. The police have also announced a reward of Rs one lakh for any information about the three pub owners, who are on the run. New Delhi: Steven Spielbergs Oscar-nominated newspaper drama, The Post, has been granted the access to be screened at the White House. According to Spielberg, the team of President Donald Trump made a friendly request to show the movie at both White House and Camp David, where the President is said to hold a summit. Starring Meryl Streep and Tom Hanks, the film tells the story of the journalists who fought against the government in the early 70s to publish classified information about the administrations failings in the Vietnam war. Hanks and Streep have publicly criticised Trump recently. Hanks had also said if The Post did screen at the White House, he will not attend the screening. Also Read: Jurassic World in China; Construction workers discover 30 fossilised dinosaur eggs at Dayu County on Christmas In his interview with Hollywood Reporter in December, Hanks said, Individually we have to decide when we take to the ramparts. You don't take to the ramparts necessarily right away, but you do have to start weighing things. You may think: You know what? I think now is the time. This is the moment where, in some ways, our personal choices are going to have to reflect our opinions. We have to start voting, actually, before the election. So, I would probably vote not to go. The Post is nominated for six categories at the Golden Globes 2018. For all the Latest Entertainment News, Hollywood News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: Four policemen were killed while one was seriously injured in an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) blast in Sopore town of Jammu and Kashmirs Baramulla district on Saturday. Militants had planted the IED near a shop in a lane between the Chotta Bazaar and Bada Bazaar in Sopore in Baramulla district, the official said. While three policemen died on the spot, the fourth, who was seriously injured in the blast, succumbed to the injuries later. They were patrolling the area in view of a separatist-sponsored strike there. Three of the four policemen who lost their lives were identified as ASI Irshad, Mohammad Amin and Gh Nabi. The identity of the 4th slain policeman was not immediately known. Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti said she was "pained" by the incident and expressed her condolences to the families of deceased policemen. Pained to hear that four policeman have been killed in an IED explosion in Sopore. My deepest condolences to their families. Mehbooba Mufti (@MehboobaMufti) January 6, 2018 No group has yet claimed the responsibility of the blast. This was the first major attack on the security forces in the valley in 2018. Five CRPF men were killed on December 31 when heavily armed terrorists carried out a suicide attack on a camp of the paramilitary force in Pulwama in south Kashmir. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: RJD chief Lalu Prasad was on Saturday sentenced to three-and-a-half years in jail by a CBI special court in a fodder scam case relating to fraudulent withdrawal of Rs 89.27 lakh from the Deoghar Treasury 21 years ago. CBI court judge Shiv Pal Singh, who had convicted Prasad, along with 10 others on December 23, also imposed a fine of Rs 10 lakh on him for two cases in the scam. Here is the timeline of events in fodder scam case: December 13, 2017: Hearing of case number RC-64A/96 completed in the CBI court of Shivpal Singh. Judgment will be pronounced on Saturday May 2017: The Supreme Court holds that Lalu Prasad and other accused persons, including Mishra, will be tried separately for corruption in a criminal case involving the withdrawal of Rs 84.53 lakh and falsification of records from the Deoghar Treasury in 1991-94 November 2016: The Supreme Court pulls up Mishra for allegedly dragging and delaying the appeal filed by the CBI, challenging the quashing of four pending fodder scam cases against him November 2014: The CBI challenges the order of the Jharkhand High Court quashing four pending fodder scam cases against Lalu Prasad on the grounds that a person convicted in one case could not be tried in similar cases based on same witnesses and evidences. The court upholds the CBI plea to continue proceedings in the trial court against Lalu Prasad under two sections September 30, 2013: Lalu Prasad and Mishra along with 45 others are convicted by Special CBI Judge Pravas Kumar Singh. Lalu Prasad stands disqualified as member of the Lok Sabha following the verdict. The two cannot contest any election, including that of the Assembly/Council for six years from the date of their release from jail. September 17, 2013: The Special CBI court reserves its judgment August 13, 2013: The Supreme Court rejects Lalu Prasads plea seeking the transfer of the trial court judge hearing the case March 2012: Six months after their appearance before the Special CBI court, charges are framed against Lalu Prasad and Mishra. The court charges the former with fraudulent withdrawal of Rs 47 lakh from the treasuries at Banka and Bhagalpur districts, wherein forged and fake bills were drawn by the Animal Husbandry Department in 1995-96 when he was the Chief Minister June 2007: The special CBI court in Ranchi sentences 58 persons, including two nephews of Railway Minister Lalu Prasad, to jail terms ranging from two-and-a-half years to six years for fraudulently withdrawing Rs 48 crore from the Chaibasa Treasury in the 1990s. December 2006: Lalu Prasad and Rabri Devi acquitted of charges in the disproportionate assets case filed by the CBI February 2002: Trial begins in the Ranchi special CBI court October 5, 2001: The Supreme Court transfers the scam cases to Jharkhand after the creation of the new State April 5, 2000: Charges framed before the special CBI court. Rabri Devis name included as co-accused, but she is granted bail. Lalu Prasads bail plea rejected and he is remanded in judicial custody July 30, 1997: Lalu Prasad surrenders before a CBI court and sent to judicial custody June 23, 1997: The CBI files a charge sheet and names Lalu Prasad and 55 others as accused in the case. 63 cases were registered under IPC Sections 420 (forgery) and 120 (b) (criminal conspiracy) and Section 13 (b) of the Prevention of Corruption Act March 27, 1996: The CBI registers an FIR in the Chaibasa Treasury case March 11, 1996: The Patna High Court directs the CBI to probe the scam. The Supreme Court upholds the order January 1996: The scam surfaces after deputy commissioner Amit Khare raids the offices of the Animal Husbandry Department and seizes documents that showed siphoning of funds by non-existent companies in the name of supplying fodder For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Tekanpur (MP): Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Saturday said terror infrastructure in Pakistan continue to exist and the neighbouring country is leaving no stone unturned to instigate the youths of Jammu and Kashmir against India. He also asked the country's top police brass to take strong action in cases of riots and desecration of religious places. Addressing the annual conference of the DGPs and IGPs here, Singh said terror infrastructure in the form of training camps, launch pads and communication stations continue to exist in Pakistan and Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (PoK). He said the neighbouring country is leaving no stone unturned to provide all help, including finance, to terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir and that youths of the state are being instigated against India, sources privy to the home minister's speech said. Singh said Pakistan's encouragement to the separatist anti-India sentiment in Jammu and Kashmir often lead to law and order problems. Highlighting the appointment of a representative for initiating dialogue in Jammu and Kashmir, he said it was a matter of satisfaction that security forces have been successful in tackling the situation in the state to a great extent. The home minister said the violence perpetrated by Naxals have come down to a great extent and assured that the government would encourage the surrender policy for Naxals in the coming days. Referring to the Northeast, Singh said insurgency has come down in the region but camps and hideouts of underground outfits in Myanmar was a matter of concern. The home minister said there has been a slight increase in communal violence in the country and asked the top police officers to take strong action wherever such incidents and desecration of religious sites take place. Singh also talked about growing incidents of cyber crime, use of internet and the social media by anti-social elements to create tension in the society and asked police officers to be vigilant. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address the three-day conference tomorrow. The conference of the DGPs and IGPs is an annual affair, where senior police officers of the states and Centre meet and discuss issues. The Modi government has been organising the conference outside the national capital since it came to power in 2014. The last three conferences were held in Guwahati, Rann of Kutch and Hyderabad. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: Congress President Rahul Gandhi on Friday met with a delegation of Communist Party of China for a meaningful exchange of views. Gandhi took to Twitter to share the information about the meeting. He tweeted, "Met with the CPC Delegation led by Mr Meng Xiangfeng, member of the CPC Central Committee for a meaningful exchange of views." Met with the CPC Delegation led by Mr Meng Xiangfeng, member of the CPC Central Committee for a meaningful exchange of views. pic.twitter.com/smkisW5Hiu Office of RG (@OfficeOfRG) January 5, 2018 He also posted two pictures of his meeting on the micro blogging site. Gandhi had earlier stroked a controversy when he met the Chinese ambassador in Delhi at the height of Doklam border standoff between the two countries. The Congress President met the Chinese ambassador on July 10, 2017, when the Doklam border standoff was at peak heights. Also Read: India-China hold border talks; discuss CBMs after Doklam After the controversy, he tweeted, "It is my job to be informed on critical issues. I met the Chinese Ambassador, Ex-NSA, Congress leaders from NE & the Bhutanese Ambassador." It is my job to be informed on critical issues. I met the Chinese Ambassador, Ex-NSA, Congress leaders from NE & the Bhutanese Ambassador Office of RG (@OfficeOfRG) July 10, 2017 For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Mumbai: Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray on Saturday said the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) should not succumb to political pressure while carrying out the demolition of illegal pubs and eateries in the megapolis. Talking to reporters here, Thackeray said his party will be firmly in support of the BMC commissioner. The Shiv Sena is in power in the BMC for the past two decades. "The civic authorities should first thoroughly confirm that the premises they are going to demolish are not complying with rules and regulations and then take action no matter how influential the owners are. Shiv Sena will be in support of the civic administration," Thackeray said. "BMC should not succumb to political pressure while carrying out the demolition of illegal pubs and eateries," the Sena President said. The Mumbai civic body has started demolition of illegal constructions or alterations at pubs and eateries after a deadly fire at the rooftop pub 1 Above in Kamala Mills compound claimed 14 lives on December 29. The Mumbai Police yesterday announced reward of Rs 1 lakh for those providing information about whereabouts of three absconding owners of 1 Above pub. Thackeray said it reflects poorly on the police and the state's home department (which is headed by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis). "Why the accused can't be traced and arrested yet," Thackeray questioned. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: What else is left in the list to issue a fatwa against? Poor prawns are now the latest target of Hyderabad based Islamic outfit Jamia Nizamia. The fatwa directs Muslims to not eat prawns, crabs and shrimps as it is considered as, haram, in Islam. Established in 1876, Jamia Nizamia is one of the oldest Islamic seminaries in the country. The fatwa issued on January 1, categorized these extremely delectable sea foods categorizing them as, makruh tahrim, since these does not fall under the category of fish. Mufti Mohammed Azeemuddin, the chief Mufti of , Jamia Nizamia issued the Fatwa which says "Prawn is an arthropod and it doesn't belong to the fish community and so falls under 'markruh tahrim' category. It is strictly abominable for Muslims." For all the Latest Lifestyle News, Food News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: A new study carried out by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and based on the data collected from the Aura satellite claims that a decline in the ozone-depleting chemicals has resulted in a 20 per cent less depletion of the ozone layer since 2005. The study, which is published in Geophysical Research Letters, shows that the depletion of the ozone layer had reduced specifically due to a decline in chlorine levels by 0.8 per cent each year between 2005 and 2016. Susan Strahan, lead author and atmospheric scientist at NASAs Goddard Space Flight Centre, said, We see very clearly that chlorine from [chlorofluorocarbons] is going down in the ozone hole, and that less ozone depletion is occurring because of it. The chlorofluorocarbons, referred by Strahan, are the ozone depleting chemicals that are used in aerosol sprays, blowing agents for foams and packing materials, and refrigerators. The CFCs are broken down into chlorine by the suns ultraviolet rays, thus causing the depletion. The ozone layer hole was first discovered in 1980s and soon enough, the whole world joined in to solve the problem. The Montreal Pact was signed by several nations, which would ultimately ban the CFCs and the chemicals responsible for the depletion of the ozone layer. Also Read: NASA's Juno spacecraft clicks stunning Jupiter image, reveals atmosphere of the gas giant NASAs latest announcement came in November where it said that the layer measured was now smallest since that in 1988. This is very close to what our model predicts we should see for this amount of chlorine decline. This gives us confidence that the decrease in ozone depletion through mid-September shown by data is due to the declining levels of chlorine coming from CFCs, added Strahan. Anne Douglas, co-author and atmospheric scientist at Goddard, said, As far as the ozone hole being gone, were looking at 2060 or 2080. And even then, there might still be a small hole. The ozone layer protects the Earth from the suns ultraviolet radiations which can cause skin cancer and cataracts, supress immune systems and harm plants. For all the Latest Science News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. United Nations: US Ambassador Nikki Haley warned Iranian authorities on Saturday that the world is watching as Tehran responds to anti-government protests. "The Iranian regime is now on notice: the world will be watching what you do," Haley told an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council on the situation in the Islamic republic. The United States called the meeting despite fierce criticism from Russia, which accused Washington of interfering in Iran's internal affairs. "The Iranian people are rising up in over 79 locations throughout the country," Haley told the council. "It is a powerful exhibition of brave people who have become so fed up with their oppressive government that they are willing to risk their lives in protest." Haley accused the government of funding a pro-regime military campaign in Syria, backing Shiite militias in Iraq and supporting a crony elite while ordinary Iranians struggle. The Iranian people are telling their government to "stop the support for terrorism, stop giving billions of our money to killers and dictators, stop taking our wealth and spending it on foreign fighters and proxy wars," said Haley. A total of 21 people have died and hundreds have been arrested since December 28 as protests over economic woes turned against the Iranian regime, with attacks on government buildings and police stations. Pro-regime rallies were held in Tehran after Friday prayers, the third straight day of marches in support of the government, which has declared the unrest over. Diplomats had expected Russia to call a procedural vote to try to block the meeting, but in the end, Moscow's envoy did not make that request. Also Read| Donald Trumps pressure on Pakistan may push it closer to China: Report Heading into the council chamber, Haley gave reporters a thumbs-up and answered "yes" when asked if she had the nine votes needed for the meeting to go ahead. Over the past days, the United States has lobbied hard to win support for the Security Council meeting, especially from the six new non-permanent council members, diplomats said. For a new agenda item to be discussed at the Security Council, at least nine of the 15 council members must support holding the meeting. No vetoes apply. For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. London: A prominent Sikh group in the UK wants to ban Indian officials from entering Gurudwaras, alleging that they are "interfering" in the internal matters of the Sikh community. "Sikhs in the diaspora are fed up with Indian Government officials and their agents increasingly interfere in our institutions and Sikh affairs, undermining of Sikh campaigns for greater rights and internal matters for the Sikh community," said Bhai Amrik Singh, the Chair of the Sikh Federation (UK). Indian authorities also target Sikhs from the diaspora when they visit India, Singh said, citing the case of UK national Jagtar Singh Johal who was arrested for his alleged role in targeted killings in Punjab. Johal, who got married last month, was apprehended from Jalandhar in connection with the target killing. The draft declaration by the UK's Sikh Federation being considered states that anyone in their personal capacity can pay their respects to the Sikh Holy Scriptures. For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Washington: The US, on Saturday, suspended about USD 2 billion in security aid to Pakistan for failing to clamp down on the Afghan Taliban and the Haqqani Network terror groups and dismantle their safe havens, a White House official said. Such a drastic step has been taken at the direction of US President Donald Trump who is frustrated at Pakistan's inaction on terror groups, a senior administration official told reporters on the condition of anonymity. Despite four months of high-level engagement with Pakistan, the information that Trump was receiving from the ground was not satisfactory, as a result he decided to suspend security assistance to Pakistan, the official added. He, however, said that suspension can be lifted if Pakistan takes decisive actions against militant groups and terrorists. The White House official disagreed with Pakistani allegations that the US is speaking the language of India and that US has dumped Pakistan. "We do not believe this is the language of India. This is the language of the president and the US administration. So, we just disagree with that," the official said. The official was responding to a question about a statement made by the Pakistan Foreign Minister Khawja Asif in this regard. In an interview, Asif alleged that the US is "trumpeting India's lies and deceit" and is speaking the "language of Indians". Also Read: UN Security Council to meet on Iran protests, at US request According to the official, the suspension does not include civilian assistance. It is mostly security assistance, with the provision of exceptions in case of national interest. "Prior year funding for equipment that have not yet been delivered would be suspended. It includes the USD 255 million in FMF (foreign military funding) that was notified to Congress in August of last year. It totals about billions worth of military assistance that has been planned," the official said, giving the breakdown of suspension of about USD 2 billion security assistance to Pakistan. This also includes USD 900 million in the Coalition Support Fund (CSF), the official said, adding that US considers CSF as security aid, whole Pakistan considers this as a reimbursement. "That is what approximately USD2 billion worth of equipment and the Coalition support funding that that is in play," the official said, reiterating that this has been suspended. "I just want to be clear that it's been suspended. Nothing's been reprogrammed. We're hopeful that we can lift the suspension and the aid would be able to go forward. But at this time that?s what is suspended," the official said. According to the White House, there are going to be "exceptions made", and the administration is still working on the details of the implementation of the aid suspension policy. "There will be exceptions made. I think you can assume that you know things that are in the US national security, things that might be related to nuclear issues, end use monitoring of equipment. I don't want to get into specific because the implementation is still being worked out but there certainly will be exceptions made when the items are deemed to be in the US national security interests," the official said. Also Read: UK Sikh group wants to ban Indian officials from entering Gurudwaras Not responding to questions of other steps like removing Pakistan from its non-NATO ally status, the official said US has a number of tools in its toolkit. "We can take unilateral steps. We prefer to cooperate with Pakistan. We are hopeful that we will be able to cooperate in the future. But right now, we're frustrated and we want to indicate to Pakistan our seriousness about the issue of dealing with safe havens," the official said. Terrorist safe havens in Pakistan has been a problem for the US for the past 15 years and it has been one of the major reasons that the American efforts in Afghanistan have been frustrated. Noting that the president has a comprehensive strategy on Afghanistan that the administration believes Pakistan can benefit from if they cooperate. Also Read: 'The world will be watching what you do': US warns Iran at United Nations "The president has shown that he is willing to speak with clarity when he talks about Pakistan and our relationship," the official said. "This can help to have a more effective policy toward Pakistan and we can get some better results this time around," the official said in response to a question. Reacting to the Trump administration's move, Pakistan had earlier said, "We are engaged with the US Administration on the issue of security cooperation and await further details". "Arbitrary deadlines, unilateral pronouncements and shifting goalposts are counterproductive in addressing common threats," the Foreign Office said in a statement in Islamabad earlier. For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. #BTS BTS to appear on YouTube music show next week South Korean superband BTS, along with Coldplay front man, Chris Martin, will appear on YouTube's weekly music show next week, the septet's agency said Saturday. The K-pop sensa... Its an age-old question are people more likely to get sick when its cold outside? With the state in the grips of both flu season and a cold snap, medical experts are somewhat mixed on the answer. Most agree there is a relationship between frigid weather and human vulnerability to illness, but are unclear about how exactly intense that association is. It seems like people get sick a lot more in winter, but its a little bit of a stretch to say the cold has a major impact on the immune system, said Dr. David Marks, an internist with Griffin Faculty Physicians, a multispecialty medical group affiliated with Griffin Hospital in Derby. The relationship between the cold weather and the common cold seems particularly pertinent, since the state is in the thick of flu season, with the contagious respiratory illness widespread in the state. There have been concerns that the United States will have a particularly bad flu season, based on whats been happening in the Southern Hemisphere, which gets the flu first. Australia in particular has had its worst flu season since 2009. Meanwhile, the state has been experiencing a cold snap, which doesnt seem likely to let up until Monday or Tuesday. Cold nose theory Though he doesnt believe theres a strong link between chilly temps and susceptibility to illness, Marks conceded that there is a relationship between the two. For one thing, people are more likely to be trapped indoors when its cold out, and in closer contact with other people, and their germs. This can speed the spread of illness, Marks said. Cold also puts stress on the body, and stress has been shown to lower immunity, said Dr. Goran Miljkovic, infectious disease specialist at Bridgeport Hospital. It hasnt been proven that if you are in the cold weather, youre at higher risk for getting sick, but it will add to your stress overall, Miljkovic said. And any form of stress to the body would lower the ability to fight infection. Some experts also said that the temperature inside the nose which is typically lower in the colder months also has a link to immune response. In 2015, researchers from Yale University released a study showing that the common cold virus reproduced more quickly in the nasal cavity, which is typically cooler than the rest of the body. The researchers examined cells taken from the airways of mice, comparing the immune response to the common cold virus when cells were incubated at the core body temperature of 37 degrees Celsius, and when the cells were at a slightly cooler 33 degrees. Scientists found that the immune system didnt respond as well to the virus in colder temperatures. Proboscis shield For some, this research helped support the idea that the bodys immune response is weaker in cold weather. Dr. Cornelius Ferreira, senior medical director of primary care at the Western Connecticut Medical Group in Brookfield, echoed the idea of a relationship between the temperature in the nasal cavity and the bodys susceptibility to colds. He even suggested that protecting the proboscis can help shield people from illness. Wrapping a scarf around your head could help keep mucous membranes warm and help prevent illness, Ferreira said. His other tips for keeping health include getting lots of Vitamin C, washing hands and, of course, getting the flu shot. Its not too late, he said. The number of high-school-aged teens who are having sex dropped markedly over a decade, a trend that includes substantial declines among younger students, African-Americans and Hispanics, according to a government report released Thursday. The survey by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention showed especially steep declines in the past two years. It adds to evidence about ongoing progress in reducing risky behavior by teenagers, who are becoming pregnant, smoking cigarettes, drinking alcohol and using marijuana at lower rates than younger people before them, according to public health surveys. "Early initiation of sexual activity is associated with having more sexual partners, not using condoms, sexually transmitted infection and pregnancy during adolescence," the report noted. It called the falling rate of sexual activity among 9th- and 10th-graders "especially encouraging." The researchers said they could not attribute the trend "directly to any specific intervention," but experts have previously cited a number of factors, most importantly access in school and online to straightforward information about sex and contraception. Laura Lindberg, principal research scientist at the Guttmacher Institute, a nonprofit organization that studies reproductive rights and health, noted that the vast majority of the decline occurred between 2013 and 2015. "So we need to see if this is a short term blip or this is something that is going to continue," Lindberg said. "The drops are very large in 2015, and that raises questions of survey value." The results differ from another national survey conducted in teenagers' homes, which shows little change in sexual activity. The National Youth Risk Behavior Surveys cited in Thursday's report are conducted in school. Still, she said, the finding that ninth- and 10th-graders are delaying sexual initiation is a welcome development that most likely results from the end of federally funded school programs that taught abstinence until marriage. In 2010, she said, the Obama administration replaced that curriculum with "medically accurate" information about sex and contraception. In July, the Trump administration cut funding by more than $200 million for groups across the U.S. that work to prevent teenage pregnancy. "The big takeaway for me here is that even with the observed delay in sex, by the time they graduate high school, it's still the case that more than half of student have had sex," Lindberg said. "So we need to do what we can to encourage delay and support healthy choices" when teens begin having sex, she said. Overall, 41.2 percent of high school students reported ever having sexual intercourse in 2015, down from 46.8 percent two years earlier, the same rate found in 2005, according to the CDC's National Youth Risk Behavior Surevey. More strikingly, 48.5 percent of black students in the survey said they'd had sex in 2015, a steep drop from 60.6 percent just two years earlier, and 67.6 percent in 2005. Over the same two years, sexual activity among Hispanic high-schoolers fell from 49.2 percent to 42.5 percent. Among whites, there was a smaller decrease, from 43.7 percent to 39.9 percent. Among ninth grade boys, 27.3 percent said they had had sex, down from 32 percent in 2013 and 39.3 percent in 2005. For ninth grade girls, 20.7 percent had begun having sex in the 2015 survey, a sharp decrease from 28.1 percent in 2013 and 29.3 percent in 2005. The CDC report looked at data from 29 states that had conducted the survey and found some disparities among them. But only two--Wyoming and North Dakota--found no decline in high school sexual activity over the decade. Other reports show that teenage pregnancy and smoking hit all-time lows in 2016, with just 11 percent of teens saying they had smoked a cigarette in the previous month. Alcohol and marijuana use has also declined in recent years, though not as sharply. NORTH HAVEN A Hamden police sergeant was arrested and charged with assault while on duty at the end of December and has since been place on modified duty. Sgt. Michael Cirillo allegedly left his post and arrived in a police vehicle at the scene of an investigation by North Haven police Dec. 31, police said. There, Cirillo allegedly was involved in an altercation with the North Haven polices initial suspect in a harassment complaint, according to a police report. Cirillo was arrested that day and charged with third-degree assault. He has since been relieved of his police powers and restricted to administrative duty, police said, which means his gun, badge and police equipment were taken pending the completion of an internal investigation. I dont want to prejudge facts and circumstances, Hamden Police Chief Thomas Wydra said. I know what the optics are. The optics are bad. The initial suspect of the complaint allegedly had sent threatening text messages to his girlfriend that day, according to a police report. North Haven officers Christopher Spose and John Gaspar were on scene at an apartment on Phillip Place investigating when Cirillo showed up and entered the basement where Spose was with the suspect. Cirillo immediately yelled at (the suspect) and grabbed (the suspect) by the shirt and chest area, according to Sposes report. Cirillo pushed (the suspect) backward and both parties went to the ground with Cirillo on top of (the suspect). Spose tried to get Cirillo off (the suspect) as Cirillo yelled at him about making threats to his family, according to the report. Further, Sgt. Robert DePalma, who was assisting in the initial investigation, wrote in his report, Cirillo walked past Spose, directly at (the suspect). Cirillo yelled at (the suspect), grabbed him by his upper torso and threw him to the ground. Cirillo continued to wrestle with (the suspect) and eventually placing (the man) into a head lock. Cirillos action were unprovoked. The suspect reported suffering injuries to his lower back from the confrontation and the North Haven Fire Department and American Medical Response responded to the scene, Sposes report said. He was taken to Yale New Haven Hospital for evaluation and treatment. Cirillo cooperated after the altercation and Gaspar took him upstairs where he took Cirillos weapon, Sposes report said. Police learned that the suspects girlfriend had called a relative about the threatening messages and the person who received the call is related to Cirillo. Initially, when Spose and Gaspar arrived at the apartment, the suspect was sitting in a car and Spose detained him for questioning. Police learned the suspect and his girlfriend had recently leased the apartment together and planned to move there from Hamden. The suspect told police that the couple had an argument recently and she had asked him to move out and take his things, according to the report. The woman confirmed this when DePalma and Officer Alan Cantele interviewed her at the police station. She told police she wanted to end the relationship, the report said. At the station, the woman shared messages she had gotten that day from the suspect indicating he would kill her parents and sisters, according to DePalmas report. Cirillo had a court date set for Jan. 11, but no pending cases appeared on the state Judicial Branch website. The man who was the target of the alleged assault does not have a case related to the incident pending, according to the state website. The man visited North Haven police station Jan. 2 to request all charges associated with the incident be withdrawn, according to a police report. mdignan@hearstmediact.com Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, has debunked an allegation that he is the chief financier of Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN). The association is the national body of Fulani herdsmen. Paul Ibe, Atikus spokesman, in a statement on Friday, described the allegation against Abubakar, who holds Tiv traditional title of Zege Mule U Tiv, as sad and false. Ibe said it was disheartening that in this period of intense grief in Benue State, Chief Paul Unongo would choose to level false allegations on the person of Abubakar. Unongo was the former Chairman, Governing Board of Nigerian Educational Research and Development Council (NERDC). Ibe said while Abubakar was proud to be Fulani, he is a thoroughly detribalized Nigerian that would never favour one ethnic group over another. He recalled that in 2017 during the massive flood in Benue which affected over 100,000 families, Abubakar, donated cash to the Benue Government for the care of the victims. He said, This is fitting for a man whose Tiv traditional title means the biggest shade of the Tiv people. It is strange that Chief Paul Unongo chose to neglect that act of love and care from the Waziri Adamawa to the people of Benue. Not only did the Zege Mule U Tiv make a financial donation, he also called on the Federal Government to do more to assist the flood ravaged communities. Let it be known that though Waziri Adamawa is a Fulani, he is not a member of Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria nor has he ever been a member. He has also never discussed about that group with Chief Paul Unongo. Furthermore, Abubakar enjoins that a thorough investigation be made into the killings in Benue, and that anyone found culpable be made to bear the full weight of the law. Ibe added that it would be a very sad day when a supposed elder chooses to make mileage of the sufferings of the people of Benue State who have had to endure the impunity of these killings for far too long. Abubakar, according to Ibe, prayed for the souls of the departed. As a traditional title holder of Tiv land, Abubakar, assures the entire people of Benue (including the Idoma and Igede) that he would do everything in his power to bring justice, relief and compensation their way, he added. The All Progressives Congress (APC) on Saturday restated its commitment to peaceful and credible 2019 general elections in Ebonyi.The states Chairman of the party, Mr Eze Nwachukwu, who gave the assurance while addressing journalists in Abakaliki, therefore, appealed to groups and individuals preaching violence and war ahead of the elections to have a rethink.Nwachukwu insisted that APC would abide by extant laws, rules and regulations guiding peaceful conduct of elections in the country.He said that the party had at a stakeholders meeting on Friday, reviewed its preparedness for the forthcoming general elections and seen the need to make its position known especially in view of unsavoury comments allegedly made by some politicians in the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the state governor, David Umahi, had said that he was ready for the political intrigues that would herald the battle for elective positions in the state ahead of the 2019 general elections.He said this on Monday while addressing stakeholders of Afikpo North and Ezza South, who paid him a Christmas visit at his country home in Uburu.In his remarks, he vowed to ensure the re-election of the state and federal lawmakers from Afikpo North and Ezza South Local Government Area of the state.Umahi had said that there was no vacancy in the state House of Assembly and National Assembly positions in both councils, and that those aspiring for the positions should wait for 2023.I am a man of war and ready to war in ensuring that the present occupiers of the positions are re-elected in 2019.We all came together on the platform of divine mandate and would complete the mandates together.When we all finish our tenures, I will force the present occupiers to vacate the seats to ensure that other aspirants realise their ambitions, Umahi said.Nwachukwu described the governors threat as an indication of acceptance of defeat.Gov. Umahi, while addressing stakeholders of Afikpo North and Ezza South, who paid him a Christmas visit at his country home in Uburu, declared himself as a man of war and ready to fight for his re-election in 2019.For us in APC, such comments are un-dignifying and unwarranted especially coming from a man occupying the exalted office of Governor.Election is neither a war nor a do-or-die affair. It is a free contest that is only decided by the electorate through the ballot hence it is not an act or war.Our questions then are: who is fighting who and who is warring against, who since it must take two to fight or to get involved in a war, Nwachukwu said.The Governor knows that he has been technically defeated and that is why he wants to threaten and intimidate.Nwachukwu stated that as the largest opposition party in the state, APC believes that power resides with the people and that such power is exercised through their free franchise.He said that the party would rather seek the votes of the people than preach war.For us in the opposition, ours is to mobilize the electorate, canvass for their votes and support and to urge them to actively participate in the electoral process through sustained sensitisation.We are letting residents know that we are ready and set to take over power not by hook or crook, but by the laid down legal procedure that enhances peaceful and credible elections.We in APC subscribe to the laws of the land and this includes those laws and guidelines regulating conduct of behaviour during elections because in Nigeria there are laws guiding actions and behaviour and our actions, Nwachukwu added.He, therefore, urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to be vigilant and to apply strict sanctions against any political party or candidate for the elections that violates the electoral law or INEC guidelines. The Nigerian army says Mamman Nur, a factional leader of the Boko Haram insurgent group, has been fatally injured. The Nigerian army says Mamman Nur, a factional leader of the Boko Haram insurgent group, has been fatally injured. Nur was said to have sustained grave injuries during the armys bombardment of Boko Haram enclaves. Onyema Nwachukwu, deputy director pulic relations of the Lafiya Dole operation, made this known in a statement on Friday. Ongoing artillery and aerial bombardments of Boko Haram enclaves in the Lake Chad region by troops of Operation Lafiya Dole has continued to yield positive results, he said. Currently an evaluation report of the ongoing operation indicates that a major factional leader of the terrorists group, Mamman Nur has been fatally injured in the bombardment as he and his sub commanders fled from the onslaught. A non governmental organization known as Global Peace and Life Rescue Initiative (GOPRI) has described as irresponsible, unprofessional and misleading, the statement credited to the Inspector General of Police, IGP, Ibrahim Idris, yesterday suggesting that the recent massacre in Benue State was a communal clashes and not a herdsmen attack as widely believed.The group said the statement was unbecoming of the number 1 law enforcer of the most powerful African nation and therefore called on President Muhammadu Buhari to as a matter urgency, relieve him of his position in order to avoid further embarrassment for the country.Executive Director of (GOPRI), Mr Melvin Ejeh stated this in Jos while addressing a coalition of youth groups across the North Central states.Ejeh wondered why a senior police officer of his position and calibre could make such unprofessional, reckless and unguarded statement without waiting for results of a full investigation.We were shocked when we heard the statement emanating from the IGP himself and wondered what the future holds for the country with Idris as our IGP. This is an indication of the biased route the investigation into the unprovoked killings will take.The statement is capable of causing serious breach of peace and a threat to National security if nothing is done by the Commander in Chief. The people of Benue State and the entire middle belt might regard this statement as the presidencys official position.While we as a group are not trying to conclude that the attackers were Fulani herdsmen since investigations are still on going and because we are respecters of laws and due process, we find the statement of the IGP as too sudden, hasty and disturbing, suggesting that investigations into the gruesome murder of innocent Nigerians in Benue state can never be fair under Idris kpotun as IGP. The IGP should bury his head in shame now that the leader of Miyetti Allah cattle Breeders in Benue State admitted openly that the Fulani attacks on the state were in retaliation for alleged stealing of their cows.Garus Gololo told BBC News Pidgin that over 1000 of their cows were stolen at Nengere when their owners were relocating to Taraba through Nasarawa State.Gololo said the herdsmen were only defending themselves from thieves.It is on this note that we are unanimously calling on President Mahammedu Buhari to sack this serial goof and have him replaced with a more competent and objective professional officer, he said. In July 2012, clashes between natives and herdsmen reached a head in Plateau state leading to tens of deaths on both sides. Then President ... In July 2012, clashes between natives and herdsmen reached a head in Plateau state leading to tens of deaths on both sides. Then President Jonathan, when briefed about the situation insisted that there wouldnt be such impunity under his leadership and immediately ordered the army to go to the affected communities and fish out the perpetrators and bring them to book. The military immediately obeyed the then presidents orders and sent troops to Barkin Ladi Local Government Area. They ordered all residents to leave their residence for temporary accommodation provided for them so they could conduct a joint air and ground operation to flush out the armed herdsmen who had been suspected of killing innocent Nigerians. The residents complied and the soldiers went in and not only did they clear the area, they made arrests which led to trials. That is how a commander-in-chief acts. When your people are being slaughtered you dont send them commiserations, like the frequent commiserations President Muhammadu Buhari has been sending to the people of Benue State. No. You assert yourself as the leader by using the nations symbols of strength to quash any threat to the national security of the nation. That is what Jonathan did in Plateau state in July 2012. So effectively was Jonathans orders carried out that Malam Nasir El-Rufai tweeted his now infamous tweet on the 15th of July 2012 threatening that We will write this for all to read. Anyone, soldier or not that kills the Fulani takes a loan repayable one day no matter how long it takes. (his exact words) So when he was elected governor and we began to hear him say that he had paid public monies to herdsmen to prevent further killings (there was actually a spike in killings), and that he as a governor was of the same ethnicity as these herdsmen, I was not at all taken aback as others were. The man had publicly signified his intentions long before he became governor. But the point I am trying to make is that former President Jonathan, who was called weak by the All Progressive Congress, did something to end the menace of herdsmen killings, but President Buhari who is called strong by his supporters, has refused to do anything. And so today, when I read about the killings perpetuated by herdsmen in Benue, Plateau, Kaduna, Adamawa, Taraba and other parts of Nigeria, I really feel for our citizens who have to go through these ordeals of impunity. No arrests are made, no forms of deterrence whatsoever is carried about by the Buhari administration. I heard that the Benue State governor, Samuel Ortom, wept when he saw corpses of his citizens massacred by herdsmen. It might sound harsh, but can Ortom recall that only last month he smiled as he told Nigerians that President Buhari deserves a second term? My question to Ortom is this: If President Buhari gets a second term, would there be human beings left alive in Benue? It is a fact that herdsmen belong to the same wider ethnic nationality as President Muhammadu Buhari, although most killer herdsmen are not mainstream Fulani, but rather fringe Fulani of the Wodaabe (also known as the Mbororo or Bororo) subgroup of the Fula people. It is also a fact that President Muhammadu Buhari was the grand patron of the umbrella union of herdsmen in Nigeria known as Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria. From that vantage point, he had in the past angrily and malevolently confronted state governors in states were herdsmen had received the wrong end of the stick in their acts of marauding. As a matter of fact, on October 13, 2000, Muhammadu Buhari, in his capacity as the Grand Patron of Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria, demanded for and got a meeting with the then Governor of Oyo state, Lam Adesina, were he angrily said the words below to Governor Adesina: Your Excellency, our visit here is to discuss with you and your government our displeasure about the incident of clashes between two peoples the Fulani cattle rearers and merchants are today being harassed , attacked and killed in Saki. That some arrests were made by Oyo State Police Command in the massacre with their immediate release without court trial. This was said to have been ordered by Oyo State authorities and they were so released to their amazement. The release of the arrested suspects gave the clear impression that the authorities are backing and protecting them to continue the unjust and illegal killings of Fulani cattle rearers Muhammadu Buhari then ended his speech by demanding for an immediate stoppage of the killings, justice and compensation to the Fulanis. After listening to Muhammadu Buhari, Lam Adesina asked the then Commissioner of Police for Oyo state to respond to his angry visitor and the Commissioner responded thus: The killing of the natives by the Fulanis was duly reported to the police and, of course, we cant make arrest because, as soon as they kill, they migrate to other areas. Who are you going to arrest? That is the problem. On the killing of Fulanis, which he said was as result of piled up anger, the commissioner disclosed that arrests had been made and the suspects were in police custody. When the Commissioner was done, Governor Adesina responded to Buhari thus: I want to say also that we really have to appeal to our people, the itinerant Bororo people, that they should observe less aggression. It is not good , it is not right just coming from somewhere then you just pass through farm lands cultivated may be with the persons life savings and then over night everything is gone. That is not right, even Allah does not approve of that. We even wonder when they talk about this people carrying dangerous weapons, I say do they really believe in Allah? When you just take life like that and go away! Are we not forbidden not to take human life? So I think General Buhari, General Marwa, you have to be educating them. It is my pleasure to inform you that at the Presidential Lodge, we have made some arrangements for refreshments so that before you go we can refresh together. That meeting of October 13, 2000, was recorded and the quotes above are from Agbaakin Kehinde Olaosebikan, then Chief Press Secretary to late Governor Lam Adesina of Oyo state. Now imagine the level of concern and care that President Muhammadu Buhari showed for his kinsmen in in October 2000, that he went to challenge a sitting Governor to a pissing contest when herdsmen were killed in reprisal killings. Why hasnt Muhammadu Buhari shown that level of concern for Nigerians killed by herdsmen? Now that same man is our President and Commander-in-Chief, and herdsmen killings have exploded exponentially under his watch to the extent that the United States Congress declared Nigeria as the most dangerous place to be a Christian in the entire world bar none, principally because of the killings by herdsmen. Can it be a coincidence that herdsmen killings has multiplied just as soon as their immediate past Grand Patron became President? Where is the anger that Buhari displayed to Governor Lam Adesina now that Fulanis are killing Nigerians? How many people were killed in the Southeast before President Buhari ordered Operation Python Dance? Now ask yourself how many thousands have died at the hands of herdsmen in Benue, Kaduna, Plateau, Taraba and Adamawa? The answer proves we are not all equal in Buharis Nigeria. That is why I laughed when Governor Ortom said I have reiterated my call on the Federal Government to arrest the leadership of Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore. Why is Governor Ortom talking like a child? Can a Mafia godfather order the arrest of a mafioso to please a non mafia member? You are asking their Grand Patron to arrest the people who made him Grand Patron! Apparently, Governor Ortom does not know his friends from his enemies. The Chairman of the Northern Elders Forum, Paul Unongo, has accused former Vice President Atiku Abubakar of being the chief financier and m... The Chairman of the Northern Elders Forum, Paul Unongo, has accused former Vice President Atiku Abubakar of being the chief financier and most influential member of the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria, the apex body of Fulani herdsmen in Nigeria, Punchng reports. He, therefore, called on Atiku, who is a prince of the Tiv Court, to caution the herdsmen, who have been slaughtering hundreds of people in the country. On friday, Unongo said, I am aware that the most powerful person in Miyetti Allah is Alhaji Atiku Abubakar,who wants to be the next president. If they are fighting for power and Atiku wants to create problems for Buhari, I dont know. There are so many possibilities. The most powerful person who finances the Miyetti Allah is Abubakar Atiku and he is a prince of the Tiv Court. The Tiv gave him a traditional title, meaning the biggest shade of the Tiv people. This implies that the Tiv people should be able to run to Atiku who will protect them. This is the man who heads Miyetti Allah and is the greatest financier of this organisation. . He has more cattle than anybody in Miyetti Allah. It is an establishment of the big people, a very rich group of Nigerians and they pack small boys to take their cattle all over the place and then buy all these arms to give herdsmen to go and kill people, and the government is doing nothing! When asked if he was sure that Atiku was the most influential member of the Miyetti Allah, Unongo said the former Vice President told him personally that he was an influential member of the association. . In reacting to the elders claim, Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, debunked the allegation that he is the chief financier of Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN). The association is the national body of Fulani herdsmen. Paul Ibe, Atikus spokesman, in a statement on Friday, described the allegation against Abubakar, who holds Tiv traditional title of Zege Mule U Tiv, as sad and false. Ibe said it was disheartening that in this period of intense grief in Benue State, Chief Paul Unongo would choose to level false allegations on the person of Abubakar. Unongo was the former Chairman, Governing Board of Nigerian Educational Research and Development Council (NERDC). Ibe said while Abubakar was proud to be Fulani, he is a thoroughly detribalized Nigerian that would never favour one ethnic group over another. He recalled that in 2017 during the massive flood in Benue which affected over 100,000 families, Abubakar, donated cash to the Benue Government for the care of the victims. He said, This is fitting for a man whose Tiv traditional title means the biggest shade of the Tiv people. It is strange that Chief Paul Unongo chose to neglect that act of love and care from the Waziri Adamawa to the people of Benue. Not only did the Zege Mule U Tiv make a financial donation, he also called on the Federal Government to do more to assist the flood ravaged communities. Let it be known that though Waziri Adamawa is a Fulani, he is not a member of Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria nor has he ever been a member. He has also never discussed about that group with Chief Paul Unongo. Furthermore, Abubakar enjoins that a thorough investigation be made into the killings in Benue, and that anyone found culpable be made to bear the full weight of the law. Ibe added that it would be a very sad day when a supposed elder chooses to make mileage of the sufferings of the people of Benue State who have had to endure the impunity of these killings for far too long. Abubakar, according to Ibe, prayed for the souls of the departed. Bayelsa State, was yesterday thrown into mourning following the sudden death of a newly-inducted Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Mr. F... Bayelsa State, was yesterday thrown into mourning following the sudden death of a newly-inducted Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Mr. Francis Egele.Egele, an illustrious son of the state, who hailed from Okoroba in Ogbia Local Government Area, reportedly breathed his last on Friday morning.The prominent lawyer was said to have died in his late 50s.The lawyer held a Thanksgiving in Yenagoa, last Sunday, to appreciate God for joining the ranks of SANs last year.Sources said he developed complications arising from High Blood Pressure and was rushed to the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Yenagoa, where he died later.Egele, a former Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice in Bayelsa, in October last year, urged the state government to appoint new judges in order to quicken dispensation of justice in the state. The lingering wedding gown turned birthday gown scandalinvolving a Nigerian designer, Maryam Elisha @rikaotobymeand Nollywood actress, M... The lingering wedding gown turned birthday gown scandalinvolving a Nigerian designer, Maryam Elisha @rikaotobymeand Nollywood actress, Mercy Aigbe over a red gown meant for a bride, has taken another turn. The designer who was accused of lying in her first apology, has once again tendered her apology to Mercy Aigbe and the bride, Mrs Lawrentta Sawyer Sharing a stunning photo of Mercy Aigbe, Maryam wrote: Dear Mercy Aigbe @realmercyaigbe, I am sorry I havent been in touch since the the dress incident. I was actually out of town with limited internet access. I know I owe you an apology and actually I would like to do it in person and explain so we can resolve the issue. Neither you nor the bride deserved what happened. This is not my proudest moment ever. I feel so terrible for what this has caused you as well, especially seeing the comments and knowing that majority believe you were at fault here, which isnt the case. This is so sad. Once again, please accept my apology. I will continue to apologise to you and my other client, the bride. I hope we can sit and talk about it. Thank you, Maryam Elisha The designer after getting dragged for apologising to Mercy Aigbe only, later shared screenshots of her apologising to the disappointed bride on whatsapp and also used that opportunity to apologise to her on Instagram. See below: Notable leaders in the South- South geo-political zone on Friday ridiculed the national leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) ov... Notable leaders in the South- South geo-political zone on Friday ridiculed the national leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) over plans to return the party to the Presidential villa in 2019, saying it is cloud cuckoo land for anyone to believe that could be done. The All Progressives Congress (APC) has broken the back of PDP in Nigeria. Anyone who thinks the PDP is going to run the federal government in 2019 is living in cloud-cuckoo land the leaders said. They described the PDP as a party of the past PDP is not a party with a future. In 16 years, the party failed to act as broker of ideas. It could not articulate the desires of the people At a high level meeting in Benin, capital of Edo State, the respected leaders praised Ebonyi State Governor, David Umahi for his decision to quit the former ruling party. The 2019 general election is going to be difficult for PDP governors in the South-South zone the leaders said. They urged Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa, Udom Gabriel Emmanuel, Benedict Ayade and Ezenwo Nyeson Wike to join the ruling party. In a statement by the chairman, South-South Front (SSF), Chief John Harry, the leaders praised the national chairman of the ruling party, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun for creating a good image for the party, tolerating views different from his own and leading the party by the strength of ideas. They also eulogized the national chairman for thinking out the best interests of the members and the means to achieve them, presenting them in a simple, intelligent and interesting form and reshaping them in the light of altered circumstances. Listing intelligence, self control and conscience as qualities that helped Oyegun in the effective management of the ruling party, the leaders scolded critics of the Edo State ex-governor for their smear campaign aimed at making the national leadership of the party appear helpless to manage the party, damage the reputation of the national chairman and force him into a corner. The leaders who condemned Timi Frank, Kola Amzat, Felix Anirah and others for losing touch with reality commended Oyegun for not perverting public power to private interest. They urged critics of the national chairman to rise from the bondage of half-truths to objective appraisal. What do you expect from a moody, erratic character? What do you expect from an unblushing liar and a grumpy fellow? Timi Frank, a thin, almost emaciated fellow, is childish, reckless and out of control. He is a public relations disaster and enemy of the South-South people. In an audacious move, the leaders urged APC members nationwide to support a second term for the charismatic, calm strategist and humble Edo chief. Chief John Odigie-Oyegun is inducing in Mr. President, ministers, governors and others the strength and confidence necessary to plan and implement short and long term policies They also urged Founder and General Overseer of Gods Anointed and Blessed Church International, Pastor Toye Ebijomore to continue to pray for the ruling party. Former Nigerias High Commissioner to Canada and second Republic senator, Prof. Iyorwuese Hagher, has literarily torn President Muhammadu B... Former Nigerias High Commissioner to Canada and second Republic senator, Prof. Iyorwuese Hagher, has literarily torn President Muhammadu Buhari apart over his loud silence on the ongoing killing of citizens he swore to protect across the country. Hagher, who is now President African Leadership Institute USA, in an open letter addressed to Buhari, averred that the president has betrayed the nations democracy and is promoting genocide. The former minister said Buharis body language was a clear indication that he is in support of the pogrom going on in the country. His letter reads. Your Excellency Mr. President, YOU HAVE BETRAYED DEMOCRACY AND PROMOTED GENOCIDE I would have loved to wish you a happy new year, but I am not a hypocrite. I am not happy and nobody in Benue is happy today, because many of our citizens did not have a happy new 2018. Genocide on citizens of Nigeria has escalated in earnest in Benue State. This genocide has turned their happiness to nightmare and death. Let me also apologize for making this letter public. It is not in my character. In this case there is an emergency and urgency, which cannot wait. I am pained that you ignored my advice in my private memorandum to you dated 30th July 2016. I had warned you of the possibility of a horrendous genocide in Benue, Plateau, Taraba, Southern Kaduna, and Southern Adamawa States. I asked you to be proactive and stop the genocide that has been ongoing but which would burst out in the open and shock the world within 18 months. Your office replied my letter on September, 28th 2016, and the reply was couriered to me in the United States, thanking me immensely and giving me the assurances that the advice would be heeded. With the current situation on ground, I regret to now inform you that it is seventeen months since my warning and prediction and your government did nothing to pre-empt or prevent the genocide. The nomadic terrorists have finally accelerated the ethnic cleansing in Benue State. They have strategically moved against the Tiv, the largest minority ethnicity in northern Nigeria. These perpetrators believe that if they can ethnic cleanse the Tiv, then nobody can stand in their way to possess the land and carve a new geo-polity and demography for the middle-belt. Now that you have allowed the genocide in the Middle Belt to go on unimpeded you have betrayed your campaign promise to Nigerians that your government will always act in time and not allow problems to irresponsibly fester. In allowing the Benue genocide to take place your government has acted irresponsibly and has allowed problems to fester and failed to act on time. You have also failed to lead from the front; giving the impression that centrifugal forces around you are dictating vicious anti-people agenda! Mr. President, the protection of lives and property of the citizens is more important than your war against corruption! The protection of lives of citizens is the most sacred responsibility of the state and your presidency. Your government has failed woefully in this regard. Mr President there is no greater corruption than the government looking the other way while the strong bullies and kills the weak with impunity and pleasure! Your Excellency, in your passion (monomania, I think!) to rid the country of corruption, you have totally ignored nation building and ended up with a very divided country. You have failed your immediate Northern constituency by your inability, failure or lack of the political will to end northern poverty through measures that enhance school enrolment, promote girl-child education, and revive dead industries. You became Nigerias president on the altar of northern unity when the northern minorities abandoned President Goodluck Jonathan to vote for you. You have now desecrated that altar. By refusing to arrest those that brutally butchered defenseless innocent Benue women and children, you have imperiled northern unity and taken sides with evil. Many Nigerians think you have failed the country by the lack of a clear vision and a lack of capacity to provide needed infrastructure and a composite holistic development; more significantly, they think you have failed to institute a political culture of integrity. You are often compared with the lone King Sisyphus of Ephyra who was punished by the gods to roll an immense border up the hill, only to watch it roll back down, then condemned to repeat the same rolling action forever. This is the picture people have in mind of your war against endemic corruption. You honestly deserve pity and prayers, but certainly not support for a second term. Nobody can deny that you still have a horde of admirers, which still look up to you with great admiration; however, the Benue genocide seriously questions your integrity, and your capacity to lead a plural modern state. Is there a rule of law in this country? Why does the Miyetti Allah act with so much impunity? Is this because this terrorist group claims you as their life patron? Do not accept the clamor of those who for their personal political reasons urge you to contest in the 2019 election to be a second term president! Mr. President, please rise above the impression being given that you are just another power obsessed and hungry politician! Step aside and open the political space for another person to continue your war against corruption with a more comprehensive development program that Nigeria needs and deserves. For now, modernize infrastructure and try to banish poverty. And while your party campaigns for 2019, take a sabbatical from partisanship and build national unity, good governance and concentrate on getting rid of Boko Haram and the Herdsmen Terrorists. After all, great people are not great for winning elections; rather they are known to be great by the legacy they leave behind. With what legacy do you wish the country to remember you for? It is unfortunate that family members of those that were hacked to death will remember you as the genocide president! Your Excellency Mr. President, I remain respectfully Sir, Prosecutors had sought a life sentence, but a Burlington County Superior Court judge returned a sentence of 50 years Friday for a man convicted of fatally stabbing the mother of one of his children. Rashon A. Causey, 40, must serve more than 42 years before becoming eligible for parole. He killed Shanai Marshall, 37, in her Monroe Street home in Burlington City in 2016 after forcing his way inside. Causey had a violent crime history of more than 92 arrests and 11 felony convictions before the murder, authorities said. "Given this defendant's enormous criminal history, and the violent way in which he killed the mother of his child, it is hard to imagine a defendant more deserving of the life sentence the state sought here," Burlington County Prosecutor Scott Coffina said. "However, the court's sentence of 50 years makes it likely that he will never experience freedom again, and that will hopefully afford some degree of comfort to Shanai's loved ones." More than 20 family and friends of the victim were in the courtroom in Mount Holly on Friday at the sentencing, including two who addressed the court about the magnitude of their loss. "She was done with the guy... You could see the glow in her," Nicole Vieira, 42, of Lumberton, said shortly after the killing. "She was serious, and he knew it." Loved ones described Marshall as an energetic, candid woman who meant what she said and had unlimited love for her friends and family. Nicknamed Doobie, she never took any grief from anyone and stood up fiercely for others, especially her family, a cousin said. Staff writer Rebecca Everett contributed to this report. Bill Duhart may be reached at bduhart@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @bduhart. Find NJ.com on Facebook. Education is deeply personal to Jordan Thomas. It's a value his parents, Neil and Mari Thomas, have always emphasized in their Newark household and one that his dad, a science teacher at American History High School in the city, would talk about to start each school year. "He would say they can take your car, they can take your house, they can take your job, but they can't take your education," Jordan said. Thomas' transcript were dominated by A's, with occasional interruptions by a few B's during grammar and middle school. Thomas showed no slippage until eighth grade when he wasn't selected valedictorian or salutatorian, falling to third place in class rankings. MORE: Recent Barry Carter columns It would be the last time he'd lose out on an opportunity or have anyone outwork him. Thomas, now a 21-year-old senior at Princeton University, is a Rhodes Scholar, the first in Newark public school history to study at the University of Oxford in England since at least 2001. He's one of 32 American college students elected from a pool of 866 candidates, a distinction Thomas hasn't quite grasped since the announcement in November. "It's so surreal," said Thomas, who plans to study comparative social policy at Oxford in the fall. "I still don't think it's fully sunken in yet." Even his family remains in awe. His mother has 30,000 hits on her LinkedIn page. On the way home from Yankee Stadium -- where Thomas was interviewed and selected to be a Rhodes Scholar -- Thomas' parents had to pull the car over to take in the enormity of what their son had accomplished. Neil Thomas, his father, said he has been teaching 17 years, an honor he takes seriously as an educator. "But for it to come back so strongly in your own house, for you to reap those rewards, is absolutely numbing," he said. "Jordan continues to not be satisfied to settle and continues to reach for the very top." Newark Board of Education members honored Thomas last month with a proclamation, heaping praise on the young man whose major is based at the Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs at Princeton and his minor is Portuguese language and culture and African-American studies. "He put Newark on the map," said board Chairman Marques-Aquil Lewis. "He's one of our jewels that we want to see flourish. " Students in the district have had the chance to see why. He has talked with them at his father's high school about the college application process. Until the inclement weather closed school on Thursday, Thomas was scheduled to do the same thing at his alma mater -- University High School -- where he was the 2014 valedictorian with a 4.5 grade average and straight A's, an academic streak he's kept since freshman year at Princeton. "I don't care if you're more talented than me. I don't care if you're more gifted than me, you're not going to outwork me," he said. "I'm never going to stop giving it 110 percent." Scott Hood, his 11th grade English teacher, mentor and now friend, said Thomas' intellectual curiosity has set him apart. He remembers how Thomas thrived on discovery, coming to him often about words he learned, engaging him about class assignments, world events. "As good as he is academically, he's even a better human being," Hood said. "He has the ability to get along with everybody and talk about everything competently in an interesting way." Thomas' hunger to expand his intellect globally blossomed at Princeton, where he began to meet international students. There was a world out there larger than what he knew and he wanted to know more. Thomas was a Fulbright Summer Institute Fellow at the University of Bristol, where he studied the culture, heritage, and history of the United Kingdom. He interned at the Office for Civil Rights' Program Legal Group at the U.S. Department of Education as part of the Scholars in the Nation's Service Initiative. In the summer following his sophomore year, Thomas interned for a law firm in Lisbon, Portugal, and volunteered in the depressed favela neighborhoods of Rio de Janiero. After Oxford, Thomas' plan is straightforward: Law school. Return to Newark and work for a nonprofit organization or a public interest law firm. Then, run for public office on the local, then state and, ultimately, federal level. As early as pre-school, Thomas knew he wanted to serve, telling teachers of his goal to be president of the United States. Thomas, who grew up on Barber Street, in Newark's Ironbound section, has not forgotten his roots. "Newark built me," he said. "Newark shaped me." Returning to Newark is not complicated for Thomas. He wants to pay it forward and give back to the city that had a hand in his Rhodes scholar achievement. If and when he's elected to office, Thomas said, he wants to help struggling Newark families and strengthen city schools. As a student representative on the Board of Education, he would hear parents shout angrily at board meetings about how the system was failing them. That stung, but the contentious 2013-2014 school year planted the seed for Thomas to tell board members he would be back. Parents didn't like Newark's controversial universal enrollment plan under former Superintendent Cami Anderson. They railed against the district for closing public schools and replacing them with charter schools. "It was huge. What does it mean to fail this group of people that we were here to serve?" said Thomas, who criticized the district's charter school direction back then as a "systemic attack on public schools." Education is the most viable means for "social mobility," says Thomas, and "the main tool for people to improve their circumstances in life." He can talk education policy all day, but Thomas does have balance in his life. Beyond the classroom, he is a residential college adviser and serves on the executive board of Community House, a student-driven program at Princeton that works to close the achievement gap among underrepresented area youth. MORE CARTER: Newark community leader spent her own money to hire young job seekers | Carter During his downtime, he cheers for the New England Patriots, plays ultimate Frisbee and listens to various musical genres from hip-hop and classical jazz to heavy metal and down tempo electronic. Physically fit, Thomas guards his health as much as his academics, having lost 65 pounds in high school. An independent thinker, he is not afraid to express himself. The neatly combed Afro that he wears is not a fashion statement. It's a symbol of nonconformity and what he believes is an "unjust social paradigm" in society that defines what intelligence and success looks like. "I want to show people that you can be a successful, intelligent person by owning your appearance and owning your race and your ethnic background," he said. Thomas hopes his story is an inspiration to students, so they'll know that being raised in Newark is not a weakness. It's a strength. "Hopefully it shows them that 'Wow, somebody who is like me, same color as me, went to the same school as me, grew up in the same city as me -- did it,' " Thomas said. If they make education personal and give 110 percent like Thomas, they can do it, too. Barry Carter: (973) 836-4925 or bcarter@starledger.com or nj.com/carter or follow him on Twitter @Barry CarterSL Two bills co-sponsored by Sen. Sandra Bolden Cunningham, D-Jersey City, that will help student loan borrowers manage their debt have been approved by the state Senate. The bills are aimed at helping especially those facing financial hardships, such as the loss of a job during the repayment period. Sen. Jim Beach and Sen. Nellie Pou also co-sponsored the bills. The senators pointed out that as of 2017, it is estimated that Americans owe more than $1.45 trillion in student loan debt, spread out among about 44 million borrowers. "Student debt is growing out of control and if we do not come up with options and strategies to help graduates manage their loans, this debt will follow these graduates well into adulthood," Cunningham said. "There is a growing need for repayment plan options, including income-driven options, and for additional assistance for borrowers who are having difficulty repaying their loans but feel they have nowhere to turn for help." S-3198, sponsored by Cunningham and Beach, establishes the Office of the Student Loan Ombudsman within the Department of Banking and Insurance, and provides for the regulation of student loan servicers by the department. The ombudsman would be appointed by the governor with the advice and consent of the Senate, and would have a variety of duties relating to the assistance of student loan borrowers with complaints and concerns regarding their loans, and would be required to make recommendations to the legislature and other interested parties regarding problems faced by student loan borrowers. The bill was approved by a 28-2 vote. The similar Assembly bill, sponsored by Raj Mukjerji, D-Hudson, Gary Schaer, Annette Quijano, Jamel Holley and Joe Danielsen was approved in June and will now head to the governor's desk fro final approval. S-3218, sponsored by Cunningham and Pou, was approved by a 32-0 vote. It would direct the Higher Education Student Assistance Authority (HESAA) to establish a repayment assistance program under the New Jersey College Loans to Assist State Students (NJCLASS) Loan Program for borrowers who experience a material loss of income during the period of loan repayment. The bill gives additional focus on borrowers who filed bankruptcy proceeding. HESAA would be required to notify the borrower of the repayment assistance program if a proof of claim is filed. Monday was a dream come true for new Jersey City Councilman James Solomon, but his nephew was more excited about meeting the guy his uncle trashed on the campaign trail. Solomon, 33, whose winning bid for the Downtown council seat was heavily critical of Mayor Steve Fulop's policies, was sworn in to his first term on Monday. But the councilman's 5-year-old nephew Theo -- who had traveled with his family all the way from China for the occasion -- had just one interest when he entered City Hall. "He said, 'When do I get to meet the mayor?'" Solomon said. See, Theo plays SimCity, the video game where the player acts as a mayor building a city. The idea of meeting a real-life mayor thrilled the 5-year-old. Fulop and Theo spoke briefly. Fulop told the boy that he once sat in the council seat his Uncle James now holds. The mayor, also a SimCity fan, told The Jersey Journal he did not try to snag any city-building tips from the tyke. Fulop was also being sworn in that night, to his second term. "I was not in a place," Fulop said, "to really swap strategies with him." Solomon's brother, Peter, is a French horn player with the Shanghai Symphony Orchestra. Terrence T. McDonald may be reached at tmcdonald@jjournal.com. Follow him on Twitter @terrencemcd. Find The Jersey Journal on Facebook. When police officers Kevin Williams and Mike Cipriano drove up to a panhandler under a highway overpass in downtown Trenton Friday night, the man quickly put his makeshift sign in his pocket when he saw their marked police car. Some nights, they would have moved the man along or warned him against obstructing traffic while asking motorists for a handout. On a bitterly cold, single-digit temperature nights like Friday, they offered him help. "We'll give you a ride to the Rescue Mission, no questions asked," Williams said to the man. Williams means no questions about the law because Cipriano does ask him a question. "You got somewhere to stay tonight?" Cipriano inquires. "Nah, I'm staying in a truck," the man responds, pointing further down Bridge Street. The man relaxes more when the officers talk about lending a hand. The man says he worked at a restaurant in Hamilton but was laid off because of his criminal record. He wants to move to Wisconsin and is doing what he can to get by. He has gas in his truck and will be fine, he says to the officers. They tell him that if he changes his mind, to wave them down later, or any Trenton police car, and they'll come back and pick him up. "Like I said, we'll take you no questions asked," Cipriano says. "We're just trying to look out for you tonight," adds Williams. "Ok," the man responds. Williams and Cipriano were on "endangered person" patrol. It's a duty triggered by the outside temperature dropping to 10 degrees overnight, windchill included. When it does, a patrol car is assigned to scour the city for homeless and endangered people and offer them a ride to a shelter. The officers would have several more exchanges similar to the one they had with the panhandler under the overpass during their 12-hour shift from Friday into Saturday. In circuitous routes through the city's four wards, they go down a mental list of anywhere the homeless or people who could use a warm place to stay usually gather: known encampments, parks, dead-end streets, intersections where they panhandle, and the city's train station. Williams and Cipriano are rookies each with less than 18 months on the job, but they already know the city well. They do not get any takers for a ride in the first three hours, but they find several people and make the offer. They suspect that it's so cold, many of the homeless and transient population have made it indoors already. While Williams and Cipriano do their patrol, the Rescue Mission of Trenton is also reaching out to the same population. They're offering rides too, plus food, blankets, and hats and gloves. For the mission, it's triggered by their own policy, "code blue." One Rescue Mission staffer, James, knows the people he is helping. He was one. He's a former addict, panhandler and shelter resident. "I can remember being out here, man, cold, rain, sleet, it didn't matter, not in my case," he said as his partner Will drove. He supported his heroin habit for two years through panhandling, always seeking, "one more bag." "I am so glad to be clean and sober where I can help somebody else," James said. They hand out food and supplies, but like the police, they do not transport anyone. The Rescue Mission outreach teams and Williams and Cipriano encounter the same people sometimes just minutes apart - like a known group of people who live in tents on East Front Street across from Mill Hill Park, a man hanging out in front of a convenience store on Lalor Street, and a man on a bench at the Trenton train station. "Everybody OK?" Cipriano calls out to the tent dwellers, shining his flashlight. "Yeah, we're OK," a man's voice comes from inside the tent, which stays zipped. "Want to go to a shelter?" Williams asks. "No, were good," the male voice says. Trenton Officer Mike Cipriano talks with NJ Transit officers abut a man in the train station. (Kevin Shea | For NJ.com) At the train station, which the officers pass several times, they encounter a man apparently sleeping on a bench, but New Jersey Transit police officers are already assisting him, and have called an ambulance, suspecting he's under the influence of narcotics. Williams and Cipriano say the endangered person patrol is not just a good thing for the city, and the people they encounter, but it helps them in their training. While on the assignment, they do not respond to 911 calls, or other incidents, and say the duty sharpen their skills in building rapport and solving problems. It gets them looking for things, and people, without the typical routine of looking for crime. Getting people to get into a police car without handcuffs, "It's a little bit of a sales pitch," Cipriano said. On Hamilton Avenue, the pitch almost works on a man smoking a cigarette and sipping a beer in front of a liquor store. The man says he might need a ride in three hours. "Three hours? Cipriano says. The man acts intoxicated and enjoys some playfully sparring with the officers, asking their names and saying he wants to promote them, "I'm gonna make you sergeants." "Look, we see you hanging out, and we know it's cold, we're just making sure you have somewhere to be." The man declines, but thanks them for lookin' out for him, and then retrieves his beer from the front stoop of a house. Williams says on a warmer night, their approach to the loiterer would be "different." "Not tonight, when it's this cold," Williams says and pulls away. - Staff Photographer Michael Mancuso contributed to this story. Kevin Shea may be reached at kshea@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter@kevintshea. Find NJ.com on Facebook. The exceptionally frigid weather slamming the state appears to be a factor in at least three deaths since early Thursday, including that of a young girl. Authorities in Vineland believe Michael Fleming, 57, fell victim to the blizzard conditions that had been lashing southern New Jersey for hours by the time his body was found in the parking lot of a liquor store Thursday morning. Although Fleming has family in the area, he may have been homeless, police said. "It's tragic,"Lt. Lenny Wolf told NJ Advance Media. "We have services available and unfortunately not everyone uses them." Several hours later, around 4 p.m., police, firefighters and medical personnel responded to a Perth Amboy apartment building, where dozens had been sickened by exposure to carbon monoxide. The gas is a byproduct of the combustion of fuels, including heating oil, and is potentially deadly if it accumulates in an enclosed space. That's believed to have happened at the 12-unit building on Fayette Street, where a blocked chimney sent the CO level inside soaring to dangerous levels. CO detectors did not appear to be working at the time of the incident, the city said in a statement. The owner told authorities the detectors were working as of last month, however. About three dozen people were treated for CO exposure. A 13-year-old girl died and three of her relatives remained in critical condition Friday. The girl's name had not yet been released by police. On Friday morning, when temperatures with the wind chill had dipped below zero, a man's body was found in a snowbank near an Elizabeth bus stop. While no cause was given, foul play is not suspected and weather likely played a role, officials said. Authorities described the victim as in his 50s but did not release his name. A spokesperson for the Elizabeth Police Department, which is handling the investigation, could not be reached Friday night. Paul Milo may be reached at pmilo@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter@PaulMilo2. Find NJ.com on Facebook. The United States' most popular doughnut shop is marking the new year by making their sugary snacks a little more natural amid a rebranding rolling out in 2018. Dunkin' Donuts is eliminating artificial dyes from all their food and drinks in the U.S. by the end of the year, the Massachusetts-based company said Thursday in a statement. The change comes just before the introduction of a limited menu with fewer doughnut options as the company seeks to become known more for its drinks than for its doughnuts. Dunkin' Donuts' new menu, including a reduction to 18 types of doughnuts from 30, is set to arrive in New England on Monday, The Boston Herald reported. It is expected to come to New Jersey and the rest of the country in mid-March. The company is also testing signs at a few of its locations that call the store just "Dunkin'" in an attempt to bolster its image as a beverage-led brand. In the meantime, Dunkin' Donuts is touting its new Snow Flurries Donut, a yeast ring doughnut with blue icing and snowflake sprinkles. The treat is available at certain stores across the country for a limited time, the company said in the statement. Marisa Iati may be reached at miati@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @Marisa_Iati or on Facebook here. Find NJ.com on Facebook. Have a tip? Tell us. nj.com/tips By James J. Florio Our gubernatorial election in New Jersey may be a harbinger of a positive change in the values of American voters -- an indication of the maturing of judgment about political leaders. The alienated views that many citizens have about politics in general results in the low turnout we see in our elections. They have had it with foolish non-substantive campaigns and trite empty promises; e.g. "build a wall that Mexico will pay for"; "put all coal miners back to work." The electorate has become cynical and feels that its intelligence is being insulted. With the election of Phil Murphy as governor, New Jersey voters have acknowledged that they are prepared to accept someone who speaks honestly to them, even when the truth is not easy to accept. Take the issue of gun safety. Most politicians would never think of raising the issue, much less campaigning on it in a manner to alienate the NRA and the gun lobby. Murphy did, because he understood that engaged voters know that reasonable restrictions on gun ownership are necessary to control the epidemic of gun violence in our nation while preserving Second Amendment rights. Likewise, it is hard to imagine many candidates working aggressively to advance the full legalization of marijuana. Murphy did, and took the time to explain the social justice justification for addressing the criminal law disparities in the current justice system, to say nothing about the needed revenues to be derived. Lastly, our governor-elect breached the ultimate taboo -- he informed voters that taxes would undoubtedly go up if we wanted higher education to be more affordable for the middle- and working-class young people. Likewise, if we wanted all of our children to have access to pre-school with all of its unquestioned educational benefits or a transit system that works, taxes would undoubtedly go up. We do not have a spending problem; we have a revenue problem. Whether the revenue comes from the income of the most affluent, the restoration of the estate tax or some other source, the public has been honestly addressed and treated as adults. In forthrightly responding to issues and problems, Murphy was overwhelmingly supported by New Jersey voters. Our hope should be that acceptance by the electorate of the fact that there are no easy answers, and that people who offer them are charlatans who are uninformed or dishonest. Perhaps the election of our new governor will encourage more truth-tellers who will work to get more citizens engaged and informed. The only way a real Democracy works. James J. Florio of Moorestown, a Democrat, is a former New Jersey governor. He is a senior fellow for public policy and administration at the Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy at Rutgers University. He is a founding partner of the law firm of Florio Perrucci Steinhardt & Cappelli, L.L.C. headquartered in Phillipsburg. Bookmark NJ.com/Opinion. Follow on Twitter @NJ_Opinion and find NJ.com Opinion on Facebook. The Somerset County Vocational & Technical High School Board of Education has agreed to pay $110,000 to a former Spanish teacher who alleged that he was harassed by students for being gay, and that the school did nothing to stop it. Kevin McManus, who began working at the high school in Bridgewater in 2008, alleged that not only did the school fail to take action, but that the school retaliated against him after he filed a civil rights complaint. William Hyncik, president of the high school's board of education, signed off on the agreement last month. James Strickhart, a spokesman for the school, could not be reached for comment. The settlement was first reported by government watchdog John Paff on one of his blogs, random notes on NJ government. According to McManus' complaint, filed in 2015, the harassment began after a student revealed the teacher's sexual orientation during class in 2011. From then on, several other students -- identified in the lawsuit only by their initials -- began to relentlessly harass McManus. The students allegedly taunted him with statements like "don't drop the soap," and "do you like fudge?" among other things, the lawsuit alleged. One student was also continually insubordinate and disruptive during class, the suit said. Though McManus expressed his concerns multiple times to school officials, the harassment continued, the suit alleged. McManus claimed to have reported one of the students' harassing behavior to the school's disciplinary coordinator, Jamie Morales, who allegedly failed to "take appropriate steps to stop it," according to the suit. Instead, Morales allegedly told the student to 'keep doing what you're doing'" and to "document Mr. McManus' activity during class." McManus also allegedly reported the harassment to the school's principal, Diane Ziegler, and Affirmative Action Officer Teresa Morelli, both of whom also allegedly failed to take action to stop the conduct. According to the suit, after filing a complaint with the New Jersey Division on Civil Rights, McManus alleged school officials retaliated against him by demanding his resignation, barring him from using certain types of personal days and denying him paid leaves of absence due to medical conditions caused by the alleged harassment. The school's superintendent, Chrys Harttraft allegedly demanded that McManus resign his position as a tenured teacher or his disability retirement would be delayed, according to the suit. Harttraft could not be reached for comment on Friday. The settlement agreement contains a confidentiality clause and a clause that the payment cannot be interpreted as an admission of liability by the school or employees. According to the settlement agreement, McManus will receive about $66,905 of the $110,000 with the rest going to attorneys fees. Spencer Kent may be reached at skent@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @SpencerMKent. Find the Find NJ.com on Facebook. UPDATE: Phillipsburg fire investigated as arson, prosecutor says A fire early Saturday morning destroyed a two-story building on Stockton Street near Silk Street in Phillipsburg. No one was injured in the blaze that was reported at about 1:50 a.m. and quickly engulfed the vacant building, town fire Chief Rich Hay said. Reports from the scene at 224 Stockton St., which is the Tuscany Hill Plaza, indicated the fire was in a smaller building next to the retail plaza. Mayor Stephen Ellis said on Facebook a general fire alarm came in at the former Hi Qu Kitchen & Tile Design Center. Phillipsburg public works trucked in salt to try to help with the ice, he said, as single-digit temperatures made the firefighters' challenge all the more dangerous. "The building is fully engulfed and the FD is hosing down adjacent buildings to keep it from spreading," Ellis posted. "Everything is a sheet of ice and very dangerous." The town closed Stockton Street in the area, and Ellis advised before dawn: "Please stay clear of this area tomorrow." The mayor described the fire as under control about 3:40 a.m. The firefighting effort drew downtown water supplies by 3 feet, but Aqua New Jersey was already working to refill the reservoirs, Ellis said. Firefighters continued to pour water on the blaze around 7:30 a.m., according to reports from the scene. The Warren County Prosecutor's Office was on scene to help investigate the cause. Photographer Tim Wynkoop contributed to this report. Kurt Bresswein may be reached at kbresswein@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter @KurtBresswein. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook. One man has been arrested and two people are at large after police say the trio used a gun to threaten and beat two victims last week in New Orleans East. According to New Orleans police, the three pistol-whipped the victims, hitting each victim multiple times in the head, late Dec. 30 in the 6000 block of Chef Menteur Highway. Jerry Harris, 19, who was arrested shortly afterward, also pointed a gun at both victims, police said. He was booked early Dec. 31 with aggravated battery, aggravated assault with a firearm and two counts of simple battery. Though Jerry Harris was captured, August Harris, 25, and Victoria Harris, 24, fled the scene. August Harris is wanted on charges of aggravated battery, simple battery and flight from an officer, according to the NOPD. Victoria Harris is wanted on a charge of aggravated battery. Thursday night, Jerry Harris remained in the Orleans Justice Center jail with bond set for $30,000, according to Orleans Parish court records. An NOPD news release did not indicate the relationships among the three accused in the beating. Anyone with information on the location of August Harris or Victoria Harris is asked to call any Seventh District detective at 504-658-6070. Anonymous tips can be submitted by calling Crimestoppers at 504-822-1111 or toll-free 1-877-903-STOP. Louisiana taxpayers spent $205,000 to settle sexual harassment claims made against former Orleans Parish Juvenile Court Judge David Bell, according to state records released Friday (Jan. 5). The records, released to NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune after a December public records request, do not identify the recipients of two separate November 2014 settlement payouts: one for $150,000 and the other for $55,000. They also do not include details of the accusations against Bell, 48, who resigned from the bench in 2010 and is currently under indictment in Jefferson Parish in connection with an alleged auto theft ring. The combined payouts in Bell's case represent the largest amount for a single accused party among 27 separate settlements or court judgements the state has paid in the last eight years to people who have accused state officials and employees of sexual harassment, the records show. In total, the state has paid out $1.3 million to settle sexual harassment claims since mid-2009. When reached by phone Friday, Bell said the state did not represent him in a 2011 federal sexual harassment lawsuit filed on behalf of two former court employees. The suit was settled in November 2014, days before trial. Bell directed questions about the case to the law firm he said represented him in the lawsuit. An attorney for the firm was not immediately available for comment. Top stories in New Orleans in your inbox Twice daily we'll send you the day's biggest headlines. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up The two former employees who filed suit against Bell were among six court employees who accused him of sexual harassment, the details of which were made public in a 2010 investigation by the Louisiana Judiciary Commission. Three of the women interviewed during the probe accused Bell of kissing them against their wishes, of making unwanted comments about their appearance, and of asking at least one to lift her skirt, according to a previous Times-Picayune story. Bell, who was elected to the bench in a 2004 special election, resigned in June 2010, days after the state Supreme Court banished him from Juvenile Court. Six years later, he was indicted on racketeering charges in connection with an alleged Jefferson Parish auto theft ring. The criminal case is still pending, court records show. Bell has previously denied involvement in the ring. Staff reporter Julia O'Donoghue contributed to this story. A Hollygrove man was booked in the New Orleans jail this week after a 10-year-old girl early last year told her counselor and then detectives, a forensic interviewer and a doctor he sexually assaulted her several times over a two-year period, the man's warrant states. An arrest warrant for Michael Vanwhalraven, 46, sworn in April 2017 by New Orleans Police Detective Bianca DeIrish, states the girl told her counselor Vanwhalraven "touches her 'down there,'" and that the most recent sexual assault occurred Feb. 12. The counselor told police the girl disclosed that the sexual abuse had been ongoing since she was 8 years old. A forensic interviewer at the Child Advocacy Center spoke to the girl, and she described abuse that occurred two days before at his home on Apricot Street, as well as another instance of abuse two weeks prior. Vanwhalraven was booked on one count of first-degree rape of a victim under age 13, four counts of sexual battery and two counts of molestation of a juvenile. WGNO reported on Dec. 14 that Vanwhalraven was arrested by U.S. Marshal's Office in Modesto, Calif., on the warrants out of New Orleans and would likely be extradited to Louisiana. A California TV reporter tweeted about the arrest on Dec. 14. It appears from court records Vanwhalraven was booked into the Orleans Just Center jail Sunday (Dec. 31). Orleans Magistrate Commissioner Jonathan Friedman found probable cause to hold him on all the charges and set his bond at a total of $200,000. He appointed the Orleans Public Defender's Office, which typically does not comment on open cases, to represent Vanwhalraven as long as he remains in jail. After a forensic interview, the girl also underwent a medical exam by a doctor at the Audrey Hepburn Care Center at Children's Hospital, which provides care to victims of child abuse, who found the girl "provided a clear history of sexual abuse... by Michael Vanwhalraven." The doctor found the abuse involving several forms of contact, including penile-vaginal contact, the warrant states. The girl disclosed she was told, "not to tell Mommy, when it first happened about once a week for the past two years." During the medical exam, the girl wrote that the touching had been "going on for two years and I don't like talking about it." A rare rifle traced to the Battle of New Orleans has been recovered more than 35 years after it was stolen from a local museum--just in time for the 203rd anniversary of the battle, according to a Friday (Jan. 5) news release from the FBI New Orleans Division. In a news conference set for Monday, the FBI and Louisiana State Police plan to unveil details on the investigation into the weapon's disappearance from the Confederate Memorial Hall Museum. The museum's executive board will also be hosting the conference. The event falls on the 203rd anniversary of the Battle of New Orleans and the 127th anniversary of the museum's opening. Nigerian doctor Adaora Okoli said her uncle once asked if she was "nuts" when she mentioned her plan to study infectious diseases at Tulane University, considering that she contracted Ebola while treating Nigeria's patient zero in 2014. The 27-year-old graduate student laughed by phone Thursday afternoon (Jan. 4) as she recalled her uncle saying "you shouldn't even be talking about infections because you just almost died." She enrolled into Tulane regardless, and her tenacity inspired philanthropist Bill Gates so much so that he recognized her Thursday as one of his "Heroes in the Field." Time Magazine asked Gates to serve as its first guest editor for the company's Jan. 15 issue of its publication. He tweeted Thursday that he decided to focus on a handful of optimistic people who inspire him. With this in mind, Gates featured Okoli and four other people in his personal blog as heroes who "are saving the world." "I met Ada a few years ago, and heard her harrowing story of survival. She has now dedicated her medical career to the research, treatment, and prevention of future epidemics. Her courage and her optimism are inspiring," Gates wrote. Okoli said she was caring for patients in a Lagos hospital in July 2014 when 40-year-old Liberian Patrick Sawyer arrived at their facility, visibly ill. She picked up the intravenous fluid bag from his bed the next day while she was checking his condition, which was undiagnosed Ebola. Sawyer died in July a few days after the humanitarian group Doctors Without Borders issued a statement saying West African countries needed international help to contain Ebola. Okoli said she learned in August her blood tested positive for Ebola, prompting her colleagues to quarantine her in an isolation center with other Ebola patients. "When I got sick with Ebola and I was sent into the isolation room with the other people that were ill with me, we only had one infectious disease specialist who was taking care of us the first week and he was a foreigner," Okoli said. She remained confident and prayed throughout her ordeal until she was declared Ebola-free after 14 days, she said. She later traveled to New Orleans in November 2014 to share her experience with attendees at the annual conference for the American Society for Tropical Medicine and Public Health. Gates was the keynote speaker at the event, and Okoli said she felt he would be interested "to hear a survivor's point of view." Tulane faculty encouraged Okoli to apply to the School of Public Health before she returned to Nigeria after the conference, she said. Three weeks after her return home, she said Gates' office also asked her if he could publish her story online. Her essay on her experience remains on his website to this day. Okoli said she learned by phone a few weeks ago that Gates planned to feature her in Time. A video crew went to Tulane to shoot a video about her in September, when her parents back in Nigeria became aware of her recognition, according to a university news release. Okoli said she is "pretty excited" about the honor. Top stories in New Orleans in your inbox Twice daily we'll send you the day's biggest headlines. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up "I honestly never dreamt in my life that I would be honored in this way and I just want to do my best to impact the lives of people. If your life doesn't matter in that way, then it's really a waste," she said. Okoli is currently in her second year of studying for a Master's degree in Infectious Disease Epidemiology. She said she is learning about outbreak prevention and containment, the resources needed for prevention, and the various angles of an outbreak related to the community, government and socioeconomic factors. She stressed that her experience with Ebola "opened my eyes to the human angle of illness." "I realized it's so easy to not really know what the patient is feeling," she said. "So I'm more empathic. It really did open my eyes to the fact that infectious disease is a disease of poverty, and countries that have very limited resources are not able to contain the diseases quickly," she said. Determined to return to Nigeria to help prevent future outbreaks of disease, Okoli said she wants to understand why some people survive diseases while others don't. She said Tulane "is one of the best places globally with a focus on developing countries," which is why she decided to study at the institution. "We don't have a lot of infectious disease specialists in Nigeria who know what to do when this sort of thing happens, which is dangerous. I believe that clinical medicine and epidemiology can be married. I believe that when you see patients and you're able to treat an infectious disease, you should be able to do research on why it's happening," she said. Tulane stated Okoli is set to complete her studies in May. The mother of one 2-year-old daughter advised aspiring doctors to enter the infectious disease field only if they want to help people. "Medicine really is service to humanity," she said. "At the end of the day, you really don't get as much accolades and thanks as you deserve, but it's service to God and service to humanity." "It's not as lucrative in terms of moneymaking as other surgical professions, (so you) go into it because you want to help people," she added. . . . . . . . Wilborn P. Nobles III is an education reporter based in New Orleans. He can be reached at wnobles@nola.com or on Twitter at @WilNobles. Louisiana's freezing temperatures could result in fish die offs along the coast, according to the state Department of Wildlife and Fisheries. Species popular among recreational fishers are among those that could be impacted by low water temperatures. It is too early to say how fish species have been affected by the recent streak of low temperatures, according to a department news release. But white trout, red drum, black drum, and spotted seatrout are among the coastal species that are commonly impacted by low water temperatures. Estimates of how fish populations have been affected by the cold weather will be available once the department is able to conduct surveys through its fishery-independent monitoring programs. Fish killed by the freeze could be sitting on the bottom of water bodies, and may not be visible for more than a week. When water temperatures fall below 40 degrees for more than a day, spotted seatrout can be impacted, according to the news release. Red Drum, however, are typically more tolerant and are not impacted unless the water temperature falls below the mid-30s. Fishers are encouraged to contact Wildlife and Fisheries by phone at 800-442-2511 if they come across significant numbers of dead or dying fish. Important information to include when reporting a fish kill: Now that 12th Night has arrived, it's time for king cake. When you have your first piece, please remember our Louisiana troops serving in far-flung places around the world. They'll be missing the upcoming parades and fun and craziness, but there's a way you can deliver a taste of Carnival to them. Think of it as Mardi Gras in a box. Families, church groups, businesses, school children -- basically anyone or any group of caring people -- can send special 12-by-12 priority mail APO flat-rate boxes that say "America Supports You" on them to those serving our country. But the deadline is soon -- Jan. 20 -- because Mardi Gras is so early this year. (See specific instructions in the information box that accompanies this column.) I learned about Mission Mardi Gras when I was tagged on a Facebook message from Tawney Tallo. She wrote: "Our first Mardi Gras care package was delivered to deployed troops from Louisiana!!! Thanks, Anna Dolotina Sanders. We only have 1,499 more to reach our goal." The first time I wrote about Tallo was back in 2010, when she was the state coordinator for the volunteer group Soldiers' Angels and had organized a drive to send boxes full of Carnival goodies to Louisiana military personnel serving in Iraq and Afghanistan. She got involved with Soldiers' Angels when her husband, Vincent Tallo, was at Camp Liberty in Iraq with the Louisiana National Guard for a year and she was home in Alexandria raising their four children,"It was my therapy," she told me. At that time, her husband was back home, but she still felt driven to volunteer for servicemen and women, and she knew that Mardi Gras celebrations far from home would boost morale. "We have 1,500 heroes we want to send some Louisiana love to," she told me then. Louisianians responded to her request generously, sending off boxes stuffed with beads, costumes, pralines, red beans and rice, and other tastes of New Orleans. I heard from soldiers who wanted to get on "the list," too, so I was happy to learn that people had packed "hundreds and hundreds" of extra boxes to distribute. I sent three boxes crammed with loooong pearls, Community Coffee, Zatarain's jambalaya mix, and other treats. You probably recall that we all had over-the-top Saints fever in 2010, so for lagniappe I added black and gold Saints beads. Tallo received many expressions of thanks from Louisiana troops that year. Her favorite came in an email from a wounded soldier, who told her the best thing about his care package. He wrote, "When I opened it up, it smelled like home." In early January 2011, I wrote to Tallo at Soldiers' Angels to see if she was going to head up the annual Carnival project again. When I didn't hear back from her, I was worried at first, but eventually I learned that she had turned over the drive to someone else for a very good reason: She was at Basic Training in South Carolina. When we talked after she got back home, she explained why she had decided to join the Army National Guard at 37. "My dad was in the Air Force, so we were raised to be patriots, and for a long time I didn't feel like I was doing enough to assure my own children's freedom," she said. "It hurt my heart." When I saw Tallo's Facebook message last week, I felt like I was hearing from an old friend, and I asked her to call me so I could catch up with her adventures during the past six years. She wrote back to say we would have to correspond by email.She is now a captain in the Military Intelligence branch of the Louisiana National Guard, she explained, and she is far from home. "We are on a 10-month deployment to Afghanistan to train, assist and advise with logistical operations in support of Operation Freedom's Sentinel," she wrote. She has certainly been doing enough to assure her own children's freedom since we last talked. In 2013, she and another volunteer, Sienna Schehr, founded the Louisiana Heroes Project. "We had been volunteering for many national organizations over the years and decided it was time to start a local nonprofit that not only supported the active duty component in our state, but the National Guard, reservists, combat wounded, veterans, families of the fallen, and the first responders who sacrifice so much for us every day." So far, the Louisiana Heroes Project has helped more than 14,000 people with food, morale-boosting, emergency financial aid, and employment assistance. It would be difficult to find a family more dedicated to serving our country than Tallo's is: Tallo, 43, was commissioned as an officer in the Army in 2012 after completing Officer Candidate School. Her husband Vince just retired after 34 years of military service and now works full time for the Louisiana National Guard as a civilian. Their oldest child works for the Louisiana National Guard in Baton Rouge and their two middle children are in the military. Their youngest is still in high school. "I just realized that five out of six of us are in or work for the military!" Tallo wrote.She is coordinating Mission Mardi Gras from Afghanistan with help from volunteers in Louisiana. Their goal is to make sure all service members deployed from Louisiana receive a Carnival package before Feb. 13. "We have a list of units and their mailing information," she said. So, please pick up those boxes and stuff them with whatever Louisiana and Carnival items you'd like to receive if you were half a world away from home. Saints memorabilia is always appreciated."WE LOVE THE SAINTS!!!" Tallo wrote. "There are numerous members of the Saints Nation here and we are all hopeful for another Super Bowl victory! Even if we don't get there, we are proud of their hard work this year and look forward to being back in the Superdome in 2018 to watch their games live. We have to get up really early or stay up really late to watch them here, but it's worth it." How to Participate in Mission Mardi Gras Send boxes between now and Jan. 20. Pick up a free 12 X12 flat rate box at the Post Office that says "APO" and "America Supports You.' Also pick up a Customs Declaration and Dispatch Note (2976-A). Fill the box with Mardi Gras themed items, such as throws, costumes, Louisiana-inspired foods, beads, decorations, and cards made by kids. Please -- no pork products, liquids or obscenity. Place a note in the box with your name and return address. Write "LHP Mission Mardi Gras" on the side of the box. Send an email to events@louisianaheroesproject.org to receive the address where you should send your box or boxes. When you get your address, go to the Post Office with your customs form filled out and your box of Mardi Gras cheer. Shipping cost is $17.95 per APO box. Visit the Louisiana Heroes Project Facebook page to learn more about the non-profit group and about Mission Mardi Gras. An 80-year-old pedestrian was killed early Friday (Jan. 5) when he was struck by a vehicle while standing on U.S. 190 near Lacombe. Joseph Herrin Ordone, of Lacombe, died in the 5:25 a.m. accident near the intersection of Mill Road, Louisiana State Police reported. The initial investigation has led state troopers to determine that the accident occurred as Ordone was standing in the westbound lane of U.S. 190. Ordone was wearing dark clothing when he was struck by a westbound 2017 Infiniti QX8, State Police said. After being hit by the Infiniti, witnesses reported that Ordone was struck by several other vehicles. The investigation into the accident is ongoing. Presently, impairment is not being considered as a contributing factor, police said. After a herd of about 15 big elk fell through the frozen surface of Palisades Reservoir at the Idaho-Wyoming border, a herd of human beings wielding crowbars, ropes, chainsaws, tow straps and ice augurs turned up to rescue them. Video from the incident is now circulating on YouTube and social media. "At first, me and my boss only had a hammer," Devan Thornock, who was driving to work when he spotted the distressed animals, told the Jackson Hole News & Guide. "And that's all we had to try to break the ice apart." The rescue took place the morning of Dec. 29 near Alpine, Wyo., on a reservoir eight to 10 feet deep with about four inches of ice on top, eastidahonews.com reported. The air temperature was in the low 30s. Curious passersby soon joined the hour-long effort. They roped and pulled most of the elk -- 600 to 700 pounds apiece -- from the frigid water to safety on firmer ice. Read full stories from the News & Guide and eastidahonews.com. . . . . . . . Drew Broach covers Jefferson Parish politics and Louisiana interests in Congress, plus other odds and ends, for NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune. Email: dbroach@nola.com. Facebook: Drew Broach TP. Twitter: drewbroach1. Google+: Drew Broach. The state will soon be pushing the locally elected officials of Powhatan out of the way to administer the finances of the northwest Louisiana village that in mid-July had only $105 in its general fund and is hiring a cop to drum up some money from Prairieville lawyer Aaron Lawler became the third member of the Ascension Parish Council to have a recall petition filed against him in the past two weeks, as some residents revolt over the pace of new developments and their impact on floods and traffic. A man was killed and a woman injured when a van crashed Saturday afternoon (Jan. 6) into the side of a Crescent City Connection bridge ramp in Algiers, New Orleans police said. Emergency responders investigated the wreck on General de Gaulle Drive at Marr Avenue. Authorities say the unidentified 54-year-old driver of a white 1998 Dodge van lost control of the vehicle as he was driving west on General De Gaulle shortly before 1:30 p.m. and hit the wall. He was trapped inside the van when authorities arrived and later pronounced dead at the scene. The van's female passenger, 53, was stabilized and taken to an area hospital for treatment. The extent of her injuries was not immediately known. Police said blood and alcohol tests are pending. Anyone with information about the fatal crash should call investigator Danny Ellis at 504-658-6205. Concerned youth have petitioned the Speaker of Parliament Rebecca Kadaga to have minister of Foreign Affairs Sam Kutesa impeached over what they term as questionable conduct in Uganda and at international level. Led by former Makerere University guild president David Bala Bwiruka, lawyers; Simon Peter Esomu, Henry Byansi and Martin Twomo among others argued that despite his censorship as Finance state minister over corruption in 1999, Kutesa has continued to engage in scandalous acts even as Foreign Affairs minister, tainting the countrys image. Hon. Kutesa was once formally censored by our parliament for corruption and has since been involved in many other scandals dating back to 1999, when he deviated public funds in connection with Uganda Airlines, the national carrier which eventually collapsed. He has been accused of deviating state funds when we hosted the Chogm [Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting] in 2007 where $150m still remains unaccounted for, the petitioners told Kadaga. Some of the youth who petitioned Speaker Rebecca Kadaga to have minister Sam Kuteesa impeached Details of a criminal bribery case being prosecuted in the United States indicate that Kutesa allegedly received a $500,000 bribe to help a Chinese firm obtain business advantages in the energy and banking sectors including potential acquisition of a Ugandan bank while serving as president of the United Nations General Assembly. The petitioners also based on various local and international media reports in November last year where it was reported that the Justice Department of the United States of America had implicated Kutesa for successfully creating a fake charity organization with a ploy to engage in bribery and money laundering activities. The petitioners say that contrary to principles established in the Constitution, Leadership Code of Conduct, values and aspirations of Ugandans, Kutesa conducted himself in a manner indicative of corruption tendencies and detrimental to the public good, welfare and good governance of the country. Shs 1.8 billion bribe was transmitted through New York to an account designated by Kutesa in Uganda. That bribe was paid on or about May 6, 2016 after Kutesa finished his term as president of the UN General Assembly, Bala said. We are further concerned that through the impugned conduct, Kutesa has maligned the image of Uganda hence putting its future on cold ice. We are concerned that Uganda is now viewed as a country of greedy and egocentric people with no political will to fight corruption, he added. The petitioners have demanded that Kadaga, sets up a committee or refers the matter to an appropriate committee for investigations as well as moving a motion to impeach Kutesa as a Foreign Affairs minister for his dishonorable conduct. The group also threatened to petition court should parliament not take action against Kutesa. We demand that this matter be taken seriously lest we shall be constrained to refer the matter to the courts of law to compel parliament to perform its constitutional oversight role over the executive, Bala said. Kadaga however promised to get back to the petitioners on the way forward, noting that Ntungamo Municipality MP Gerald Karuhanga tabled the same matter before the House with similar demands. Although Karuhanga mid last month raised a matter of national importance asking that parliament through the speaker summons Kutesa to explain to the country the role he played in the bribery case to help a Chinese energy company get unlicensed oil blocks in Uganda, Kadaga instead told the MPs to refer that issue to Financial Intelligence Authority. "Lodge a complaint as a concerned citizen. If the offence was committed here, I would have no problem. But I have no control over another jurisdiction,' Kadaga said then. namuloki16@gmail.com The auditor general (AG) has found that government lost Shs 40.8 billion last financial year through breach of tax laws by government ministries, departments and agencies. Parliament Speaker Rebecca Kadaga receives the Auditor General's report from AG John Muwanga. PHOTO: Josephine Namuloki Handing over his report for 2016-17 to the Speaker of Parliament Rebecca Kadaga yesterday, John Muwanga noted that government entities either failed to pay value added tax (VAT) or paid to non-existent service providers, and that no deductions of pay as you earn (PAYE) were made, leading to a huge financial loss to government. According to the Value Added Tax Act, VAT should be paid by the ministry or department for goods and services, but the auditor general's report indicates that Shs37.6b worth of VAT was not paid while Shs 87million in VAT was paid [as VAT refund] to non-registered service providers. The Income Tax Act, 1997 (as amended) also requires entities to deduct withholding tax and PAYE and to remit the withheld taxes within 15 days of the month following the one in which deductions were made. But Shs 1.12b in withholding tax was not remitted and Shs 261m was lost in withholding tax non-deductions. The report indicates that that practice not only denies the government revenue for funding the national budget but also attracts penalties and fines, which in turn constrain the cash flows of the affected entities. Failure to settle the taxes may also adversely affect future project financing in the case of donor funded projects, the report indicates. namuloki16@gmail.com In November 2015, the World Health Organization released new guidelines recommending that all people diagnosed as HIV-positive be enrolled on antiretroviral therapy (ART) regardless of disease stage. The universal test and treat (UTT) policy soon followed. There is persuasive research which forecasts that, globally, if as many people as possible are tested, and immediately enrolled on treatment (if diagnosed as HIV-positive), their ability to transmit the virus will be limited, rendering the end of the HIV epidemic as a feasible target by as early as 2030. Indeed, many countries have rolled out test and treat. In Africa, Botswana is among the countries that have registered tremendous success in this regard. In Uganda, many health facilities began implementing test and treat this year following its inclusion by Pepfar, a predominant donor in Uganda, in its annual program targets. Without doubt, the test and treat policy is a potent strategy in the national HIV response in Uganda and globally. However, field research we have been conducting across Uganda with colleagues from Makerere University, School of Public Health and a partner US university over the last six months, suggests that a myriad of bottlenecks stand in the way of Ugandas implementation of test and treat. Perhaps the most prominent of these is the widespread and prolonged stock-out of antiretroviral drugs (ARVs), especially second-line regimens in the regions of Busoga, Bugisu and Acholi which we visited twice in 2017 in two rounds of data collection (mid 2017 and late 2017). Patients who used to get a three-month supply of ARVs have had that reduced to as few as two weeks. An un-interrupted supply of ARVs is a cornerstone of the test and treat strategy. As the print media has consistently reported in the last couple of months, Uganda is experiencing nationwide stock-outs of ARVs with the clear and present danger of a systemic drug resistance. It was welcome news recently when Deborah Malac, the US ambassador to Uganda, announced a grant of over $18 million government to address ARV stock-outs. We cant wait for operationalization of Ugandas AIDS Trust Fund (ATF) to reduce our heavy dependence on international assistance in our national HIV response. Clearly, test and treat demands new kinds of performance of the Ugandan health system and requires unprecedented resources. In one of the health facilities we visited, active patients on ART almost doubled from 2,000 to 3,800 in a space of less than six months. Health workers partly attributed ARV stock-outs to increased demand due to test and treat but we now know that other factors were also at play at national level. Health workforce shortages, a perennial constraint, featured prominently. Despite a dramatic increase in patient volumes, the number of health workers remained the same or declined. In some health facilities, health workers shunned ART clinics due to punishing workloads. Because of implementation of test and treat and escalating patient burdens, the waiting time for patients was reported to have become longer. As a country, we need to evaluate our readiness for implementing test and treat or double our investments at the level of government and donors to realize its successful implementation. Surely, pilot studies must have been conducted before full-scale rollout as I have seen reported elsewhere. This piece is by no means aimed at discrediting test and treat but is intended as a reflection on our national readiness for implementing of a clearly worthwhile and potent strategy. As things stand today, the more clinically-needy patients may have been denied life-saving treatment as test and treat may have spread us thin. During our field visits, we found little evidence in the field of implementation of differentiated care models. These have been touted as another strategy for managing the escalating demand for HIV treatment where visits to clinics are reduced for stable patients and more are permitted for patients not achieving viral suppression. This strategy, too, could potentially aid in Ugandas implementation of test and treat. hzakumumpa@cartafrica.org The author is a health systems researcher and CARTA Fellow at Makerere University, School of Public Health Forests are very important because they provide wood for construction, energy, food security, a natural habitat for animals, and help to reduce the effects of climate change. But between 1990 and 2015, Uganda lost an average of 90,000 hectares of forests annually, shrinking the forest cover from 24 to 10 per cent. However, according to the ministry of Water and Environment, only about 7,000 hectares of planted forests have been established yearly in the last 15 years. This imbalance threatens Ugandas ability to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), especially on sustainably managing forests to mitigate climate change, transformation of Uganda into a green and modern economy, and the contribution of forests to livelihoods of current generations and those is posterity. I applaud the government of Uganda for supporting commercial forestry through innovative approaches, while at the same time creating jobs and increasing household incomes. One such approach is the Sawlog Production Grant Scheme (SPGS) Phase III Project implemented by the Food and Agriculture Organization of United Nations (FAO) on behalf of the government of Uganda with funding from the European Union (EU), for a period of five years, starting in 2016. SPGS III seeks to encourage private sector investment in commercial timber plantations by providing grants and forestry technical advice to private sector investors involved in tree planting for production of timber and electricity transmission poles. Through this model and recognizing favorable government policies such as Build Uganda, Buy Uganda that promotes local consumption of domestic products, FAO, supported by the UN Office for Project Service (UNOPS), offers the investor a conditional grant of about 30 per cent of the estimated total investment. The retrospective disbursement is made after a field inspection confirms that the investor has carried out critical forest operations and has complied with the FAO/SPGS III recommended standards for quality forest plantations. This model helps to guarantee that the investor will have sufficient funds to effectively establish and manage the forest plantations while also ensuring that the plantations benefit from the recommended silvicultural operations that will favour high quality timber and transmission poles. Neglecting some key operations results in poor forest plantations and, therefore, poor return on investment. So far, 520 small, medium and large scale tree growers have been selected throughout Uganda. These will receive grants to plant a combined area of about 23,000 hectares. Grant management is done by UNOPS, for transparency and efficiency of financial resources. Another success factor in SPGS III Project is the voluntary certification of tree nurseries and forest plantation contractors as key service providers in commercial forestry. Certification is vital because many investors in commercial forestry in Uganda have limited skills in operations related to forest plantation establishment and maintenance. FAO/SPGS III offers training and recommends acceptable standards to nursery operators and contractors, who thereafter receive one-year rating-based certification which empowers them to guarantee customer satisfaction. Lists of certified nursery operators and contractors are shared with the investors to enable them identify where to buy good quality seedlings or access technical know-how for establishment and maintenance operations such as planting, weeding, pruning and thinning. Currently, FAO has certified 66 tree nurseries and 40 contractors (pruning and thinning). The demand for certification is a positive indicator of the relevance that private sector players attribute to providing quality planting material and forestry services to support a vibrant sector. FAO/SPGS III project is supporting downstream processing including plantation infrastructure, skills development, timber logging, access to finances, saw milling and timber market development along the commercial forestry value chain to help match Ugandas wood processing capacity to the local demand for wood products. The State of Ugandas Forestry 2016 reports that the estimated sawn-wood market in Uganda is 369,000 cubic meters with an estimated value of Shs 101 billion. FAO forecasts consumption of industrial wood at 1.7 million cubic meters by 2030. As such, SPGS III will help to expand supply while ensuring high quality timber on the Uganda market. Local communities and institutions that are highly dependent of wood for energy are also benefitting from the SPGS III project which targets establishment of 4,000 and 2,500 hectares by communities and institutions respectively, majorly for provision of wood fuel or bioenergy. So far, FAO, through the SPGS III project, has distributed about two million seedlings to communities and institutions in the country. Grants are also provided to growers, up to a target of 5,000 hectares for pruning and thinning forest operations. To promote ownership and sustainability of this unique approach, FAO is implementing the Project with support from private and public entities. These include Uganda Timber Growers Association (UTGA), Forestry Sector Support Department (FSSD) of the Ministry of Water and Environment, Nyabyeya Forestry College, Makerere University, National Forestry Resources Research Institute (NaFORRI) and the National Forestry Authority (NFA). FAO has also trained 20 district forest officers and forest officers from NFA, in plantation establishment and in drafting Forest Investment Plans. Finally, the SPGS III project is fast showing that a model of co-investment (public-private partnership) and retrospective payment of grants for commercial tree planting can greatly incentivize private sector players to invest in commercial forestry and contribute to a critical mass of high quality plantations. The latter are envisaged to result in high quality forest products such as timber and create jobs along the commercial forestry continuum. But, efforts are required in downstream processing, research and development as well as policy formulation and implementation to propel the sector. The author is the project coordinator, Sawlog Production Grant Scheme (SPGS III), Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. posted by , , Now you can get iTunes Cards extremely easily and pay in Naira from www.usitunescard.com The cards are valid for US iTunes account only. And here is a personal story that led to this. It all started in 2013 (or so) when I needed to buy a movie on iTunes and it was no small trouble. Many contents aren't available for the Nigerian iTunes account. The changing your country to US makes those contents available but then you have to pay with a US debit card (one with a US billing address). After hours and days of troubles, I ended up buying a US iTunes gift card and loading on my US iTunes account. Soon, I started buying more gift cards. And then I noticed that there would be people like me needing such cards too. So I did a market entry test. And was amazed by how much demand there is for US iTunes cards, even had a few people contact me from outside the country (India, Pakistan etc). Seems the problem isn't just here in Naija. So I have now built www.usitunescard.com to solve that problem easily for all Nigerians. I sell the cards at almost the same amount it costs to get them directly from Apple (actual face value). Added the Paystack transaction charge and accommodation for exchange rate fluctuation but it still comes at less than N400/$ to the buyer/customer. While others on Konga and other e-stores are selling as high as a rate of N600/$ and more. $5 iTunes card sells for N1,999 $10 iTunes card sells for N3,999 $15 iTunes card sells for N5,999 $25 iTunes card sells for N10,999 $50 iTunes card sells for N19,999 $100 iTunes card sells for N39,999 It is the cheapest I have seen anyone sell iTunes Cards here in Nigeria. Below are screenshots of how much the same cards are sold for on Konga Again, the store link is www.usitunescard.com Guaranteed low prices and instant delivery always! By Brett Campbell | For The Oregonian/OregonLive Before Tesla was a car, he was a genius. By the end of the 19th century, the Serbian-American engineer and inventor Nikola Tesla had conceived some of the underlying technology behind alternating current, the induction motor, remote control, X-ray imaging and a host of other crucial Industrial Age technologies, including nearly 300 patents. He's partly responsible for the fact that most of us have instant access to light, heat, TV, radio and the internet. "He's an unsung hero," says University of Oregon professor Brad Garner. "We wouldn't have cell phones and power in our homes without his work." Tesla's vision was even more towering than his many achievements. If he'd had his way, everyone in the world would have access to clean, abundant, nearly free energy, transmitted wirelessly across vast distances, and wireless communication. Some of his ambitious ideas eventually became part of everyday American life, some are within sight now, others were sheer crackpottery, still more were undermined by various combinations of bad luck and timing, dirty dealing, capitalist chicanery, economic turmoil and his own social ineptitude. Once a wealthy, famous figure, the one-time employee then rival of Thomas Edison and partner of George Westinghouse lost the fortune he'd made from his inventions. When he died penniless in the last of many New York hotels he called home in 1943, his closest friends were the pigeons he'd adopted. Though Tesla's turbulent story has been told in books and documentaries (including one now running on the Discovery Channel called "Tesla's Death Ray"), a life so colorful and complex invites a similarly multidimensional representation. That's what Garner and the other members of a Eugene artists consortium are bringing to three Oregon cities this month, including Saturday's performance at Newmark Theatre. "Tesla: Light, Sound, Color" uses original choreography, digital animation, a new score performed live by a string octet and electronic musicians, and even live physics demonstrations to illuminate the legendary figure who's been called the man who invented the 20th century. Garner, a dance prof who directs the show, is one of four University of Oregon faculty members who make up Harmonic Laboratory, a nonprofit interdisciplinary collective unaffiliated with the university founded in 2010. In more than a dozen projects in Eugene and beyond, including productions as far away as James Madison University in Virginia, they've created multimedia art performances, installations and more that defy conventional categories. Their subjects range from volcanoes to Faust to Mozart to the relationship between body and space. Many involve emerging, underrepresented or marginalized voices and interactions among art, humanities and science. And all involve substantial collaboration with academic, civic, artistic, community and other groups. One of the group's most ambitious collaborative creations, "Tesla" represents its subject's simultaneous reach into the past and the future by juxtaposing traditional and contemporary artistic styles. Garner's choreography for dancers from Eugene Ballet and the University of Oregon includes both ballet-influenced and modern movement. Jeremy Schropp's classical-form acoustic chamber music (performed by Eugene's superb Delgani String Quartet and members of Orchestra Next) contrasts with Jon Bellona's electronic sounds. John Park pits straightforward representational imagery against abstract animations (to illustrate electromagnetic energy fields, for example). To hold the story together, the production uses explanatory slides, a silent role for a performer who represents Tesla, and a physicist (Stanley Micklavzina, a senior physics instructor at the University of Oregon) who will demonstrate several brief experiments. The show's two-year creative development was supported by a Creative Heights Award from the Oregon Community Foundation with the University of Oregon Department of Dance and Art & Technology program. It's both ironic and appropriate that Tesla, whose achievements were long suppressed in academic circles, is celebrated by a quartet of academic artists. "As contemporary artists we feel a bit misunderstood, not nearly to the extent he did," Garner explains. Tesla provides a model of how "to stay creative when no one understands your vision." He remains relevant for other reasons, too. Some of Tesla's most far-reaching visions, like clean energy and widespread wireless charging, are now on the cusp of realization. In a time when some politicians strive to erect barriers to global collaboration, "he was an immigrant with an American dream who changed the world," Garner notes. And then, of course, there are those cars. *** Harmonic Laboratory presents "Tesla: Light, Sound, Color" When/where: 8 p.m. Wednesday-Thursday, Jan. 10-11, Soreng Theater, Hult Center, Eugene 8 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 13, Newmark Theatre, 1111 S.W. Broadway, Portland 8 p.m. Monday, Jan. 15, Tower Theatre, 835 N.W. Wall St., Bend Tickets: $27-$50, college, youth and senior discounts available at Eugene shows Eugene: hultcenter.org or 541-682-5000 Portland: portland5.com or 800-273-1530 Bend: towertheatre.org or 541-317-0700 U.S. Attorney Billy Williams on Friday said he's troubled by the overproduction of marijuana in Oregon and the black market exportation of the crop to other states, though he declined to detail how his office will carry out a new federal directive stripping legal protections for marijuana businesses. In his first public comments since Thursday's announcement by the U.S. Department of Justice, Williams told The Oregonian/OregonLive that he's awaiting additional guidance from federal officials. He offered a cautious response, saying he doesn't "believe in overreacting."' "I want to be methodical and thoughtful about what we do here in the District of Oregon," he said. His answer is likely to frustrate Gov. Kate Brown, who held a press conference in front of the U.S. District Courthouse, where Williams works. The governor vigorously defended the state's legal marijuana market and accused Attorney General Jeff Sessions of "ripping the rug out from underneath the marijuana industry," which she pointed out has generated thousands of jobs and millions in tax revenue for the state. Brown's staff continues to press Williams for a guarantee that he won't meddle in legal pot sales and production. "We want assurance that nobody is going after lawful Oregon businesses operating under Oregon law," Jeffrey Rhoades, Brown's marijuana policy advisor, said Friday. State officials pointed out new state laws aimed at cracking down on the black market and additional police assigned to a law enforcement task force in southern Oregon to curb the illicit market as evidence that Oregon takes federal concerns seriously. Sessions roiled Oregon's cannabis industry when he released a memo saying he would let federal prosecutors decide how aggressively to enforce federal marijuana law in states where the drug is legal. Under President Obama, the federal government took a largely hands-off approach to recreational and medical marijuana provided states developed robust regulations targeting illegal distribution. In a document known as the Cole memo, federal enforcement officials spelled out their marijuana enforcement priorities, which included cracking down on the black market, violent crime and keeping the drug from minors. Those guidelines served as a roadmap for states as they crafted rules. Under federal law, marijuana remains a Schedule 1 drug, a category of drugs that includes heroin and is defined as substances that have a "high potential for abuse" and "no currently accepted medical use." Oregon was the first state to decriminalize personal possession of marijuana in 1973 and legalized medical marijuana in 1998. Voters overwhelmingly approved its recreational program in 2014, becoming the third state behind Colorado and Washington to do so. The state's industry employed more than 20,000 people last year and generated close to $450 million in sales, according to Beau Whitney, a senior economist with New Frontier Data, a market research firm. Yet Oregon's seed-to-sale regulation of marijuana has done little to reduce the state's notorious role as a black market source, said Williams, who on Friday called it a "huge problem." "That has been my concern for months," he said. He questioned why Oregon has failed to contain marijuana production by limiting the number of licenses it issues. According to the latest figures from the Oregon Liquor Control Commission, the agency that regulates marijuana, the state has licensed 892 marijuana producers. The agency is in the process of reviewing another 766 applications for producer licenses. "There is currently no cap," Williams said. "Why not? He said he remains unconvinced that Oregon has taken adequate steps to address problems identified in a draft report obtained by The Oregonian/OregonLive last year. The report, later criticized by the governor as inaccurate and biased, concluded that Oregon has an "expansive geographic footprint" on the black market, with a half-dozen counties leading the way in supplying much of what is shipped out of state. "I assume that has only grown in the last 12 months," Williams said. Even as the new federal directive injected uncertainty into an already risky business, some in the industry said many entrepreneurs seem to be taking the announcement in stride. Vince Sliwoski, a lawyer who advises Oregon marijuana businesses, said "it's full speed ahead" for his clients. "Regardless of what Jeff Sessions does with policy guidance, I believe this ship has sailed and they'll keep doing what they are doing," Sliwoski said. Cannabis activists also point out that Sessions seems to have galvanized a broad swath of politicians from states with recreational and medical marijuana -- Republicans and Democrats alike -- who blasted the announcement. The policy shift was announced days after retail pot shops opened for business in California, creating what industry analysts say will become the world's largest market for legal marijuana. Since 2012, eight states and Washington, D.C., have voted to legalize the recreational use of marijuana. A total of 28 states have legalized pot for medical purposes. "It's just so enormous at this point," said Amy Margolis, who also advises cannabis clients in Oregon. "When you bring California online it really does feel like it's game over for federal prohibition because it's such a vast cannabis economy." Until the Cole memo, issued in 2013, police raids of large-scale marijuana farms in southern Oregon weren't uncommon. Previous U.S. attorneys fired off letters to dozens of medical marijuana dispensaries informing them they were breaking federal laws and raising the specter of prosecution and property seizures. Amanda Marshall, the former U.S. attorney for Oregon who resigned in 2015, said the memo prompted a clear shift in priorities away from marijuana enforcement. Marshall said Williams is likely hearing from law enforcement officials and others around the state and in Washington, D.C., who take issue with legal marijuana. Those perspectives, she said, are bound to shape his response. "He has different people pushing him," said Marshall, "including his boss, Jeff Sessions." -- Noelle Crombie ncrombie@oregonian.com 503-276-7184 @noellecrombie For several hours on Thursday, it seemed as if Oregon's thriving marijuana industry was about to go up in smoke. U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions, long befuddled by pot, announced he was rescinding the hands-off policy toward marijuana prosecution adopted during the Obama Administration. Rather than maintain the truce that allowed pro-legalization states to commercialize marijuana, Sessions is now directing the U.S. Attorneys in each district to decide for themselves how aggressively to go after pot. The reaction from Oregon's elected leaders, from Congress to the city of Portland, was swift, indignant and best summed up by three words: Butt out, Sessions. The decision, they rightly noted, was an affront to Oregon voters who overwhelmingly approved legalizing pot. It ignores the success story that the pot industry in Oregon has become, with some 19,000 employees and $70 million in tax revenue funding education, public safety and other services. And Sessions' refusal to respect the systems set up by states exposes a deeply hypocritical stance for a man who claims to value states' rights. But for all the anger directed at Sessions, the real power lies with Billy Williams, the U.S. Attorney for Oregon, who will be deciding locally how big an emphasis to put on marijuana. And while his initial comments seem vaguely promising, he should more clearly commit to leaders, law enforcement and Oregonians as a whole that those individuals and businesses acting legally under Oregon law will be left alone. He should pledge to maintain the same focus that was laid out in the now-rescinded "Cole memo," which directs federal agencies to target their resources on the "most significant" marijuana-related public safety threats such as distribution to kids, trafficking for drug cartels and drug-related gun violence. Not on the list? Hassling storefronts selling pot to individual consumers. Oregonian editorials Editorials reflect the collective opinion of The Oregonian/OregonLive editorial board, which operates independently of the newsroom. Members of the editorial board are Laura Gunderson, Helen Jung, Mark Katches and John Maher. To respond to this editorial, post your comment below, submit an OpEd or a letter to the editor. If you have questions about the opinion section, email Laura Gunderson, editorial pages editor, or call 503-221-8378. There's a pragmatic reason for continuing under the guidelines. There's simply no putting the genie back in the bottle - nor has Oregon's experience given any compelling reason to try to do that anyway. While the transition to legalization hasn't been flawless, legislators, state regulators, law enforcement and entrepreneurs have done an impressive job of working together to create a successful new industry while preserving public safety. Williams should give Oregon businesses and consumers assurances that the set of rules they've been operating under aren't going to all of a sudden change. That said, the state should do all it can to make sure Williams has no excuse to increase federal involvement. That means looking at both its recreational market and the established medical marijuana industry to get tough on overproduction of cannabis. Oregon is one of the top providers of black-market marijuana in the country, according to an Oregon State Police analysis from 2016. That's a problem the federal government would target even before Sessions' rescinding of the Cole memo. Additionally, the state should continue efforts to crack down on homemade hash-oil production, a hazardous process that poses deadly dangers to not only the manufacturer but anyone in the vicinity. If unchecked, this too, would legitimately invite federal involvement. Oregon has good reason to be proud of its legalized marijuana industry. Its leaders understandably plan to defend it tooth and nail. They should recognize that the best defense is to give Williams no reason to change course. On Nov. 19, I co-authored a guest opinion in The Oregonian/OregonLive with youth across southern Oregon, called "Gov. Brown, protect our future and stop the pipeline." Last month, Sen. Jeff Merkley helped do just that, by coming out in opposition to the Pacific Connector Pipeline and Jordan Cove LNG Export Terminal. I, along with other youth impacted by this project, applaud Merkley for standing with our communities against this project. I hope Oregon's other politicians, especially Gov. Kate Brown, will follow his lead and oppose the project that, if built, would become our state's largest source of pollution and a threat to my and future generations. Merkley knows that it is possible to create jobs in areas such as wind or solar energy that help instead of hurt our state and its environment. Politicians cannot say they are committed to climate action while supporting Jordan Cove at the same time. Our state has the authority to end this project, and we need Brown to use that authority to stop Jordan Cove LNG for good. I, along with other youth affected by the pipeline, sincerely thank Merkley for his opposition. I feel very lucky and honored to have a senator who listens to the voices of the youth in his state and stays true to his word to take action on climate change. Maya Davis, Jackson County If TriMet's executive board would stop congratulating itself on how grand it is, board members might notice huge gaps in service. Having lived in Northwest, Southeast and now Southwest Portland, I can compare and report service in the close-in westside neighborhoods are abysmal. The latest example of TriMet's failure to serve was for the annual First Run & Walk beginning midnight Dec. 31 into Jan. 1. TriMet can get you downtown but not home again. No bus service was available. Yes, the light rail ran late, but those of us living close-in have no access to light rail from neighborhoods such as Multnomah Village, John's Landing, and Lair Hill. If light rail can run until 3 a.m. on New Year's Day, why not the buses? Other gaps in service are weekday and weekend evenings. If Portlanders want to bus downtown for a lecture, theater or other events and live close-in, getting home is always a problem after 10 p.m. Passengers will have waits of up to an hour. Again, this is a failure to serve. I have found TriMet's bus drivers, trip planners and customer service representatives to be very kind, patient and helpful. To TriMet executives, I say stifle your arrogance, take off your blinders and look honestly at your failure to serve this tri-county community. Emily Frank, Southwest Portland The law firm of Shinners & Cook, P.C. recently announced that Scot C. Putzig has been named a shareholder. Putzig joined Shinners & Cook in 2014 and focuses his practice on business law, employment, intellectual property and litigation. Putzig's commitment to the success of local businesses and the mid-Michigan community is evident from his quick rise to leadership as the vice chair of the Saginaw Young Professionals Network, board member of the Saginaw Economic Development Corp., and the District Committee Member for Boy Scouts of America, the law firm stated. Putzig is a Midland native, graduated with a bachelor's degree from the University of Michigan and received his law degree from the University of Notre Dame. Shinners & Cook, P.C. is a business law firm specializing in entity formation, transactions, litigation, employment, real property, and succession and estate planning. Visit www.shinnerscook.com for more information. Every year, floods cause significant property damage throughout America. Years ago, private insurers had difficulty providing economically viable flood insurance, so the government stepped in to subsidize the process. The National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP), administered by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), was created in 1968 to provide flood insurance to properties that are at significant risk. Unfortunately, NFIP does not appear to be economically viable either. The program had racked up a debt of approximately $25 billion before the effects of the difficult 2017 hurricane season. Congress has already provided a $16 billion bailout through debt forgiveness, and the Government Accountability Office still considers FEMA unlikely to ever pay off its remaining debt of over $20 billion. Congress intended NFIP to be supported through interest on the premiums paid by policyholders, but payouts in difficult years go well beyond income. Hurricane Katrina made 2005 a huge NFIP budget-buster, producing an almost $16 billion deficit. 2012 came in a distant second with a nearly $6 billion deficit, and 2017 is likely to produce a massive deficit as well. Why is the program in such trouble? NFIP has two major problems the agency can't charge premium rates that cover the true cost, and certain areas require disproportionate help. It shouldn't be surprising that hurricane-prone coastal areas and areas near large rivers file the most claims but it is surprising that a mere 12 U.S. counties make up one-third of all flood insurance claims since 1978. Three counties near the Texas and Louisiana coasts lead the way. Jefferson Parish and Orleans Parish in Louisiana are the top two counties, followed by Harris County in Texas. All three have over 100,000 claims filed since 1978. The remaining nine counties are in the same Louisiana/Texas coastal area, areas in New York and New Jersey affected by Superstorm Sandy, or in south Florida (Miami-Dade and Broward). The common threads are strong hurricanes affecting densely populated coastal areas. Such areas tend to have higher home prices by definition aside from hurricane risk, they are generally desirable places to live with properties in high demand. Data from Zillow shows that two-thirds of all flood insurance claims placed since 1978 come from counties with median home values well above the national median. Flood claims become disproportionately expensive, adding to NFIP's financial challenges. NFIP is hamstrung in several directions on risk assessments and premiums. Many flood plain maps are outdated and don't reflect increased development that removed natural drainage space or changing climate patterns. Properties built prior to 1975 are protected from premium rates proportionate to the flooding risk, as are structures built before the first flood insurance rate map was published for that area. Buildings that are remapped into higher levels of risk are grandfathered into their current premium, and can't be charged rates reflecting their true risk. As a result, over 30,000 "repetitive loss properties" in flood-prone-areas are constantly bailed out. Without some type of Federal buyout program, these homeowners can have more incentive to rebuild than to move but, as a nation, can we afford a massive buyout to change that incentive? Removing NFIP entirely leaves homeowners in flood-prone areas in a terrible dilemma. Property values would plummet and insurance rates would skyrocket in those areas, making homeownership difficult for many families and undercutting the ability to sell an existing home in a flood plain. Congressional representatives from coastal districts are obviously wary of NFIP cuts. While it's true that people choose to live in these areas, in some cases, this would displace people from homes they've grown up in and lived in their entire lives and lower-income residents may have no viable relocation options. Most Congressional solutions are aimed at finding the middle ground of raising premiums and lowering discounts while improving flood risk assessment. Hopefully, the burden will be tilted toward affected homeowners instead of being spread across all taxpayers but Congressional history suggests otherwise. Congress has been unable to agree on how to solve the NFIP puzzle, but time is running out. As of this writing, NFIP reauthorization is still in limbo. On the day a three-month extension signed by President Trump was set to expire in December 2017, the President signed another four-week extension. Congress now has until January 19, 2018, to get proposed reauthorization legislation to the President's desk. While existing polices will be honored, renewals and new policies can't be issued without reauthorization. We'll see if Congress takes any steps to make the program more sound, gives up and throws more money at it or simply lets it die and leave flood-prone landowners to fend for themselves. Get free life insurance quotes and apply for your top choice in minutes using our Life Insurance Quote Comparison Tool. Sentences may vary based on previous offenses committed by the defendant. Some sentences include other fees imposed by the state. Compiled by reporter Kelly Dame. The following people were sentenced recently in Midland County's 42nd Circuit Court by Judge Michael J. Beale or Judge Stephen P. Carras: Hunter Alexander Harger, 22, Ithaca, was sentenced for third-degree criminal sexual conduct. The offense occurred on Jan. 14, 2017, in Jasper Township. Carras sentenced Harger to between three and 15 years in prison with credit for 128 days, and to register as a sex offender. Timothy Michael Murphy, 64, Sanford, was sentenced for third-offense drunken driving. The offense occurred on Sept. 3, 2016, in Jerome Township. Carras sentenced Murphy to 10 months in jail with credit for 80 days, $1,250 fines and costs, 18 months probation and driver license sanctions by the state. Murphy previously was convicted of drunken driving on Aug. 12, 2008, and Aug. 24, 2016, both in Midland County. Mark Deen Wright, 34, George Street, was sentenced for two counts of controlled substance possession. The offenses occurred on April 14 in Midland when Wright possessed cocaine and amphetamine. Carras sentenced Wright to 43 days in jail with credit for time served, and $1,750 fines and costs. The seventh annual all-inclusive travel experience to the Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island organized by Midland Parks and Recreation will take place in October 2018. The Mackinac Island Grand Experience is organized in partnership with the Michigan Recreation and Park Association, and will occur from Oct. 8 through Oct. 11. Registration for the trip begins Monday, Jan. 8. The trip is for individuals 50 years or older (one person in each room must be over the age of 50). The trip will provide guests with a unique opportunity to stay and dine at the historic Grand Hotel as well as participate in a wide variety of activities such as tournaments, carriage tours and dancing at a half-price discount. Packages include: Accommodations for three nights at the Grand Hotel Baggage handling, taxes, and most tips Tea and cookies each afternoon Full breakfast each morning Five-course dinner each night Round-trip motorcoach and ferry Taxi to/from the dock to hotel Horse-drawn carriage tour Bingo (afternoon and evening) Various activities such as bocce ball tournament, putting and chipping contest, writing and photography contest, cooking demo, self-guided walks, history lectures, kitchen tour, movies, nightly demitasse and dancing to the Grand Hotel Orchestra Discounts on bicycle rental and golf For more information including trip cost, visit the website at www.cityofmidlandmi.gov/grand or contact the Midland Parks and Recreation Department at 989-837-6930 or by email at recreation@midland-mi.org The Saginaw County Department of Public Health is distributing hundreds of free radon test kits during the month of January in recognition of Radon Action Month. Chris Klawuhn, Saginaw County Environmental Health director, encourages area residents to get a kit and test their home during the heating season and, if necessary, to take action to reduce their exposure to this tasteless, odorless, colorless, radioactive gas. Some area residents may be at risk of developing lung cancer from exposure to elevated levels of radon gas in their homes, Klawuhn said. "We are encouraging Saginaw County residents to stop by the health department and pick up a radon test kit, and more importantly, to use that kit during the coming heating season," Klawuhn said. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer in the United States, surpassed only by cigarette smoking, and it is a significant environmental health threat that can be easily detected. When elevated radon levels are found, residents should confirm the measurements with additional testing, and then take action to reduce the levels in their homes. Radon occurs naturally in soil and rock, but being a gas, it can move upward through the soil and it enters buildings through cracks and openings in the foundation floor or walls. Typical entry points include floor/wall joints, sump openings, crawlspaces, cracks in the floor, and other penetrations caused by plumbing wiring, or ductwork. Outdoors, it is diluted by the atmosphere, but indoors it tends to be more concentrated and can accumulate to unhealthy levels. Klawuhn is quick to add that "the only way to know if your home has an elevated radon level is to test your home." "Because radon is invisible and can't be smelled, it's easy to ignore," Klawuhn said. "It doesn't cause headaches, nausea, fatigue, skin rashes, or other warning symptoms that might be experienced as a result of exposure to many other environmental toxins, yet extended exposure to elevated radon levels may increase one's risk of lung cancer, a generally fatal disease." Nearly one in eight homes in Michigan has elevated radon levels. The do-it-yourself test kits distributed by the health department are normally available for $10, and that includes postage back to an out-of-state lab, as well as the fees for having the device analyzed and a report sent back to the consumer. Supplies are limited. Up to 300 free kits are available through Jan. 31 in Room 101 at the Saginaw County Department of Public Health, 1600 N. Michigan Ave. in Saginaw, and 100 kits are available at the Rehmann Health Center, 147 S. Saginaw St. in Chesaning. For more information, call Environmental Health Services at 989-758-3686 or visit www.saginawpublichealth.org. The Michigan Department of Environmental Quality also has a toll-free number at 1-800-RADON-GAS (1-800-723-6642). The following list includes recent reports from the Midland County Sheriff's Office and the Midland Police Department. Compiled by reporter Kelly Dame. Thursday, Jan. 4 11:03 a.m. - Police assisted probation agents in the 200 block of West Ellsworth Street. 11:44 a.m. - Animal Control was sent to a home in the City of Midland to check the well being of two dogs. The dogs, which are kept indoors, were in good health and had food and water. 11:45 a.m. - A Larkin Township home's mailbox was damaged when it was struck by a vehicle. 3 p.m. - Property was stolen from the 2200 block of Jefferson Avenue. 3:43 p.m. - Deputies were sent to a report of possible drug use and manufacturing with children present at a Greendale Township home. Found inside were four adults and a child, age 3. The child was healthy and well cared for, and no illegal substances were found at the home. 5:35 p.m. - A deputy was sent to a Lee Township home for a report of an unwanted guest, and arrested a 46-year-old woman on a warrant. 6:04 p.m. - Three Midland County Jail inmates were involved in a fight. The suspects are two men, ages 20 and 23, and the victim is a 17-year-old male. There were no major injuries. A report is being sent to the prosecutor's office for review. 8:25 p.m. - A Greendale Township man reported a broom and a broken vacuum, a total value of $10, were stolen from his home. 8:25 p.m. - A deputy was sent to Lincoln Township for a report of a dog that had been hit by a car. The deputy found the dog's owner and left the dog with him. 9:38 p.m. - An Edenville Township man, 48, reported he received a phone call from a number that he did not recognize and it sounded like a child was speaking. The number is out of Ohio and is associated with credit card fraud cases. 10:37 p.m. - Deputies were called to a domestic assault in Jerome Township involving a man, 30, and woman, 25. A report is being sent to the prosecutor's office for review. Beaverton has hired Heath Kaplan to manage its city hall. Mayor Ray Nau said it was an extensive search that led to the finding of Kaplan, who began his job on Tuesday. After a lengthy search, weve landed a candidate that can hit the ground running for our community, Nau said. Kaplan has a master's degree in public administration from Grand Valley State University. He is the former finance director for Muskegon County. He also has a background in city government. Beaverton is a small community, with good recreational opportunities and a good school district. And, while it may have its own unique challenges, it cannot be too complicated to manage for someone skilled in administration. Kaplan, 44, has experience, and he said he is not afraid of hard work. We believe he has the tools to overcome any pitfalls that await him. My skill set is perfect for what the city needs, Kaplan said. We trust he is correct, and the city has made a good decision in hiring its future leader. However, the city must be prudent in its oversight of the new city manager. Kaplan was investigated for unprofessional behavior at his position in Muskegon County. After leaving there in 2014, he accepted a city manager job in Poplar Bluff, Missouri. But he lasted only nine months at that position, departing after a reported controversy with purchasing practices. In 2016, news reports say he received a public censure and lifetime ban from the executive board of the International City/County Management Association, or ICMA. The board also permanently expelled Kaplan, a strong and unusual action. It doesn't bother us so much that Kaplan made a mistake in judgment at his job in Muskegon. What raises a red flag for us is that Kaplan did not bend over backwards to make sure he could keep his job in Poplar Bluff for at least a year. City officials say they have investigated Kaplan's background and are satisfied with his answers. I really am excited to be here, Kaplan said. I want to be part of this community. We believe in second and maybe even third chances. And we are glad that Kaplan wants to move his family to Beaverton. But city officials owe it to their constituents to work closely with Kaplan in the days ahead. To the editor: Once again, I find myself both amazed and exceedingly grateful to the people of our wonderful Midland community who truly understand the importance of giving in ways that impact the lives of others. During these past several weeks, we here at The Salvation Army Midland Corps have been collecting donations of toys, coats and money that will serve our own Midland County neighbors this coming year. This year, we set a goal to raise $108,000 during our annual Red Kettle Campaign, and as of Dec. 16, we had raised only $79,000, leaving us just one week to raise $29,000. In those final seven days leading up to Christmas, we received donations totaling $29,295 helping us to reach our goal with just a little extra. Simply put, we couldnt have done it without the support of so many volunteers and donors, and we would like to take the opportunity to thank all of you who gave from the heart, because this year every donation really made an impact. We are particularly grateful to a generous donor who sponsored a $4,000 matching challenge for all of the funds raised in our kettles on Dec. 9. Due to this generous contribution, we were able to raise nearly $11,000 in just one day, an astonishing accomplishment. The Salvation Army would certainly like to also thank the 10 area businesses that hosted our bell ringers again this year, without whose partnership this fundraiser would not be possible. In addition, another 13 businesses allowed us to have one of our small countertop kettles in their stores. Aside from these businesses, another nine served as coat collection sites, and 33 more hosted a toy collection box that helped us collect toys that were given to 486 children. Additionally, we are grateful to the 81 families and organizations who met the needs of 93 families through our Adopt-A-Family program this Christmas. This year, The Salvation Army in Midland had 42 different groups of volunteers helping ring the bell for a combined 467 hours of service. Among those many groups, there are a few that deserve some special recognition as well for going above and beyond what most would do. So while we here at the Salvation Army are appreciative of all who helped and contributed this Christmas season, we want to particularly recognize the following groups who contributed significantly to our work these last two months: The Midland High School Key Club volunteered more hours than any other organization, spending 74 hours bell ringing, helping to raise $1,787. The Kiwassee Kiwanis Club helped to raise more funds than any other volunteer group, collecting $7,809 in our Red Kettles. We also offer our thanks to the Elks Club, which helped provide food baskets to 50 families that had registered to receive Christmas assistance from us. We are grateful to Family Fare for not just allowing us to ring outside of their store, but also for their on-going food drives for our Food Pantry and the use of carts in our toy shop. We also want to show our appreciation to Meijer and all of the various members of law enforcement, firefighters and EMTs who helped provide an amazing shopping experience for 20 children during the annual Shop With A Hero event. We would like to thank Midland Center for the Arts for once again helping us collect toys during the Center Stage Choirs Jingle Holiday Extravaganza. We appreciate all those who gave, along with the centers efforts to help us in collecting these toys for needy children in our community. Finally, we have one last word of thanks to the anonymous donor who placed a gold commemorative coin in one of our kettles worth $1,175. This gift was a wonderful surprise this Christmas season. Clearly, I could go on and on thanking everyone who gave or donated in some way (and I would still likely forget someone), but the point is simply this: when we work together as a community, we can accomplish great things for the sake of everyone, helping those in the most need. CAPT. BRIAN GOODWILL Corps Officer Salvation Army Midland Corps Marc Honigman has filed Class Action #21 against Apple for purposely slowing iPhones in the New York District Court (Brooklyn). An additional four Class Action lawsuits are reportedly in-the-works in Canada, South Korea, Australia and France but are not official at this point in time. Complaint In-Part The followings excerpts are from Mr. Honigman's formal complaint before the court: "Apple has consistently represented that its iOS updates improve rather than hinder the performance and security of iPhone Devices. For example, Apple's website states: 'Keeping your software up to date is one of the most important things you can do to maintain your Apple product's security.' Thus, iPhone users are urged to update their devices to add vital security updates and bug fixes necessary for the iPhones to properly function. Users are essentially forced to make a 'choice' between leaving their personal data susceptible to hackers and identity thieves, or upgrade their iOS software which remedies serious security breaches. In essence, no reasonable consumer, including Plaintiff, would leave their iPhone vulnerable to security breaches by not upgrading to the new iOS version. Plaintiff and Class members were unaware that Apple's iOS 10.2.1 and later updates were engineered to intentionally slow down the performance speed of iPhone Devices or that these updates otherwise had the effect of hindering the devices' functionality. Apple's iOS download notifications and its statements on its website never disclosed to consumers that the slowdown and reduced functionality of older iPhone devices was a planned result of iOS updates. Nor did Apple inform consumers that the shutdown bug that impacted many iPhone Devices might be remedied by replacing the battery in affected devices and avoiding the download of new iOS versions. Battery replacement at the Apple store costs less than $100, whereas the cost to upgrade to a new iPhone can range between $200 to $1,000, depending on the model. Nothing on Apple's website or in its iOS notifications informed consumers of the deleterious impact that iOS software may have on the devices. Apple's intentional degradation of the iPhone Device's performance through the release of iOS impacted the usability of Plaintiff and the Class members' devices. Effectively, Apple has forced the obsolescence of Plaintiff and Class member's iPhones by secretly diminishing their performance. Causes for Action Count 1: Violations of 349 of New York General Business Law: Deceptive Acts and Practices Unlawful Count 2: Violations of 350 of New York General Business Law: False Advertising Count 3: Breach of Express Warranty Count 4: Negligent Misrepresentation Count 5: Intentional Misrepresentation Count 6: Unjust Enrichment For more details on this case, review the full Class Action lawsuit filings below provided to you courtesy of Patently Apple Marc Honigman Files Class Action Against Apple by Jack Purcher on Scribd Class Action Lawsuit Reports Posted on this One Issue since December 22, 2017 19: Class Action #21 against Apple was filed in Brooklyn for Intentionally Degrading the iPhone's Performance 18: Class Action #20 against Apple is demanding $5 Billion for Purposely Slowing iPhones 17: The First Class Action against Apple in 2018 over slowing iPhones was filed in Cincinnati Ohio 16: Class Action #18 has been filed against Apple in Chicago for Purposely 'Throttling Processor Speed' to Induce sales of new iPhones 15: Class Action Lawsuits #16 and #17 against Apple over Purposely Slowing iDevices were filed in Mississippi and Missouri 14: Class Action #15 filed in Indiana Claims Apple Software Updates dramatically & artificially reduced performance of Legacy Devices 13: First Class Action from New Orleans Claims that Apple 'Designed Software Updates' to slow iPhones to Encourage New Sales 12: Despite Apple's Public Apology and Explanation over the Performance of Batteries, another Class Action was Filed Yesterday in San Jose 11: First Class Action from Texas Claims that Apple Intentionally Designed Software Updates to Slowdown iPhones 10: First Class Action against Apple from Chicago Surfaces Claiming 'Intentional Sabotage of Older Model iPhones' 09: Apple Hit with a Lawsuit over Slowing iPhones in France and a Pair of Law Firms in Korea are Preparing Class Actions 08: The 10th Class Action against Apple Claims they Fraudulently Omitted Information about the Battery Issue in order to sell new iPhones 07: The 9th Lawsuit against Apple for Purposely slowing iPhones Points to Fraud, Unjust Enrichment and 9 other Causes for their Class Action 06: The 7th and 8th Class Action Lawsuits have been filed in New York and California with one Suit demanding an insane $999 Billion Payout 05: Apple Hit with a $125 Million Class Action in Israel over Purposely Slowing iPhones 04: Apple hammered with Class Action #5 for slowing iPhone Battery Issue 03: The Fourth Lawsuit against Apple regarding the slowing iPhone Battery Issue was filed in New York on Friday 02: Apple has been hit with a Third Battery Issue Related Lawsuit by a Bay Area Resident 01: In the Blink of an Eye, Apple's Admission of Slowing Batteries on Older iPhones turns into a Class Action Lawsuit (this report covers two class action lawsuits) Please note that it's been reported that lawsuits against Apple on this issue are in-the-works in France, South Korea, Australia and Canada in 2018, but are not presently official. About Comments: Patently Apple reserves the right to post, dismiss or edit comments. Those using abusive language or negative behavior will result in being blacklisted on Disqus. In the holy month of Ramadan, president Joe Biden of the United States offered the Taliban Pashtun Muslims of Afghanistan something they were long fighting for -- an unconditional withdrawal of foreign forces from their land. Supaul: Chief Minister Nitish Kumar who is on his 'Vikas Sameeksha Yatra' of Bihar to review progress in developmental works and effect of prohibition in the state, inaugurated 198 projects, many for the second or third time under different names, to the tune of Rs. 304 crore in Supaul district. Kumar also held a meeting with the women of many self-help groups to ascertain the effect of prohibition in the district and to educate them about the ill effects of child marriage and dowry system. With virtually no major investment in the state since he became the Chief Minister of Bihar over 12 years ago, Kumar had been seen shifting his focus gradually from industrial development to social reforms leading him to launch a number of social schemes including prohibition with concentration on small, micro-level schemes like the solar-powered mini water supply system built at the cost of Rs. 37 lakh he inaugurated on Friday in Supaul district. Kumar, who is increasingly being blamed for the collapse of education in Bihar, paid a visit to a local school that is being run from a small room where there is no plaster on the wall and children have to sit on the floor in the lack of even the most basic amenities required in schools. "Don't let your children go without education. The government is with you and we will provide all the necessary help that you need in educating your children," he told to a group of women. The Chief Minister then went on to blame the banks for not making his student credit card scheme successful that promised to put Rs. 4 lakh in loan money in the hands of the students so their parents did not have to worry about their school and college education. Kumar then touted the success of his prohibition policy, a hallmark of all of his public appearances, saying it had brought down crime figures in Bihar and had helped improve law and order in the state. Ranchi: Once again, for the third day in a row on Friday, a CBI special court in Ranchi deferred its judgment on the quantum of punishment to Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief Lalu Prasad Yadav till Saturday when the judge would deliver his verdict in an offshoot of the fodder scam involving fraudulent withdrawal of Rs. 84.5 lakh from the Deoghar treasury. Yadav was earlier convicted in the case by the same CBI court on December 23, 2017. The illegal withdrawal took place between 1990 and 1994 when Yadav was the Chief Minister of an undivided Bihar. The RJD chief, who has been languishing in Ranchi's Birsa Munda Jail since his conviction, will be appearing before the CBI court via videoconferencing, Judge Shivpal Singh announced. Appearing before the court on Friday via videoconferencing, Yadav, 69, appealed to the judge for leniency on account of his age and illness. He also complained about poor medical facility and lack of clean drinking water inside the jail that, his lawyer said, could be detrimental to his health. Meanwhile, in Patna, RJD leader Shivanand Tiwari and Raghuvansh Prasad Singh blamed Yadav's opponent, read the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), of making a phone call to the judge while pretending to be the supporters of the RJD chief in an attempt to influence the judgment. Afraid his leader will be denied justice by the CBI judge, Tiwari advocated reservation in the appointment of judges saying only a dalit judge would be part justice to Yadav who is a backward. As reported, CBI special judge Shivpal Singh on Thursday said that some people claiming to by Yadav's supporters called him several times and asked him to go easy on their leader in his judgment. "This is clearly a ploy by the BJP that wants to anger the judge so he would hand out the harshest punishment to our leader. If what the judge said is true then why no legal action has been taken against this caller?" Tiwari asked. Ranchi: After deferring the announcement on the quantum of Lalu Prasad Yadav's punishment in the case involving illegal withdrawal of Rs. 84.5 lakh from the Deoghar Treasury, a CBI Special Judge in Ranchi on Saturday awarded 42 months in jail and a fine of Rs. 5 lakh to the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief along with 16 other accused, including three former IAS officials. The sentence was announced via video-conference to avoid any ruckus at the court house. Yadav was earlier convicted in the case by the same CBI court on December 23, 2017. Since then he has been lodged in the Birsa Munda Jail in Ranchi. The embezzlement took place between 1990 and 1994 when Yadav was the Chief Minister of the undivided Bihar. As reported earlier, another Chief Minister of Bihar Jagannath Mishra was exonerated by the same court on December 23. Out of 34 accused, 11 had already died while one person turned the CBI informant. Besides Yadav, among those who were also convicted today by CBI Judge Shivpal Singh included former IAS officers Phoolchand Mandal, beck Julius, and Mahesh Prasad, and Sunil Kumar, Sushil Kumar, Sudhir Kumar and Raja Ram. With this conviction, Yadav stands convicted in two of the five cases of fodder scam. The former Chief Minister's lawyers had appealed to the court for a short sentencing of three years on account of his age and health. Besides, a sentencing of three years would have immediately made Yadav eligible for bail. With six extra months added to the three years sentencing, Yadav will now have to go through the Ranchi High Court to obtain a bail. While Yadav's fate remains unclear as he faces three more cases of corruption related to the same fodder scam, his lawyers said that justice was not served today and that their client would immediately seek bail in the appropriate court. In Patna, Yadav's son and heir-apparent Tejaswi Yadav also pledged to seek bail. "The judiciary has done its job; now we will knock the door of the High Court to seek bail for my father who has several physical conditions and is old," the former Deputy Chief Minister said. Speaking during an emergency meeting of the party leaders in Patna on Saturday, the junior Yadav said that his father was the victim of a witch-hunt by the Sangh family. "Lalu Prasad Yadav was chosen by the people of Bihar and he's in jail while those who were not elected are now part of the Bihar government. Amit Shah is scared of my father and that's why he conspired to send my father to the jail," Yadav said. Meanwhile, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Shahnawaz Hussain hailed the court's decision saying the people of Bihar finally got the justice that they deserved. Senior Janata Dal U leader K C Tyagi also welcomed the judgment saying it was historic and the 'end of a chapter'. Yadav's troubles, however, are expected to further mount in the coming days as another CBI Special Court in connection with the same fodder scam has issued production warrant against him and eight others. All are expected to appear before the court in Ranchi on January 10. The Egyptian parliament has commenced processes to criminalize atheism in the predominantly Muslim north African country. A legislation proposed on the eve of 2017 Christmas was given consideration by the parliament on the eve of New Years Day, the USA Today website reported. Under existing Egyptian laws, it is illegal to insult or defame any religion. Blasphemy arrests carry a conviction of up to five years. The new development if approved means just refusing to believe in God could be punishable by law. The proposal was championed by the head of the parliaments committee on religion, Amro Hamroush who stated that lack of belief in God was an insult to the Abrahamic religions Islam, Christianity and Judaism. It must be criminalized and categorized as contempt of religion because atheists have no doctrine and try to insult the Abrahamic religions, Hamroush said on December 24 when announcing the proposed law. Reports indicate that the move has the backing of the countrys highest Islamic religious institution, the Al Azhar. In defense of the law, an Azhar official said it was necessary to punish those who have been seduced into atheism. Egypt along with Mauritania, Sudan, Nigeria and Somalia were African nations listed in a 2017 report as being places were blasphemy and apostasy laws carry the death penalty. Completing the list are: Afghanistan, Iran, Malaysia, Maldives, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates and Yemen. But founder and leader of a U.S. based rights group challenges the proposed law. Ani Zonneveld says even Islam in an of itself did not criminalize atheism quoting a Quranic verse to back her position. This criminalization of atheism contradicts the very essence of the Quran, verse 2:256, There is no compulsion in faith, she further describing the legislation as anti-Islam. Source: Africanews.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 Tundu Lissu, the Tanzanian opposition chief who was shot by unknown assailants in September last year says the countrys politics had taken a dangerous turn thanks to the dictatorial regime led by President John Pombe Magufuli. Lissu is currently recuperating at a Nairobi hospital where he was flown to for specialized medical care. The trained lawyer and avowed critic of Magufuli was shot and wounded by unknown gunmen in the countrys administrative capital, Dodoma. In an interview with the BBC, he described the attack as an assassination attempt and that he felt unsafe at the thought of returning home. He further described the intolerance of political dissent as similar to military dictatorships of decades ago. Politics, particularly our kind of politics, is dangerous. For 25 years, we were used to peaceful politics, we were used to politics where your argument was answered by counter-arguments. Now our arguments are answered not by counter-arguments, but by a hail of gunfire. It has become a place where a journalist is abducted and they disappear. It has become a place where people are murdered, they are shot dead, their hands and feet are tied and they are dumped into the sea and washed onto the beaches. We have become no different from those odious military dictatorships of the 1970s and 80s. The main opposition, CHADEMA, and the ruling Chana Cha Mapinduzi CCM, both condemned the attack. President Magufuli joined in the condemnation and tasked security agencies to go after the assailants. The party condemns this violent act and wants the police authorities to search, investigate and take legal action against anyone associated with this heinous act. The leaders of CCM are praying for brother Lissu and wish him a speedy recovery so that he may continue with his parliamentary duties, CCMs statement said. Source: Africanews.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 award jury of the Daily Trust African of the Year Award has named 34-year-old Mutaru Mumuni Muqthar as African of the Year for 2017. Former President of Botswana and chairperson of the award jury, Festus Mogae said Muqthar was selected for his exemplary works on counter-terrorism which led to de-radicalization of would-be extremists in Africa. He said the seven-member jury noted with satisfaction the effectiveness of Muqthars engagement with dozens of would-be terrorists, including a 21-year-old who was dissuaded from joining ISIS in Syria. President Mogae said the extra-ordinary advocacy being undertaken by this ordinary African will help to deepen the understanding of violent extremism and radicalization of youths across the continent. Meanwhile, the award jury also named 82-year old Professor, Sir Magdi Habib Yacoub for a Life-Time Achievement Award to commemorate the tenth year anniversary of African of the Year project. In choosing Prof. Yacoub, President Mogae said the jury was impressed with his indelible global accomplishments as well as his humanitarian and exemplary offer of heart surgeries to children across Africa. He said Prof. Yacoub is a role model for Africans, who have made remarkable personal achievements and attain the height of their professional accomplishments to contribute to humanity in Africa. The African of the Year award will be presented in Abuja, Nigeria, at a dinner ceremony to be hosted by Daily Trust newspaper and United Bank for Africa, UBA Plc, on January 17, 2018. Born in Salaga, Northern Ghana, to a family of peasant farmers, Mutaru Muqthar is the founder and Executive Director of the West African Centre for Counter Extremism, WACCE, based in Accra. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in business administration from Ashesi University, Ghana, and a 2013 Masters degree in international terrorism, international crime and global security from Coventry University in England, UK. He was inspired to fight terrorism after his family fell victims of the deadly 1994 Nanumba-Konkomba conflict in Northern Ghana in which about 1,000 people were killed and tens of thousands were internally displaced. Muqthar now works across West Africa with a team of professionals he engages to de-radicalize vulnerable youths whom he helps to reintegrate into the society, school or work. A renowned heart surgeon, Professor Sir Magdi Habib Yacoub was born to a Coptic Christian family at Bilbeis, Al Sharqia, Egypt, and studied at Cairo University where he qualified as a media doctor in 1957. He moved to Britain in 1962 and later became a Professor of Cardio-thoracic Surgery at Imperial College London. He carried out the first British live lung transplant and he is reputed to have performed more heart transplants than any other surgeon in the world. To actualize his philosophy of giving back, he founded the Magdi Yacoub Heart Foundation, which launched the Aswan Heart project while he continues to offer free heart operations on children through his Chain of Hope charity. Mutaru Muqthar expresses joy Muqthar expressed joy and appreciation over his selection as winner of the prestigious award. In a reaction to the jury he said I am deeply humbled and honoured to be chosen as winner of the African of The Year award for 2017. I am unable to truly capture how I feel about this at the moment. Working in an area that is highly unpopular and challenging for especially young people, there is no greater testament and validation of our work than this noble award. This is far greater than anything we have ever accomplished or even envisaged when we set out to engage in countering violent extremism and radicalization in West Africa. This has come at a time West Africa continues to serve as an epicentre for radicalization and violent extremism. My team and I therefore receive this with great excitement and gratitude and are confident that this will forever serve as a huge motivation to continue to do more in dealing with the challenge of violent extremism and radicalization in West Africa. I dedicate this to all the vulnerable youth I have worked with including the radicalized young man whom we have helped to stop from travelling to Syria last year and to all victims of terrorism, who have never in any way considered violence as a legitimate course of action. My greatest appreciation to Daily Trust, UBA Bank and the eminent award committee for this. Thank you all for the honour and the confidence reposed in me, Im more determined to make Africa proud. Background on African of the Year Award The African of the Year award project was initiated by Nigerias Daily Trust in 2008 as part of the newspapers commitment to African unity and sustainable development. The award, which enjoyed the support of United Bank for Africa, UBA Plc, was aimed at recognizing ordinary Africans for their extra-ordinary contributions to the continent in any field of human endeavour in a given year. The maiden award for 2008 was given to a Congolese gynecologist, Dr. Denis Mukwege, in recognition of his offer of free reconstructive surgery to victims of rape in the war-torn Democratic Republic of Congo, DRC. Dr. Mukwege has since been nominated twice for Nobel Prize and was in 2014 named winner of the Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought, the highest human rights award given by the European Parliament. Subsequent winners are the late Dr. Tajudeen Abdulraheem (2009), Mr. Danny Jordaan (2010), Judge Mrs. Fatimata Bazeye (2011), Mr. Thabo Mbeki (2012) and Dr. Donald Kaberuka (2013). The 2014 award was skipped owing to the prevalence of Ebola disease in parts of Africa while Mr. Gregoire Ahongbonon emerged winner of the 2015 award, with a no-show in 2016. To protect the integrity of the award, the winners are selected by an independent jury of eminent personalities that are drawn from the five sub-regional blocs of Africa. The jury is helmed by His Excellency Festus Mogae, former President of Botswana and winner of the prestigious Mo Ibrahim Foundation Prize for African Leadership. Other members of the prize committee are Ambassador Mona Omar (North Africa), Mr. Kabiru Yusuf (Daily Trust), Ms. Gwen Lister (Southern Africa), Mr. Pascal Kambale (Central Africa), Mr. Mahtar Amadou Ba (West Africa) and Prof. Sylvia Tamale (East Africa). Now in its tenth year, the award has also benefited from the wisdoms of pioneer members of the Prize Committee especially His Excellency, Dr. Salim Ahmed Salim, and former Prime Minister of Tanzania, who was chairperson for a record ten years. The other past members were: Prof. Abdoulaye Bathily (Senegal) Dr Muthoni Wanyeki (Kenya) Prof. Okello Oculi (Uganda) Dr Obadiah Mailafia (Nigeria), Prof. Kwame Karikari (Ghana) the late Dr Tajudeen Abdulraheem (Nigeria) and Prof. Tandeka Nkiwane (South Africa/currently on the Board of Tony Elumelu Foundation). Source: Ghanaweb.com Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Mr Rockson Ayine Bukari, the Upper East Regional Minister on Thursday said the quality of debates on radio and television stations need to be scrutinised and facilitated to derive maximum benefit for the listening and viewing public. He observed that the quality of some issues discussed on these airwaves was worrying to serious and decent minded citizens, and noted that it was incumbent on Journalists, especially radio and television talk show hosts to control their guests and serial callers when they use unacceptable or abusive language on others. Mr Bukari was speaking at a press soiree in Bolgatanga organised by the Regional Coordinating Council (RCC) which attracted Municipal and District Chief Executives, and Heads of Departments. It offered the media the opportunity to quiz duty bearers on diverse issues pertaining to development in the Region. Mr Bukari said not everyone has the opportunity or time to contribute to radio discussions or call to refute allegations levelled against him or her, and added that the liberalisation of the media landscape was meant to enhance the democratic credentials of the country. He indicated that the media liberalisation was nevertheless intended to be used to malign decent citizens who had gained their reputation through years of toil. The Minister said even though remunerations to journalists from some media houses were not the best, it was not an excuse for journalists to exhibit mediocrity in the discharge of their duties, and urged them to endeavour to cross check their facts to avert publishing falsehoods. He observed that the various cities, towns and villages in the region were engulfed in filth which had resulted in wide spread of some preventable diseases like malaria, typhoid, cholera among others, and called on the media to join hands with government to spread the message of good sanitation practices. Mr Bukari charged the media to impress on their behavioural change agent role to educate the masses on attitudinal change towards sanitation and the felling of trees, especially rosewood, the prevention of bush fires, illegal mining on farm lands and the destruction of water bodies and forests to guarantee sustainable development in the Region. Asked what government was doing to revamp the defunct factories in the region, notably the Pwalugu Tomato Factory, the Bolgatanga Meat Factory and the Bolgatanga Rice Mills among others, the Minister said various interventions were underway to revamp them, and added that the rehabilitation works on the Tono and Vea Irrigation Dams will soon be completed to meet the economic needs of our people. Mr Bukari disclosed that there was a discovery of some underground water at Kadare in the Bongo District which was projected to last for about 200 years, and tasked the media to investigate more into the discovery because the Region needed sustainable water supply for both domestic and industrial purposes. Mr Eric Kwadjo Amoh, Chairman of the Upper East Region branch of the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) said media personnel were partners in development, and indicated that no nation could develop without the media. He said we are proud to say we are one of the best press that nobody can beat, we are number one in Africa enjoying press freedom, and that is a big opportunity for us. Mr Amoh said the media as a watchdog provided security and direction to duty bearers on areas that needed critical attention and criticised when necessary, to bring peace and development to the Region and the nation. He thanked the Regional Minister and the RCC for the opportunity given to the media in the region to interact with duty bearers to promote the development agenda of the Region. The Paramount Chief of the Talensi Traditional Area, Tongo-Rana, Kubilsong Nalebegtang, who chaired the function called on Journalists to investigate their facts to ensure that the region benefitted positively from their works. He reminded Journalists working in the region to be circumspect in their reportage and present balanced reports devoid of arrogance, and pride and accept criticisms of their work. The Tongo-Rana called on Chief Executive Officers of the various Assemblies in the region to take issues of agriculture seriously, as it was an area that was being patronised by majority of the people in the region. Source: GNA Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Member of Parliament (MP) for Builsa South, Dr Clement Apaak, has raised concerns over governments commitment to fight the felling of Rosewood in the Northern Region. There was a ban on the felling of Rosewood in the country early part of last year until the government gave approval for grant of permit to Messrs Jusdal Plus, and other 24 companies to salvage Rosewood from the Brong-Ahafo, Upper East, Upper West and Northern regions. In the last few years, harvesting of the species had gone out of control and in curbing the indiscipline, the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources in 2014 banned the harvesting, transportation, export, sale or processing of rosewood in the country which mainly come from the three Northern regions. The companies are to strictly comply with 17 guidelines and regulations relating to the grant of timber rights and also pay all statutory fees and approval premiums. But speaking on Wednesday January 3, 2018, Dr. Apaak said the government had not shown enough commitment to ending the felling on rosewood in the Northern Region, accusing of discrimination. I am very close to believing that because I had earlier made a statement sometime last year in parliament which was referred to the Speaker to the sub-committee on Lands and Forestry and as I speak to you today, we are in the year 2018 the committee has not brought the report before the House. If no action is taken clearly the conclusion that Id reach is that government is discriminating in as far as protecting the Savanna Woodland forest is concerned, he said. He therefore urged government to channel the same level of enthusiasm in the fight against galamsey to that of the ban on felling of Rosewood. Source: Today 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 Dr Ekwow Spio-Garbrah, a former Minister of Trade in the National Democratic Congress (NDC) government, has asked the media to partner him as he prepares to contest the flagbearership of the Party and recapture power in 2020. At a media interaction in Accra on Wednesday evening, Dr Spio-Garbrah launched his Forward Agenda, which echoes his intention to contest the elections to aid him seek the highest office of the land. This really is not a time of campaigning it is simply a time to share our message of partnership, stewardship, service, commitment, nationalism and patriotism of sacrifice with all of you. And to pray that even as you examine us thoroughly in terms of all the things we have done well and the things we have not done so well, when you conclude with your examinations of those who wish to stand before you and offer themselves for leadership of our country through various political parties, you may, hopefully, come to the conclusion that Ekwow Spio-Garbrah is a man who may deserve the support of most Ghanaians to attain the highest office of this land in order to bring us to where we all will like to reach, he said. He said the Forward Agenda was a grand plan to mobilise the grassroots to enable him to win the race this time, after his initial attempt in 1993 was unsuccessful. Dr Spio-Garbrah said his Forward Agenda conveyed a message of sacrifice and commitment towards developing Ghana. The Agenda, he said; "Is not one that can be led by just anybody. It is not just a matter of your talents, it is not a matter of the nature of your educational attainments or your financial capacity, it is the motivation in your spirit, which is very difficult to measure." He said the primary focus of public services or politics was not about making money or amassing wealth for oneself or for ones family but about service, and that was why Ghanaians were often seen rejecting all those public servants in their electoral decisions. So Im just saying that this Forward Agenda that has been established to carry the message of sacrifice, of stewardship, of partnerships with many stakeholders and with commitment to the development of Ghana and Africa is not one that can be led by just anybody. My exposure, experience and reputation in various capacities, both locally and internationally, makes me a better person to lead this Party and subsequently lead the country in the future and lift up the nation to a level that had never been attained, but is attainable. It is for this knowledge that I have been privilege to experience and to observe and to see at first hand that should you wish to give me the opportunity to lead this party and hopefully to lead this country, that I know what it takes and what to do to solve most of the problems we talk about in Ghana, he said. Brigadier General Joseph Nunoo Mensah, a Former National Security Adviser under the Mahama Government, urged the media to be truthful in their reportage and also ensure that they informed the people about the real happenings to enable them to make the right decisions and choices in life. Dr Kwame Amporful, the Former Chief Executive Officer of Tema Oil Refinery, urged the media to rally behind the Forward Agenda to promote democracy. Mr Ransford Tetteh, the Managing Director of Graphic Communication Group Limited, urged journalists to be fair, accurate and objective in their professional practice even when they believe in a certain course or conviction. Meanwhile the NDC has started a reorganisation drive following their defeat in the 2016 Election. The Party has indicated that it would elect its presidential candidate for the 2020 Election by the close of 2018 as the NDC Constitution stipulates that a flagbearer should be elected two years ahead of elections while the Party is in opposition. Source: GNA Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video An activist of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) Dela Coffie has slammed former President John Dramani Mahama and the National Democratic Congress (NDC) for going on a unity walk on the day a 'party stalwart' is being buried. According to him, "the lack of empathy is so shocking" Alhaji Bature, who was the Editor of the Al-Hajj newspaper and a staunch member of the NDC passed away on Friday, January 5, 2018 at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital following a short illness. He was buried today in accordance with Islamic law at the Nima Cemetery in Accra. However on the same day of the burial, the NDC held its 5th Unity Walk at Techiman in the Brong Ahafo region and was led by former President John Dramani Mahama. Dela Coffie who was not enthused about the development wondered if "the NDC is worth dying for" He took to his facebook page and wrote: I am so shocked. Pleasantly shocked. A party stalwart and a hero has fallen. He is due to be interred later this afternoon. The man he defended with his life, toiled and "died for" is on a self promotional tour ("unity walk"), amidst fanfare, pomp and pageantry, and without an ounce of respect to the fallen activist? Couldn't the organisers of the so-called unity walk pushed it to a later date in honour of Alhaji's demise? Does the death of #AlhajiBature mean anything to John Mahama? And is the NDC worth dying for? Is anyone else sick of this? The lack of empathy is so shocking. May the Almighty God have mercy on us all. Rest well, Alhaji.... 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 Due to the weather, animal rights activists have announced they have canceled protests at the 2018 Pennsylvania Farm Show. The group Harrisburg Area Animal Action was scheduled to peacefully protest 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Jan. 6 outside the Pennsylvania Farm Show Complex & Expo Center in Harrisburg. The Farm Show opens today and runs through Jan. 13. In an email the group leader Seth Dellinger said, "Due to concerns for the health of our activists as well as security which would be used for our event, Harrisburg Area Animal Action has made the difficult decision to cancel today's protest of opening day of the Farm Show, in light of dangerously low temperatures. Unfortunately, animals around the world do not get to make similar decisions for their own safety, and we will push on in our fight for them and for a world that values and truly loves them." In past years at the Farm Show, activists from another group, Direct Action Everywhere, interrupted the Farm Show's opening ceremony with Gov. Tom Wolf. Its leader Rachel Ziegler said the group will not have a presence at this year's Farm Show. Alex Guarnaschelli is a familiar face to viewers of the Food Network. This weekend, fans will get a chance to meet the celebrity chef at the 2018 Pa. Farm Show at the Pennsylvania Farm Show Complex & Expo Center in Harrisburg. The frequent "Chopped" judge will be visiting the Pa. Preferred Culinary Connection stage on Jan. 7. Guarnaschelli will do two cooking demonstrations, at 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. on the stage, located in the Main Exhibit Hall. Every year, Pa. Preferred brings in a celebrity chef to its week-long lineup of cooking demonstrations. Throughout the week, a mix of chefs, cooking school students and celebrities are scheduled to cook during the eight day show from Jan. 6 to 13. Others on the schedule include Qui Qui Musarra, chef/owner of Mangia Qui in Harrisburg; Ben Beaver, chef at Cafe 1500 in Harrisburg and John Moeller, former White House chef. Guarnaschelli, who is executive chef at Butter restaurant in New York City, won the 'The Next Iron Chef: Redemption" in 2012, earning the coveted title of Iron Chef. She recently published her third cookbook, "The Home Cook: Recipes to Know by Heart." The Culinary Connection schedule is jam packed with dozens of demonstrations planned each day. Some of the highlights include: A Harrisburg teen was sentenced to a minimum of 35 months in state prison Friday for his role in a Penbrook Borough convenience store robbery last winter, according to a release from the Dauphin County District Attorney's office. Dauphin County Judge William Tully sentenced Curron Walker-Mitchell, 18, to 35 months to 70 months after Walker-Mitchell pleaded guilty to robbery and conspiracy charges. Two accomplices in the crime, Trent Smith and Terrill Bethea, were previously sentenced to 18 months to four years in state prison. Curron Walker-Mitchell According to the criminal complaint, Walker-Mitchell held the owner of the S&K corner store, 2526 Walnut St., at gunpoint last Jan. 14 while Smith went behind the counter and emptied the cash drawer containing approximately $350. Smith also took a change jar containing over $100, cigarettes and cigars and placed them in a black backpack, court documents state. Meanwhile, Bethea locked the main door and stole sodas, lighters and body oil, according to the complaint. All three men were arrested after an informant came forward with information. Though the handgun Walker-Mitchell wielded during the crime was later determined to be a BB gun, all three were charged as adults since the offense involved the use of a replica of a deadly weapon. Walker-Mitchell's plea and sentencing Friday averts a trial that had been scheduled for Monday. Senior Deputy District Attorney Stephen R. Zawisky on Friday applauded the efforts of the Penbrook Police Department and the aid the Harrisburg Police provided in clearing the case. Forecasters are tracking a storm system that is expected to bring some form of freezing precipitation into central Pennsylvania on Monday afternoon into Monday evening. "It's a little too early to start talking about amounts, but we are looking at a frozen precipitation issue," according to Aaron Tyburski, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service at State College. As of Saturday morning, forecasters expect the storm to move into the area early Monday afternoon and start as light snow. Then things start to get tricky to predict. Tyburski said the high on Monday could reach 33, and some freezing rain and sleet could mix in with the snow. The temperature on Monday evening is then expected to drop back down to about 28. "Anything that fell would freeze," Tyburski said. "So, there would be that to deal with in the evening." The storm is expected to move through the area quickly and be gone by Monday night, according to AccuWeather. "While there is still some risk for the storm to strengthen and slow down upon reaching the Atlantic coast, the latest indications are that the steering winds will remain westerly enough to push the storm quickly out to sea on Monday night," according to AccuWeather. The good news is that after the storm moves through the area, warmer temperatures are in store for central Pennsylvania late next week. High temperatures in the Harrisburg area will approach 50 on Thursday and Friday. TUESDAY: Mostly sunny, with a high near 40. Low around 22. WEDNESDAY: Partly sunny, with a high near 37. Low around 31. THURSDAY: There will be a 50 percent chance of rain. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 48. Low around 39. FRIDAY: There will be a 60 percent chance of rain. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 49. Low around 34. For the latest forecasts, visit PennLive's weather page. You can see live weather updates via the National Weather Service and other Twitter sources below. Tweet us at @pennlive with photos of inclement weather at your place, incidents you see on your commute or send a submission to submissions@pennlive.com. As most of you already know, people often do not buy a premade PC, they create their own configuration. Pre-made still sells though, some people just dont want to go through all that trouble and simply ask for an opinion on what is in store, A motorist reaches for the pump at a gas station in Toronto on Thursday, February 24, 2011. Two western Canadian cities that mandate gas stations employ attendants to pump fuel are outliers in a nation where most citizens are accustomed to do-it-yourself fill ups. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Patrick Dell Larissa Deneault holds a golden eagle at an animal rehabilitation centre in Kamloops, B.C. in a handout photo. Staff at the rehabilitation centre typically don't know where their rescued animals originally came from, but a recently discovered golden eagle was able to reveal just that. THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO-BC Wildlife Park MANDATORY CREDIT From left, President Donald Trump, accompanied by Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, Defense Secretary Jim Mattis, and Secretary of Homeland Security Kirstjen Nielsen, speaks to members of the media after participating in a Congressional Republican Leadership Retreat at Camp David, Md., Saturday, Jan. 6, 2018. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik) Project HOME outreach worker Michelle Sheppard, left, talks to a homeless man inside Suburban Station in Center City on Friday, Jan. 5, 2018. Sheppard, who herself was homeless for many years, now works to persuade homeless Philadelphians to seek shelter. Read more On this frozen Friday in January, Michelle Sheppard returned to Sherwood Forest. That's what everyone called the vestibule in the depths of Suburban Station, the one off JFK Boulevard, where Michelle and other homeless people would sleep, behind the marble pillars that lined the hallway. Hidden like Robin Hood and his Merry Men. A whimsical name for a dire place. For nearly three decades, Michelle, who is 53, called the cold concrete home. Four years ago, she came in from the cold. Now, with the city in the grip of a historic freeze, she comes back to the place where she used to sleep as a Project HOME outreach worker. "Do you want to come in?" she asked a man in layers, bracing himself in the frigid vestibule. The call of crack It was the late 1980s, and Michelle was 21, with babies and a boyfriend she feared, living in a Grays Ferry rowhouse. She fled to North Philly to escape the boyfriend, but couldn't escape the pull of crack cocaine. Her children went to live with family. She went to live behind the old Spaghetti Warehouse, on a cardboard mattress. She spent years there, in the alley behind the restaurant. Then years in a sleeping bag outside the Family Courthouse, where scores of homeless people once lived. And all those frozen winters in Sherwood Forest. She never grew used to it the train station bathrooms, the fear, the cold but on the streets in the grip of her addiction, she felt a freedom. "It was scary at first," she said of living on the street. "But when I got used to staying out there, I just stayed." By 2014, the workers at the winter outreach center run by Project HOME in Suburban Station knew Michelle well. The Hub of Hope wasn't far from Sherwood Forest. She was a regular. Carol Thomas, the agency's director of homeless services, would engage her whenever she came through. Michelle was always pleasant, Carol remembers, but always resistant. "But we were equally persistent," Carol said. It took two years. One day, Michelle walked in. She was ready. She entered a 19-month city recovery program called the Journey of Hope. "Once I allowed them to help me," she said, "I did the rest of the work." Her graduation present was a set of keys to a Project HOME apartment in North Philly. One of her neighbors was a man she knew from her days on the Parkway, homeless for decades as she'd been. He wore his keys around his neck now, out of pride. Michelle went inside, placed the key on her dresser, and danced around the apartment. Last year, she regained custody of her 15-year-old daughter, Cierra. "I am proud of her," Cierra told me. "Not only did she recover from addiction and it takes courage and patience to do that but she is helping others." Volunteer with a knack After graduation, Michelle went to Carol Thomas and asked if she could volunteer at the Hub. It wasn't something Carol was prone to do accepting a volunteer so early in recovery. But, she said, "there is something special about Michelle." After just a year of volunteering, Michelle was hired as an outreach worker. She knew almost everyone in the station. She was outgoing. She was persistent, carrying outreach pamphlets on her at all times, even when she wasn't working. She shared her story. Michelle became a role model, Carol said, offering what is needed most: a reminder that there is hope for everyone and in everyone on the streets. And Michelle was good at getting people inside. Like Miss Edie, who slept next to her in Sherwood Forest, and who no one seemed to be able to reach. Miss Edie refused to come inside, believing for years a family member was coming for her. "We have to go and get ourselves now, baby," Michelle would tell her. It took her a year. "I just stuck with her and it got her in," Michelle said. "And it felt good to get her in." As the mercury falls, her numbers rise On Friday, she and Carol made the rounds through Suburban Station, Michelle calling out person after person by name, doling out hugs and pamphlets, urging them to come inside. And some finally did. Like the man in the wheelchair whom she found at Dunkin' Donuts, whom she'd been working for months. She leaned in close to listen to him. This time she persuaded him. And there was the man with an icicle in his beard. She handed him a napkin and talked him into going to a hospital. This winter, she and her regular partner, Edward Dover, have done this again and again, every day, with temperatures plummeting, the stakes higher than ever and with hundreds of extra city beds opening to accommodate as many people as possible during the freeze. Over the last two weeks, the woman who took three decades to come inside has persuaded 45 people to follow her out of the cold. Myrrha Fleeing After Being Discovered in Her Fathers (King Cinyrass) Bed is one of the pieces of art being sold by the La Salle University Art Museum. Read more Looking to raise money for its operations, Randolph College in Virginia three years ago sold its signature painting, a 1912 piece by George Bellows called Men of the Docks, for more than $25 million to the National Gallery in London. Retribution from the art community was swift. The Association of Art Museum Directors called the decision "a violation of one of the most fundamental professional principles of the art museum field," imposed sanctions against the college, and asked other museums "to suspend any loans of works of art to and any collaboration on exhibitions and programs" with the college's museum. And they did. The same kind of punishment could be levied at La Salle University in the wake of its announcement Tuesday that it plans to sell 46 pieces of art from its museum to help fund teaching and learning initiatives in its strategic plan. The proposal quickly drew scorn from several national museum advocacy groups, including a task force that formed nearly a decade ago to dissuade universities from pawning their art treasures. At the same time, some higher-education experts defended the decision as one of survival: In a time of unprecedented financial challenges, universities may have to choose their core mission over other priorities. "I'm sure this was a tough decision," said Terry W. Hartle, senior vice president at the American Council on Education, "but it is in the long-term interest of the university. La Salle is a university that has an art museum. That is very different from being a museum that has a university." The university estimates it will raise between $4.8 million and $7.3 million, much of it for masterpieces including Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres' Virgil Reading the Aeneid Before Augustus from 1865; Dame Elisabeth Frink's sculpture Walking Madonna; Dorothea Tanning's Temptation of St. Anthony;Georges Rouault's Le Dernier Romantique (The Last Romantic); and Albert Gleizes' Man in the City (L'Homme Dans la Ville). The Association of Art Museum Curators slammed the plan in a statement. "This decision goes against fundamental best practices of museums, the very standards that have built and shaped the country's tradition of establishing and preserving art collections for the public trust," the group wrote. Both the American Alliance of Museums (AAM) and the Association of Art Museum Directors followed with a statement, and the Task Force for the Protection of University Collections also informed La Salle of its opposition to the plan, said Lyndel King, director and chief curator of the Weisman Art Museum at the University of Minnesota and cochair of the task force. "Our major role is making sure that institutions understand the implications and potential consequences of what they are proposing to do," King said, noting that other museums could refuse to lend traveling exhibits to the museum and essentially isolate it from collaboration with its peers. "We also want to make sure that donors and others know that this is being considered. It's a black mark on the university. If I were a donor, I would certainly think about making another donation to a university that did that." Often university trustees and administrators don't understand how inflammatory it is to sell art for purposes other than improving its collection and museum, or that the museums are an integral part of a college's teaching, she said. The task force formed around 2009 when Brandeis University in Massachusetts, like many schools stung by the recession and a loss in its endowment, proposed to close its Rose Art Museum and sell off the art. The museum, opened in 1961, had a loyal following who complained. Legal action ensued, and the plans eventually were scrapped. "I believe that the [museum] is here to stay, and I joined it," said Luis Croquer, who was hired six months ago as museum director. "The university is committed to it." Controversy also erupted at Fisk University, a historically black school in Nashville, when it proposed in 2005 selling pieces of its collection, donated by painter Georgia O'Keeffe, widow of Alfred Stieglitz, the New York photographer/artist. After a legal battle, a deal was struck for the university to share its collection with Crystal Bridges, a museum in Arkansas. The university received $30 million. The New York Times reported in 2016 that former Fisk president Hazel O'Leary had quietly sold off two pieces before that deal was completed, one of them a 1920 painting by Florine Stettheimer called Asbury Park South, depicting a restricted beach in New Jersey and featuring mostly African Americans but also the white artist and some of her friends. Raymond Wade, a spokesman for Fisk, declined to comment on the aftermath of the controversy, saying that the school's administration had turned over several times since then. Randolph College first proposed selling several pieces of art in 2007 to raise money for its endowment. Officials did not return calls or emails seeking comment on the backlash the school sustained, especially after selling Bellows' piece to the National Gallery of London in 2014. But the college's president has acknowledged that the sanction by the art museum directors group had impact. The Tacoma Art Museum and the Indianapolis Museum of Art, for example, canceled plans to borrow Randolph's O'Keeffe painting, according to an article in the News & Advance, a newspaper in Lynchburg, Va. "What the AAMD did, it does affect our students," Randolph's president, Bradley Bateman, told the paper. "It hurts our students." But Bateman told the paper that the school also saw positive impacts, including an ongoing relationship with the National Gallery. For La Salle, a 3,200-student Catholic university that has struggled with a projected deficit and layoffs in recent years, criticism isn't just coming from the art community. Alumni from other fields also have sounded off on social media. "Pretty soon it will be a trade school. Sad times," Tierney Kelly, a 1998 graduate from Philadelphia, posted on Facebook. Kelly, a film publicist who majored in English literature at La Salle, said she visited the museum frequently as a student. Her projects for a class on Shakespeare took place there. "It was amazing to be able to conduct a class in a place like that," she said. Later, she worked in La Salle's admissions office and touted the museum as a selling point. "It was a gem for the university," she said. Christian Brother Daniel Burke, formerly La Salle's president, started the museum in 1976. Burke died in 2015 but in a recorded interview on La Salle's website he talks about the day he announced he would start an art collection. He said Leonard Rosenwald, a collector, advised him that it wasn't a good time. "Stuff is getting very expensive these days," he said Rosenwald told him. The collector, he said, asked him how much he had to invest. "I said I've got $3,000," Burke recalled. "There was general laughter." But over time, Burke, through university funds and donations, built and expanded the collection. La Salle's paintings, drawings, and sculptures span the Renaissance to the present, some of it on display in a series of period rooms at the museum, on the lower level of Olney Hall in the center of campus. La Salle, in the Logan section of Philadelphia, intends to keep the museum open and replace works on display that are being sold with other pieces from its collection. But alumni worry that with the sale of such prominent pieces the museum won't be the same. Vinny Vella, a 2012 communications graduate who currently works as a reporter at the Hartford Courant, said the "paltry" amount La Salle stands to raise isn't worth it. "La Salle has certain assets that make it valuable to the students and one of those assets has always been its art museum," said Vella, a former Daily News reporter. "If La Salle is willing to sell off parts of its art collection, what else is it willing to sell?" Staff writer Stephan Salisbury contributed to this article. A confluence of talent like Steven Spielberg, Tom Hanks, and Meryl Streep usually points to something massive a project years in the making, costing zillions, and about as maneuverable as a super-tanker. Spielberg, in fact, was working on one such project the virtual-reality sci-fi extravaganza Ready Player One when he saw the script for The Post, and was so taken with it he decided to hit pause on his tentpole project and make The Post immediately, enlisting Hanks and Streep. The Post is the story of the Washington Post (and the New York Times) challenging a Nixon administration attempt in 1971 to block publication of the top-secret Pentagon Papers, which revealed that America's political leaders were pouring men and money into a Vietnam War they viewed as unwinnable. To Spielberg, The Post isn't just history it's a timely opportunity to express full-throated support for the First Amendment and press freedom at a time when both are held in apparently low regard by the current occupant of the Oval Office, who likes to post Photoshopped videos of himself body-slamming reporters (Montana's Upper Merion-born and raised Congressman Greg Gianforte was recently elected on that same platform). Spielberg and Co. are obviously excited to be making The Post, and that palpable enthusiasm makes the movie feel so unusually lively for a big-studio movie. It's nimble, crisp, passionate, full of verve and invention. Put another way: It's a newspaper movie that feels like something made by hustling professionals. On deadline. Read more: What it's like to get a call from Steven Spielberg at 6:30 a.m. asking you to rewrite 'The Post' Spielberg is telling two stories here. The first is the as-advertised account of the Washington Post newsroom, led by editor Ben Bradlee (Hanks), striving to chase the New York Times' big Pentagon Papers scoop. Portions have been published, but an injunction has prevented the Times from printing the rest. Bradlee wants to find and publish the best of what remains, and sends his army of reporters (led by Bob Odenkirk, Carrie Coon, David Cross) to find it. Bradlee wants the scoop, but he also wants to elevate the reputation of the Post as a provincial publication for Washington, D.C., insiders and elites (the movie opens with a debate over how to cover Tricia Nixon's wedding). Spielberg also gives us a parallel story that of the Post's publisher, Katharine Graham (Streep), who has inherited the paper from her husband and father, and is struggling to make herself heard in a world of swaggering alpha males. They include pushy newsman Bradlee, a know-it-all lawyer (Bradley Whitford) and worried financiers Bradlee's (possibly illegal) bid to publish classified government documents comes just as Graham seeks to sell stock to investors. Spielberg and Streep find myriad ways to give this aspect of the story heft Streep makes her voice tiny, her movements timid, and Spielberg finds endless visual ways to remind us that she's the only woman in a room full of bossy men. All leading to a scene of Graham holding up a patrician hand and waving away a room full of stunned mansplainers. Read more: The day in 1971 when the Inquirer defied the government and published the Pentagon Papers It's a nice moment, even though Graham is not the most galvanizing icon of female empowerment, having overcome the dual handicaps of wealth and inherited power. She views the glass ceiling by standing on it. Still, these scenes make a more subtle point: It takes more than reporters and gumption to defend the First Amendment. It takes money. Money to pay an expensive army of lawyers who fight other powerful factions in court. Currently, the Post is owned by an individual worth $99 billion. So maybe money is no object. (Alexa, read me the Pentagon Papers.) Other news outlets are scrambling to find ways to pay for the kind of journalism that Justice Hugo Black, in his ruling telling Nixon to buzz off, defended using these words: "The Founding Fathers gave the press the protection it must have to fulfill its essential role in our democracy. The press was to serve the governed, not the governors. The government's power to censor the press was abolished so that the press would remain forever free to censure the government." His concurring opinion is featured in the climactic moments of The Post, which closes with every print journalist's favorite money shot. Look at those papers rolling off the press. And look at those ads! It's hard to think of a concerto that is, from start to finish, brimming with greater amity and warmth than the new Flute Concerto by Samuel Jones, given its world premiere Friday afternoon in Verizon Hall by the Philadelphia Orchestra. What's more, the piece has tremendous mood with the kind of opening that establishes a poignant urgency, the way the first movement of Walton's Violin Concerto does. Jones, Mississippi-born and Eastman-trained, works in a musical language that looks back to Howard Hanson, perhaps, with whom he studied, but also generally to Barber and other mid-20th-century traditionalists. There's nothing wrong with that. And nothing wrong with the fact that there are stretches of his Flute Concerto that could be at home in film. At 82, Jones is comfortable with who he is, and who he is is the composer of some beautifully elegiac music. The work was written for its soloist, Jeffrey Khaner, the orchestra's longtime principal flutist, who had it firmly under his fingers. If Jones is a traditionalist in some ways, he also took a novel approach or two. Instead of shying away from the sound of the other flutists in the orchestra, he melded their colors with that of the soloist in the third movement. Elsewhere, he blended two piccolos. The third movement is woven from American tunes "Battle Hymn of the Republic" makes an appearance but so skillfully that Jones avoids the obvious traps of jingoism or echoing Ives. It's all very dignified and sincere, modes that ring in modern ears as a salve. The first movement ends with Khaner on a single low note, all by himself a particularly emotional stroke when you realize that grief was an influence here; both composer and soloist were dealing with the loss of brothers as the piece was being written. Jones seemed also to have something of the sound of this orchestra in mind. It wasn't entirely clear elsewhere in the program that the conductor was interested in cultivating what we normally think of as the plummy Philadelphia Orchestra sound. Pablo Heras-Casado brought a chipper, well-detailed interpretation to Schubert's Overture to Rosamunde, and the sound was even leaner in the Brahms Symphony No. 2. When this Spanish conductor made his debut here in 2016, he led a Mendelssohn symphony of changing tempos and character. This time in Brahms, it was about emotional control, and I wondered whether there might be a place on the spectrum in between an individuality, but one expressed judiciously. There were Goldilocks moments: the section after Jennifer Montone's lovely horn solo at the end of the first movement, where Heras-Casado took a bit of time to feel something, and in the quicker tempo of a second movement made to seem all the more charming for its blush of youth. Additional performance Saturday at 8 p.m., Verizon Hall, Broad and Spruce Sts. Tickets are $10-$153. www.philorch.org, 215-893-1999. Lindenwold High School English teacher Larry Abrams gives away books to students after school at Lindenwold Elementary School No. 4. He started BookSmiles a year ago, collecting donated books toward his ambitious goal of getting 100 books in every childs home. Read more Larry Abrams, an English teacher at Lindenwold High School in South Jersey, never gave much thought to how many books his students had at home until a fateful conversation with a 17-year-old pupil who was raising her own 2-year-old. "What are you reading to your baby these days?" Abrams asked her. "I'm not reading she's still little, Mr. Abrams." The teacher responded with alarm. "No, no, no," he said. "I read to my daughter, you can read to her!" Five years later, Abrams' classroom is cluttered with overflowing cases of books from large picture books for toddlers to the wizardry of Harry Potter basically anything a young reader might enjoy. And those boxes are just a fraction of the roughly 20,000 tomes that Abrams and the organization he finally launched 13 months ago, BookSmiles, has collected from schools and families in more affluent South Jersey districts, then redistributed mostly in economically disadvantaged Lindenwold toward his ambitious goal of 100 children's books in every kid's home. Abrams' BookSmiles is just one player in a fast-growing, but little coordinated, network of ad hoc, community-based groups in the Philadelphia region collecting used books and getting them to families in what researchers have branded "book deserts" lower-income communities where kids grow up with few, if any, books to read, and where outlets that sell even newspapers, let alone literature, are few and far between. "I teach English and see ninth graders come to me with terrible skills, bad writing skills," said Abrams, 50, who has worked in the 2,700-student Camden County district since 2003. Forty-two percent of students are Latino and 76 percent receive free or reduced-price lunch. "Being a dad, my own children went to Cherry Hill West and in ninth grade, kids were writing really, really well. Know why? Not because they're smarter but because they had books in the home." A growing body of research backs that up. Donna Celano, an assistant professor of communications at La Salle University who studies book deserts, said one recent project conducted in 27 countries found the single best predictor of whether a child is going to finish high school was the number of books in the home "not the parents' educational level or income level, but it was knowledge culture." Now, the Philadelphia-based William Penn Foundation is launching an 18-month study led by Susan Neuman, professor of childhood and literacy education at New York University, and Celano of book giveaway programs like Abrams' with the goal of making them more efficient. Celano said the effort targeting kids up to 8 years old will focus on how many books are actually in homes, what makes up a good home library, and how to enlist parents in making sure books are actually read after they have been handed out. Celano and Neuman's research over the last 15 years popularized the concept of book deserts not unlike the so-called food deserts in neighborhoods that lack supermarkets by finding the shockingly low number of stores that sold books or reading material in low-income neighborhoods in Philadelphia and other cities. Kids who show up for kindergarten with no book exposure, Celano noted, start school from behind because their vocabulary is smaller. "It's getting even worse now in the digital age, because people are buying their books on the internet and a lot of families don't have access to the internet," she said. "We know there's a connection between having books in homes and improving literacy," said Jenny Bogoni, executive director of the Philadelphia Free Library Foundation's literacy project the Read by 4th campaign. "What we don't know is how many books what tips to be giving to families on how to use the books effectively." Meanwhile, an informal network of community groups and activists has formed to help get books into lower-income households. Locally, the groups include Reach Out and Read, which is affiliated locally with Children's Hospital of Philadelphia; Treehouse Books, a North Philadelphia nonprofit; Philadelphia Reads, out of Martin Luther King High School; Team First Book Philadelphia; and a Cap4Kids program run out of St. Christopher's Hospital. In South Jersey, Alexa Grabelle now a 16-year-old junior at Eastern Regional High School in Voorhees was only 10 when she first heard about the "summer slide," kids who don't read during the school break and see their reading skills diminish. Curious about children who don't have books, she launched a donation drive that became Bag of Books and has collected a remarkable 125,000 volumes, including 5,000 to 10,000 in her garage, awaiting distribution. "I'm pretty much a one-man show," said Alexa, who has gathered books from staffers at the University of Pennsylvania, law firms, and companies based in Philadelphia and South Jersey such as Subaru to redistribute at some 15 to 20 schools in South Jersey's lower-income communities. "Anytime I'm around adults I have my cards with me and I try to find out where you work is it a big company?" she explained. That same freelance spirit has driven Abrams to reach out to teachers in Moorestown, where he worked before switching to Lindenwold, in Cherry Hill, and in local Friends schools to amass his stockpile of books. He has also solicited donations from local churches and synagogues. "Usually these books are sitting in people's houses collecting dustor go to the library or Purple Heart," said Abrams but finding donors is often the easiest part. On the Wednesday after New Year's Day, Abrams had five high school students sifting through boxes to sort books into categories for young readers. While there are plenty of "Upper Elementary" series like Junie B. Jones and the Magic Treehouse, baby picture books prove more elusive. The volunteers then lugged cases of books across the street and through the bitter cold to Lindenwold School Four, where kids snatched up as many as five at a time. "They're like piranhas," Abrams said. "It's incredible, the enthusiasm." No one seems more enthusiastic than Abrams, who sets up book fairs throughout the school year at events like Spanish Heritage Night. Although he said he's only about a tenth of the way toward his dream of 100 books in every Lindenwold home, he's collected enough books that his project has also distributed some in Camden and Vineland, and he's hoping now to plant the idea with other South Jersey teachers. "I dream," Abrams said, "of one day having this model take off." Sears Holdings Corp. announced that it will close 100 more stores, including a Sears in Northeast Philadelphia and one at the Shore, and a Kmart in Port Richmond. Read more The start of the new year is more a continuation of the demise of Sears Holdings Corp., as the company announced to its employees Thursday the closure of an additional 103 Sears and Kmart stores. The list consists of 64 Kmart stores and 39 Sears stores including the Sears at 7300 Bustleton Ave. in Northeast Philly and one at the Ocean County Mall in Toms River, N.J. Also on the chopping block is a Kmart on 3301 Aramingo Ave., in Port Richmond. The closures which come on top of the 350 Sears and Kmarts closed last year are expected between early March and April of this year with liquidation sales to start as early as next Friday, Jan. 12, at some locations. The entire department store sector is suffering as internet sales intensify. "Sears Holdings continues its strategic assessment of the productivity of our Kmart and Sears store base," the company said in a statement. "In the process we will continue to close some unprofitable stores." The company said full-time employees will receive severance and be able to apply for open positions at area Kmart and Sears stores. A total of 10 Kmart stores in Pennsylvania are targeted for closure in early April, including Bridgeville, Sayre, Harrisburg, and Pittston; and three Sears stores including Pittsburgh and Hanover. The Sears at the Ocean County Mall is the only one in New Jersey that is closing in this round. The news comes a little more than six months after the company announced in early June that it was closing 66 stores nationwide, including a Sears in Vineland, and Kmarts in Mantua, Gloucester County, and Manahawkin, Ocean County. No Sears stores in Pennsylvania were affected then. "Sears is on life support with very limited turnaround prospects on the horizon," Ken Perkins, president of Retail Metrics Inc., which tracks the retail industry for investors, said at the time. Perkins said the once-iconic department store has had just one quarter of positive same-store sales growth in the last 12 years. Sears has not turned an operating profit in five years and has managed just eight profitable quarters in the last 39 including last quarter. The stock closed Friday at $3.48, down 2.79 percent. Sears' store count has plummeted from a high of 4,010 at the end of 2011 to just 1,275 at the end of April 2017. The additional 100 closings will bring it down to just over 1,100 stores. In July 2015, Sears Holdings created New York-based Seritage Growth Properties, an independent real estate investment trust (REIT), to better manage its remaining assets and to take on the role of a landlord. Seritage's growth strategy is based on taking space away from Sears. The trust bailed out Sears Holdings by buying 266 Sears and Kmart stores for $2.7 billion. Seritage gets 78 percent of its rent from Sears Holdings, which occupies all but 11 of the stores. Seritage aims to capture higher rates by slicing up Sears anchor stores into smaller spaces and re-leasing them such as the former Sears at the King of Prussia Mall, which is now occupied by a Primark and a Dick's Sporting Goods. In a recent SEC filing, Seritage said that the department-store chain had exercised its right to terminate the leases on 19 unprofitable stores. This marked the second time Sears chose to close stores it sold off to Seritage in 2015. Sears chief financial officer Rob Riecker said in a recent conference call with analysts that the retailer would be focusing on improving the customer experience in its remaining stores. But analysts have been saying it's likely too late. This is the latest round of closures for the company that has struggled against online shopping's surge and that retail analysts say is part of the overall deterioration of the traditional department store. Macy's and J.C. Penney have also been shuttering hundreds of stores. Even though J.C. Penney reported that same-store sales climbed more than 3 percent during November and December compared with last year, and Macy's reported strong holiday sales, a turnaround is unlikely for either, according to analysts. Macy's announced in August it was closing 100 stores, with the remaining 11 stores closing in the first quarter of this year. Sue Gill, 58, of Beachwood, N.J., about a mile from Toms River, said she will miss the Sears there, where she shops at least once a month. "I was always taught by my family to have a Sears [credit] card for mainstays of the home, like sheets and linens, and if I ever needed an appliance," said the nursing professor at Ocean County College. "Sears stood for reliability and dependability. "It's definitely the online shopping," she said. "People are changing their style of shopping." A 46-year-old man was killed early Saturday morning when his 1999 Toyota Camry ran a red light and crashed into a tow truck in Upper Darby, said Police Superintendent Michael Chitwood. The accident occurred about 1:20 a.m. when the Camry, traveling west on Lansdowne Avenue, struck a AAA tow truck on Township Line Road, Chitwood said. Paul McCullough, of Havertown, was pronounced dead at the scene. His 36-year-old female passenger, who was in the front seat of the Camry, was taken to an area hospital in critical condition, Chitwood said. The preliminary investigation indicates that the Camry ran a red light, but it was not clear why, Chitwood said. The truck operator, a 37-year-old Philadelphia man, was not injured, Chitwood said. Rashon A. Causey was convicted by a Burlington County jury in October of fatally stabbing Shanai Marshall in her Mount Holly home. Read more A 40-year-old man was sentenced Friday to 50 years in New Jersey state prison for the 2016 fatal stabbing of the 37-year-old Burlington County mother of his child, prosecutors said. Rashon A. Causey, of Burlington City, was found guilty by a jury in October of killing Shanai Marshall in her Mount Holly home on Nov. 14, 2016. He must serve more than 42 years of his sentence to become eligible for parole. Assistant Burlington County Prosecutor Courtney J. O'Brien argued for life in prison, pointing out that Causey had an extensive criminal record as a juvenile and an adult: 92 arrests and 11 felony convictions. More than 20 of the victim's family members and friends attended the sentencing, including two who addressed the court about the magnitude of their loss, prosecutors said in a statement. Causey was sentenced by Judge Jeanne T. Covert. Just last week, in a tweet that matched the nuttiness of the North Korean Leader, Trump bragged his nuclear button was bigger and more potent than Kim Jong Uns. Read more It's no accident that the latest blockbuster to portray President Trump as volatile and erratic is called Fire and Fury: Inside the Trump White House. The book's title is a play on President Trump's threats to unleash "fire and fury" on North Korea and "totally destroy" that country if its leaders don't stop threatening America. The title links Trump's tumultuous style with his reckless nuclear tweets against Pyongyang. Just last week, in a tweet that matched the nuttiness of the North Korean leader, Trump bragged that his nuclear button was bigger and more potent than Kim Jong Un's "and my Button works!" Call it Button Man vs. Rocket Man. (Of course, there is no button. The nuclear codes are written on a plastic card called "the biscuit" that is carried in a briefcase by an aide.) If it were a comic strip, we might be laughing at their competitive bombast. But, given the president's approach to North Korea, there's good reason to worry he might decide to prove his is bigger and start a disastrous nuclear conflict. Kim's proposal this week for direct talks between North and South Korea offers little hope of addressing such fears. Worries about Trump's button finger were seeping out of Washington even before the book lollapalooza. In October, GOP Sen. Bob Corker, who chairs the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, warned that Trump's reckless tweets on North Korea could set the nation "on the path to World War III." In November, Corker cochaired a hearing on who has authorization to order the use of nuclear weapons the first such hearing in over four decades. To sum up: There's no question that the president has sole authority to order their use if the United States is attacked. But there is little to stop a president from ordering a preemptive nuclear attack if he deems it necessary (although one hopes for restraining advice from the State Department and Pentagon). However, even National Security Adviser H.R. McMaster has spoken of preventive war. "Donald Trump can launch nuclear codes just as easily as he can use his Twitter account, without the check and balance of the United States Congress," warned Sen. Edward Markey (D., Mass.) at the Senate hearings. Efforts by Markey to push legislation prohibiting the president from authorizing a first strike without a congressional declaration of war aren't going anywhere. Nor has the public caught on to the risks of the president's overall approach to the North Korean conundrum. Give the Trump team full credit for obtaining tougher U.N. sanctions against North Korea, and pressing China to tighten its trade and oil exports to Pyongyang. On one level, the tough White House stance on North Korea's nuclear program has reaped successes. But Trump has failed to take full advantage of those gains. That's because the purpose of tougher sanctions should be to drive Rocket Man to negotiate about his weapons at the bargaining table, with Washington, Beijing, and Moscow all pressing on him to freeze the program. Yet Trump has publicly undermined efforts by Secretary of State Rex Tillerson to get such negotiations going insisting that North Korea must first commit to total denuclearization. That is not going to happen. North Korea has been producing nuclear weapons since 2006 and is already, effectively, a nuclear power. "Zero nuclear weapons is not a feasible outcome given the size of North Korea's program, and its perception that those weapons guarantee regime survival," says Robert Litwak, vice president of the Wilson Center and author of Preventing North Korea's Nuclear Breakout. The urgent goal now is to get Pyongyang to the table before the regime succeeds in perfecting intercontinental ballistic missiles and nuclear warheads capable of surviving reentry thus truly threatening our country. "The only feasible objective," says Litwak, "is some kind of freeze to prevent a bad situation from getting worse." This, of course, will not be easy. North Korea has a track record of cheating and of blackmail. Kim will try to soft-talk or threaten South Korea into splitting from its American ally. That is Pyongyang's goal in pursuing narrow negotiations with Seoul over whether North Korea will attend the 2018 Winter Olympics in South Korea next month. Yet if Trump insists on winning big meaning Kim must agree to zero nukes before substantive talks he will box himself into a corner. Rocket Man will continue to test, and goad Trump via tweets, and Trump will goad back. The upshot may be a Trump temptation to strike first, and use nukes to try to preempt Kim's retaliation. Such a war could cause tens or hundreds of thousands of South Korean casualties, and huge casualties to U.S. troops and dependents in South Korea. And without ground troops, the U.S. might not be able to find, or prevent the use of, North Korea's nuclear arsenal. When asked, at an Oct. 30 congressional hearing, whether the president could order a first strike, without congressional authorization, Defense Secretary James Mattis replied he could imagine such a strike if an attack were imminent, "although, it's not the only tool in the tool kit to try to address something like that." "I think that we have to keep trust, keep faith in the system that we have that has proven effective now for decades," Mattis added. He didn't address whether that system has been shredded by a president whose fingers are reckless. That is a question more Americans now need to ask and demand that their legislators publicly raise. State Sen. Mike Folmer (R., Lebanon) and State Sen. Joe Scarnati (R., Jefferson). Folmer (left) said he would appeal to Congress to reschedule marijuana so that medical cannabis patients might still own firearms. Because of federal law, patients have no Second Amendment rights. Scarnati said he would cosponsor the resolution. Read more A Republican state legislator in Pennsylvania said he would call on the U.S. Congress to protect the Second Amendment rights of medical marijuana patients. State Sen. Mike Folmer (R., Lebanon) will introduce a resolution to amend the federal Gun Control Act of 1968, he said. The law currently prevents anyone who consumes marijuana for any reason from owning a firearm. State Sen. Joe Scarnati (R., Jefferson), the Senate president pro tempore, is on board to cosponsor the resolution. Federal law prohibits gun ownership by anyone who is deemed "an unlawful user of or addicted to any controlled substance." The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration considers marijuana a Schedule 1 drug, without any approved medical use, and the equivalent of LSD and heroin. Pennsylvania and 28 other states have made marijuana available for medicinal purposes. Folmer was a prime mover behind legalizing the substance for treating 17 serious health conditions. The law Folmer cowrote with State Sen. Daylin Leach (D., Montgomery) states "scientific evidence suggests that medical marijuana is one potential therapy that may mitigate suffering in some patients and also enhance quality of life." "As Republicans, we're supposed to be about limited government and states' rights," Folmer said in an interview Friday. "We have thousands of patients who are good citizens, and close to 70 percent of this medicine is going to be non-psychotropic, so in most cases there'll be no impairment." It will take an act of Congress, however, to amend the federal gun control law's language. That could be difficult without the nation's most powerful gun-rights organization. The NRA has said it has no interest in entering a debate involving medical cannabis, and has advised marijuana patients to lobby to change the law themselves. Folmer wants to light a fire under federal lawmakers. "I'm hoping to get Congress to move marijuana off Schedule 1 so people don't have to be fearful of losing their weapons," Folmer said. Folmer has his work cut out for him. On Thursday, U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions rescinded an Obama-era policy that has allowed state marijuana programs to flourish without federal intervention. About 11,000 people in Pennsylvania have registered so far to become medical marijuana patients, a spokeswoman for the Department of Health said on Friday. Though cannabis oils, tinctures, and lotions won't be available until February, at the earliest, nearly 450 people already have received identification cards attesting that they have registered. One patient, suffering from Crohn's disease, told the Inquirer and Daily News he had attempted to buy a .22-caliber rifle before Christmas but the gun dealer refused to sell him the firearm after he checked the box on his federal questionnaire indicating he was in the program. If he had not volunteered the information, a state police background would have flagged him, stopping the sale. Gun dealers in all states are forbidden by the ATF from selling firearms to anyone who admits to using cannabis or anyone a dealer suspects may be using it. In 2016, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit ruled that banning sales to medical marijuana users did not violate the Second Amendment. The Pennsylvania State Police issued a statement in late December that said that due to the federal law, patients might be refused a license when they applied for renewal. Gov. Wolf, however, told radio station WESA-FM in Pittsburgh that the state would not seek out patients who own firearms. "We're not going to take their guns away," he said. Since its earliest days, The Planetary Society has supported a variety of SETI (Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence) projects. Last fall, Jason Davis delved deeply into the history of the field and produced a comprehensive, three-part web feature called, Is There Anybody Out There? In these pages we offer a short excerpt, but make sure to enjoy the full story on our site. Total solar eclipses are not rare events on Earth, but this past Augusts eclipse was the first total solar eclipse to cross the continental United States from its Pacific to its Atlantic shores since 1918. First time eclipse-viewer Whitney Pratz hopped onto one of Betchart Expeditions extraordinary tours and wrote a diary of her adventure for us. Check out There Goes the Sun. The Planetary Society has taken another major step in our march toward the launch pad with LightSail 2. The spacecraft is now fully tested and ready to be integrated into a P-POD (Poly Picosatellite Orbital Deployer), which will use a spring mechanism to deploy the spacecraft once it is in orbit. In Closeout! Bruce Betts reviews the last year in LightSail 2s development, and he looks ahead to the future. Casey Dreier breaks down the changesand lack thereofin portions of 2017s space exploration policy in The More Things Seemed to Change (Hint: some expected budget cuts did not happen, and NASA announced a bold new plan for Mars exploration.) Plus: Our European volunteers are full of excitement, and Bill Nye is celebrating our expanding reach and global engagement. The Planetary Society is always advancing space science and exploration in new and exciting ways. We always haveand always willprovide ways for the public to be a part of the adventure. If you are not yet a member and you want to get in on the fun, join us. Happy reading and Happy New Year! Donna Stevens Editor The Planetary Report An FBI agent was forced to open fire early Friday after a wanted man ran from a Sandy Springs hotel, hopped in a pickup truck and dragged the agent for a quarter-mile, according to an agency spokesman. The agent and the wounded man were taken to local hospitals, FBI spokesman Kevin Rowson said in an emailed statement. While the agents injuries were not life-threatening, the man is in surgery, according to the FBI. His condition is unknown. The incident started shortly after 6 a.m. in the lobby of the Wyndham Atlanta Galleria when the FBI agent tried to arrest the man in connection with a gang investigation, Rowson said. The arrest is the latest in an investigation that earlier yielded an indictment against dozens of members and associates of the Nine Trey Gangsters Oct. 12. The wounded driver was the lone suspect that was not apprehended from that investigation, Rowson told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. A Jersey City, NJ, police lieutenant on the job for 23 years was killed on the New Jersey Turnpike early this morning. Christopher Robateau, 49, of Carteret, exited his car to help a motorist on his way to work this morning and was struck by a vehicle, according to Mayor Steve Fulop. "We consider him on duty being that Lt. Robateau got out of his car to help someone else which is what we want all our officers to be doing all the time regardless of their location or time of day," Fulop said on Facebook. Robateau leaves behind a wife and three children, NJ.com reports. 1.9k SHARES Facebook Twitter Whatsapp Pinterest Reddit Print Mail Flipboard As Robert Muellers Russia investigation continues to progress, another member of the first family is now in its crosshairs: Ivanka Trump. According to a new Los Angeles Times report, Mueller is now looking into a previously undisclosed meeting that took place between Ivanka Trump and two of the Russian officials involved in the infamous June 9th meeting at Trump Tower. More from the report: Investigators also are exploring the involvement of the presidents daughter, Ivanka Trump, who did not attend the half-hour sit-down on June 9, 2016, but briefly spoke with two of the participants, a Russian lawyer and a Russian-born Washington lobbyist. Details of the encounter were not previously known. It occurred at the Trump Tower elevator as the Russian lawyer, Natalia Veselnitskaya, and the lobbyist, Rinat Akhmetshin, were leaving the building and consisted of pleasantries, a person familiar with the episode said. But Muellers investigators want to know every contact the two visitors had with Trumps family members and inner circle. Trumps daughter, who played a major role in his presidential campaign and continues to hold influence within the administration, is just the latest member of the first family under the Mueller microscope. Donald Trump Jr. and Trump son-in-law Jared Kushner are also under scrutiny for their Moscow connections during the election, which they often covered up until they no longer could. This is particularly true of their own involvement in the Trump Tower meeting with Russian officials promising damaging dirt on former Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton. Ivanka Trump was not present at that meeting, but the LA Times report shows that she spoke to at least two of the Russian officials on the same day, after the meeting concluded. As this investigation continues to rage on, the number of people in Donald Trumps orbit who had previously unknown meetings with Russian officials continues to grow. Despite what the president claims, these were not just interactions between Russia and low-level Trump campaign officials these were some of the closest family members and advisers in his inner-circle. The idea that Trumps daughter, son, and son-in-law were speaking to Russian officials who had so-called damaging dirt on Hillary Clinton without Donald Trump knowing is becoming increasingly unlikely. HALLOCK, Minn. Mike Swanson thinks Minnesota could be at the center of a whiskey revolution. And he is accumulating the data to prove it. Whiskey aficionados pay a lot of attention to the aging process when they look for high-quality whiskey. Swanson, who owns Hallock-based Far North Spirits, argues craft distillers need to pay more attention to the front end of the process. In the case of whiskey, it's the rye that makes the mash that makes the whiskey. Swanson concedes that Far North and other small distilleries can't beat Makers Mark at their own game. "But we can out farm them. Because they're being supplied by grain merchants and they don't know what variety they're distilling," he told Minnesota Public Radio . He was curious whether each rye variety would add different flavors to whiskey, so he got a grant from the Minnesota Department of Agriculture to study rye varieties for taste. Swanson is now distilling 18 varieties of rye. The crop is planted in the fall and harvested late the following summer. "To our knowledge, this has never been done before," Swanson said of the taste research. "If it has, it's somebody's proprietary company information. One of the big distilling houses might have done this, but they didn't publish it. We're the first to go public with this sort of thing." Smell of success It will be a couple of years before the study is published, but the results are promising. With a large copper still roaring in the background, Swanson pours clear distillate, called white whiskey or moonshine, into three glasses lined up on a table. "Three different samples of distillate, three different varieties," said Swanson, closing his eyes and inhaling the fumes from each glass. "The differences start when you put your nose up to the glass." As he swirls and sniffs, Swanson talks about vanilla, spice and grassiness. It's hard to scientifically measure taste and smell. This study is based on large-scale taste and smell testing by hundreds of accomplished distillers and whiskey experts who do blind tests and offer their observations on each variety. With hundreds of tests, Swanson sees patterns emerge. One rye has consistently strong vanilla notes; another commonly reminds people of tequila. Once the distinctive characteristics of each rye variety are established, Swanson's dream is to link distillers and farmers who will grow specific varieties for a premium price. "Depending on the flavor profile that a distiller is going for, they can select a variety that is reliably going to produce that flavor," said Swanson. He hopes this research will lead to a distinctive Minnesota taste that will excite whiskey lovers everywhere. Bottom line But the study is about more than tasty whiskey. Rye will need to attract more than a few farmers to be a viable alternative crop. "The bottom line is always going to be is it economically viable against other commodities, because that's how you get acres," said Jochum Wiersma, an agronomist at the University of Minnesota Crookston. He's studying yield potential and disease resistance in the same rye varieties that Swanson is testing for taste. Wiersma thinks rye has potential as animal feed and as a cover crop, grown to prevent soil erosion and keep fertilizer from polluting streams. And rye can be very productive in Minnesota. "It is by far the most winter-hardy and has a really good fit, in especially really sandy soil," Wiersma said. "It is probably the most drought tolerant of any crops that can be used for both feed and food." Rye is much more popular in Europe where rye flour is commonly used in breads. It's also more widely used in animal feed. Wiersma said research is starting to show that animals fed a mix that includes rye have healthier gut bacteria and are less likely to need antibiotics. Historically, rye has been susceptible to a fungal disease that creates a toxin on the grain harmful to animals and humans. That's still a concern, but Wiersma said newer varieties are much more resistant, and new techniques have been developed to clean the grain. Some of the best rye varieties for the Minnesota climate were developed in northern Europe, and Wiersma said companies there are interested in expanding rye production in the U.S. A researcher from North Dakota State University is also involved in the research, studying the malting process for rye. Malting is a process of sprouting and toasting the grain. Malted barley is commonly used in beer and malt is also used in some whiskey varieties. Rye is an almost invisible blip on a Minnesota landscape dominated by corn and soybeans only a few thousand acres are grown, compared to millions of acres of the dominant crops. Swanson admits small distillers won't bring about a big resurgence of rye, since just a few acres will grow enough to make a batch of craft whiskey. "It'll be a niche crop, but a profitable one. Because distillers are usually willing to pay more for a premium raw material," said Swanson, who's thinking big about the future of whiskey in Minnesota. "In Scotland, you have all these different styles of whiskey that are very, very different from each other. I would love to see the same thing here. And I think rye is still up for grabs." California has proclaimed itself a sanctuary state, in which public employees, including law enforcement, are directed to defy the nations immigration laws. At American Greatness, Michael Walsh writes that California Democrats have fired on Fort Sumter: Now California Democratsas radical a group of anti-Americans as you will find in this country, whether legal or undocumentedhave again fired on Fort Sumter. And once again (dont kid yourselves), the goal is de facto and, later, de jure, secession from the United States of America, as part of the Aztlan-inspired Reconquista of what Hispanic radicals consider lost territory. Well, maybe. But before that happens, a serious confrontation with the federal government is possible. As Walsh notes, the acting director of I.C.E., Thomas Homan, is talking tough: The acting director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement says politicians who run sanctuary cities should be charged with crimes. Thomas Homan said in an interview Tuesday with Fox News Channels Neil Cavuto that the Department of Justice needs to file charges against municipalities that dont cooperate with federal immigration authorities and deny them funding. He also says politicians should be held personally accountable for crimes committed by people living in the U.S. illegally. Homan says, Weve got to start charging some of these politicians with crimes. It strikes me that victims of crimes by illegal aliens may also have good causes of action against state and local authorities. I dont see how the usual immunities could apply, when local authorities are acting in violation of federal law. One way or another, I suspect that sanctuary status wont play out as painlessly for California, and other jurisdictions, as they seem to expect. One gets the feeling that California thinks it could get along quite well without the rest of us, but Michael Ramirez doesnt see it that way. Click to enlarge: A fundamental issue is in play here, and also with regard to various states acting in defiance of federal law by purporting to legalize marijuana. (Here, too, California is joining Colorado as a scofflaw state.) Before the Civil War, there was considerable ambiguity about the relationship between the states and the federal government under the Constitution. It was believed, in some quarters, that the states were, in the end, sovereign. The Civil War resolved that issue, for the next 150 years, in favor of federal supremacy. But now, states are again asserting the right to nullify federal law. Who ever thought that John C. Calhoun would emerge as a key political thinker of the 21st Century? I certainly didnt, but that is exactly what has happened. Apart from the specific issues of slavery, illegal immigration and drug use, on all of which the Democratic Party has been on the wrong side, there seems to be a strain of perversity in that party that the centuries have failed to eradicate. Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley and Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime and Terrorism Chairman Lindsey Graham have referred the Christopher Steele to the Justice Department for investigation of potential violations of 18 U.S.C. 1001 for false statements investigators have reason to believe Steele made to them, according to Senator Grassleys press release. Steele is of course the apparent author of the dossier of memos full of salacious misinformation and disinformation provided by the friends of Vladimir Putin to the Clinton presidential campaign via Fusion GPS and the Perkins Coie attorney who served as the Clinton campaigns general counsel. I dont take lightly making a referral for criminal investigation. But, as I would with any credible evidence of a crime unearthed in the course of our investigations, I feel obliged to pass that information along to the Justice Department for appropriate review, Grassley said. Everyone needs to follow the law and be truthful in their interactions with the FBI. If the same actions have different outcomes, and those differences seem to correspond to partisan political interests, then the public will naturally suspect that law enforcement decisions are not on the up-and-up. Maybe there is some innocent explanation for the inconsistencies we have seen, but it seems unlikely. In any event, its up to the Justice Department to figure that out. After reviewing how Mr. Steele conducted himself in distributing information contained in the dossier and how many stop signs the DOJ ignored in its use of the dossier, I believe that a special counsel needs to review this matter. The rule of Law depends on the government and all who work on its behalf playing by the rules themselves. I hope the Department of Justice will carefully review our letter and take appropriate action, Graham said. Senator Grassleys press release notes that Grassley and Graham delivered to Senate Security a letter and classified memorandum for delivery to Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein and FBI Director Christopher Wray containing information that forms the basis of the referral. It also makes clear that the referral does not pertain to the veracity of claims contained in the dossier. The press release adds that the senators and committee staff are working to redact all sensitive information in the classified memorandum sent to Rosenstein and Wray. If and when that process can be lawfully and appropriately completed in consultation with the Justice Department, an unclassified version of the memorandum will be released. Senator Grassley has posted the referral letter along with his press release here. It has generated stories by Politico, The Hill, the Weekly Standard, and, oh, yeah, the New York Times. Jonah Goldberg says hes struggling to think of a comparable figure in American political history who squandered real power and influence as completely and quickly as [Steve] Bannon has. The closest he comes is Father Coughlin from the 1930s. I can come no closer. However, Bannons fall reminds me of what happened to David Stockman in the 1980s. In some ways the comparison seems inapt. Stockman, who served as President Reagans director of Office of Management and Budget, was a buttoned-down policy wonk (or so he seemed at the time) with no apparent desire to lead a national political movement, though he had been elected to public office (the U.S. House) something Bannon has never accomplished. However, both share revolutionary dispositions to some degree. Steve Hayward tells me that Stockman has characterized himself as the Trotsky of the supply-side movement. Bannon may or may not have described himself as a Leninist, as been reported, but he has described the movement he wants to lead as an insurgent, center-right populist movement that is virulently anti-establishment, and its going to continue to hammer this city, both the progressive left and the institutional Republican Party. In the early Reagan years Stockman was almost as prominent and for some, infamous as Bannon became last year. He was the leading public exponent of Reaganomics and the major force behind Reagans budget, a serious attempt to rein in the welfare state. Like Bannon, then, Stockman wielded real power and influence in an administration dedicated to new ways of taking on prevailing liberal orthodoxies. But like Bannon, Stockmans power was contested. At times, he clashed with Jim Baker, Donald Regan, and Richard Darman over budget and tax policy. Stockmans downfall occurred because spilled his guts in an interview for Atlantic Magazine with William Greider, assistant managing editor of The Washington Post. Stockman provided Greider with 18 taped interviews. In the interviews, Stockman expressed doubts about the Reagan administrations ability to contain federal budget deficits. He told of his private delight at the administrations failure to get as the drastic a tax cut as it wanted from Congress. Most notoriously, Stockman told Greider that the supply-side economic theory underlying Reaganomics was really just trickle down economics. Trickle down was too unpopular to sell and thus needed to be dressed in new clothes, Stockman explained. This, of course, is what Democrats and media liberals had been saying all along. President Reagan took Stockman to the woodshed. His power waned, though he remained in his job at OMB for almost four more years. Bannon, for all of his flamboyance, never bad-mouthed central substantive principles of the movement hes associated with. For example, he has never said (nor should he because it wouldnt be true) that Make America Great Again is really a gussied up version of xenophobia and racism. However, Bannon, while still working at the White House told leftist Robert Kuttner that Trumps fire and fury talk about North Korea is basically hogwash. And now, in conversations with the author of a hostile back about the Trump administration, he reportedly has rejected what I take to be the main tenet of Trumpism in practice the view that there is nothing to Russia collusion allegations and has used the word treason in connection with the presidents son. As a result, what was left of Bannons power and influence appears to have been squandered completely, as Goldberg says. What compelled Stockman and Bannon to speak to lefty journalists in ways contrary to the interests of the administration they served and/or were allied with? Frustration surely provides a partial explanation. The deeper explanation, I think, is the strong sense of both that they are the smartest person in any room, and the desire to validate that sense. Any administration lackey can spout the party line to journalists. It takes the smartest man in the room to say he sees through it. Similarly, any lackey can impress friendly journalists. It takes the smartest man to impress hostile ones. Moreover, Greider and Kuttner arent hacks. Greider was an original thinker whose Against the Grain column graced the Washington Posts Sunday Outlook section during the 1980s. Kuttner is a substantial journalist and intellectual who specializes in economics. According to Kuttner, Bannon told him it was a great honor to finally track you down and that he has followed your writing for years. Stockman and Bannon probably thought that Greider and Kuttner (respectively) had the stature to validate their sense of being the smartest man in the administration. (Whether Bannon viewed Michael Wolff that way seems less clear). I find it interesting that leading figures in liberal administrations dont speak to conservative pundits in ways that harm the interests of their boss. Did anyone in the Clinton administration spill his guts for publication to George Will? Did anyone in the Obama administration vent on the record to Charles Krauthammer? I dont think so. What explains the difference? I think liberals are better team players than conservatives. I think they are less flaky. I also think they are more secure maybe less questioning is a better way to put it. Frankly, its easier for them to be that way. They get all the validation they need from the elites. Conservatives, especially if they work in a despised administration like Reagans or Trumps, get their validation from less credentialed, less respected journalists and outlets. This may partially explain why the ones with the biggest egos feel the need to turn to a Greider or a Kuttner, or others of whom one might expect them to be the most wary. UPDATE: Here is what Steve wrote about Stockman in The Age of Reagan: Stockman himself would later characterize his role as the Trotsky of the supply-side movement. He was touted as the youngest financial wizard since Alexander Hamilton, but ended up exciting Jeffersonian outrage. In retrospect the signs of Stockmans disharmony with Reagan should be have been more easily recognized, for the odyssey of David Stockman encapsulates the crosscurrents and confusions of the baby boom generation. Raised in a Republican family on a rural Michigan farm, Stockman got caught up in the radical fervor of the New Left when he arrived at Michigan State University in 1964, where he drew the attention and surveillance of the Michigan State Police. He intended to study agriculture and return to the farm; instead, he studied Marxism, joined the radical Students for a Democratic Society, burned his draft card, grew his hair long, bought a guitar so he could croon Bob Dylan songs to coeds, and eventually ended up at Harvard Divinity School, where God is barely a dying memory. Stockman didnt just strike the radical pose; he helped organize anti-Vietnam War protests, and participated in the most famous of the antiwar hijinks, the October 1967 March on Washington. Stockman downplays this period to some extent in memoir The Triumph of Politics, dismissing it as my coffee house period. It was at Harvard, where Stockman went to avoid the draft, where he began to have second thoughts. About this time he encountered the anti-utopian works of Reinhold Niebuhr and Walter Lippmann. The scales fell from my eyes as I turned those pages, Stockman recalled. Then in one of those strange twists of fate that seem to occur with regularity in American life, Stockman contrived to become the live-in babysitter for Pat Moynihan, who at that time was commuting back and forth from Cambridge to his post in the Nixon White House. This ended up providing Stockman with his entree into the real world of politics. Through Moynihans connections Stockman went to Washington in 1970 to work for Illinois Congressman John Anderson. Anderson was chairman of the House Republican Conference, and he installed Stockman, then just 25, as its executive director. Anderson, Stockmans congressional patron, was a liberal Republican, as became evident when he ran for president as a left-leaning independent in 1980. (It was Stockmans history with Anderson that originally brought Stockman to the Reagan campaigns attention as they sought someone to be a stand-in for Reagans debate preparations in 1980.) Though Stockman was thought to be an ideological conservative when he arrived on his own in the House, his outlook was close to Andersons. He voted with Anderson 80 percent of the time in the House. Stockman supported abortion, opposed school prayer, and joined the last outpost of Rockefeller Republicans, the Ripon Society, which by then was long past its peak influence. He boasted that he had not voted for Richard Nixon in 1972. In his bitter 1986 memoir, he wrote: I would never be comfortable with what I viewed as the primitive, right-wing conservatism of my grandfather or Goldwateror Reagan. (In 1979 Stockman delivered an astute observation about another young Congressman who entered the House the same year he didAlbert Gore Jr. Id give him higher odds at the brass ring than his father, the former senator, ever had, Stockman wrote at the time. Unfortunately, he inhales populist nostrums as naturally as he breathes.) Ronald Reagan was not Stockmans first choice for president in 1980. I considered him a cranky obscurantist, Stockman wrote, whose political base was barnacled with every kook and fringe group that inhabited the vasty deep of American politics. Stockman would later express various signs of contempt for Reagan, such as referring to Reagans old speeches and writings as The Scrolls, and comparing Reagans intellect to a trenchnarrow, but deep. Stockman initially backed John Connally in 1980, but quickly switched to George Bush when Connallys candidacy proved stillborn. As Martin Anderson reflected later, Anyone who could love John Connally, the godfather of wage and price controls under President Nixon, couldnt be all good. Pat Moynihan quipped: Stockman is peerless. I have never known a man capable of such sustained self-hypnotic ideological fervor. One day he arrives at Harvard preaching the infallibility of Ho Chi Minh. Next thing you know, he turns up in Washington proclaiming the immutability of the Laffer Curve. Everyone missed the signs of what the Wall Street Journals Robert Bartley identified as Stockmans intellectual instability and congenital restlessness, and James Q. Wilson called ideological promiscuity. He professed to be a supply-side true believer, and he brought to the coming budget battle the energy and intellect that Reagan needed. (Though for all his learning at Michigan State and Harvard, he apparently never took a course in economics.) As Martin Anderson described Stockmans ascension, He joined the administration with the enthusiasm of a new puppy, eager and urgent, bounding and leaping through the federal budget with wild-eyed passion. . . Stockman tuned out to be a superb leader for OMB. Another enthusiastic endorsement came from Alan Greenspan: Hes the brightest guy around. Whereas the Reagan team initially thought budget cuts in the $13 to $18 billion range would be hard to get, Stockman came along with a plan to cut $41 billion out of the next budget, and more than $100 billion a year by 1986. Reagan and his top aides were dazzled. Stockmans confidence and fiscal command erased any doubts that might have been raised by his erratic history. One is reminded of the (mistaken) description of the 41-year-old Winston Churchill as First Lord of the Admiralty in 1915, convincing older and slower minds that the Dardanelles offensive would work. Bannons political history doesnt feature the wild swings that Stockmans does. However, he appears to have been a conventional conservative from the late 1970s, when he concluded that President Carter had made a hash of things, until the late 2010s, when he concluded that President Bush had too. It was then, he says, that he turned against the whole establishment. Keith Ellison is Minnesotas Fifth District Congressman and the Democratic Partys deputy chairman. Weve followed his rise since he won the DFL nomination to run for the Fifth District seat in 2006 in Louis Farrakhans first congressman (October 9, 2006), in the companion Power Line post Keith Ellison for dummies, and in The Ellison elision (February 3, 2014). Most recently, I revisited this history in the context of Ellisons national ambitions in The trouble with Keith Ellison (November 21, 2016) and in the Power Line post Keith Ellisons back pages (February 8,2017). The 2017 Power Line post includes a video of Ellison as a third-year University of Minnesota Law School student appearing in February 1990 under his Nation of Islam pseudonym Keith Hakim. (His first Nation of Islam pseudonym, I should say.) Ellison welcomed Kwame Ture (Stokely Carmichael) to speak in the law schools Room 25 on the topic Zionism: Racism, Imperialism or Both? Ellisons introduction of Ture is clipped, but we are able to see him recalling the time he welcomed Minister Farrakhan to the University of Minnesota. Ellison was already deep into his Nation of Islam phase. What a long, strange trip its been. Ellison is back in the news this week with his photographic endorsement of the fascist Antifa movement. John wrote about it here. I would like only to add a little more context to Ellisons enthusiasm for Antifa with another look back at his career and associations as he climbed the greasy pole in the Twin Cities. In February 2000 Ellison spoke to a local National Lawyers Guild group raising money for former Symbionese Liberation Army member Kathleen Soliah/Sara Jane Olson. The National Lawyers Guild is of course the old Communist front group, though it has survived the fall of the Soviet Union. Indeed, I spoke in defense of the PATRIOT Act on a panel at its October 2003 national convention in Minneapolis. At the time of the fundraiser, Soliah/Olson had been a fugitive from justice for 25 years, avoiding prosecution on charges related to the attempted pipe bombing of Los Angeles police officers in 1975. Soliah/Olson had been apprehended on the Los Angeles charges at her home in the Highland Park neighborhood of St. Paul in 1999. In October 2001, Soliah/Olson pleaded guilty to two counts of possessing explosives with intent to commit murder in the long-pending Los Angeles case. In January 2002 Soliah/Olson and four other SLA members were charged with the murder of Myrna Opsahl in Sacaramento in the Crocker National Bank case. Soliah/Olsons participation in the SLAs Crocker National Bank robbery/murder had long been a matter of public record. Soliah/Olson pleaded guilty to the murder charge in November 2002. Following her apprehension, support for Soliah/Olson became a cause of the hardcore radical left. Ellisons support for Soliah/Olson was notable, as was his demagogic denunciation of law enforcement authorities seeking justice for vicious crimes. Yet Minnesota media have remained singularly uninterested in serious exploration of Ellisons indefensible public associations and statements. In 2006 Greg Lang dug up Ellisons National Lawyers Guild speech and posted on his site devoted to all matters SLA. Greg emailed us the text of Ellisons speech at the time he posted it on his now dead site. I posted it on Power Line for archival purposes as part 8 of my seemingly endless 2006 series Who is Keith Ellison? The full text of Ellisons National Lawyers Guild speech shows that Ellisons support of Soliah/Olson isnt even half the story. Here it is, as edited under Ellisons supervision: Good evening, thanks for inviting me. Let me say that I think theres an idea that young people are not attuned to the 60s. And, that the 60s and 70s are ancient history. That theyve passed and theyre gone. I want to submit to you that I cant accept that as reality. I want to submit to you that the 90s and 80s are nothing but part 2 of the 60s and the 70s. And, I suggest that to you because of the few things that we can observe. Dont you remember Quibilah [sic] Shabazz, the daughter of Malcolm X, was prosecuted in retribution against Minister Farrakhan this game that was played out? Jijaga Pratt recently released. Ruben Carter recently released. Mumia Abu Jamal. For the people who want to incarcerate Sara Jane Olson, aint nothing changed. As a matter of fact, they want to settle scores with Sara Jane Olson and others who were fighting for freedom in the 60s and 70s. What Im saying to you is that, really, the 60s and the 70s were only a blip in the data in the minds of the people who govern this society that we live in. To the powerful,they were an aberration. They were a time when people came together: people coming out of World War II; black people needing to have some rights in the country after having 400 years of oppression, slavery, and segregation; white people coming to a realization that its better to be a part of humanity than over humanity. This was a confluence of a time when people came together and DID beat back the things that America was always based on. In the minds of the people who want to prosecute Sara Jane Olson, these people feel that the gains that we made have got to be beat back, and the very idea of, say for instance, black people having civil rights, has got to be obliterated with (obviously) the criminal justice system and incarceration. Think about what it means to a whole population when a significant number 1/3 of all the men-are going to one time be incarcerated what impact does it have on the 2/3s that arent? [reference to Bernardine Dohrns citation that 1 in 3 black males born today will spend at least some portion of their life in prison.] Its like an anchor on a very small boat. You understand what Im saying? The idea that the people who want to prosecute Sara Jane Olson have, well,they have a June Cleaver concept of what women are supposed to be about. They have a June Cleaver idea that Sara Jane Olson, women in general, were supposed to be in the kitchen cooking -SOMETHING. Right? And are NOT supposed to be engaged in political protest, laying out political thought, and certainly not breaking out of some concrete stereotype or image that they had. In the 60s, when we fought for public housing: housing for people to live in, not shanty shacks or sugar ditches, and ghettos in Detroit, Chicago, so on. When we fought for public housing and extended housing for poor people, this is offensive to the type, to the mentality that would prosecute Sara Jane Olson, which is why, when the 14 pastors over there in North Minneapolis stood in front of the bulldozers, they had to be prosecuted. You understand what Im saying? So what Im submitting to you is that this is just a later chapter. We should not let them put the 60s in some sort of historical time warp. And that its clear that whatever we may make of the 60s and 70s, that the people who want to prosecute Sara Jane Olson have not forgot about anything. Bernardine made the point better than anyone so far. This is not about justice. This is not about accountability, this is not about public safety. THIS is about SYMBOLISM. This is about MAKING A POINT. This is about saying to you and to me that we are going to get you if you ever try to stand against what were about. WERE GOING TO GET YOU. And were going to lock you up and we dont care how long it takes, were going to get you. There might be people who get book deals, or there might be private revenge, there might be all these things, but no prosecution like this would really float unless it had a very important, symbolic meaning that tied it together for the people involved in it. And it is the idea that the people who fought for social justice and to elevate humanity in the 60s and 70s were WRONG! They were wrong and were going to prove it because were going TO LOCK HER UP. Thats what its about. You know, I was asked to speak about white crime hysteria and black gangs. Im a trial lawyer. I tried five cases since October, and I can tell you this, there are some startling similarities between my client and Sara Jane Olson. Lets start with being a member of a stigmatized and vilified group, so stigmatized, so vilified, that if you even mention their name in association with this particular defendant, then conviction is all but guaranteed. This person is a Blood, theyre a Vice Lord, theyre a Gangster Disciple, they are a 4-corner hustler, whatever, and unless youre willing to dig in there and seriously get down there with this case you might as well start talking about, Well, the sentencing guidelines say that if you plead guilty to this[Laughter].you knowwe might be able to shave off a few months here or there. Do you understand what Im saying? My point is that I remember the SLA. [I was 12-years-old when it hit the news in 1974]. I remember the name, I remember the made-for-TV movie with Patty Hearst who was taken away by the SLA and by this black guy named Cinque, who strutted around and was real scary. And clearly these people were bad to the bone. And as I began to read about the SLA, they were talking about rights for poor people I mean Im not trying to say the SLA is I dont even know enough about the SLA to tell you about the SLA, but I can tell you what they stated what they were in FAVOR OF: it had to do with fighting poverty and fighting racism and stuff like that. Im not even here to tell you how they did it because I dont know. But I can tell you what they (the government) claim they have stood for, has not even met the light of day in this whole conversation. What are they FOR? What are they about? Its the same way with MY clients, the groups theyre involved in. Nobody ever knows what it means to BE a Blood, because theyve already said this is just evil. Thats ALL you need to know. Theyre bad. And same with the SLA. The SLA has been completely vilified and we know nothing about it. Absolutely NOTHING. They dont tell us ANYTHING about these organizations; just the label is good enough. The expense my clients go through, now you would think if you watch television (which is the worst place to get information about anything) you would really be under the impression that all black gang members have a big gangster knot of cash in their pockets derived from massive sales of drugs. The last two years that I have been in private practice, I can tell you that I am living proof that they aint got any money! These folks scrimp and save, and you know who shows up at their trial? Their mama. Who said mama? You are dead on. Mama. Maybe babys mama. But never the crew. Theyre not there. My clients have their parents borrow money, scrimp, save, do exactly what youre doing have fund raisers, maybe sell plates of BBQ chicken so Junior can get an attorney. And like many of my clients, Sara Jane Olson has a public defender. Do you understand what Im saying? Because she cannot afford to pay for her defense all by herself. Do you understand what Im saying? I mean the reality is, Sara Jane Olson, basically is a black gang member as far as I can see. [much applause] On my way over here, those of you from the Twin Cities know that certain parts of town mean this, and certain parts of town mean that. Well, Im from North Minneapolis and youre you all know what thats supposed to mean if youre from Minneapolis, and I had a hard time finding my way over here because I dont get over here that much, but you know, what I found as I got over herethat the barriers that we build between each other are really barriers of the mind and ones we create, because in a lot of the cases that Ive represented people in, Ive seen people like Marv Davidov [long-time local activist] there, and the defense committee for the person, and other folks in this room and I think, just like the people who want to come together and lock up Sara, WE need to come together and free Sara. And all the Saras because shes not the only one. I am praying that Castro does not get to the point where he has to really barter with these guys over here because theyre going to get Assata Shakur, theyre going to get a whole lot of other people, they just want to get them so badly. They just want to throw them away. And so, I hope the Cuban people can stick to it because the freedom of some good decent people depends on it. We do live in a society of cynical personal responsibility-type lingo. Youve heard people say personal responsibility. Thats what everyone is into. They dont mean them. They mean YOU. They mean OTHER PEOPLE need to take responsibility. Do you understand what I mean? They mean other people. And it might be because theyre overworked and underpaid there?s probably good reasons for itPart of this idea is that people are actually upset with women because they are out in the work force. And people dont know that most men and women would like to be home with their families and are forced out there because of the corporate culture that we live in, because it takes two to earn a wage for a family these days. We live in a society of blame, we live in a society where most people want to point their finger at you or at me, or make me or you are personally responsible, [when] really [they] need to point to the government and the corporate culture we live in and make them responsible. So Im going to sit down now, but Im going to ask you to understand and remember that the fight that were engaged in to support Sara Jane Olson is a worthy one, thats its worth your time and its worth your money and that, while TV and the popular media is pushing the aesthetics of the 1960?s and 70s, that 70s SHOW, you know, havent you seen the imagery all over? They dont want to push the POLITICS. We need to pull the politics into the equation, because Im telling you, believe me when I tell you, one reason theyre incarcerating all these young black men, because they know it was all these young black men who sat down. Right? In the 60s, you know? It was young black men and women who freed Nelson Mandela in South Africa. They know that it was young black men with young white men, Native American; all of us who created the movement that literally changed the entire society that we live in. And its going to take us all to create a culture of freedom. And so, I just want to welcome you for your contribution to the struggle and thank those of you who have been maintaining the struggle over the years, and say, Hey, free Sara! Three-time participating as the only Chinese automaker in the NAIAS has gained widespread interest for GAC Motor and has also allowed it to be more familiar to local consumers as well as to better understand their needs. GAC Motor's exhibition at 2018 NAIAS will feature high-end models including the GA8, GS8 and GM8, which provided safe and reliable service for attendees at the Fortune Global Forum 2017 as the event's official service vehicles. Most notably, GAC Motor will debut the GA4, an all-new signature sedan at 2018 NAIAS. This GA4 is a mainstream sedan model built on GAC Motor's own A-Class sedan platform, which is designed and positioned as a family sedan of quality and charm. Also, GAC is to release its first compact new-energy concept SUV designed for the North American market, called the Enverge, to unfold the company's cutting-edge technologies and tremendous potential in the fields of vehicle electrification, networking and intelligent system. The new cars are widely expected by the industry professionals, trade media and consumers. As GAC Motor releases its new vehicles, the brand's product lineup is more comprehensive than ever, paving a path for GAC Motor to further explore global markets while demonstrating the company's advanced and upgraded capabilities in R&D, manufacturing and quality. By focusing on building high-end models and elevating travel experience, GAC Motor aims to define future mobility with products of supreme quality and personalized design. "GAC Motor is proud to unveil our bold additions to the fields of SUVs, sedans and minivans at NAIAS," said Yu Jun, President of GAC Motor. "As we execute on our strategy of becoming an automaker with a global reach, we will continue to design products that will meet the different needs of customers worldwide." In 2017, GAC motor met its target of annual sales volume of 500,000 for the year in China, with a 37.2% year-on-year increase, blazing a path of high-quality and sustainable development. As a highly-trusted brand, GAC Motor has received top quality ratings from JD Power for five consecutive years. This honor is recognition of its efforts to redefine and reimagine what Made-in-China means. The company's presentation of its complete product lineup at 2018 NAIAIS will be a showcase for its strength as an international automaker. "GAC Motor will present an update to its strategy in the US market around brand, marketing as well as product at the NAIAS, offering a new blueprint as the company moves towards officially entering the market in 2019," said Yu. "The American market has the strictest standards, laws and regulations, so entering it is a challenge as well as test for GAC Motor's quality, technology and R&D capabilities. We believe that entering the North American market will drive GAC Motor to improve its R&D, product quality, brand influence and business management, while enabling us to integrate global resources in developed markets and further facilitate internationalization." It is also worth noting that GAC Motor is to hold an on-campus recruitment fair and a social recruitment fair. Information as shown below: Campus Recruitment 13:30 January 12, 2018(Friday) Conference & Event Services-Pendleton, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor Add: Michigan Union, 530 S State St, Ann Arbor, MI 48109 To apply: [email protected] Social Recruitment 13:30 January 13, 2018 (Saturday) Detroit Marriott at the Renaissance Center Add:400 Renaissance Dr, Renaissance Center, Detroit, MI 48243 To apply: [email protected] For full details: https://event.liepin.com/t/1514435513775/ About GAC Motor Founded in 2008, Guangzhou Automobile Group Motor CO., LTD (GAC Motor) is a subsidiary of GAC Group which ranks 238th among the Fortune Global 500 companies. The company develops and manufactures premium quality vehicles, engines, components and auto accessories. GAC Motor achieved a 37.2% year-on-year increase in 2017, and now it ranks the first among all Chinese brands for five consecutive years in J.D. Power Asia Pacific's 2017 China Initial Quality Study SM (IQS). The company built a production and sales volume of 500,000 vehicles in 2017 and aims to reach 1,000,000 vehicles by 2020. For more information, please visit: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GACMotor Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gac_motor Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/gac_motor Media Contact: Sukie Wong +86-186-8058-2829 [email protected] Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/625357/GAC_Motor_The_GA4.jpg Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/625358/GAC_Motor_first_compact_new_energy_concept_SUV.jpg Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/625356/GAC_Motor___Yu_Jun.jpg SOURCE GAC Motor DEERFIELD, Illinois, January 5, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Caterpillar Inc. (NYSE: CAT / NYSE Euronext: CATR) informs its stockholders that today, a Form 8-K was filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") with respect to the retirement of one of its board of directors. Caterpillar files electronically with the SEC required reports on Form 8-K, Form 10-Q, Form 10-K and Form 11-K; proxy materials; ownership reports for insiders as required by Section 16(a) of the U.S. Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended; and registration statements on Forms S-3 and S-8, as necessary; and other forms or reports, as required. All of the forms and reports filed electronically with the SEC are available on the SEC Internet site (www.sec.gov ). Caterpillar also maintains an Internet site (www.Caterpillar.com) and copies of its annual report on Form 10-K, quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, current reports on Form 8-K and any amendments to these reports filed or furnished with the SEC are available free of charge through Caterpillar's Internet site (www.Caterpillar.com/secfilings ) as soon as reasonably practicable after the relevant document has been filed with the SEC. CONTACT: Corrie Scott, Corporate Public Affairs, +1-224-551-4133 This is a disclosure announcement from PR Newswire. SOURCE Caterpillar Inc. It was a shorter, quieter week but there were still highlights in the small cap oil and gas sector Energy PLC ( ) on Friday revealed provisional results from the 10-32 sidetrack well in the Rainbow area, in Canada, where an oil flow rate of 344 barrels of oil per day has now been measured. The well was drilled in December, down to a vertical depth of around 1,500 metres, and it cut approximately 400 metres through the targeted reef with some 200 metres described as encountering high porosity reservoir. tested the well over a 38-hour period, and the final flow test delivered an extrapolated production rate of 408 barrels of fluid per day, comprising 344 bopd. The company said it expects the well will produce dry oil once all the well completion fluid has been removed from the hole. Closer to home, onshore UK, the future of the Wressle oil project remains in doubt following a decision by the UK planning inspectorate. The inspector rejected two appeals submitted by project operator ( ) which opposed two planning refusals by North Lincolnshire County Councils Planning Committee. At the same time, however, the inspector also upheld Egdons appeal against the decision to refuse the application to retain the existing planning for the well site, which is retained until 28 April 2018. In a statement, Wressle stakeholder Europa Oil & Gas (Holdings) PLC ( ) told investors: The Joint Venture partners are considering in detail the reasons for the refusals as contained in the decision notice and will review the options available. A further update will be provided to the market in due course. On Thursday, the new iteration of ( ) got off to a strong start as the oil and gas firms shares resumed trading in London. Echo confirmed on Wednesday that its Argentina acquisition is now unconditional, thus allowing for the share suspension on AIM to be lifted. Echo rose nearly 8% on Thursday. (LON:SDX, ) has confirmed that the recently drilled KSR-16 well, onshore Morocco, has now been connected to the sales line and flow testing will start early next week. Additionally, the company noted that it has now secured a four-month extension to the current phase of the Lalla Mimouna permit, also onshore Morocco, through to July 22 so that it will have sufficient time to evaluate the outcome of an upcoming exploration drilling campaign. Elsewhere, the company has decided to end operations on the ELQ-1 well, on the Gharb Centre permit, after encountered intervals were deemed not to be sufficiently commercial to complete the well. It was drilled to a depth of 1,484 metres and has encountered 22.6 metres of net reservoir pay and two metres of net conventional gas pay. ELQ-1 will be plugged and abandoned and the drill rig will move on to the next location, for the ONZ-7 development well. Also on Thursday, Nigeria focussed LEKOIL Ltd ( ) told investors it has signed up a contractor for a new seismic programme at the Otakikpo field. The companys joint venture vehicle Green Energy International has hired a Sinopec unit for the programme, which will capture just under 200 square kilometres of 3D data, spanning both the onshore and offshore areas. It is expected that the seismic work will get underway in the first quarter of the year and it will effectively kick off the second phase of development for the Otakikpo field. The successful first phase sees the fields output presently approaching 10,000 barrels of oil per day. Phase Two will target some 20,000 bopd of steady state production. The Chinese gas company formerly known as Green Dragon Gas Ltd ( ) on Wednesday confirmed its name change had come into effect, with trading getting underway under the new moniker of . Along with the name change, the companys stock market symbol changed to G3E. "As we close one chapter to make room for new opportunities that are in the best interest of our shareholders, we would like to thank our shareholders for their continued support over the years, said Randeep Grewal, founder and chairman. The shortened week began with ( ) informing investors of a further extension to its proposed deal for the Bomono project and potential partnership with Oil & Gas PLC ( ). The proposal, which would see VOG take an 80% stake in Bomono, was first agreed back in March prior to managerial changes at . In September, VOG exercised its option to extend the termination date to 31 December 2017. A look at the smallcap mining news in the week just gone plc ( ) shares advanced on Friday as it reported some good news from Botswana. The firm revealed, via a drilling report, that the highest grade to date had been hit at the T3 project. Its joint venture partner ( ), which has 70% of the project, revealed one hole in the final batch of assays had hit 18 metres (m) at 4.3% copper and 94 g/t (grams per ton) silver from 146m. The results bode well for the expected Phase 2 mineral resource upgrade expected later this month (January). The current phase of drilling started in August last year, with approval granted for both diamond core (DC) and reverse circulation (RC) drilling at the T3 Project and its vicinity, through to December 2018. It was one of a few small cap mining stocks, which produced news last week, in what was a shortened trading week. Another was ( ), which said the due diligence programme is now in progress at the Western Shaw project in the Pilbara region of Western Australia. The company has paid A$50,000 to acquire a 120-day option to take a 75% stake in the Western Shaw project for A$250,000; the project looks like it might host commercial quantities of gold and lithium. In other news, ( ) told investors that it remains optimistic the memorandum of understanding (MOU) entered into for the Mbeya Coal to Power Project will be completed. It follows meetings during December in Tanzania, with the Ministry of Energy and the Tanzania Electric Supply Company (TANESCO). The company noted that Tanzania has a different holiday schedule, with fewer working days over the Christmas period compared to the UK. Additionally, it said that it has decided to postpone its attendance at the event on January 11. Elsewhere, ( ) confirmed that the final option payment has been made for two licences in Colombia. The companys wholly owned subsidiary, Ulloa Recursos Naturales, held the option for the areas that are prospective for alluvial gold and platinum. By paying the US$200,000 the company has secured a 100% interest in the project areas, FKJ-083 and HCA-082, meanwhile, the option over the 91ha HGE-082 licence following test pitting and sampling. This week, Premier African Minerals revealed it was in talks over financing options for its RHA tungsten mine following December's output as it also updated on its plan to list the Zulu lithium project in London. The miner said that while throughput last month exceeded the target of 6,000 tonnes in feed, the ore processed was largely from on-strike development at a diluted grade insufficient to achieve planned profitable production. RHA will complete one final shipment before mid-January and will then suspend production until an agreement is struck to ensure its long-term future, it said. Premier is now in discussions with the National Indigenisation and Economic Development Fund (NIEEF), which has a 51% interest in the project, to agree alternative financing options. On the potential Zulu list, the group said it plans, subject to appropriate legal and taxation advice, to distribute (at nil cost) a substantial proportion of Premier's retained interest in the Zulu Newco at the time of listing. Elsewhere, appointed Jonathan de Thierry to its board of directors as a non-executive director. De Thierry has 25 years' experience in mining and investment banking in Africa & Europe, and was a founder of Casa Mining, which has become Ortacs key asset. He has significant experience of raising capital for exploration and development of major mining projects in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Last but not least, marble quarries operator ( ) inked a sales and purchase agreement covering the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) nations. The three-year agreement with Shailesh Patil is subject to a minimum commitment of 3,000 tonnes of marble a year and confers upon Mr Patil the exclusive rights to sell Fox Marble's product in Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates. Fox Marble said the minimum commitment under the agreement equates to roughly 600,000 to 800,000 a year. 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 New Delhi, Jan 2 : Taking forward the agenda set in 2017, the Supreme Court in 2018 is set to decide on a number of important issues -- including the Ayodhya title dispute -- that will have a bearing on the country's politics, economics, inter-state relations and the conflict over the national capital's governance. With pendency of over 55,000 cases, the number of fresh cases that will reach the top court are unlikely to be less than what they were in 2017 -- or in the preceding years. The likelihood of the pendency coming down is apparently not bright as the court, by its own calendar, will be working for 190 days in 2018. Besides the fresh cases and pending matters, the top court has a number of issues to be decided by the constitution bench that are already scheduled for hearing, including the Ayodhya title dispute, the challenges to the constitutional validity of the Aadhaar Act and the legality of the demonetisation decision, as also whether a politician holding a public office can comment on a matter being investigated by an agency of the State. Another issue that is being examined by the constitution bench is the challenge to the new privacy policy of the WhatsApp online messaging service. The bench is seized of the challenge to the Delhi High Court's September 23, 2016, order allowing WhatsApp to roll out its new privacy policy but stopping it from sharing the data of its users collected up to September 25, 2016, with Facebook or any other related company. Also referred to the constitution bench is the challenge to Tamil Nadu regulation paving way for the Jali Kattu bullfight sport -- an issue the court wants to settle once and for all. Yet another issue that a bench headed by Chief Justice Dipak Misra referred to the constitution bench is women in the 10-50 age-group being prohibited from entering Sabarimala, a temple dedicated to Lord Ayyappa in Kerala. The year 2018 will also see the top court pronouncing a spate of constitution bench judgments on the powers of the Delhi government vis-a-vis the Centre-appointed Lt Governor in the administration of the national capital, and the plea for making a "living will" (passive euthanasia) authorising the withdrawal of all life support systems if, in the opinion of the doctors, a patient has reached an irreversible stage of terminal illness. Along with this, there will be a verdict on whether the top court can look into or rely on a parliamentary committee report for deciding an issue before it. This issue of far-reaching significance is rooted in a public suit questioning the safety and efficacy of the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine that is used for preventing cervical cancer. Petitioner Kalpans Mehta, a medical doctor, while contending that the HPV vaccine was "unproven and hazardous", had relied on the 72nd report of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare in support of her contention. A drug company has opposed the petition. The year will also witness the outcome of the top court's maiden forays adjudicating the Cauvery river water-sharing dispute between Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. A three-judge bench had heard the matter despite the Centre contending that the court can't adjudicate on the award of a tribunal on an inter-state river water dispute. The matter was heard for 29 days spread over eight months. For engaging with its heavy calendar, some of the matters may have to be heard during the summer vacation that would commence from May 21 -- an initiative earlier taken by former Chief Justice Jagdish Singh Khehar last year. (Parmod Kumar can be contacted at saneel2010@gmail.com) Jaipur, Jan 2 : More than 40 protesters were arrested and 600 were rounded up after violence unleashed in Bundi town of Rajasthan by right wing activists over a disputed site, police said on Tuesday, even as the Hindu Mahasabha has called for a bandh there. Meanwhile, Kota Range IG Vishal Bansal was in Bundi on Tuesday to monitor the situation. Bansal reached Bundi after the situation worsened. Internet services in the town remained suspended on Tuesday in the wake of violence which erupted in the town on Monday. Section 144 is also being maintained in the town till further orders. The Hindu Mahasabha has called for a bandh in the town on Tuesday to protest "police atrocities" on its members. Speaking to IANS, a senior police officer informed that 41 protesters have been arrested so far while around 600 protesters have been rounded up since Monday over the violence. MP O.M. Birla also visited the location to monitor the situation and said that peace should be maintained in the town. Hindu organisations have called for a pooja on a disputed site in Mandhata situated chhatri on Tiger Hills. They had decided to take out a religious procession in the town on Monday. However, the district administration, to maintain peace and avert any untoward incident, clamped section 144 in the town. Flouting section 144, thousands of members of Hindu Mahasabha marched to the disputed site, forcing police to resort to lathicharge which left many people, including BJP workers, injured. Chander Prakash Kaushik, president, Akhil Bharatiya Hindu Mahasabha, speaking to IANS, criticised the lathicharge by police and accused the BJP government of "working with vote bank interest". New Delhi, Jan 3 : A 42-year-old man from Assam died in a hospital in the national capital within hours of hospitalisation, after allegedly being given wrong medication, said family members on Wednesday. They also alleged that the hospital was operating without licence and the patients were being treated by its staff impersonating as doctors. The incident took place on November 16, 2017, after Utpal Saikia, working with a Delhi-based NGO, was admitted to SHL Hospital in Munirka of south Delhi by the paying guest accommodation owner as he was unwell. "My brother (Utpal) was unwell on November 16 and was taken to the Munirka-located SHL Hospital by the owner of his paying guest accommodation as this hospital was nearby. Within hours of his admission, he became unconscious after he was given some medication," Mouchumi Saikia, sister of the deceased and who herself is a doctor with the Civil Hospital of Assam's Lakhimpur, told IANS. She stated that in the evening of November 16, Saikia's condition started to deteoriate, following which he was referred to Safdarjung Hospital. However, when taken to Safdarjung Hospital, Saikia was declared "brought dead" there. R.K. Yadav, who treated the patient at SHL Hospital, said the patient was brought to the hospital with complaints of severe stomach pain and vomitting. "We just gave Pantocid injection to the patient. His condition deteriorated thereafter," Yadav said. Suspecting foul play, Mochumi and her husband, also a doctor, inquired about the doctors and the hospital and discovered that the hospital was operating without a government licence and that the doctors were fake. According to Mochumi Saikia, Yadav had claimed that he was registered with the Goa Medical Council and his registration number was 1360. However, on checking the website of Goa Medical Council, they found that the given registration number belonged to some other doctor, named Rajendra Pratap Singh. A compalaint against the hospital and Yadav has been filed at the Vasant Kunj Police Station, Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) and the Delhi Medical Council (DMC). "We have received the documents from the family members of the deceased that shows the hospital operating illegally and people in the hospital impersonating as doctors. We have sent the documents to the authorities concerned for survey and hopefully things will be clear in a day or two as to what needs to be done," DMC Secretary Girish Tyagi told IANS. It was also discovered that the hospital had a nursing home registration certificate on display, which was being confirmed with the nursing home cell of the DGHS. New Delhi, Jan 4 : Delhi Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes Minister Rajendra Pal Gautam on Thursday said the BJP and its leaders were behind the riots in Bhima-Koregaon of Pune. Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) workers, led by the minister, also protested outside Maharashtra Sadan here and raised slogans against the BJP and its leaders. The riots followed violence in Bhima-Koregaon of Pune on Monday during the 200th anniversary celebrations of the Anglo-Maratha War of 1818. Hundreds of thousands of Dalits had assembled at Sanaswadi village in Maharashtra when stone-pelting, allegedly by some rightwing groups carrying saffron flags, started. In the ensuing violence, more than 30 vehicles were torched or damaged and a young man was killed. The violence then spread out to Mumbai and other parts of Maharashtra. Speaking to reporters, the minister said that this was not the first time that the BJP and its workers were attacking Dalits and they had earlier attacked Dalits in Gujarat. "This was done at the behest of the regional BJP-led government as they have an anti-Dalit mindset," Gautam said. The minister urged the government to punish the guilty as soon as possible. Washington, Jan 5 : US President Donald Trump on Thursday demanded publisher immediately stop release of a forthcoming controversial book about his administration, one day after he lambasted former White House Chief Strategist Steve Bannon over book quotes. In a letter sent to publisher Steve Rubin and author Michael Wolff by Trump's legal team, the president also demanded "a full and complete retraction and apology", Xinhua news agency reported. "(Mr.) Trump hereby demands that you immediately cease and desist from any further publication, release or dissemination of the book," attorney Charles J. Harder wrote in the letter obtained by US local media outlets. Harder requested the publisher send him a full copy of the book. Meanwhile, he argued in the letter that the book includes "false/baseless statements" which could be "defamation by libel." The cease and desist letter came one day after The Guardian newspaper revealed that Bannon, quoted from excerpts of the book "Fire and Fury: Inside the Trump White House," described the 2016 meeting at Trump Tower between a Russian lawyer and Trump's son and son-in-law as "treasonous" and " unpatriotic." "Steve Bannon has nothing to do with me or my presidency. When he was fired, he not only lost his job, he lost his mind," Trump was quoted as saying. Later on Wednesday, White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders fiercely slapped Wolff's book, accusing it is "filled with false and misleading accounts." She also said the president felt "furious" and" disgusted" about Bannon's comments in the book. The book is set to be published on January 9. Washington, Jan 5 : An intense "bomb cyclone" battered the US East Coast on Thursday with high winds and heavy snowfalls, leaving thousands of flights cancelled, numerous schools and offices closed and millions of Americans bracing for potential power shortages. North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper said Thursday three people have died in the snow storm, Xinhua news agency reported. "The storm will produce heavy snow along the Mid-Atlantic Coast into Southern New England by Thursday morning that will move northward into the Northeast by Thursday afternoon, while ending over the Mid-Atlantic Coast by Thursday evening," the US National Weather Service wrote in an earlier alert. US forecasters called the ongoing winter storm a "bomb cyclone" for its rapid and rare drop in atmospheric pressure. The storm is crawling up the northeastern American Thursday morning with a threat of winds gusting as high as 60 mph and a bone-chilling blast of Arctic air. Through Thursday, parts of New York could see five to nine inches, Philadelphia three to six inches and Washington one to two inches. In New England, Boston and Providence, Rhode Island, could get eight to 12 inches, while Portland, Maine, could see 10 to 15 inches, the US National Weather Service said. The service also said Atlantic City could record up to 18 inches of snow, Delaware beach towns were facing the prospect of a foot of snow and travel has become "very dangerous to impossible" in the highly populated Hampton Roads region of Virginia, which could receive up to 12 inches of snow in places. More than 3,000 flights were cancelled on Thursday, with airports in New York, Newark, New Jersey; Boston reporting the most cancellations, according to FlightAware, an aviation tracking website. Ankara, Jan 5 : Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Friday blasted the US and Israel for their "meddling" in the internal affairs of Iran and Pakistan. Since protests broke out across Iran last week, US President Donald Trump has voiced his support for the demonstrators, while Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has praised them for taking to the streets to protest against the government, Xinhua news agency reported. Trump also lashed out at Pakistan for "lying" and not rendering enough help to hunt down terrorists. While addressing the press in Istanbul before leaving for France for a visit, the Turkish President said the same intervention was also seen in countries like Iraq, Syria, Libya, Tunisia, Sudan and Chad. "Look, all these countries are Islamic countries and their peoples are all Muslims," he said. Erdogan also urged Washington to reconsider "its sense of justice" as a Turkish banker was convicted in a US court for helping Iran evade sanctions. "If this is the US understanding of justice, then the world is doomed," said the Turkish leader. Mehmet Hakan Atilla, deputy Chief Executive Officer at Turkey's Halkbank, was accused of several charges including bank fraud and conspiracy to violate US sanctions law, in a New York federal court on Wednesday. Erdogan claimed that Washington had been operating a process that includes "a serious chain of plots" against Ankara. "Not only in law but also in economy as well," Erdogan said, warning that bilateral legal accords with the US were "losing validity". Turkey-US ties have been strained over an array of issues, including Washington's military support to Syrian Kurdish militia, whom Ankara listed as terrorists, and its refusal to extradite Fethullah Gulen, a US-based Turkish cleric who allegedly masterminded the failed coup in Turkey in July 2016. Madrid, Jan 6 : The Spanish Supreme Court on Friday rejected the appeal made by former Catalan deputy leader Oriol Junqueras on releasing on bail as he awaits trial on charges of rebellion, sedition and misuse of public funds. Junqueras made his appeal on Thursday after spending over two months in prison, Xinhua news agency reported. He said that after being re-elected to the Catalan assembly in December 21 regional elections, he should be allowed to represent his voters. However, the Supreme Court judges unanimously rejected Junqueras' appeal, arguing there was no evidence he would abandon the idea of unilateral independence for Catalonia and saying the leader of Esquerra Republicana (ERC) had "risen up against the Spanish state, against the Constitution, against the Catalan Statute and against the remainder of judicial order." The Supreme Court said it was an "illegitimate" and "very serious" act. Islamabad, Jan 6 : The Pakistani Foreign Ministry said here on Friday that the country fights the war against terrorism on its own resources. Washington announced on Thursday that it is suspending the transfer of military equipment and security-related funds to Pakistan, Xinhua cited the State Department spokesperson Heather Nauert as saying. Pakistan is engaged with the US Administration on the issue of security cooperation and await further details, the ministry was quoted as saying. Impacts of the US decision on pursuit of common objectives is also likely to emerge more clearly in due course of time. It, however, needs to be appreciated that Pakistan has fought the war against terrorism largely from its own resources which has cost over $120 billion in 15 years. It added that Pakistan is "determined to continue to do all it takes to secure the lives of our citizens and broader stability in the region." US Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley said on Tuesday that Washington would withhold $255 million in assistance to Pakistan from the Foreign Military Financing fund, which is used to provide military equipment and training to a friendly country. Washington, Jan 6 : Two US Republican senators have asked the Justice Department and FBI for a criminal probe into Christopher Steele, the author of a controversial book on President Donald Trump. Senators Chuck Grassley and Lindsey Graham referred Steele, a former British intelligence agent, for allegedly making false statements to federal investigators, Xinhua reported. It is the first known criminal referral from the congressional investigations into Russia's interference in US presidential elections in 2016. "I don't take lightly making a referral for criminal investigation. But, as I would with any credible evidence of a crime unearthed in the course of our investigations, I feel obliged to pass that information along to the Justice Department for appropriate review," Grassley was quoted as saying. "After reviewing how Steele conducted himself in distributing information contained in the dossier and how many stop signs the DOJ ignored in its use of the dossier, I believe that a special counsel needs to review this matter," Graham said, adding that the referral "is not intended to be an allegation of a crime." Grassley is the chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, which has been conducting an investigation running parallel to special counsel Robert Mueller's probe into Trump's alleged ties to Russia. The referral, which was made on Thursday but revealed on Friday, comes days after the latest public back-and-forth between Grassley and research firm Fusion GPS that hired Steele to compile the controversial dossier. Paris, Jan 6 : French President Emmanuel Macron said on Friday that political developments in Turkey were blocking the country's EU accession bid, suggesting a "partnership" instead of a full membership. "For relations with the European Union, it is clear that recent developments and choices allow no progress in the process," Xinhua cited France 24 TV channel which quoted Macron as saying. "I'd be lying if I said we could open new chapters," he said at a press conference with visiting Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, referring to Turkey's accession process. Erdogan, for his part, said his country was sick of waiting to join the European Union after half a century. "Turkey has been waiting in the EU antechamber for 54 years. When it comes to saying why, the EU is not really capable of giving reasons," Erdogan was quoted as saying. Although Turkey is hoping to warm frosty relations with Europe, Erdogan's talks with Macron were overshadowed by difference over Turkey's actions following a failed coup in July 2016. Fethullah Gulen, a US-based preacher, is accused by Ankara of orchestrating the coup attempt. At least 250 people were killed and over 2,000 people were injured in the coup attempt. The Turkish government declared a state of emergency and launched a massive crackdown on Gulen's supporters in the aftermath of the coup attempt. San Francisco, Jan 6 : Sidestepping once again whether Donald Trump's tweets violates its terms of service, the micro-blogging platform has clarified that it will not block the US President's tweets because he is a world leader. In a blog post called "World Leaders on Twitter", the company said on Friday that there has been a lot of discussion about political figures and world leaders on the platform. "Blocking a world leader from Twitter or removing their controversial tweets would hide important information people should be able to see and debate," the company said. "It would also not silence that leader, but it would certainly hamper necessary discussion around their words and actions." Twitter was not blocking Trump for his "nuclear button" tweet that stormed the social media, and many thought raised prospect of nuclear war with North Korea. Trump declared that his nuclear button was "much bigger" and "more powerful" than North Korean leader Kim Jong-un's after the latter threatened the US about Pyongyang's nuclear capabilities. A number of users reported to the tweet, TechCrunch reported, with the expectation that threatening a war one is capable of starting should violate Twitter's revised "Terms of Service", given the company's recent crackdown on violent threats. In December, Twitter began enforcing new rules around violent and hateful content posted to its platform to reduce the amount of online abuse, hate speech, violent threats and harassment associated with its service. "You may not make specific threats of violence or wish for the serious physical harm, death, or disease of an individual or group of people," as per Twitter's rule about violent threats. In response to Trump's threat on Twitter, the company earlier said that it had reviewed the case and "found that there was no violation of the Twitter rules against abusive behaviour". Moreover, the rules do not apply to whatever Trump posts because of who he is and the "newsworthiness" of his statements, Twitter added. In the latest blog post, the company said it reviews tweets by leaders within the political context that defines them, and enforce its rules accordingly. "No one person's account drives Twitter's growth, or influences these decisions. We work hard to remain unbiased with the public interest in mind." New Delhi, Jan 6 : Vistara, the joint venture passenger carrier of Tata Sons and Singapore Airlines, plans to commence international operations from the second half of 2018 and will add Chennai to its growing domestic network from next month. According to the full-service passenger carrier's Chief Executive Leslie Thng, the airline will have a fleet of 22 aircraft by May 2018 and will then be in a position to commence international flight operations. Current regulations require domestic passenger carriers to at least have a fleet of 20 aircraft before starting international operations. On the question of bidding for flag carrier Air India, Thng told reporters here, that the decision for the same lay with Tata Sons and Singapore Airlines. However, he added that the first priority for the promoters is to expand Vistara's domestic operations. On Friday, the full-service carrier announced the addition of Chennai to its network, effective from February 15, 2018. At present, the airline serves 22 destinations with over 700 flights a week, operated by a fleet of 17 Airbus A320 aircraft. Srinagar, Jan 6 : Four policemen were killed and several others injured on Saturday in an improvised explosive device (IED) blast in Jammu and Kashmir's Sopore town. The powerful IED explosion ripped through the Sopore market area, which was immediately cordoned off, police said. Separatists had called for a protest shutdown and a march in the town on Saturday. The injured were shifted to hospital. A search operation is underway, a police officer said. Heavy deployment of security forces was already in place to maintain law and order situation in the wake of separatist-called protest shutdown in Sopore. Imphal : Imphal Jan 6 (IANS) A special court in Manipur has sentenced a 42-year-old man to rigorous life imprisonment for raping his minor daughter. The complaint against the man was lodged on September 19, 2016 when the mother of the victim alleged that her husband raped the minor at least three times. Police arrested the father a day after the complaint was registered. After his conviction under the The Protection Of Children from Sexual Offences Act, Special Judge G. Golmei on Friday ordered the punishment with rigorous imprisonment for life and a fine of Rs 1 lakh. The defence had lesser punishment on the grounds that there was no previous crime committed by the convict. The judge also directed the social welfare department and the Manipur State Legal Services Authority to give maximum permissible amounts of compensation to the victim. San Francisco, Jan 6 : Google sold more than one Home smart speaker every second since it started shipping in mid-October, taking the sales numbers to over six million, the company has announced. "We sold more than one Google Home device every second since Google Home Mini started shipping in October," Rishi Chandra, VP, Product Management, Google Home, said in a blog post on Friday. "Google Home usage increased 9X this holiday season over last year's, as you controlled more smart devices, asked more questions, listened to more music, and tried out all the new things you can do with your Assistant on Google Home," added Scott Huffman, Vice President, Engineering, Google Assistant. The tech giant currently offers three Home devices -- the original Home, the Home Max and the Home Mini. However, it did not reveal the sales figures for the individual devices. Meanwhile Amazon, Google's main rival in the smart speaker space has not revealed exactly how many Echo smart speakers it has sold but it pegged the number of its competing Echo Dot sales in the millions, according to Businessinsider.com. Google in November rolled out an update that will allow you to use Home speakers as intercom systems in your house. People can now broadcast their voice from Google Assistant on smartphones or voice-activated speakers like Google Home. "When you need to round up the family in the morning, just say 'Ok Google, broadcast it's time for school!' and your message will broadcast to all Google Assistant-enabled speakers in your home," Alex Duong, Product Manager, Google Home, said in a blog post. To get the feature work, sign in with the same Google Account for all devices. The feature is currently available in the US, Australia, Canada and the UK. Beijing, Jan 6 : China on Saturday implemented a ban on exports of steel and other metals to North Korea and placed limits on the supply of crude oil and petroleum products to the country in line with UN Security Council resolutions. In a statement on Friday, the Ministry of Commerce announced a complete ban on the sale of iron, steel and other metals, industrial machinery and transport vehicles to North Korea, reports Efe news. It also said that crude oil exports to the country should not exceed four million barrels or 525,000 tonnes during any given 12-month period, while the sale of refined petroleum products would be stopped after reaching the imposed limit of 500,000 barrels for 2018. China also banned imports of some products from North Korea, including cereal, soy, and other agricultural products, some minerals, wood and electrical equipment. These measures were announced by China in order to implement Resolution 2397 of the Security Council, adopted in December in response to the latest ballistic missile testd by the Kim Jong-un regime. This was the 10th resolution passed by the Security Council, where China is a permanent member, to harden sanctions against Pyongyang since 2006 when North Korea carried out its first nuclear test. Lima, Jan 6 : Spanish motorcyclist Laia Sanz, one of only 14 women competing in the motorbike category of the 2018 Dakar Rally feels that the process of expanding female participation in the event will be a gradual one. Sanz, 32, reflected on the presence of women in the event as she prepared to ride in her 8th Dakar, where female competitors will make up only 10 percent of the 140-strong field in the motorbike race, reports Efe. "We need a few years to see more women in the Dakar," she told Efe. "We need to wait for them to develop and to have the support to participate in the rally." The 13-time Women's Trial World Champion rider holds the distinction of achieving the highest-ever finish for a female competitor in the Dakar: 9th place overall in the motorbike class in the 2015 edition of the event. The Spanish rider has also reached the finish line in all seven of her previous appearances in the Dakar. While she considers finishing in the top-15 overall a "realistic" goal for this year's race, Sanz said she's hoping to reach to the top 10 for a second time. "I come here encouraged because I have experience, which is always good in a race of this kind and especially this year, which will be a very tough year," she said. The course for the 2018 Dakar Rally extends nearly 9,000 kilometers (5,600 miles) from Lima to the Argentine city of Cordoba. This year's 40th anniversary race marks a decade since the event was moved from Africa to South America due to security concerns. New Delhi : For the third time since the Narendra Modi government's assumption of office, the Dalits have come into conflict with the Hindutva brigade. The first time was in Una in Gujarat, where a group of Dalits were thrashed by saffron activists for skinning a cow, a traditional occupation of the "untouchables". The second time was in Hyderabad central university where a standoff between members of the Ambedkar Students Association and the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), the Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) student wing, led to the suicide of a Dalit student, Rohith Vemula. Now, perhaps the most serious of all these incidents has taken place in Maharashtra following the objections of Hindu Right organisations to the celebrations by Dalits of an 1818 battle in the village of Koregaon on the banks of the Bhima river near Pune in which the "untouchable" Mahar soldiers of a British army defeated the upper caste Marathas. Considering that these celebrations have been held for decades without the rest of the country noting it as an event of great significance even when B.R. Ambedkar participated in them in 1927, it is noteworthy that they should have led this time to a violent outbreak which spread from Pune to Mumbai and other Maharashtra towns. Evidently, the Hindu Right groups have been emboldened by the BJP's political ascendancy to decide to stop an instance of Dalit assertion, not least because it targeted the upper caste Peshwa rulers of the state of the 19th and earlier centuries. The episode was a much larger version of the clash which took place in Saharanpur, Uttar Pradesh, between Dalits and the Rajputs in May last year when the former objected to the processions taken out by the Rajputs to celebrate the birth anniversary of Maharana Pratap. A few weeks earlier, the latter had objected to the celebrations of Ambedkar's birth anniversary by the Dalits. What these episodes show is that unlike in the past, the Dalits are unwilling to commemorate their days of pride in a low key and are also ready to object to the noisy festivities of the upper castes. The Bhima-Koregaon event may have kindled the ire of the Hindu Right all the more because of the unapologetic participation of the Dalit soldiers with the British army to defeat a Hindu ruler. This is something which evidently riles the ultra-nationalists associated with the saffron brotherhood at a time when they are engaged in rewriting history to suit their own fads and prejudices as is evident in their objections to a yet-to-be-released film on a fabled Rajput queen. In such a time of triumphal chauvinism, the Dalit-East India Company collaboration is obviously unacceptable to the Hindu Right, especially when Ambedkar had noted that the "untouchable" Dusads had helped Robert Clive to win the battle of Plassey in 1757, just as the "untouchable" Mahars, a community to which Ambedkar himself belonged, had helped the "foreigners" to win in Koregaon. Not surprisingly, Ambedkar had not been a favourite of the BJP till recently when the party changed its mind about him after realising the high political cost of alienating both the Muslims and Dalits. However, the party's "mann ki baat" or speaking one's mind about the Dalits was succinctly expressed by Arun Shourie, who was a minister in Atal Behari Vajpayee's government, in his book, "Worshipping False Gods", in which he said that "there is not one instance, not one single solitary instance, in which Ambedkar participated in any activity connected with the struggle to free the country". Considering that there are not too many instances of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) participating in "any activity" to free the country, Shourie's charge cannot be taken seriously. But it does underline the traditional Brahmin-Bania outlook of the Sangh Parivar towards the Dalits and their foremost leader. The objections voiced by the RSS chief, Mohan Bhagwat, about the continuing reservations for Dalits in government jobs and educational institutions also denote the saffron attitude which is resented by the latter. The BJP has tried to make amends by nominating a Dalit, Ramnath Kovind, as the country's President, but it is unlikely to make any difference to the longstanding antipathy of the community towards a party whose hardliners swear by the Manusmriti, an ancient book which was once "ceremonially" burnt by Ambedkar along with hundreds of his followers for its anti-Dalit pronouncements. For the BJP, the latest confrontation with the Dalits carries a disturbing message on the eve of elections in as many as eight states this year, including those where the party is expected to face the anti-incumbency factor. While the BJP's success in winning 69 of the 85 reserved seats in Uttar Pradesh last summer showed that the party was gaining the support of the Dalits, the trend was not in evidence in the recent Gujarat elections where, among other things, the victory of the previously unknown Jignesh Mewani, by a margin of 19,000 votes, pointed to the disaffection of the Dalits with the saffron organisation. Mewani emerged from nowhere after the Una incident to become a well-known figure in today's politics. There is little doubt that farily large sections of the Dalits, who make up 16.6 per cent of the population, as well as Muslims, who comprise 14.2 per cent, harbour reservations about the BJP, notwithstanding its attempt to placate at least the Muslim women by bringing the triple talaq bill. The BJP cannot but be deeply worried, therefore, about the impact of their alienation on the forthcoming elections. (Amulya Ganguli is a political analyst. The views expressed are personal. He can be reached at amulyaganguli@gmail.com) Mumbai, Jan 6 : The opposition parties on Saturday took serious umbrage at BrihanMumbai Municipal Commissioner Ajoy Mehta's shocking statement that he was under pressure "to go slow" on the probe into the pub fire that killed 14, here on December 29 last year. Mumbai Congress President Sanjay Nirupam lashed out at Mehta and challenged him to "reveal" and expose the politician who pressurised the civic body, ruled by the Shiv Sena. "Mehta should not talk like a politician -- Don't make vague statements. Disclose the names of those who pressurised you to drag the probe," Nirupam said. "I reiterate that he is repsonsible for the incident and must be booked for it," Nirupam told IANS. He also asked the BMC chief to declare all the names of the owners of the 17-18 high-end pubs and bars functioning within the Kamala Mills Compoud complex which was the scene of the inferno last week that left another 55 injured. Maharashtra Navnirman Sena spokesperson Sandeep Deshpande demanded that Mehta should be made to undergo "narco-test" to get to the truth in the matter. "Who called up Mehta 'to go slow' on the action against illegal constructions in the Kamala Mills Compound - whether its from the ruling (Shiv Sena) or the Opposition 'bhaiyyas' (Congress)," Deshpande asked. However, Mehta found support from Shiv Sena President Uddhav Thackeray who said he has asked him "not to succumb to any pressures" and continue the drive against illegal constructions in the city. "Its outrageous to announce an award (for the absconders)... They are not terrorists, the police department's role is in question," Thackeray added, indirectly hitting out at Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis who handles the home portfolio. On the other hand, Mayor Vishwanath Mahadeshwar said the MFB's report "would be studied in detail to ascertain whether it is accurate or not" before it could be discussed. Mehta's controversial statement was made late Friday after the Mumbai Fire Brigade (MFB) submitted its probe report into the pub blaze. The MFB report has clearly confirmed that the blaze erupted in The Mojo's Bistro and quickly spread to the adjacent 1Above and other premises, trapping an estimated 400-500 people present there that fateful night. IANS had reported on December 29, quoting BMC officials, that the fire was first noticed in The Mojo's Bistro. BMC chief Mehta will submit the report to Fadnavis next week and it effectively corroborates the oft-made contentions of 1Above pub in the matter that the cause of fire was in The Mojo's Bistro, which the latter has countered. In a stinging indictment, the MFB said that even after the fire broke out, not a single staffer or security personnel bothered to raise an alarm or intimate the fire brigade. The cause of the fire is stated as the illegal Hookahs served on the premises, no proper exit signs and availability of heavy stocks of liquor - highly inflammable - on the pub premises. The burning coals of a Hookah came in contact with a curtain at The Mojo's Bistro in the south-end corner, which quickly spread into the pub and then onto the adjoining 1Above pub. The MFB said an illegal shed with thatched roof, both made of highly combustible materials, further spread the fire blocking emergency exits which even the security personnel were not aware of. The lift was the only way out of the burning premises, a passage on the eastern side was blocked as it was used for storages and it was in an illegal toilet where the 14 persons who took refuge were killed, mostly by toxic fumes. "It is clear that the fire originated in Mojo's Bistro restaurant and further spread to 1Above," the MFB said, referring to videos, eyewitness reports, tweets and newsclips of the incident. The MFB investigators found remnants of Hookahs, charcoal, standpipes, pedestal fans, and other evidences in the south-east corner of The Mojo's Bistro and also repeatedly hit out at the aunauthorised' thatched roof in the 1Above. Mehta said his report to the Chief Minister would be a comprehensive one comprising the administrative lapses, illegalities and actions taken against officials, the demolition drives, etc. Late on Friday, the Mumbai Police announced a reward of Rs 100,000 to anyone providing information on the absconding owners of 1Above pub, who have reportedly gone underground since December 29. The owner-partners, Kripesh M. Sanghavi, Jigar Sanghavi and Abhijeet Mankar who are "wanted" to face various charges, including the stringent IPC Sec. 304 pertaining to culpable homicide not amounting to murder, in the complaints registered by N. M. Joshi Marg Police Station. Washington, Jan 6 : Distinguished aerospace expert Vivek Lall has joined Lockheed- Martin to look after the companys combat jet programme, specifically the newer generation F-16 Block 70 that the company has offered for production to India. Lall took over his new assignment as Vice President, Strategy and Business Development, on on January 2 at the company's aircraft production facility at Fort Worth, where the F-16 Falcon, F-35 Lightning II and other combat and transport aircraft like the F-22 Raptor and C-130J Super Hercules are made. The F-16 is on offer for indigenous production under New Delhi's Make in India programme for single-engined fighters, some 300 to 400 could be made if it is selected. A US citizen of Indian origin, Lall has successfully worked with NASA, Raytheon, Boeing and General Atomics, and is well regarded in India, Southeast Asia and the Gulf regions, where he has been frequenting to sell military ware to nuclear safety devices and materials as per US government laws. Nearly all the weapon systems in the US are made by private companies but most critical items can be sold only with the permission of the US Departments of Defense and State. Asked to comment on his assignment, Lall observed that Lockheed-Martin is the world's biggest defence company, nearly all the futuristic military aircraft are made by it, the F-16 has been produced in the largest possible numbers in the world and has logged the highest number of flying hours, and is a robust platform now being evolved into Block 70 configuration with plans for further development into Block 80. If the Indian Air Force (IAF) selects it, the Block 70 production facility will move to India and is where the aircraft's evolution into Block 80 would take place in collaboration with the Indian industry, Lall told India Strategic. Although the first F-16 was inducted into the US Air Force (USAF) in 1980, there have been periodic upgrades. The UAE Air Force (UAEAF) inducted the first Block 60 with Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar in 2004, and now Bahrain has purchased 16 Block 70 aircraft for $3.8 billon with an option for three more. The aircraft come with weapons and maintenance support. If India selects the F-16, it would be the same Block 70 but IAF might add some of its own requirements for compatibility with its other aircraft, radars and ground systems. That for instance, has been done in the case of 36 Rafales that IAF is acquiring from France. The RFI was actually expected around October but now, it is stated to be due in about 3-4 months, possibly in or around April. The IAF requires both single and twin engine aircraft. In the single engine category, the RFI is to be issued to the Lockheed-Martin and Sweden's Saab. For the twin-engine requirements, the Boeing F-18 Advanced Super Hornet Block III and French Dassault's Rafale are in the competition, both for IAF and the Indian Navy. Notably, Lockheed-Martin already has an agreement with Tata Advanced Systems Ltd. (TASL) for making the aircraft in India and the process to select vendors for sub-assemblies has already started, something that all big companies do well before they win a contract. As of today, IAF has 32 combat squadrons against the sanctioned 42, and it is losing two squadrons every year due to obsolescence. Except for the Sukhoi Su-30 MKI, all the IAF combat aircraft are of the Soviet or 1980s vintage and IAF has literally been roaring for jet speed in the acquisition of Medium Multi Role Combat Aircraft (MMRCAs) as well as some Fifth Generation Fighters. The IAF has already ordered 123 Tejas indigenous Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) but these are light jets for missions around the borders. For deep strikes, IAF needs heavier, powerful aircraft. (By arrangement with India Strategic www.indiastrategic.in) San Francisco, Jan 6 : Once again sidestepping whether Donald Trump's tweets violates its terms of service, the micro-blogging platform has clarified that it will not block world leaders from tweeting. Although it didn't directly name Trump, in a blog post called "World Leaders on Twitter", the company said on Friday that there has been a lot of discussion about political figures and world leaders on the platform. "Blocking a world leader from Twitter or removing their controversial tweets would hide important information people should be able to see and debate," the company said. "It would also not silence that leader, but it would certainly hamper necessary discussion around their words and actions." Twitter did not block Trump for his "nuclear button" tweet that stormed the social media which, many thought, raised prospect of nuclear war with North Korea. Trump declared that his nuclear button was "much bigger" and "more powerful" than North Korean leader Kim Jong-un's after the latter threatened the US about Pyongyang's nuclear capabilities. A number of users reported to the tweet, TechCrunch reported, with the expectation that threatening a war one is capable of starting should violate Twitter's revised "Terms of Service", given the company's recent crackdown on violent threats. In December, Twitter began enforcing new rules around violent and hateful content posted to its platform to reduce the amount of online abuse, hate speech, violent threats and harassment associated with its service. "You may not make specific threats of violence or wish for the serious physical harm, death, or disease of an individual or group of people," as per Twitter's rule about violent threats. In response to Trump's threat on Twitter, the company earlier said that it had reviewed the case and "found that there was no violation of the Twitter rules against abusive behaviour". Moreover, the rules do not apply to whatever Trump posts because of who he is and the "newsworthiness" of his statements, Twitter added. In the latest blog post, the company said it reviews tweets by leaders within the political context that defines them, and enforce its rules accordingly. "No one person's account drives Twitter's growth, or influences these decisions. We work hard to remain unbiased with the public interest in mind." Agartala/Shillong, Jan 6 : With the political activities gradually picking up ahead of the crucial assembly elections in February in Left-ruled Tripura, tribal parties are negotiating with the BJP and Congress for electoral alliances, informed sources said on Saturday. Meanwhile, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) President Amit Shah began a three-day tour to Meghalaya and Tripura on Saturday to formally kick off the party's election campaign in the two northeastern states. Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) politburo member Brinda Karat is now on a five-day election campaign in Tripura while party General Secretary Sitaram Yechury has already addressed a central election rally in Agartala earlier this week. Assembly polls would be held in three northeastern states -- Tripura, Meghalaya and Nagaland -- with 60 assembly seats each, in February. The five-year terms of the Meghalaya, Nagaland and Tripura assemblies would expire on March 6, 13 and 14, respectively. While the Left Front holds power in Tripura, the Congress is in power in Meghalaya and the Naga People's Front-led Democratic Alliance of Nagaland (DAN) in Nagaland. The DAN is supported by the BJP. Tripura's main tribal based party, the Indigenous People's Front of Tripura (IPFT), which has been agitating since 2009 for upgrading the Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council into a separate tribal state, held a series of meetings in New Delhi on Thursday and Friday with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Rajnath Singh, Minister of State for PMO Jitendra Singh and central BJP leaders. Assam's powerful minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, who holds the Finance, Health and Family Welfare and Education portfolios in the BJP government, arranged these politically significant meetings. Sarma, who is also the convener of the BJP-led North East Democratic Alliance (NEDA) anti-Congress front, is the party's election in-charge of Tripura. "Our meetings about our separate state demand with the Prime Minister, Union Home Minister and other ministers and BJP leaders are positive. The Union Home Ministry would announce a committee on January 8 about our long pending demand," IPFT's President Narendra Chandra Debbarma told IANS over phone from Delhi. Leading a ten-member IPFT delegation to Delhi, the veteran tribal leader said: "After returning to Agartala, we would hold meetings with the state BJP leaders to finalise the electoral alliance and seat sharing strategies. Now the long pending hurdles about the alliance with the BJP have been settled." Most of the political parties, including the ruling CPI-M, Congress and the BJP had earlier rejected IPFT's demands saying it is not practical to divide the small state. Two other important tribal based parties -- Indigenous Nationalist Party of Tripura (INPT) and National Conference of Tripura (NCT) -- have also started talks since Friday to form an electoral alliance with the Congress and Trinamool Congress (TMC) in Tripura. The INPT and NCT also opposed the IPFT's separate state demand. "We are holding talks with the Congress and TMC leaders to form an anti-BJP and anti-Left electoral alliance to fight against both the ruling Left Front and opposition BJP," INPT spokesman Srota Ranjan Khisa told IANS. A top official of the Tripura Election Department said that the Election Commission likely to announce the election schedule in Tripura, Meghalaya and Nagaland next week. After about a four-and-half-month-long summary revision of the voters' list, the final photo-affixed electoral rolls were published on Friday simultaneously across Tripura with January 1, 2018, as the qualifying date of age. "With the regular instructions from the Election Commission, we are readying ourselves to conduct the elections in the state. The commission is in close touch with us about the preparations of the elections," Tripura Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Sriram Taranikanti said. Jakarta, Jan 6 : With New Delhi enhancing its engagements with southeast Asia under its Act East Policy, India on Saturday called for the waters of the Indo-Pacific region to be better connected and free of traditional and non-traditional threats. "The Indo Pacific region, is increasingly seen as a connectivity pathway - much of the world's trade passes through these oceans," External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj said while addressing the Fifth Round Table of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean)-India Network of Think Tanks here. "These waters must not only get better connected, but remain free from traditional and non-traditional threats, that impede free movement of people, goods and ideas," she stated. "Respect for international law, notably Unclos (United Nations Convention for the Law of the Sea), in ensuring this is, therefore imperative." The remarks assume significance given China's belligerence in the South China Sea and growing influence in the Indian Ocean region. Stating that both India and the Asean countries are maritime nations, Sushma Swaraj said: "As a mature and responsible nation, one of India's foreign policy interests, is to evolve a regional architecture based on the twin principles of shared security, and shared prosperity." The Asean comprises Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. Stating that both India and Asean shared a common vision for global commerce and maritime domain, Sushma Swaraj said that New Delhi looked forward to working closely with the regional bloc in a range of activities like developing a Blue Economy, coastal surveillance, building off- shore patrolling capabilities, hydrographic services, and information sharing for increased maritime domain awareness. She also said that deeper economic integration with the Asean region was an important aspect of India's Act East Policy. "Asean is India's fourth largest trading partner, accounting for 10.2 per cent of India's total trade," she stated. "India is Asean's seventh largest trading partner. Trade is back on track and registered an 8 per cent increase in 2016-17, as compared to the previous year." Pointing out that investment flows have remained robust, Sushma Swaraj said that there have been continuous efforts to promote dialogue among Asean and Indian business and trade associations, to further enhance bilateral trade and investment. "The establishment of a Project Development Fund will encourage Indian companies to develop manufacturing hubs in CLMV (Cambodia, Laos, Malaysia, Vietnam) countries," she stated. "Our offer of a $1 billion line of credit is another important initiative to enhance physical and digital connectivity." The Indian minister called upon participants of Saturday's round table to offer new ideas for a greater integration of Asean Economic Community with India and identify collaborative opportunities in investment, trade and services sector. She also called for greater collaboration among educational institutions of India and the Asean nations, saying this would "contribute towards investing in the future of our relationship, especially where it involves the youth of our countries". "I invite you all to discuss modalities for setting up a network of universities among Asean countries and India, to intensify our cooperation in the education sector," she said. Sushma Swaraj arrived here from Thailand on Friday on the second leg of her three-nation tour of southeast Asia and co-chaired the fifth meeting of the India-Indonesia Joint Commission with Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi. After addressing the think tanks' round table on Saturday, she interacted with members of the Indian community here before leaving for Singapore, where she will inaugurate this year's Regional Pravasi Bharatiya Divas on Sunday. Sushma Swaraj's visit to the region comes ahead of the Special Commemorative Summit to be hosted by New Delhi later this month to mark the 25th anniversary of the Dialogue Partnership between India and Asean. Leaders of all 10 nations of the regional bloc are expected to attend the summit. New Delhi, Jan 6 : Domestic original equipment manufacturer (OEM) Smartron is set to refresh its budget smartphone line-up with a new device that will be priced at around Rs 10,000. Industry sources told IANS that the latest device will feature a mammoth 5,000mAh battery and will be exclusively available on Flipkart. The device will feature a metal body with 32GB internal memory (expandable up to 128GB). The company last year launched an Artificial Intelligence (AI)-powered IoT platform called "tronX" which, it said, helps connect a range of devices. Smartron earlier launched srt.phone (srt is intreprated as Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar) in India for Rs 13,999. It was launched by Tendulkar who is reportedly a strategic investor in the company. "Billion Capture+," the first smartphone from Flipkart, also houses AI capabilities, courtesy Smartron. In the next "tronX" update, users will have access to a range of intelligent and personalised experiences and services. Smartron also aims at partnering other brands across market segments to design and engineer devices. New Delhi, Jan 6 : Rajya Sabha Chairman M. Venkaiah Naidu has referred the privilege notice by BJP MP Bhupendra Yadav against Congress President Rahul Gandhi to Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan. Yadav had raised the issue of a tweet by Gandhi and said that the Congress leader had "twisted" the name of Finance Minister Arun Jaitley which was derogatory and it also amounted to misinterpretation of the proceedings of the Rajya Sabha. Jaitley is the Leader of the House in the Rajya Sabha. According to Rajya Sabha TV, Naidu concluded on examining Yadav's notice that there was prima facie a question of privilege and referred the matter to the Speaker for further consideration. Gandhi represents Amethi constituency in the Lok Sabha. Yadav had moved the notice on December 28 under Rule 187, against Gandhi and urged the Chair to take notice of the alleged breach of the privilege of the the Leader of the House. "The members of this House have dignity. The name of the Leader of the House Arun Jaitley has been intentionally published by the Congress President with malafide intentions to defame this House," Yadav had told the Chair. "The way his (Jaitley's) name has been twisted by the Congress President on his Twitter handle, it comes in the category of (breach of) privilege. I request you to...issue notice to Rahul Gandhi," he added. Referring to a statement given by Jaitley in the House on Wednesday, Rahul Gandhi had tweeted: "Dear Mr Jaitlie (sic)- thank you for reminding India that our PM never means what he says or says what he means." Yadav again raised the issue of the privilege notice on Friday and the Chairman had told him that it was under his consideration. Rahul Gandhi's tweet came after Jaitley made a statement in the House clarifying Prime Minister Narendra Modi's position vis-a-vis his "conspiring with Pakistan" comments against his predecessor Manmohan Singh in order to end an impasse. "The statement (by Modi) did not question nor did he mean to question the commitment to the nation of Manmohan Singh or Hamid Ansari, the former Vice President. Any such perception is completely erroneous. We hold these leaders in high esteem as also their commitment to the nation," Jaitley said. The Finance Minister had made the statement as part of an understanding with the Congress over the issue that had led to stalling of the Rajya Sabha and disruptions in the Lok Sabha for several days with the party demanding an apology or explanation from Modi. The Congress had also reciprocated by disapproving Mani Shankar Aiyar's criticism of the Prime Minister after which the House resumed normal business. Washington, Jan 6 : The East Coast in the US is shivering in a record-breaking freeze in the wake of a deadly "bomb cyclone" that dumped snow as far south as Florida. In parts of the US and Canada, temperatures were forecast to fall below -29 degrees Celsius, with wind chill making it feel more like -67 degrees Celsius on Friday night, the local media reported. In Canada, high winds knocked out power for tens of thousands of residents in Nova Scotia. Thousands of snow ploughs were clearing roads across the US East Coast. On Friday, the National Weather Service (NWS) predicted dangerously low temperatures moving into the weekend as frigid air lingering over the North Pole prowled towards the US mid-Atlantic region. The storm that delivered the wintry deluge has battered coastal communities in Massachusetts. Residents of Boston, which received over 30 centimetre of snowfall, were clearing the streets with shovels, a BBC report said. In the beach town of Revere, near Boston, frozen floodwaters left an entire street full of parked cars trapped in ice, in images captured on video posted to social media. It came just days after a phenomenon described as a "bomb cyclone" brought heavy snowfall to a wide area along the US East Coast, as well as hurricane-force winds. Giant waves caused by the storm saw freezing floodwaters inundate parts of the New England coast. The extreme weather has so far been linked to up to 19 deaths in the US and two more in Canada, according to reports. The extreme weather caused travel chaos and led to the cancellation of thousands of flights. On Friday, more than 1,300 US flights had been cancelled by the afternoon, most of them at the New York area's three major airports and Boston Logan International. Hundred of schools and businesses were closed in New York City, Philadelphia, Boston, the Carolinas, Maryland and Virginia. Panicked New York City residents rushed to shops before the snow came, clearing shelves of milk, eggs, and kale, the New York Times reported. Natural gas prices in the US' northeast rose to an all-time high, driven by demand for heating fuel. Atlantic and central Canada were also hit by the winter storm. The provinces of New Brunswick and Newfoundland and Labrador were put under storm and blizzard warnings. On Friday morning, some 125,000 customers were still without power after 140km/h wind gusts hit parts of Nova Scotia province. Power cuts were also reported in New Brunswick and Newfoundland. Ontario was under an extreme cold warning, while Quebec faced heavy snowfall, strong winds and storm surges. Islamabad, Jan 6 : Pakistan Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi has declared himself mystified by the US threats to cut off funding, saying that Washington's financial assistance was "very, very insignificant" and that Islamabad was "on the forefront of the war on terror". In an interview with the Guardian, Abbasi said that reports about the US was considering cuts of up to $2 billion in security assistance were bewildering because of the total aid Pakistan -- civilian and military -- actually received was a tiny fraction of that amount. "I am not sure what US aid has been talked here," Abbasi said in his office in Islamabad. "The aid in the last five years at least has been less than $10 million a year. It is a very, very insignificant amount. So when I read in the paper that aid at the level of $250 million or 500 or 900 has been cut, we at least are not aware of that aid." US President Donald Trump used his first tweet of 2018 to threaten to withhold aid to Pakistan because of what he called its "lies and deceit" over terrorism, claiming: "They give safe haven to the terrorists we hunt in Afghanistan, with little help." The President said that the US had "foolishly" given Pakistan $33 billion over the past 15 years. According to the US Agency for International Development, the US gave $778 million to Pakistan in assistance in 2016, of which 35 per cent was military and the rest economic. Abbasi rejected Trump's charge of duplicity over the fight against terrorism, calling his claim that Pakistan was harbouring terrorists a "fallacy". "Pakistan is a sovereign country and it has always abided by international conventions," he said. "We are today fighting the largest war on terror in the world. We are fighting the world's war on terror with our own resources... That is something the world has to appreciate. "Today we are fighting terrorists. So if somebody says we are harbouring terrorists, there is no greater fallacy," Abbasi said. "We have engaged US at every level from President Trump down. We have explained to them A what Pakistan has done we have explained to the rest of the world also." Kolkata, Jan 6 : India's tea exports grew by over 8.3 per cent to 216.99 million kg during January to November period of 2017 as compared to 200.36 million kg exported in the corresponding period of 2016. According to provisional data of Tea Board India, tea exports, in value terms, stood at Rs 4,269.47 crore during the eleven months of 2017, up by about 6.3 per cent from Rs 4,016.26 crore in the year-ago period. In volume, tea exports to CIS countries, including Russia, Ukraine, Kazakhstan and others, were at 56.11 million kg in the period under review of 2017, up from 54.14 million kg in the same period of 2016. Exports to Britain, however, fell to 13.81 million kg in January-November period of 2017 as against 15.28 million kg in the year-ago period while exports at 9.1 million kg to Germany during the period were also down marginally from 9.8 million kg exported in corresponding months of 2016. However, tea exports to Iran went up to 24.85 million kg in January-November of 2017, from 21.21 million kg in the year-ago period. As much as 8.54 million kg of tea was shipped out to Egypt during eleven months of 2017, up from 3.4 million kg in the year-ago period. Tea exports to the neighbouring country Pakistan stood at 12.29 million kg in the period under review, as against 11.22 million kg exported in the corresponding period of 2016. India's tea exports to China during the period were at 7.44 million kg, up from 4.68 million kg. India's tea production, in November 2017, stood at 118.9 million kg, down by 7.79 per cent from 128.94 million kg produced in the year-ago month. In November, the estimated crop in north India - which includes West Bengal and Assam - fell by 11.39 million kg to 98.35 million kg. South India's tea production in November 2017 grew by 7.03 per cent to 20.55 million kg. Patna, Jan 6 : After RJD chief Lalu Prasad was sentenced to three-and-a-half- years in jail in a fodder scam case on Saturday, the party has decided to reach out to people in Bihar with his message against fascist forces. The Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) will reach out to people with Lalu's message "not to fear and bow before fascist forces and will fight against them". Lalu's wife and former Chief Minister Rabri Devi along with her son Tejashwi Yadav, Leader of Opposition in Bihar assembly, said "Laluji has asked us to reach out with his message to villages across the state. He has sent a message from the jail for people". "Now, RJD will reach out to people with Laluji's message. We will go to all villages across Bihar with his message," Tejashwi Yadav, the former Deputy Chief Minister, told the media here. He said RJD will decide its strategy in a meeting that is underway with senior party leaders and party legislators here to deal with the court verdict against Lalu. Meanwhile, all RJD leaders and workers have expressed full faith in the party in the absence of Lalu Prasad. They have made it clear in the party meeting that they are united behind the party. According to RJD leaders, the party will use Lalu Prasad's jail sentence as a tool to consolidate its grip on the ground in the name of social justice. Bengaluru, Jan 6 : Unable to procure land to set up Indira Canteens in all civic wards here, these would soon be made mobile, a civic official said on Saturday. "Due to the lack of land availability in few civic wards, the civic authorities have decided to have 24 mobile Indira Canteens in the city which would be parked near public parks and prime locations of the wards," the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) spokesman L. Suresh told IANS here. The mobile Indira Canteens, which will provide food to the poor at subsidised rates, would be run on modified Tempo Travellers equipped with CCTV cameras and GPS system to track their locations. To be unveiled on January 26, these mobile units would also have overhead drinking water tank and an underground sump to collect used water, Suresh added. The state government-run canteens, named after former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, were unveiled on August 16 last year by Congress President Rahul Gandhi aiming to make Karnataka "hunger-free". With an eye on the upcoming state polls in April-May, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, who is also the state Finance Minister, had earmarked Rs 100 crore in the state Budget in the 2017-18 fiscal to run the canteens in all 198 civic wards. These canteens are run on the lines of the popular 'Amma Unavagam' in neighbouring Tamil Nadu, started by the then Tamil Nadu Chief Minister, late J. Jayalalithaa. The canteens which are currently operational in over 150 civic wards, have been serving vegetarian breakfast at Rs 5 per plate and lunch and dinner at Rs 10 per plate. There are 12 kitchens operational in the city to cater to these canteens. Due to delays in procuring the land for setting up the food canteens, the BBMP could not open the canteens in all 198 wards by October 2 last year, as the Chief Minister had earlier stated. With a budget of Rs 185 crore, the state government in October had decided to open 246 Indira Canteens in all the 30 districts of the state and their sub-districts (taluks). The daily operating cost of all canteens in the state was estimated to be Rs 29 lakh, with monthly expenditure of Rs 9 crore. After the Congress party in Karnataka set up these subsidised food outlets, canteens are being set up across the state in the name of other political leaders as well to woo the voters. A Janata Dal (Secular) leader from the state had started "Appaji Canteens", named after the JDS supremo and former Prime Minister H.D.Deve Gowda. Supporters of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) state unit President B.S.Yeddyurappa are also planning to set up low-cost food outlets named "Yeddyurappa Ji Canteens", though the party isn't funding these outlets. Mumbai, Jan 6 : On former colleague and actor Om Puri's first death anniversary on Saturday, veteran actors Anupam Kher and Paresh Rawal expressed their sadness on the loss of a "great actor and human being". After contributing to the world of cinema with projects like "Aakrosh", "Arohan", "Ardh Satya", "Wolf", "Maachis", "Mrityudand" and "A Death in the Gunj", Om Puri died at the age of 66 on January 6, 2017, due to heart attack at his residence in Andheri, here. Remembering Om Puri on Saturday, Anupam tweeted: "Miss you my friend". Actor Paresh Rawal also posted: "Remembering shri Om Puri on his first death anniversary. A great actor and a greater human being." The National Award winning actor and recipient of Padma Shri, was also honoured at the 89th Academy Awards in memoriam segment for his contribution in Indian and world cinema. Cape Town, Jan 6 : Batsman Hardik Pandya played a fighting knock to help India post 185/7 against South Africa at tea on the second day of the first Test at the Newlands here on Saturday. Pandya (81 batting) who notched up his second Test half-century was at the crease along with right-handed Bhuvneshwar Kumar (24 batting) when umpires called an end to the second session. The duo who forged a 93-run unbeaten stand for the eighth wicket to help the visitors cut down the first innings deficit imposed by South Africa to 101 runs. For the hosts, pacers Veron Philander (3/33) and Dale Steyn (2/51) picked up three wickets in unison in the second session. New Delhi, Jan 6 : Prime Minister Narendra Modi will on Sunday attend the three-day annual conference of top police officers that began in Madhya Pradesh on Saturday, an official said. Modi is expected to meet the police officers of the rank of Director General of Police (DGP) and Inspector General of Police (IGP) from all states and central police organisations and speak on new-age crime like cyber terrorism and radicalisation of youths, an official said. The Prime Minister addressed similar conferences in Guwahati in 2014, Dhordo in Rann of Kutch of Gujarat in 2015 and National Police Academy in Hyderabad in 2016. He has been emphasising on the importance of leadership, soft skills and collective training, specifically mentioning the importance of technology and human interface for the police force. Holding the Annual DGP Conference outside the national capital, is in line with Prime Minister's vision that such conferences should be held across the country, and not just confined to Delhi. On Saturday, top police officers from all over the country shared and discussed security related issues, cyber terrorism, the impact of social media on the society, cross border terrorism, radicalisation of youths besides a host of other issues during the conference held at the BSF academy in Tekanpur of Madhya Pradesh. Home Minister Rajnath Singh left Delhi on Saturday to join the conference and was likely to give an assessment on the internal security situation. Union Ministers of State for Home Hansraj Gangaram Ahir and Kiren Rijiju also joined the event. National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and Union Home Secretary Rajiv Gauba also joined the conference on Saturday. About 250 senior police officers attended the conclave in which issues such as the security situation in the major combat theatres of Jammu and Kashmir, Left Wing Extremism (LWE) and the Northeast are discussed. The implementation and activation of decisions taken during the last few conferences will also be reviewed during the three-day meeting. The subject of issuance and cancellation of Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA) registration of the non- governmental organisations and others could also be put on the agenda. Cape Town, Jan 6 : All-rounder Hardik Pandya led India with a counter attacking half-century as the visitors saw themselves at 185/7 at tea on the second day of the first Test against South Africa at the Newlands here on Saturday. Pandya (81 batting) who notched up his second Test half-century along with right-handed Bhuvneshwar Kumar (24 batting) were at crease when umpires called it an end to the second session. The duo who forged a 93-run unbeaten stand for the eighth wicket to help the visitors cut down the first innings deficit imposed by South Africa to 101 runs. For the hosts, pacers Veron Philander (3/33) and Dale Steyn (2/51) picked up three wickets in unison in the second session. Resuming the second session on 76/4, batsmen Cheteshwar Pujara (26) and Ravichandran Ashwin (12) failed to get going from the onset. The Saurashtra batsman was sent back without scoring a run by delivery outside off from Philander which was taken easily at second slip by skipper Faf du Plessis. Later, Ashwin (12) and Wriddhiman Saha (0) were also sent back to the pavillion in quick succession. However, the struggling Indian innings came to a recovery with a blistering 68-ball innings from Pandya -- who was tactically send down the order. The Baroda batsman hit 13 boundaries and one hit over the fence in his unbeaten innings. Complimenting Pandya, incoming batsman Bhuvneshwar played a perfect second fiddle getting off the mark in the 32nd delivery he faced. The pacer played on the defence allowing his fellow batsman who looked in form to take charge of the innings. The Proteas were seen to introduce their lone spinner Keshav Maharaj (0/15) for the first time in the second session. The only trouble for the hosts came in form of their premier pacer Steyn -- who was seen limping off the ground during the 61st over. Brief scores: India 185/7 (Hardik Pandya 81 batting, Bhuvneshwar Kumar24 batting; Veron Philander 3/33) against South Africa 286 at tea. Washington, Jan 6 : US President Donald Trump, in an extraordinary defence of his mental capacity and fitness for office, described himself on Saturday as a "genius", after a new book suggested that top White House aides feared he was unfit for the job. In a series of Twitter messages that seemed to respond to revelations in author Michael Wolff's new book "Fire and Fury", Trump defended himself by charting his rise to the presidency, saying one of his chief assets throughout his life was "being, like, really smart". Trump cited his career in business and reality television and his victory in last year's election as evidence of his mental prowess. He again lashed out at the ongoing special counsel investigation into his campaign's contacts with Russian operatives, calling suggestions that he colluded with Moscow a "total hoax on the American public". The book included depictions by top White House staff members painting Trump as an "uninformed and at times erratic President", the Washington Post reported. Late Friday, Trump blasted Wolff as a "total loser", and the President mocked his former campaign chairman and White House adviser, Stephen K. Bannon, who was a key source for the book. Bannon criticized other aides and Trump's son, calling a meeting at Trump Tower last year between Donald Jr and a Russian lawyer "treasonous". White House aides have mounted an all-out attack on the book, calling it "fiction" and a "complete fantasy". And Trump's lawyers sent cease-and-desist letters to Wolff and his publisher demanding that they do not release the book. But the publisher, Henry Holt, moved up the release date from later this month to Friday amid the publicity and hard copies were quickly sold out in the Washington area. "It's disgraceful and laughable," White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said while responding to suggestions that Trump was "mentally unfit for office". "If he was unfit, he probably wouldn't be sitting there and wouldn't have defeated the most qualified group of candidates the Republican Party has ever seen. This is an incredibly strong and good leader. "That's why we've had such a successful 2017 and why we're going to continue to do great things as we move forward in this administration," she said. Jaipur, Jan 6 : Former Rajasthan Chief Minister and veteran Congress leader Ashok Gehlot on Saturday asked why Prime Minister Narendra Modi is re-laying the foundation stone of Barmer refinery as former Congress President Sonia Gandhi had done so in 2013. Modi is scheduled to visit Barmer in Rajasthan on January 16 to lay the foundation stone of the Barmer refinery. Gehlot said Modi was inaugurating the refinery again to draw the credit of bringing this entity in Rajasthan, which in true terms, was the Congress' initiative. Speaking to media persons here, Gehlot said he has already written to Modi raising the question as to why he is again laying the foundation stone of the Barmer refinery. The letter mentioned Gandhi laid the foundation stone of the refinery on September 22, 2013. He added that Modi's proposed visit on January 16 for the foundation laying ceremony is unfortunate. "There shouldn't be this new trend set for re-laying foundation stones as governments keep changing in a democratic country". Gehlot also accused Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje of delaying many projects, including the refinery, which he said, was initiated under his tenure. He has also requested the Election Commission to draw its attention to this issue. "The Prime Minister's visit to lay the foundation stone when the code of conduct has already been implemented in the state in the wake of by-polls is violation of all set norms," he added. According to informed sources, HPCL and Rajasthan government, in a joint venture, has proposed to bring up the refinery cum petro-chemical complex on a vast spread land of 4,813 acre. HPCL shares 74 per cent of share while Rajasthan government has 26 per cent of share. This refinery will be ready by 2021. Kolkata, Jan 6 : With RJD supremo Lalu Prasad sentenced to three and a half years jail in a fodder scam case, the CBI's retired Joint Director (East) Upen Biswas on Saturday said he was certain that the offenders would be punished as there was very strong documentary evidence against them. Biswas, who had relentlessly pursued Lalu Prasad and others accused in the fodder scam, said crores of rupees were taken from the treasury by the offenders to supply fodder by floating false tenders. "It is one of the most strong cases in the history of the CBI. There was plenty of documentary evidence against the accused. So someone or the other was bound to get punished in this case," Biswas said after the verdict was announced. "It was found that false tender was floated and the treasury did not have any record of the money spent on fodder... So we knew that the offenders would be punished," he added. A special CBI court sentenced the former Bihar Chief Minister to jail and imposed two fines of Rs 5 lakh each on him in a fodder scam case relating to fraudulent withdrawal of Rs 89.5 lakh from the Deoghar district treasury of then undivided Bihar. Patna, Jan 6 : Hundreds of people on Saturday staged protest in Bihar capital Patna against the attack on Dalits in Bhima-Koregaon in Maharashtra. The protestors alleged that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led Maharashtra government and the central government have been trying to protect two accused Sambhaji Bhide and Milind Ekbote. Senior Janata Dal-United (JD-U) leader Uday Narayan Choudhary, a Dalit leader, has also joined the protest march. JD-U is an ally of BJP. Choudhary is a well known Dalit leader and former Speaker of state assembly. The protest march was organised under the banner of Loktantrik Jan Pahal, a civil society body. People from all walk of life including activists, intellectuals, theatre personality, journalists, women activists and others have joined the protest March. They shouted slogans against Hinduvta forces behind the attack and violence against Dalits and demanded action against them. "Instead of taking action against Hinduvta forces, Maharashtra government has filed a fake FIR against Dalit leader Jignesh Mevani and student leader Umar Khalid. RSS and BJP have been playing politics in the name of Ambedkar," Kanchan Gala of Loktantrik Jan Pahal said. She said in the coming days, Loktantrik Jan Pahal would organise similar protest across Bihar. Panaji, Jan 6 : Beef traders in Goa on Saturday refused to withdraw their strike and demanded the BJP-led coalition government crack down on vigilante groups who hamper bringing in beef from neighbouring states. President of the Qureshi Meat Traders Association of Goa, Manna Bepari has said an assurance has been given by the Chief Minister's Office that the "issue would be resolved within two days". "We will not sell beef until the government finds a solution to the problem. We went to meet the Chief Minister but he is not in Goa. His office has assured us that a meeting of all stakeholders will be called within two days and the issue will be resolved," Bepari told IANS. "Today, we observed a complete strike and beef will not be sold in Goa until this problem involving vigilante groups and clarity on beef-import modalities are not resolved," Bepari said. On Saturday, butcher and meat shops across the state did not sell beef, even as prices of mutton, which is sold at Rs 500 per kg, surged by Rs 30. Beef is normally consumed in the form of stew, curries, roasts, soups and is an essential protein, and one of the cheapest meats in most Christian and Muslim homes in the state. Minorities comprise more than 30 per cent of the state's 1.5 million population. Cheaper than mutton, beef is also commonly consumed in the tourism-oriented coastal belt, which sees nearly six million tourists, half a million of which are foreigners. According to official statistics from the Goa Meat Complex, the state's only abattoir facility allowed to slaughter cattle and buffaloes, the state consumes nearly 30 tonnes of fresh beef every day. And with the Complex not functioning over the last few months, majority of the beef is brought in from Karnataka by the meat traders in Goa to meet the demand for red meat. New Delhi, Jan 6 : Welcoming the jail sentence to RJD supremo Lalu Prasad, the BJP on Saturday said the corrupt faced consequences of law, adding there was no political interference. "Public money was looted from the government treasury. These are out and out black and white cases of corruption. No amount of press conference is going to help Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) politically," Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Spokesperson G.V.L Narasimha Rao said. "What is important to this country is that politicans who have indulged in brazen acts of corruption actually face consequences of law for their corrupt deeds." In a tweet, Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Kumar Modi said BJP's charges against Lalu Prasad "were vindicated" by the special Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) court. "Conviction is conviction. Either 3.5 years or 7 years... Our charges against Lalu has been vindicated by the court," he said. Refuting the charges that Lalu Prasad was targeted by the BJP, he tweeted: "A.R. Kidwai, Deve Gowda were not BJP men when Lalu was prosecuted in Fodder Scam. Court was monitoring the case. Lalu went to jail during his own rule. Where is bias?" Meanwhile, Janata Dal-United (JD-U) leader K.C. Tyagi criticised the RJD for its lack of faith in Indian judiciary. He also said the development meant an end of an era, which had corruption, nepotism and third-grade non-governance. New Delhi, Jan 6 : The Congress on Saturday again raised objection over the candidature of AAP's Rajya Sabha candidate N.D. Gupta, saying he has resigned from the post of trustee but not as the Chairman of the Audit Committee of the National Pension System. "Narayan Dass Gupta (N.D. Gupta) is also the chairman of Audit Committee of National Pension Scheme Trust and he has been appointed as a chairman from September 8, 2015," Delhi Congress Chief Ajay Maken said in a letter to the Returning Officer for biennial elections to the Rajya Sabha from Delhi. His letter came on the day the scrutiny of nominations is taking place for the Rajya Sabha elections. If needed, polling will be held on January 16. "It is pertinent to mention that Gupta has not resigned from the Chairmanship of Audit Committee of National Pension System Trust till date," Maken alleged. Earlier in the day, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Raghav Chadha defended his party's Rajya Sabha nominee Gupta, saying that he had resigned from the post of Trustee of the NPS and the Congress was only raising frivolous objections to gain cheap publicity. Maken also said that it was also contented that N.D. Gupta has not mentioned about the legal requirement of 30 days notice for resigning as trustee in a reply submitted before the Returning Officer. "It was also submitted before the RO that N.D. Gupta has not given any proof to the effect that his resignation was accepted by the NPS Trust," he added. Earlier in the day, Maken has demanded that the candidature of Gupta for the the Rajya Sabha election from Delhi be rejected on the ground he holds an office of profit as he was Trustee of the NPS. Tehran, Jan 6 : Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif criticised the UN Security Council's emergency meeting on Iran's recent unrests and termed it a "foreign policy blunder" for Washington, Tasnim news agency reported on Saturday. "The UNSC rebuffed the US naked attempt to hijack its mandate. Majority emphasized the need to fully implement the JCPOA (Iran's nuclear deal) and to refrain from interfering in internal affairs of others. Another foreign policy blunder for the (US President Donald) Trump administration," Zarif tweeted. On Friday, the UNSC held an emergency meeting at the request of the US to discuss the recent protests on the economic condition in Iran. According to some reports, at least 20 people, including civilians and security forces, were killed in the riots and hundreds were arrested. Iran has blamed the US, Britain and Saudi Arabia for inciting the violence in recent protests. Iran's Ambassador to the UN Gholam Ali Khoshroo on Friday condemned the UNSC's debate on the recent protests in Iran. "This is nothing but another desperate attempt by the US administration to escape forward, as it has lost every shred of moral, political and legal authority and credibility in the eyes of the whole world," Khoshroo said addressing the session on Friday. New Delhi, Jan 6 : The Congress on Saturday attacked the Narendra Modi government over a blast in Kashmir in which four policemen were killed, saying that it had failed to contain the terror incidents despite its "boastful statements". "We have been losing regularly officers of the Indian Army, officers of the Border Security Forces and jawans of the paramilitary forces, CRPF and the Jammu and Kashmir Police," Congress leader Anand Sharma at a press conference here. "Even today, it is sad that four of the police personnel have been killed in Sopore," Sharma said referring to the bomb blast in north Kashmir's Sopore town in which four policemen, including an assistant sub-inspector, were killed and two others injured. "It is high time that the Prime Minister (Narendra Modi) and his government stop making tall claims. "Accountability has to be established of this government as to why it has failed despite the boastful statements of the Prime Minister himself and of his Ministers about action across the border," he said. Raising concern over the frequent attacks on the army and paramilitary forces in the state, Sharma said, "The question which legitimately has to be asked and must be asked that why the attacks are escalating on our defence personnel and defence establishments." Targetting the government over the National Security Advisor Ajit Doval's recent talks with his Pakistani counterpart, he said, "We are completely in dark as to what has been discussed between the two NSA's - Doval and Pakistan's NSA General Janjua." He said that two NSAs have been meeting in the past too but "what has been the outcome?", adding that "outcome has only been more attacks, more deaths, and more killings of the defence personnel". "The government should not continue with its habit of making claims about some strike and remaining silent when actual strikes that takes place against our defence establishments and against our personnel," Sharma dded. Bengaluru, Jan 6 : A skywalk project across the arterial Mahatma Gandhi Road in the city centre was halted after citizens and green activists protested against it on social media, Bengaluru Mayor R.Sampath Raj said on Saturday. "We have been asked by the Bengaluru Development Minister K.J. George to keep the project on hold until it was reviewed," Sampath Raj told IANS. The skywalk, a foot-over bridge, was being constructed at the junction of Mahatma Gandhi Circle in the central part of the city, across the busy M.G. Road. The project had received vehement protests on social media for blocking the views of the heritage structures of Mahatma Gandhi Park and serving as "frames for political banners". "The skywalk is a disaster in the making. Is it not a fact that many skywalks across the city are serving as nothing more than ugly frames for illegal political banners?" asked volunteer coordinator for people's forum Citizens For Bengaluru Srinivas Alavilli in a Facebook post. Netizens also pointed that there was no need for the skywalk at a junction with traffic lights where people could cross during a red signal. "If it was a highway or a ring road it is understandable to have a skywalk but why at a place where people can cross?" noted Alavilli. The aesthetic views of the century-old Queen Victoria statue, which was installed in 1906 during the British rule, in the Mahatma Gandhi Park were going to be ruined with the skywalk, stated another netizen Srinivasa Raju. The Karnataka High Court in October last year had issued a notice to the state government on a PIL filed protesting against the construction of a steel bridge at Shivananda Circle in the central part of the city. In March last year, the state had dropped its plans to construct a 6.9km long steel flyover from Chalukya Circle in the city centre to Hebbal junction in the northern suburb after opposition from the civic society as it would have resulted in the loss of over 800 trees. Bengaluru, Jan 6 : Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath would address a BJP rally here on Sunday in view of the upcoming assembly election in Karnataka, a party official said on Saturday. "Adityanath arrived on Saturday night to participate in our party's rally and address the public on Sunday afternoon," a party spokesman told IANS. It is second time Adityanath is participating in the party's rally in the state after he did on December 21 at Hubballi in north Karnataka. The Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) state unit has embarked on a 90-day statewide rally on November 2 from Bengaluru in the run-up to the assembly poll, due by April, under the banner of "Nava Karnataka Nirmana Parivarthana Yatra", flagged off by party chief Amit Shah. The party is expecting about 50,000 people to gather at the Vijayanagar public grounds for the rally. The BJP, which came to power in the state for the first time on its own after the 2008 assembly election, lost to the Congress in the 2013 assembly poll following a split in its state unit and five years of "misrule" with three Chief Ministers at the helm of office. Besides party's state unit President B.S. Yeddyrappa, central ministers from the state Ananth Kumar and D.V. Sadananda Gowda and state unit leaders Jagadish Shettar, K.S Eshwarappa and A.R. Ashok will address the gathering. "Adityanath will also will visit the Adichunchanagiri Mutt to meet its seer Nirmalanandanath Swami and have lunch with him after the yatra event," said the party leader. The popular mutt of the powerful Vokkaliga community has been associated for long with the Gorakhnath Mutt in Uttar Pradesh' Gorkahpur where Adityanath was head priest. Amman, Jan 7 : King Abdullah II of Jordan on Saturday called for intensified Arab efforts to support the Palestinians following a decision by US President Donald Trump recognising Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. At a meeting with several Arab foreign ministers, the king said there was a need for more efforts to support the rights of the Palestinians in preserving their legal and historic rights in Jerusalem and in creating their independent state with East Jerusalem as its capital, reports Xihua. The Jordanian leader said the issue of Jerusalem should be settled through negotiations and as part of a lasting peace between the Palestinians and the Israelis based on the two-state solution, the international resolutions and the Arab Peace Initiative. He underlined the need for supporting the Jerusalemites and protecting the Arabic identity of the city as well as the holy Islamic and Christian sites. Jordan, he said, will continue to safeguard the holy sites in the city. Discussions also covered best means to face the consequences of the US decision that violates international resolutions. In a press conference following a meeting of Arab foreign ministers in Amman, Jordanian Minister of Foreign Affairs Ayman Safadi reiterated the Arabs' rejection of the US decision. Rejecting any Israeli unilateral measures, he said the Arabs will push for a global recognition of Palestine. The minister added that the Arabs will exert more efforts to curb any further recognitions of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, adding that there will be no peace and security in the region without creating an independent Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital. Less than three percent of all practicing attorneys in the state were selected as Legal Elite this year. This is the third consecutive year that Ms. Keeton has received this honor. Lori Keeton has been selected for inclusion in the 2018 edition of Business North Carolinas Legal Elite, a listing of the states top lawyers, in the field of Litigation. Each year, Business North Carolina sends ballots to members of the North Carolina Bar Association who are residents of the state. Voters are asked one question: Of the Tar Heel lawyers whose work you have observed firsthand, whom would you rate among the current best in these categories? Less than three percent of all practicing attorneys in the state were selected as Legal Elite this year. This is the third consecutive year that Ms. Keeton has received this honor. Ms. Keeton has been practicing law in North Carolina since 1998. She regularly represents individuals, businesses and municipalities in civil actions in both state and federal courts. In addition, she utilizes her litigation experience to assist companies in analyzing and minimizing their litigation risks. A complete list of the 2018 winners can be found here: http://businessnc.com/special-sections/legal-elite/ IntelliVision's object classification AI and edge computing are the new commuter vision battleground. IntelliVision, a pioneer and leader in AI/deep learning video and audio analytics software for Smart Cameras, today announced availability of its full product line of intelligent video analytics software on Ambarellas most advanced S5L IP camera SoC (System on Chip). The software will be demonstrated in the Ambarella booth at CES 2018 in Las Vegas. We have the most advanced AI and deep learning-based video analytics software in the industry so it makes sense to run it on the most advanced camera chipset, said Vaidhi Nathan, IntelliVisions CEO. IntelliVision and Ambarella have been good partners for many years and this product combination strengthens our lead in AI and edge computing the new computer vision battleground. IntelliVisions AI/deep learning video analytics product line includes: Face Detection, Recognition and Search Intelligent Motion, Object Detection and Tracking Intrusion/Perimeter Watch Object Classification (People, Vehicle, Pet) License Plate Detection and Recognition (LPR/ANPR) Audio/Sound Recognition IntelliVisions video analytics products are in use in over 3 million cameras around the world. IntelliVision has been named a Red Herring 2017 Global Top 100 Company and has been awarded Entrepreneurial Company of the Year 2017 in Security and Video Analytics by analyst group Frost and Sullivan. About IntelliVision IntelliVision is a market leader in AI and Deep Learning video analytics software for Smart Cameras, providing video analytics solutions for several markets including Smart Home/IoT, Smart Security, Smart Retail, Smart Business, Smart City and Smart Auto (ADAS). IntelliVision technology has been recognized as the Brains Behind the Eyes for many applications using cameras to analyze video content, extract metadata, send out real-time alerts and provide intelligence to other home, business and security systems. IntelliVision provides the largest suite of video analytics products in the market today. Its products are used by Fortune 500 companies, the US Government and many leading brands. IntelliVision is headquartered in San Jose, California with offices in Asia and Europe. For more information, visit: http://www.intelli-vision.com Email: info@intelli-vision.com Phone: 408-754-1690 Fitscript is delighted to be able to share GlucoseZone at the Biotech Showcase. Fitscript, LLC. today announced that it will present GlucoseZone, the first-ever digital exercise solution for people living with diabetes, at the Biotech Showcase Annual Conference on January 8-10 in San Francisco. GlucoseZone offers exercise guidance based on users real-time glucose levels and other diabetes metrics (including data from wearable devices). The patented GlucoseZone program enables doctors to prescribe exercise to diabetics to improve A1C, achieve weight loss, and halt the progression of the disease. Charles OConnell, founder and CEO of Fitscript, LLC. will present twice at the Biotech Showcase: Date: Monday, January 8, 2018 Time: 3:30 p.m. (PST) Room: B-Cyril Magnin III (4th Floor) Venue: Parc 55 San Francisco Union Square, 55 Cyril Magnin Street Date: Wednesday, January 10, 2018 Time: 10 a.m. (PST) Room: Franciscan B (Ballroom Level) Venue: Hilton San Francisco Union Square Hotel, 333 OFarrell Street, San Francisco, CA (United States) Fitscript is delighted to be able to share GlucoseZone at the Biotech Showcase, said Charles OConnell, founder and CEO of Fitscript, LLC. Were bringing a digital exercise solution to the global diabetes community, accessed by smartphone, that has helped thousands of people control the disease, lower the cost of treatment and change lives. More than 100 million Americans are living with or at high risk for diabetes, and nearly every one of them is advised by their physician to begin an exercise program. However, for those living with diabetes, exercise is a fundamentally different process, beginning with the need to test blood sugar. Depending on the persons blood sugar it may or may not be safe to exercise, or to perform certain types of exercise. In addition, multiple factors further complicate the requirement of exercise and diabetes including glucose levels, food consumed, medication regimen, time of day, etc. The patented GlucoseZone platform offers content to users based on their individual and real-time diabetes metrics, providing end users with instruction from fitness and diabetes professionals from around the world to best match their individual, real time needs. GlucoseZone is a clinically validated program proven to help patients achieve lower A1c results and weight loss, halt the pharmaceutical therapeutic progression of diabetes management, and in many cases reduce medication usage and reliance for patients living with diabetes. For more information, please visit http://www.GlucoseZone.com. About Fitscript, LLC: Created in 2012, Fitscript LLC was founded to help people living with diabetes meet the exercise requirement for safely and effectively reducing, reversing and controlling their diabetes. Fitscripts patented, proprietary GlucoseZone program, now with more than 900,000 users, is the first-ever digital exercise solution for diabetics that helps improve their A1c levels and achieve weight loss based on real-time glucose levels. The all-new GlucoseZone app contains live and on demand exercise solutions, interactive workouts, diabetes discussions and much more. The app is currently available on iOS and Android. Crystal Lake, "Space People" - artwork Space People conjures images of a wild, boisterous night out where its abundantly obvious that denizens of the dark are more interesting than daytime office drones. At a tight 02:38 in length, the Original Edit is superbly taut and fast-paced psy-trance. Rapid. Frenetic. Electrifying. Crystal Lakes Space People (inHarmony Music) has the power to move and the track is out now. With a gripping, deeply resonating intro, Space People starts-off on the progressive-leaning tip of the trance music spectrum before diving into a frenzied pace. With an atmosphere thats as speedy as the BPM itself, this is a tune with gigantic swells of energy forcing listeners to jump up and take notice. Theres a positively huge climax on the Original Edit that virtually pushes one out of ones seat, or if heard while standing, may knock a person clear across the dancefloor. Space People conjures images of a wild, boisterous night out where its abundantly obvious that denizens of the dark are more interesting than daytime office drones. At a tight 02:38 in length, the Original Edit is superbly taut and fast-paced psy-trance. The Extended Mix evokes the same vibe as the Original Edit and draws the uncommon, unexpected pacing and beautiful female vocal out into a tidy rendition. A males spoken-word serves as an accent and brief counterpoint. Unlike anything else heard in clubland lately, the production of Space People sounds unique. Space People can be considered next-level psy-trance. The track is a tornado of controlled energy, like drinking a quadruple jolt of espresso while being shot out of a cannon. About Andrew Rayel Hailed by Armin van Buuren as the future of trance music, Andrew Rayel (real name: Andrei Rata) is a classically trained electronic dance music DJ and producer from Moldova often referred to as the modern-day Mozart. As a DJ, Rayel exudes an unbridled enthusiasm for the music he plays and his onstage performances are electric and filled with physical energy. Drenched in a well-earned sweat after every set, Rayel earns his position as a bandleader, stirring up his crowds passion as much with his music selection as with his bodily vigor. He has DJd the worlds biggest festivals, including: Ultra Music Festival in Miami, TomorrowLand in Belgium and TomorrowWorld in Atlanta, Stereosonic in Australia, Global Gathering in the UK and other countries, Electric Daisy Carnival in Las Vegas, Electric Zoo in New York, Transmission Festival in various countries, Ministry of Sound in the UK, Dreamstate in San Bernardino, Electronic Family in Amsterdam, Zoukout in Singapore and Together Festival in Thailand. Rayel is a regular on the lineup at various ASOT stages around the world. Nightclub residencies have him performing onstage at super-clubs, including: Marquee Nightclub & Dayclub in Las Vegas, Marquee and LAVO in New York, Ushuaia Beach Club in Ibiza, Zouk in Singapore and Kuala Lumpur, Escape in Amsterdam and Ministry of Sound in London. About inHarmony Music Launched in September, 2017, inHarmony Music is the record label headed by Andrew Rayel and distributed by Armada Music. As label chief and head of A&R for inHarmony Music, Rayel is the key decision-maker when it comes to signing new artists and music. Fulfilling a lifelong dream while on his never-ending career quest, Rayel is now able to do for new artists what Armin van Buuren did for Rayel years ago. The circle is complete and there will be an abundant supply of lovingly curated new music ahead. Listen to Crystal Lakes Space People (inHarmony Music), here: https://IHM007.lnk.to/SPMA For information on Andrew Rayel, David Gravell, Mark Sixma, FATUM, MaRLo, Ryan Farish, NOA | AON (Pavel Stuchlik), Maro Music (Marek Walaszek), Paul Damixie, NativeOrigin303, NKRIOT, and artists like Armin van Buuren, contact EMILY TAN Media Relations (U.S.), +1(917) 318-3758, EmilyEmilyTan(at)aol.com. Follow EMILY TAN Media Relations on Twitter @EmilyEmilyTan and LinkedIn http://www.linkedin.com/pub/emily-tan/4/342/70b. Quoting unnamed family source, mynewsgh.com reports that Alhaji Bature collapsed at his bathhouse and was rushed to the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital. "There were plans underway to fly him to South Africa when his situation was not getting better but before we completed arrangements, we were told he died on Friday afternoon, a family source said. He reportedly had difficulty walking and talking and was confined to his hospital bed. The former journalist will be buried today, Saturday, January 6, 2018, in line with Islamic customs, a statement from the family said. Thanks for signing up for our daily insight on the African economy. We bring you daily editor picks from the best Business Insider news content so you can stay updated on the latest topics and conversations on the African market, leaders, careers and lifestyle. Also join us across all of our other channels - we love to be connected! He made this submission on Friday, January 5, 2018, through his counsel Babatunde Ojehomon, who listed "the Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, the National Assembly and others," as part of the group being petitioned a Punch News report stated. According to the lawyer, the police had infringed against his client's rights by sealing his properties and declaring him wanted. Imohimi has an axe to grind with him (Alaka), he told Punch while speaking from his chambers located in Ibadan, Oyo State. ALSO READ: Alleged cult sponsor is ready to surrender to police on 1 condition He added that his client has already initiated a case against Ibrahim Idris and Imohimi at a Federal High Court in Lagos. We affirm that originating processes in the matter have been served on the respondents since August 2017 and this case had come up for hearing once before a vacation judge and twice before Justice Hassan of the Federal High Court, Lagos Division. The respondents were not only absent on those occasions but have failed, neglected or refused to file any processes in response to our clients case against them. It is shocking how the respondents have again come to the public declaring our client, who is an applicant before a superior court of record, wanted over the allegation of Badoo cult killings. Even though we are putting our papers together to seek a legal remedy against the unlawful sealing of our clients property, we have resolved to exhaust all available administrative remedies in the light of the recent events that have concretised our suspicion that Imohimi has a personal axe to grind with our client, the counsel said in a statement. The status of the fight against Badoo Police chief Edgal Imohimi recently led an assault team that succeeded in capturing a herbalist who prepares 'juju' for the Badoo cult. While parading some suspects at the Lagos police headquarter located in Ikeja, the commander narrated how the cultists murder their victims in their homes. Addressing newsmen while parading the terrorists on Thursday, January 4, 2018, the police chief mentioned that their leader identified as Omotayo Abamoyegun sprays powder in the homes of the victims which ensures that they fall into a deep sleep before breaking their heads. Nwajagu who is a banker was reportedly arrested and arraigned in court for locking up a child who was brought to her to work as a housemaid. The child was allegedly brought to her by a woman she claims was her elder sister. Instablog9ja reports that according to the police public relations officer, SP Chike Oti, the suspect reportedly locked up the child in a poorly ventilated apartment before leaving for work and would not release the child until she returned home at night at the close of work. The police report read: "Nwajagu, from Ajali in Orumba LGA of Anambra state but residing at No.12 Baderin street, Mafoluku Oshodi, reported to the police last night at Makinde Police Station Oshodi from where she was taken to the Human Rights Section of Lagos State Command Ikeja." 8. Bomigo Bomigo is a town that most Ghanaians would fail to identify on a map if they were asked to. Bomigo is a very small town situated in the Keta District of the Volta Region. The town is surrounded by the salty waters of the Keta Lagoon. It is about 146 kilometres from Ho, driving to Keta, onwards to Anloga and to Atorkor, then branching to Tunu for an about 15 minutes journey by boat to Bomigo. Like other towns listed in this article, Bomigo has a very dark open secret: There are no female goats in the town. The town is populated by male goats only, which are able to reproduce and give birth to other male goats. It is currently unclear if this is due to a spirit or god imposing this anomaly o the land, or if it is a curse. This phenomenon has given the town a very mysterious theme and atmosphere. 7. Nkonya-Alavanyo Over a century ago, due to territorial disputes over which of the two towns a portion of land should belong to, the people of Nkunya and Alavanyo, both in the Volta Region, got into a tribal war that has lasted for over 100 years and claimed so many lives. Despite numerous interventions by governmental bodies and several cultural institutions to curtail the dispute, the citizens of both towns start fighting again every now and again and that revives the war all over again. This has made both towns and their environs a very scary and unsafe place to live, with citizens ever always fleeing to greener pastures. The government has on several occasions instituted curfews on the towns, which further restrict the activities of the citizens and makes their lives unbearable. Doctors, teachers and other public sector workers who are posted to the area often refuse to report to their posts or leave later on when the going gets too tough. 6. Kwame Nkrumah Circle This circle is named after the first President of the Republic of Ghana Dr. Kwame Nkrumah. It is a central point in Accra and life never stops here. Crime rate is on the high and it is presently facing a crisis involving drug gangs. Street crimes such as muggings and theft are also common, making this an undesirable destination for most people. And please, dont travel alone at night and be careful when buying valuable items like phones from hawkers. 5. Seva Seva is an Island located in the Keta Lagoon in the Volta Region of Ghana. This island is important as a bird watching site because it is a stop over point for many migratory birds. The town has many attractions such as the sandy beaches, general cleanliness and local story telling in Ewe. However, the town also has a very mysterious and superstitious cultural background. According to popular folklore, the stones on the beach of Seva cannot be carried across the sea to the mainland. The gods of the island simply will not allow it. Trying to defy the gods and carrying stones across the sea will have unfortunate consequences on anyone carrying out the act. 4. Sefwi Wiawso The Sefwi-Wiawso District is a district located in the Western Region of Ghana. Its capital is Wiawso, and It was elevated to the status of a municipal assembly in 2012. The town has been under constant media scrutiny due to the high levels of murder that take place there. These killings are often done for spiritual reasons. People killing relatives for blood and money rituals isnt unheard of in the town and new residents are often warned to be careful or stay away. 3. Ashaiman We wont say much about Ashaiman, well just give you a bit of friendly advice: If you ever find yourself in the Ashaiman area, be sure to lock your doors and keep your phones, purse and any other things you have on yourself safe. The streets of Ashaiman are filled with the most ruthless and hardened criminals who will rob you the instant you let your guards down. Ashaiman is also home to some notorious gangsters and thugs known in pidgin english as Kwashey boys. These kwashey boys may not even bother trying to rob you in secret, theyll just pull up on you with a gun and ask you to hand over your possessions. If you think you can outrun a bullet, go ahead and attempt an escape. 2. Nima In second position of our list of most scariest towns in Ghana is the notorious town of Nima. As one of the many Zongos in Ghana, Nima is infamous for being riddled with crime, violence and thug culture. In fact, some of the most popular lyrics about the town can be found in a song titled A Nima Mi Seh by Shatta Wale, a popular Ghanaian dancehall artist. In the now iconic song, Shatta sings about how life in the ghetto is .. You could find me inna di barracks. Alkayeeda youth control di shattas which translates to You could find me in the barracks, where alkayeeda youth control the streets. That line alone should tell you everything you need to know about Nima. There are definitely peaceful and non-violent people living in Nima and its environs, but the bad fruits give the whole town a bad name. 1. Nogokpo If you have any friends who hail from the Volta Region, then chances are, you have definitely heard of Nogokpo. Your friend(s) may even joke about sending you to Nogokpo when you wrong them. Nogokpo is a small village located in the Ketu-South Municipal of the Volta Region of Ghana along the TransWest African Coastal Highway. It is noted for its traditional and spiritual shrine. It has a shrine Nogokpo Shrine built during a misunderstanding between some people at Agbozume in the very olden days, in the early 1900s. The story goes that the spirit asked to be moved elsewhere for peace to prevail. The name Nogokpo means stay in peace and interestingly enough, Nogokpo is a very peaceful town. The newspaper said its sources said Dr Asiama was queried about the extra cash printing reports and he allegedly admitted it happened, but explained that officials of the presidency at the time, mounted pressure on him to okay the deal. Responding to that, Dr Asiama, through his lawyers, noted: "Our attention has been drawn to some newspaper publications and communications of a smear campaign which is being used to tarnish the image and reputation of our client.We wish to state that these are part of the plan to get him out of office and any publication by such newspapers should be treated with the contempt that it deserves," the statement by Mr Victor Kwadjoga Adawudu of Lord & Lords said. In a Facebook post, John Mahama expressed his condolence to the family of the former ace journalist and the media fraternity. "Sudden news of the passing of my brother and friend, Alhaji Bature Iddrisu. This is a great personal loss and for the NDC family. His wit and great sense of analysis will be sorely missed. "May Allah the Merciful grant him Jannatul Firdaus," he said. On Friday, January 5, ace journalist and Editor of the Al-Hajj newspaper, Alhaji Iddrisu Bature has died. READ ALSO: Alhaji Bature has died The senior journalist died at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital Friday where he had been on admission after suffering a stroke. They are Ameyaw Kyeremeh, Majority Chief Whip, who will Chair the Committee, Dr. Assibey Yeboah, Chairman of the Finance Committee of Parliament, and Yaw Buabeng Asamoah, MP for Adentan. On the Minority side are James Klutsey Avedzie, Deputy Minority Leader, and Dominic Ayine, the MP for Bolgatanga East. The Speaker of Parliament, Prof. Mike Aaron Oquaye, in ruling for the formation of the committee, said the Committee is expected to submit its report to the House as soon as possible, one day after our recall which is 24th [January 2018]. It has been alleged that expatriate businesses were charged $100,000 to allow them to sit close to the President Nana Akufo-Addo during the Ghana Expatriates Business Awards held in the country. The Flagstaff earlier summoned the sector minister, Alan Kyeremanten, to disclose fully what the issue was to President Akufo-Addo. After briefing the president, the Flagstaff House issued a statement saying officials at the Trade Ministry did no wrong in commercialising the Presidential Table at the recent Ghana Expatriate Business Awards (GEBA). The facts, as reported to the president, do not disclose any wrongdoing on the part of the minister of any government official. READ MORE: Security personnel who lost their lives in line of duty in 2017 Sections 45-50 of the Road Traffic Act 683/04, as well as regulations 23&24 of the Road Traffic Regulation 2012 (L.I 2180), are clear on the use of DV and DP number plates.INGPOL directs with immediate effect no personnel should arrest any motorist with trade license plates with regard to time of movement indicated above [1800hours and 0600hours (6pm 6am)], the IGP said in an internal memo sighted by Pulse.com.gh. According to him, any arrest made with regard to time of movement of he trade license plates by the police is "unlawful." "Any arrest made with regard to time of movement of trade license plates by personnel is unlawful. Commanders must bring this to the notice of all personnel for strict compliance, he insisted. READ MORE: Dismissed police officer threatens to join ISIS He said members of the NDC are apostles of probity and accountability, saying ex-government officials are ready to subject themselves to the test of probity and accountability. We the members of NDC are not scared whether Special Prosecutor, Attorney General or state Attorney, we are not scared," said Mahama. "I said at Ho that we are the apostles and disciples of probity and accountability. So if we are out of government and you want to subject us to probity and accountability, we dont have a problem but we must make sure that all our colleagues, ex-appointees who are accused of any wrongdoing go through the right process and are convicted by a competent judge. He added: "We the NDC members should not pass judgement on our colleagues because they are deemed innocent until they are proven guilty in a court of competent jurisdiction. It killed "two terrorists and (destroyed) one vehicle-borne improvised explosive device, preventing it from being used against the people in Mogadishu," AFRICOM said in a statement. "We assess no civilians were killed in this strike," the statement read. The Shabaab has been fighting to overthrow successive internationally backed governments in Mogadishu since 2007 and frequently deploys car and truck bombs against military, government and civilian targets. The group lost its foothold in Mogadishu in 2011 but has continued its fight and still controls vast rural areas and is widely blamed for the country's worst ever bombing, which in October left 512 dead. According to a study released Wednesday by the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, a Washington think tank, the United States conducted 35 air strikes in Somalia in 2017, a big increase over prior years. "I've never questioned his mental fitness. I've had no reason to question his mental fitness," said Tillerson, whose office was last year forced to deny reports that he had referred to Trump as a "moron" after a national security meeting. And, even in defending Trump, the former ExxonMobil chief executive admitted he has had to learn how to relay information to a president with a very different decision-making style. "I have to learn how he takes information in, processes it and makes decisions," Tillerson told CNN. "I'm here to serve his presidency. So I've had to spend a lot of time understanding how to best communicate with him." But, whatever difficulties they may have had communicating, Tillerson insisted that the right decisions had been made and that the United States is in a stronger place internationally thanks to Trump's policies. "He is not a typical president of the past, I think that's well recognized -- that's also why the American people chose him," he said, insisting that he does not expect to be asked to resign in the coming year. Tillerson was forced to mount his defense as Washington devoured a new supposed tell-all -- Michael Wolff's "Fire and Fury: Inside the Trump White House" -- rushed into bookstores after the White House failed to suppress it. The book quickly sold out in shops in the US capital, with some even lining up at midnight to get their hands on it and others circulating pirated copies. Trump has decried the instant best-seller as "phony" and "full of lies." Journalist Wolff, no stranger to controversy, quotes several key Trump aides expressing doubt about Trump's ability to lead the world's largest economy and military hegemon. "Let me put a marker in the sand here. One hundred percent of the people around him" question Trump's fitness for office, Wolff said in an interview with NBC's "Today" show. "They all say he is like a child. And what they mean by that is he has a need for immediate gratification. It's all about him." The 71-year-old Republican president, approaching the first anniversary of his inauguration, responded with fury. "I authorized Zero access to White House (actually turned him down many times) for author of phony book! I never spoke to him for book. Full of lies, misrepresentations and sources that don't exist," Trump tweeted Thursday. But Wolff countered: "I absolutely spoke to the president. Whether he realized it was an interview or not. I don't know, but it certainly was not off the record." The book includes extensive quotes from Steve Bannon, Trump's former chief strategist, and its publication sparked a very public break between the former allies. Bannon is quoted accusing Trump's eldest son Don Jr of "treasonous" contacts with a Kremlin-connected lawyer, and saying the president's daughter Ivanka, who imagines running for president one day, is "dumb as a brick." Criticism from aides But it is Trump himself who is cast in the most unfavorable light. The book claims that for Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin and former White House chief of staff Reince Priebus, the president was an "idiot." For chief economic advisor Gary Cohn, he was "dumb as shit." And for National Security Adviser H.R. McMaster, he was a "dope." The publication came as it emerged that at least a dozen members of the US Congress were briefed last month by a Yale University professor of psychiatry on Trump's mental health. "Lawmakers were saying they have been very concerned about this, the president's dangerousness, the dangers that his mental instability poses on the nation," Dr. Bandy Lee told CNN. The White House issued a scorched-earth dismissal of "Fire and Fury", its author and his sources, with Press Secretary Sarah Sanders calling it "complete fantasy." Behind the scenes, though, Trump has been enraged by the betrayal by Bannon -- a man who engineered the New York real estate mogul's link to the nationalist far right and helped create a pro-Trump media ecosystem. Sanders suggested that Bannon's employer, Breitbart News, should consider firing him. He wasn't fired, but Bannon's main financial backer is formally cutting ties with him, The Washington Post reported. "I support President Trump and the platform upon which he was elected," the newspaper quoted billionaire conservative donor Rebekah Mercer as saying. 'Minute-by-minute' Bannon, who left the White House in August, is also quoted in the book as saying that the investigation by special counsel Robert Mueller into Russian interference in the 2016 election -- and possible collusion by the Trump campaign -- will focus on money laundering. Wolff confidently defended himself against attacks on his credibility, which have included threats from Trump's lawyers of a libel suit. "My credibility is being questioned by a man who has less credibility than, perhaps, anyone who has ever walked on earth at this point," Wolff said. "I spoke to people who spoke to the president on a daily, sometimes minute-by-minute basis," he added. "Majority emphasised the need to fully implement the JCPOA (nuclear deal) and to refrain from interfering in internal affairs of others. Another FP (foreign policy) blunder for the Trump administration." The United States had pushed for the UN meeting on Friday to discuss the five days of protests that hit Iran last week, leading to the deaths of 21 people and hundreds of arrests. US Ambassador Nikki Haley argued the unrest could escalate into full-blown conflict and drew a comparison with Syria. "The Iranian regime is now on notice: the world will be watching what you do," Haley warned. But Russia's envoy shot back that if the US view holds, the council should have also discussed the 2014 unrest in the US suburb of Ferguson, Missouri over the police shooting of a black teenager or the US crackdown on the Occupy Wall Street movement. Britain and France reiterated that Iran must respect the rights of protesters, but French Ambassador Francois Delattre said the "events of the past days do not constitute a threat to peace and international security". China also described the meeting as meddling in Iran's affairs, while Ethiopia, Kuwait and Sweden expressed reservations about the discussion. Iran's Ambassador Gholamali Khoshroo slammed the meeting as a "farce" and a "waste of time" and said the council should instead focus on addressing the Israeli-Palestinian conflict or the war in Yemen. Iranian authorities have declared the unrest over, and held three days of large pro-government rallies across the country between Wednesday and Friday. Iran signed a nuclear deal with the United States, Britain, France, Germany, Russia and China in 2015, easing sanctions in exchange for curbs to the country's nuclear programme. US President Donald Trump has fiercely opposed the deal, but the other signatories remain firmly behind it. Trump must decide every few months whether to continue waiving nuclear sanctions, with the next deadline due on Friday. According to a tweet by the foundation, Dr Adaoro was one of the doctor infected with the communicable disease by Mr Patrick Sawyer, a Liberian diplomat, in Nigeria0. An incident that happened at the First Consultant Medical Centre (FCMC) in Lagos where she was having her one-year compulsory medical housemanship and training. Adaoro, who has now dedicated her life to the research, treatment, and prevention of future epidemics, said about her experience fighting the disease. You dont know if its going to end with your death, she said. Ebola is going to come back. It may not be next year or the next five years. But it will come back. I know I was sick for a reason. Theres a lot more I have to do. How Nigeria failed to honour Dr Ameyo Adadevoh, Adaoro and others Dr Ameyo Adadevoh, Adaoro and others of the FCMC, Lagos have been credited for curbing the spread of Ebola virus in Nigeria by placing the Patient zero, Patrick Sawyer, in quarantine despite repeated pressures from Liberian Embassy in the country. Adaoro narrated the incidence during one of her interviews: On the night of Sunday, July 20, 2014, Patrick Sawyer was wheeled into the Emergency Room at First Consultants Medical Centre, Obalende, Lagos, with complaints of fever and body weakness.Knowing that Mr Sawyer had recently arrived from Liberia, the doctor asked if he had been in contact with an Ebola patient in the last couple of weeks, and Mr Sawyer denied any such contact. He also denied attending any funeral ceremony recently. During our early morning ward round with Dr Adadevoh, we concluded that this was not malaria and that the patient needed to be screened for Ebola Viral Disease Dr Adadevoh at this time was in a pensive mood. Patrick Sawyer was now a suspected case of Ebola, perhaps the first in the country. He was quarantined. However, Dr Adadevoh never survived the infection but she and her team did a good job of millions of lives in Nigeria. Also Read: Stella Adadevoh deserves to have more schools named after her Despite the obvious sacrifice made by Dr Adadevoh and her team, the government of Nigeria has not acknowledged their efforts in preventing this epidemic. The team had not received a National Merit Award nor have medical facilities named after them. Simona Mangiante says her fiance, George Papadopoulos, is staying positive. Mangiante and Papadopoulos first met in person in New York in April 2017, she said, about seven months after they first started chatting on LinkedIn. They traveled to Europe that summer for a whirlwind vacation and parted ways in late July, with Mangiante staying in Italy and Papadopoulos heading back to the US. "We had traveled to Mykonos, to Athens, and to Capri," Mangiante said. "He had finished his work for the campaign and I had left my job at the European Parliament. We spent every second together." Papadopoulos texted Mangiante when he landed at Dulles airport in Washington, DC on July 27 minutes before he was arrested by the FBI. By the time he emerged from his Alexandria jail cell on July 28, Papadopoulos "It was traumatic, and completely unexpected," Mangiante said. Papadopoulos's cousin wrote to her on Facebook in the interim, explaining that he had been arrested. "I didn't know what was going on," Mangiante said. "So I went to the US, and everything changed completely." Mangiante flew to Chicago to see Papadopoulos and was promptly served with a subpoena by a federal agent working for special counsel Robert Mueller. Mueller is investigating potential collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia, and had charged Papadopoulos with lying to the FBI about his contacts with Russia-linked foreign nationals during the election. Papadopoulos pleaded guilty to the charge. Mangiante left the organization in November 2016. By that point, she had already begun chatting with Papadopoulos, who had messaged her on LinkedIn two months earlier after seeing that they shared a mutual professional connection Mifsud. "How do you know him?" Mangiante said Papadopoulos asked her at the time, referring to Mifsud. "What does he do?" "Not even George really knew anything about him," Mangiante said. A mysterious resume Mifsud came under renewed scrutiny last weekend, when The New York Times reported that Papadopoulos drunkenly told an Australian diplomat in May 2016 one month after meeting with Mifsud that Russia had dirt on Clinton. The diplomat relayed the details of his conversation with Papadopoulos to Australian government officials, who in turn relayed it to the US government shortly after news surfaced that the Democratic National Committee had been hacked. Papadopoulos' inadvertent disclosure, combined with the massive data breach, is what triggered the FBI's Trump-Russia probe. Before it was scrubbed, Mifsud's London Centre biography said he had "lectured extensively throughout the world," "worked in a number of universities," "attended and chaired conferences" and "organized major ministerial and institutional meetings on pan-Mediterranean dialogue." He also worked for the government of Malta, where he is from. Mifsud has been filmed speaking at the Valdai Discussion Club, a think tank based in the Russian city of Veliky Novgorod that is close to President Vladimir Putin andhosts him every year for a keynote address. Mifsud also wrote three pro-Russia articles that are featured on Valdai's website. Beyond that, not much is known. In November, Mifsud disappeared from the The Trump campaign was quick to downplay Papadopoulos' role on the campaign following his guilty plea, describing him as a "coffee boy" who played no meaningful foreign policy role a claim at which Mangiante bristles. "They're just undermining all of George's efforts. He even helped to organize a meeting between Trump and [Egyptian President Abdel Fattah] el-Sisi through a connection he had at the Egyptian embassy." Papadopoulos represented the campaign at numerous points during the election. He Asked why she thought Papadopoulos told the Australian diplomat about Russia's Clinton dirt, or what he may have meant by it, Mangiante said she couldn't say with certainty. "I was not there," she said. "But they clearly had had many drinks." Mangiante reiterated that she and Papadopoulos had nothing to hide and were looking to the future. Right now, for example, they're busy planning their wedding. Papadopoulos proposed at the end of September, about a year after he sent her that first LinkedIn message. 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! LONDON The former deputy prime minister Nick Clegg has accused the government of attempting to sideline Parliament by planning to put an incomplete Brexit deal to the vote on at the end of Article 50 talks. In December MPs passed an amendment calling on Theresa May's government to give Parliament a "meaningful vote" on the Brexit withdrawal deal agreed by British and European Union negotiators. The amendment, tabled by Conservative MP Dominic Grieve, was designed to ensure the government will have to secure parliamentary approval before signing off any final Brexit withdrawal deal. However, Clegg told Business Insider that he expects Parliament to be shown an incomplete deal lacking key details on issues like the Irish border, trade and customs arrangements. "I dont think the government has any intention of completing the next phase of talks before it invites MPs to make a judgement," the former Liberal Democrat leader told BI this week. "And that would be a scandalous dereliction of democratic duty to expect MPs to vote on a deal which will be composed of little more than the fudge on the Irish border included in this December package, some warm words about the future, and maybe a little bit more detail on aspects of that future." He added: "The governments clear intention is to try and lull parliament into signing away the future before it has spelled out what that future holds." BI spoke to the former MP for Sheffield Hallam at an event hosted by anti-Brexit group, Islington In Europe. At the event, Clegg said he was unphased by the negative reaction of some figures to recent news of his imminent knighthood. "You can hardly call it a backlash when the entirely predictable people dont share my views on things and criticise," he said. "The Daily Mail is never going to agree with my worldview and neither is Owen Jones. I dont take it too seriously. "I was included in the honours because of the work I did as deputy prime minister and I remain immensely proud of what me and my team succeeded to do in providing stability to the country at a time of immense turbulence and difficulty. "It doesnt really affect my pride in what we achieved that there are people on either side who want to snipe." He also attacked the "absolutely pathetic" Labour Party for failing to capitalise on the Tory government's dithering over Brexit. This week marked major developments in relations between North and South Korea, and many are hopeful that it means peace and cooperation are on the horizon in the Korean Peninsula. In his first state address of 2018, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un announced he was open to dialogue with South Korea, and urged easing military tensions on the Korean Peninsula, even as he issued new threats to the US. On Tuesday, a North Korean official said on state television that the country would reopen its direct communications hotline with South Korea, and eagerly planned to discuss sending a delegation to next month's Winter Olympics games in Pyeongchang. Following Kim's proposal, South Korea's Unification Minister Cho Myong-gyon told reporters that the government welcome talks with the North "regardless of time, location, and form." South Korea's President Moon Jae-in jumped at the opportunity, and proposed conducting talks on the peninsula next week. On Wednesday, South Korean officials called North Korea from their communications headquarters and spoke for the first time in two years. The two sides spoke for about 20 minutes before the North disabled the line. The US and South Korea on Thursday agreed to delay joint military exercises until after the Olympics. And in a major sign of progress on Friday, North Korea sent a message accepting the South Korean offer, and plans for both sides to meet at the border village of Panmunjom next Tuesday are in place. Bringing peace to the peninsula Experts say this week's developments are significant for both countries in the short-term, but doubt that increased communication will help bring long-term reconciliation. Director of the Nautilus Policy Institute, Peter Hayes, told Business Insider that reopened communications between indicate a strategic policy shift on North Korea's part. "It indicates Kim Jong Un plans an interregnum in testing of missiles and warheads," Hayes explained, adding that Kim understands any military provocations at this time would interrupt a potential breakthrough moment for North and South ties. By pausing its weapons testing and opening itself up, at least rhetorically, to South Korea, Kim hopes to cast himself as a rational broker in its war of words with the US President Trump and other US officials, who have characterized Kim as unstable. "If it goes well, it will also put the Trump Administration on the back foot in terms of child-like war talk and sending mixed messages to Pyongyang," said Hayes. Dr. Go Myong-Hyun, Research Fellow at The ASAN Institute for Policy Studies said Kim's willingness for dialogue is a temporary plan built out of desperation: "North Korea is engaging in a tactical move with South Korea for two main reasons: to avoid a preemptive attack from the US, and to mitigate crippling sanctions imposed on the country by the US." "North Korea would love to see a growing gap between US and South Korea, but its really a byproduct of North Korean goals rather than its objective," Go added. According to Lindsay Ford, Director of Political-Security Affairs at the Asia Society Policy Institute, the South's preparations for the Olympics provide North Korea with the perfect opening to achieve its objectives. "North Korea sees a moment of opportunity given South Korea's clear interest into wanting to have a positive and peaceful Olympics, and will leverage that moment for tactical gains to ease pressure of sanctions." Ford said she, too, is skeptical about whether the North's overtures are strong enough to pave the way for peace. President Donald Trump's decision last month to relocate the US embassy in Israel sparked widespread protests in cities across the Middle East. Arab governments swiftly denounced the move as protestors sympathetic to the Palestinian cause took to the streets to express their outrage. But behind the scenes in Egypt, things were a bit different. As the Egyptian government publicly condemned Trump's decision including drafting a UN resolution calling for the US to reverse course a state intelligence officer was also privately coordinating with popular talk show hosts in an attempt to get them to convince their viewers to accept it, according to The New York Times. We, like all our Arab brothers, are denouncing this matter, Captain [But] after that, this thing will become a reality. Palestinians cant resist and we dont want to go to war. We have enough on our plate as you know. Egypt continues to struggle to contain threats from a variety of regional foes, including the Palestinian militant group Hamas, Iran, and scattered ISIS militants in the Sinai Peninsula, a strip of land that links northeastern Egypt to southern Israel. The Egyptian government's attempts to mitigate outrage over Trump's decision to move the American embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem appears to be a calculated strategy. Analysts argue that Egypt would rather begrudgingly accept the US position than encourage protests that could easily devolve into more threatening regional violence. Kholi spoke to at least four influential TV hosts, all of whom appeared receptive to his argument. Give me orders, sir, host Saeed Hassaseen said. I am at your command. President Donald Trump unloaded on the Russia investigation and Michael Wolff, the author of an explosive new tell-all book during a press conference with reporters at Camp David on Saturday. In the book, former White House chief strategist and head of Breitbart News, Steve Bannon, is quoted eviscerating Trump, his son Donald Trump Jr., his daughter Ivanka Trump, and his son-in-law Jared Kushner. During the press conference, Trump called the book a "work of fiction" and said it was a "disgrace" that Wolff could "do something like this." "Libel laws are very weak in this country," Trump said. "If they were stronger, hopefully, you would not have something like that happen." He added that Wolff did not know him at all and did not interview him, though he then said Wolff interviewed him once "a long time ago" for a magazine story. "I guess 'Sloppy Steve' [Bannon] brought him into the White House a lot," Trump said. "That's why 'Sloppy Steve' is looking for a job." In a noteworthy exchange Friday during an interview with "Today" show host Savannah Guthrie, Wolff saidevery single person around Trump, including senior aides and family members, questioned his intelligence and fitness for office. Trump defended his intelligence in a series of Saturday morning tweets, saying his "two greatest assets" were his "mental stability and being, like, really smart." He added that he believed he was a "very stable genius." Asked during the press conference why he tweeted about his mental stability, Trump replied, "Only because I went to the best colleges, or college. I went to a I had a situation where I was a very excellent student, came out and made billions and billions of dollars." He continued, saying that he then pursued a television career and was a "tremendous success, as you probably have heard. Ran for president one time and won." No collusion and no crime Reporters also touched on a recent New York Times report that said Trump asked White House counsel Don McGahn to convince Attorney General not to recuse himself from the FBI's Russia investigation last year. Sessions recused himself last March when it emerged that he had failed to disclose his contacts with former Russian ambassador Sergey Kislyak during his Senate confirmation hearing in January 2017. Calling the Times story "way off," Trump said, "Everything I've done is 100% proper. That's what I do is I do things proper." "Collusion now is dead," he added. "Because everybody found out after a year of study there has been absolutely no collusion." He went back to a frequent target, former Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton, and accused her, as well as the Democratic National Committee, of colluding with Russia. When a reporter asked Trump to specify how the Times' story was "off," Trump said, "You'll find out. But the story was off." "If [special counsel] Robert Mueller asks you to come and speak with his committee personally, are you committed still to doing that?" another reporter asked. Trump reiterated that there was "no collusion" and "no crime." He also repeated another claim he's frequently mentioned in the past, saying that "everybody tells me I'm not under investigation." Trump is a critical figure in several threads of Mueller's investigation, and he is the central subject in the obstruction-of-justice case Mueller is said to be building. The case is based on Trump's decision to fire FBI director James Comey last May. The White House initially said Comey was fired because of the way he handled the bureau's probe into Clinton's use of a private email server. But Trump later told NBC's Lester Holt that "this Russia thing" was a key factor in his decision. He also reportedly told two Russian officials during an Oval Office meeting one day after terminating Comey that the FBI director's firing had taken "great pressure" off of him. Trump said Saturday that he and the White House have been "very open" in cooperating with Mueller's team. "We could have done it two ways. We could have been very closed and it would have taken years. But you know, sort of, like, when you've done nothing wrong, let's be open and get it over with, because honestly, it's very, very bad for our country and it's making us look foolish." Google changed corporate America and Silicon Valley with company perks, like free bikes for employees to get across sprawling office parks. But the community of Mountain View, California where Google is headquartered has caught on, forcing Google to rethink just how "free" its bikes really are, The Wall Street Journal reports. The company estimates that between 100 and 250 of its 1,100 multi-colored "Gbikes" disappear on a weekly basis, and it's started to take actions to reduce those numbers. Among the solutions, the company hired a team of 30 contractors and five designated vans whose only job is to retrieve Gbikes from around the community, according to The Journal. Google is also testing GPS trackers on some of its bikes, and locks that only Google employees can open using their cell phones, according to the report. Google first launched its bike program in 2007, and switch over to its iconic, multicolored two-wheelers in 2009. By 2015, bike sharing switched from a company-wide initiative to an opportunity for Google to change the world. The company launched a $5 million grant to develop more bike-friendly cities, and worked closely with Mountain View to make its local streets as bikable as the city of The Justice Department on Wednesday fired its long-awaited opening shot at the cannabis industry. The move has lawmakers on both sides of the aisle scrambling to figure out what the change means for the eight states, including California, that have legalized the plant for adult use, as well as the 29 states where medical cannabis is legally prescribed to patients. Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont and Sen. Cory Gardner, a Republican from Colorado, both voiced their opposition to the announcement, and public cannabis companies saw their stocks nosedive on Thursday morning. But many investors and entrepreneurs who have years of experience operating in the cannabis industry were unperturbed. " What Sessions move actually does, and doesnt do Sessions is a longtime opponent of cannabis he once joked in 1986 that the Klu Klux Klan was " "The Justice Department's new directive leaves the legal status of cannabis up to 93 US Attorneys," Rep. Jared Polis, a Colorado Democrat who's seeking to become the governor of his home state in 2018, said in a call with reporters. "Whatever side of the bed they wake up on, that's what happens with cannabis." On the same call, Rep. Dana Rohrabacher, a California Republican, said he thinks Sessions has "forgotten state's rights, and forgotten the Tenth Amendment". "Sessions is Investors see an opportunity in chaos Krista Whitley is the CEO of Nevada-based Altitude Products, a company that sells accoutrements for cannabis consumers. She said she's seen a "cooling off" of high-net worth individual investors looking to jump into the cannabis industry in the few days since Sessions' announcement. The move "spooked several investors w cannabis businesses clamp down on complying with state regulations. Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle are fighting back Lawmakers are vowing to fight Sessions' move in order to protect an industry that could provide thousands of jobs and billions in tax revenue in states where cannabis is legal. In California alone, the state is predicted to rake in $1.4 billion in cannabis-generated tax by 2021. Sen. Gardner who voted to confirm Sessions last year has vowed to withhold Justice Department nominees until Sessions backs off of state-legal cannabis. Reps. Polis of Colorado, Rohrabacher of California, and Blumenauer of Oregon are urging both parties to support an amendment on the House's next budget bill that prohibits the Justice Department from spending money on enforcing federal law against medicinal cannabis. The bipartisan group of lawmakers has public opinion on their side. Approximately 51% of Republicans and 64% of Americans overall support cannabis legalization, according to a recent Gallup poll. San Francisco city building inspectors have issued a violation notice against Millennium Tower, the city's leaning, sinking luxury skyscraper, because of an apparent fire safety risk. The December 2017 notice cites "a breach in the fire and smoke barrier" and other evidence that suggests "the issue may be more widespread," NBC Bay Area reported on Thursday. Millennium Tower is a luxury residential high-rise that has sunk 17 inches and tilted 14 inches since it was completed in 2008. Though an inspection by the city found it's safe to occupy, the situation has sparked a flurry of lawsuits and an exodus from the building by many residents. Last year, a report commissioned by the Millennium Homeowners Association warned there may be unseen safety issues at the building. Architectural engineering firm, had found gaps in the walls of one unit that could present risks in the event of a fire. Paula Pretlow and several other homeowners had complained of unexplained odors permeating their luxury units. Consultants from burrowed holes through several apartment walls in Pretlow's unit and set off smoke bombs below. They found that smoke rose through openings surrounding pipes and ducts in the walls. Typically, gaps like these are sealed with fire-resistant caulking to make sure fires are contained on the floor where they start. Since the report, the tower's developer and city building inspectors have not addressed the fire safety warning. But an investigation from NBC Bay Area provided new details from the report in December, which appears to have prompted action. (NBC Bay Area found that some information was redacted from the report provided to homeowners.) On Friday, Twitter published a short blog post explaining why it won't be suspending President Donald Trump's personal account, though it did not mention him by name. "Blocking a world leader from Twitter or removing their controversial Tweets would hide important information people should be able to see and debate," the post said. "It would also not silence that leader, but it would certainly hamper necessary discussion around their words and actions." A provocative tweet on Tuesday night from Trump that some perceived as threatening nuclear action against North Korea reignited the debate over whether Twitter should suspend or take other action against the president's account. North Korean Leader Kim Jon... @ Donald J. Trump At the time, Twitter said the tweet did not violate its terms of service. People protesting outside Twitter's San Francisco headquarters earlier this week urged CEO Jack Dorsey to suspend Trump's account, calling Dorsey "complicit" for not doing so. "We review Tweets by leaders within the political context that defines them, and enforce our rules accordingly," Twitter's blog post says. Basically: You might not agree with Trump's tweets, but since they are the from the US president, the rules are a little bit different from those for other users. Also of note is that the blog post disputes a long-running criticism that Twitter allows Trump to continue using the platform even after perceived violations of its terms because the response to his tweets drives people to use the service. "No one person's account drives Twitter's growth, or influences these decisions," the post says. The post is attributed not to any Twitter executive or employee, but to "Twitter, Inc." This is the first official response from Twitter on its policy regarding Trump and other world leaders. Last year, however, Dorsey explained his reasoning for allowing Trump to keep using the social network. "I think it's really important that we maintain open channels to our leaders, whether we like what they're saying or not, because I don't know of another way to hold them accountable," Dorsey told Backchannel in April. "Anytime we have any leader tweet, including Trump, there's a very interesting and thriving conversation. A mixture of fact checking, disagreement, agreement, and some random things." "There's been a lot of discussion about political figures and world leaders on Twitter, and we want to share our stance. "Twitter is here to serve and help advance the global, public conversation. Elected world leaders play a critical role in that conversation because of their outsized impact on our society. "Blocking a world leader from Twitter or removing their controversial Tweets, would hide important information people should be able to see and debate. It would also not silence that leader, but it would certainly hamper necessary discussion around their words and actions. "We review Tweets by leaders within the political context that defines them, and enforce our rules accordingly. No one person's account drives Twitter's growth, or influences these decisions. We work hard to remain unbiased with the public interest in mind. However, it can be tough and daunting to wait till you finish your first degree before you start looking for jobs that are abundantly scarce in the country. There is no job anywhere will most likely be the narrative every jobless graduates will be pushing to your ears. So, why wait till after your NYSC program before you start looking a job when you can take some steps to boost your chances of getting hired now? Check this list as it offers you tons of ideas on how to land a great job opportunity as an undergraduate. If you like a company, make findings about it If you are interested in working for a company, try to seek information about the company. You can get information from its current interns. They'll probably have an idea of what the company the company is looking for and who to approach so as to avoid sending mail to the wrong person. And if you have a friend in the company, you can ask him about how they were employed. He will probably give you some insights and could also introduce you to one or two senior staff. Gain marketable skills While you are trying to network your way into the company, make sure you gain the needed skills that are relevant to the job. If you are interested in working for a media house, you can consider campus freelance instead till you get a call from the company. For instance, you can join the campus press club or writers associations to hone your writing skill. Social media skills are also needed almost everywhere today. Try to gain marketable skills in tech, social media and digital marketing, learn these skills and make them shine on your resume. You can also sign up for free online courses that are relevant to your course of study and interest to bolster your professional abilities. ALSO READ: If you study these courses you'll work anywhere Find other cool opportunities Don't get stuck with one company, there are other cool opportunities out there. Check job websites, newspaper advertorials, companies websites and their social media accounts. You can also go to Linkedin to find organizations similar to the ones you're interested in to see if they are hiring. Build up your online presence To get certain jobs, your social media presence is highly important. For instance, if you want to work as an undergraduate social media manager for any company, you must also have active social media accounts. You can also be using your social media accounts to publish articles you've written about the industry or job you are hoping to break into. Build your LinkedIn profile and regularly publish sound job-related articles while you use your Tweeter handle and Instagram to publish facts and opinions as well as pictures respectively. You can also set up a blog to write articles and convey your thoughts and opinions about industry issues. Volunteering The movie tells the story of a group of young bohemian artists, who hang out and search for direction in their lives in the stagnant months leading up to the beginning of their university studies. Critical Acclaim of "Green White Green" The movie screened at several international film festivals, including the Toronto International Film Festival, and for the first time in Nigeria at the opening ceremony of the 2016 Lights, Camera, Africa!!! Film Festival. It was positively received by Nigerians in attendance, and also received positive reviews from international media. Finding an audience in Nigeria Abba Makama's "Green White Green," one of the eight Nollywood movies that screened at the Toronto International Film Festival and enjoyed positive reviews from Variety, Indiewire and Vice, was rejected by Nigerian distributors, who felt that the movie-going public hasn't evolved to a level where they can assimilate certain types of work. The movie was described as unfit for cinema by a Filmone Distribution representative at the 2017 VEXPO Creative Content Conference, which held on Friday, August 4, 2017. Is it insulting that film distributors think Nigerians can't comprehend certain genre of films? "I don't know whether it's an insult. It's business, you know," Makama told Wana Udobang during an interview. "They have spent billions of naira setting up this infrastructure to make money back. To now say 'we are going to test with this art film,' it's business. I clearly understand where the powers that be are coming from." Nevertheless, "Green White Green" is a commercial success. According to Makama, the film has done well at festivals, signed a lucrative deal with Netflix and aired on several international airlines. "We are making our money back, and then some. So, there isn't just one distribution portal in the planet. There are several," He told Udobang. Ramamoorthy, who was charged with aggravated sexual abuse and held without bail after an appearance in a Michigan Federal Court the following day was reportedly living in the United States of America on a temporary visa. The Independent News UK reported that the victim woke up to find her shirt unbuttoned as well as the man's hand in her pant. This was confirmed by female prosecutor Amanda Jawad who disclosed that the accused stop the act as soon as the abused woke up. She reportedly disclosed what had happened to her to flight attendants who informed federal prosecutors that the victim came crying to them prompting them to offer her a different seat. Ramamoorthy's wife who visited the circle to confirm what had gone wrong explained that her husband had taken plain Tylenol" which made him a potential flight risk. The prosecutor however submitted that she appeared to be either covering for him or was totally absent minded about the incident. It seems that she's either colluding with the defendant to cover up his actions or she's completely oblivious to what he did, What makes this offence particularly egregious and the defendant even more of a danger to the community is the fact that it took place on an aeroplane. He was brazen enough to do this basically in public, next to his wife where anyone could have seen him, Jawad said. After a lawyer for the accused, Richard O'Neill successfully argued that he was a flight risk using his medication as a backing, Magistrate Judge Steven Whalen, who described the matter as a very unusual case, ordered that Ramamoorthy be remanded pending trial. Sexual assault in Nigeria Cases of women being sexually assaulted in Nigeria during flights are hardly reported but one will find more common unsolicited advances between adult males and teenagers who are often intimidated and threatened. In Ibadan, Nigeria, Mr. Shuaibu Ahmed, a 70-year-old ex-soldier initiated a sexual assault on a girl of 14 who is five months pregnant, by paying her N100 after getting her disvirgined. The victim in a report by Vanguard News revealed that her tormentor who also threatened to kill her if she divulged details of their activities acknowledged that he deflowered her. Gibson's profile on the Bunny Ranch website states that she was raised by strict adoptive parents as a devout Christian and attended an all-girls boarding school. At 19, she was out of the house and dating a young man with similar beliefs, thinking that they would both wait until marriage to have sex. But during the relationship, Gibson says that her boyfriend cheated on her twice, which left her disillusioned with her decision to wait. "After grieving for a while, I came to the conclusion that waiting until marriage to lose my virginity was the wrong decision, because my ex-boyfriend wasnt worth waiting for," she wrote. "I thought that I could trade my virginity for my boyfriends lifelong devotion. I was wrong. So, I decided that I was going to get something for my virginitysomething that benefits me and my life. I wanted to lose my virginity in the most profitable way possible." That led her to Dennis Hof, the proprietor of the Bunny Ranch and several other brothels in the Nevada Area. Hof is organizing an auction where a customer can "buy" Gibson's virginity, and she'll work as a temporary employee of the Bunny House. The House and Gibson will split the highest bid evenly. Gibson knows her decision will raise some eyebrows, but she says she's okay with that. In an Instagram post, the first lady took her time to thank the medical team responsible for keeping her son alive after his motorbike accident few days to January 1, 2018. The hardworking nurse was identified by the first lady as Nurse Eze Doris Eberechukwu of Nisa Premier. According to the wife of the president of Nigeria, Nurse Doris worked tirelessly to ensure that Yusuf remains stable on his hospital bed. ALSO READ: President son suffers head injury in bike accident Guild of Medical Directors take charge of President's son's health On Tuesday, January 2, 2018, the Guild of Medical Directors in Nigeria expressed their relief at the stable condition of President Muhammadu Buhari's son, Yusuf, as he recovers from injuries sustained in a motorbike accident in Abuja on Tuesday, December 26, 2017. The guild in a statement further said "While we cannot comment on the exact circumstances of the accident, we are happy that the situation is being efficiently handled by Cedarcrest Hospital in Abuja, one of the top Guild of Medical Directors owned hospitals in Nigeria. ALSO READ: Guild of Medical Directors say Yusuf Buhari is stable Yusuf's accident The president's son reportedly crashed his power bike while racing with a friend in the capital city and was promptly rushed to Cedarcrest for medical attention. In a press statement signed by the president's Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, on Wednesday, December 27, 2017, he revealed that Yusuf had already undergone surgery and was in a stable condition. Despite media reports that he had been flown to Germany for better medical care early on Thursday, December 28, 2017, Shehu denied the reports, saying that Yusuf was being treated in the country. Ibe, in a statement on Friday in Abuja, described the allegation against Abubakar, who holds Tiv traditional title of Zege Mule U Tiv, as sad and false. Ibe said it was disheartening that in this period of intense grief in Benue State, Chief Paul Unongo would choose to level false allegations on the person of Abubakar. Unongo was the former Chairman, Governing Board of Nigerian Educational Research and Development Council (NERDC). Ibe said while Abubakar was proud to be Fulani, he is a thoroughly detribalized Nigerian that would never favour one ethnic group over another. He recalled that in 2017 during the massive flood in Benue which affected over 100,000 families, Abubakar, donated cash to the Benue Government for the care of the victims. This is fitting for a man whose Tiv traditional title means the biggest shade of the Tiv people. It is strange that Chief Paul Unongo chose to neglect that act of love and care from the Waziri Adamawa to the people of Benue. Not only did the Zege Mule U Tiv make a financial donation, he also called on the Federal Government to do more to assist the flood ravaged communities. Let it be known that though Waziri Adamawa is a Fulani, he is not a member of Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria nor has he ever been a member. He has also never discussed about that group with Chief Paul Unongo. Furthermore, Abubakar enjoins that a thorough investigation be made into the killings in Benue, and that anyone found culpable be made to bear the full weight of the law. Ibe said that it would be a very sad day when a supposed elder chooses to make mileage of the sufferings of the people of Benue State who have had to endure the impunity of these killings for far too long. Abubakar, according to Ibe, prayed for the souls of the departed. The association said this in a statement condemning the killing of over 50 people in Tiv communities in Benue state. According to Daily Post, NANS spokesman, Comrade Okereafor Bestman Opeyemi described the attack as callous. Opeyemi who also said it was a barbaric act, added that Fulani herdsmen are a threat to Nigerias democracy. He said The National Association Of Nigerian Students condemns in all totality the New year herdsmen attack on residents of Benue state, leaving at least 33 people dead and several others injured, thereby causing residents to flee the State to seek refuge in Nasarawa State. We consider the heartless and cruel activities of the herdsmen as a threat to our democracy, and call on the Presidency to declare the herdsmen as a terrorist group and be treated as such without delay. NANS condoles with the family, and relatives of affected victims as well as the Benue State government; may God grant them the fortitude to bear the irreparable loss, as we call on security agents to take prompt action aimed at bringing the perpetrators to book. ALSO READ: Benue Protesters charge Buhari to act on killing by Fulani herdsmen Herdsmen group defends members actions The umbrella body of Fulani Herdsmen, Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Of Nigeria (MACBAN), while commenting on the incident in Benue state, said that its members were protecting themselves from cattle thieves. The leader of MACBAN in Benue state, Garu Gololo, in an interview with BBC News Pidgin said that 1000 cows from his members as they were relocating to Taraba state. Buhari condemns the attacks The Army on Saturday said 1, 050 insurgents had surrendered to troops in Lake Chad and Monguno general area of operations, as it also warned that many of them are on the run. The army urged communities to watch out for the fleeing Boko Haram insurgents as their enclaves in Lake Chad region is under intense onslaught. Col. Onyema Nwachukwu, the Deputy Director, Army Public Relations, Operation Lafiya Dole, made the disclosure in a statement issued in Maiduguri. Nwachukwu disclosed that 250 fighters of the Al Barnawi-led faction of the insurgents had surrendered to Nigerian Army, sequel to artillery and aerial bombardments by troops of Operation Lafiya Dole of their enclaves in Lake Chad basin. He added that 700 insurgents also surrendered to troops at Monguno in an ongoing clearance operation. The army spokesman noted that some of the insurgents fleeing from the ongoing offensive were senior and junior commanders of the Al Barnawi faction. The insurgents are attempting to melt into communities in and around Kano, Geidam and Gashua axis unnoticed. One of such fleeing commanders is Bana Bafui. Members of the general public, particularly in Kano, Geidam, Gashua, Hadejia and northern part of Jigawa State are therefore enjoined to be vigilant, watch out for strange faces in their communities and report same to security agencies. Nwachukwu called on the insurgents to surrender, adding that the Federal Government has provided a window through the Operation SAFE CORRIDOR to encourage the insurgents voluntary surrender. ALSO READ: 2 Boko Haram members killed by troops in Borno He revealed that about 300 insurgents were currently undergoing de-radicalization process for possible integration into the society. We call on Boko Haram insurgents to abandon the futile struggle; take advantage of the Safe Corridor programme and surrender to troops in any location nearest to them. The government on Monday rescheduled the curfew hitherto observed between 10:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m. to run between Jan. 2 and 6. A statement by Dr Muhammad Bulama, the Commissioner for Information, said the curfew was extended to Jan. 12. Bulama said that the curfew was based on strong advice of the Theatre Commander, Operation Lafiya Dole. The state government hereby announces the extension of the rescheduled curfew time earlier announced 8:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m. every day by another one week. In other words, the prevailing curfew regime is to now last until Friday, 12th January, 2018. Bulama explained that the action was to avail the Armed Forces sufficient time to complete the on going special operation against Boko Haram terrorists and consolidate on the success so far recorded. He noted that the state government deeply regretted the inconveniences and difficulties caused to the people by the action. Bulama stressed that the decision was taken to safeguard the collective security and overall well being of the people. Government therefore urges all indigenes and residents of Borno State to see this temporary measure as part of necessary sacrifices we all have to make in the interest of peace, stability, development and progress of not only our dear state, but Nigeria as a whole. Mrs Ejiro Ofondu, States DPR Operations Controller, told newsmen in Yenagoa during the exercise that enforcement was necessary in the efforts to regulate the oil price. She said the exercise was to compel marketers not to sell the product above the official price of N145. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that in Bayelsa apart from Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) Mega Station, along Sani Abacha Express-way that sells at N145 per litre, other stations sell above the official price. Among the filling stations visited by DPR were Sobaz Filling Station, Ekeki in Yenagoa, was selling at N210 per litre while Ereboter Oil along Swali Road in the state capital was selling at N205. However, DPR on the visit, enforced the filling stations that were selling above the official pump price to sell at the official price. Our duty is to regulate pump prices, we are not suppliers and we dont stock oil, she said. Mr Ere Peters, Manager of Ereboter Oil, explained that he did not buy the product from NNPC. I bought the petrol from Warri Depot at N198 per litre, so, how can we sell at N145? he lamented. Also, the General Manager, Ebi Egrin and Sons Nigeria Limited, Mr. Austin Emmanuel advised the government not to quickly enforce price on them but try to know the source of their product. The DPR Operations Controller in the state, Mallam Ango Haruna, made this disclosure in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Saturday in Gusau. NAN reports that the committee led by its chairman, Sen. Kabiru Marafa of Zamfara Central, had visited the state last week to monitor fuel scarcity situation in the state. The committee during the visit, observed that some of the filling stations were selling petrol above government approved price, while some were hoarding and diverting the product. Haruna said that the committee had directed the DPR to sanction the four filling stations found selling the product above government approved price as well as hoarding it. Yes, we have the records of the affected filling stations, we will sanction them as directed by the committee at the appropriate time. You know, we were given directive from the Minister of Petroleum Resources that we should not seal off any filling station at this critical time, and in fact, even the committee chairman reminded me of this directive during the visit. ALSO READ:6 steps Nigeria should take to prevent fuel scarcity What we do when we find any filling station selling above government price or hoarding is to force them to revert and make sure that they sell fuel to the public at N145, as approved by the government, he said. The thugs set the office on fire, as the local government election in Delta state was about to commence today, Saturday, December 6, 2018. According to reports, the incident occurred following a protest by youths who alleged that result sheets were not included in the voting materials. Punch also reports that the hoodlums, who dared security operatives, shot indiscriminately into the air, injuring many people. The Ughelli office of the Delta State Independent Electoral Commission (DSIEC) houses sensitive materials, reports say. How it started Vanguard reports that an eyewitness said that the trouble started when some opposition party members insisted that they will authenticate the voting materials. ALSO READ: INEC says card readers will work fine in 2019 Enis Ogegere who was reportedly at the scene of the incident, said: Upon inspection of the materials, we noticed that there were only ballot papers and thumb printing materials excluding result sheets, this was what led to the fracas." Also a senior police officer at the Delta state A division told newsmen that the situation is being handled, adding that minimal force was used to disperse the crowd. According to Channels TV, the Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom also confirmed the incident which reportedly occurred on Saturday, December 6, 2018. Following the incident, the President General of Mzough U-Tiv, Mr Edward Ujege called on the United Nations and the international community to help the people of Benue. Ujege said Benue people are law-abiding and have remained so even in the face of frequent armed provoked attack by the herdsmen. We want any assistance from anywhere in the world to avert the killings in Benue State. And we are calling on the United Nations, United States, European Union, African Union, and any other person to come to our aids. Benue Governor thanks security operatives ALSO READ:Police charge 6 Fulani herdsmen suspects to court According to reports, Governor Ortom also praised security agencies for their prompt response. He said We appreciate the fact that now we have the massive presence of the police, we have an additional deployment of the military. They are on ground and deployment is being done; we are also providing logistics to ensure that these do not continue. As at now, over 40,000 people have been displaced and we are still counting. The Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris had earlier told newsmen, after a meeting with President Buhari, that the police is working hard to handle the crisis, Channels TV reports. Meanwhile, the leader of the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Of Nigeria (MACBAN) in Benue state, Garus Gololo has defended the attack on Benue communities, saying that his members were protecting themselves from cattle thieves. Gov. Yahaya Bello of Kogi, who stated this to State House correspondents in Abuja on Friday, said states crime statistics covering the affected months indicated that the state recorded no single case of armed robbery or kidnapping in the months under review. According to him, an attempt to snatch a vehicle from a citizen sometime this week was however frustrated by a combined team of security agents keeping the peace in the state. In Kogi State today we have done tremendous work as far as security is concerned. In the months of November, December and this January, there has not been any single case of armed robbery, kidnapping even mere stealing. One attempt was made, as I speak the DSS in collaboration with Army and Police have apprehended a particular gang that attempted to snatch a vehicle from a citizen. The security operatives are collaborating with us, we are spending a lot on security. So collaboration between the security agencies and understanding by the people, they are giving us a lot of information and we are treating them with utmost secrecy and we are working harmoniously together, he said. The governor announced that the Fulanis in Kogi were equally collaborating and assisting the security organisations in apprehending criminal elements within and beyond their enclaves. He said: So we are living very harmoniously with the Fulani herdsmen, farmers and the citizens. Travellers are safe day and night because anywhere you go you see security operatives and we have even vigilantes, hunters that are equally assisting us in our farms and so many other deserted areas.So, Kogi is very safe. Bello dismissed social media reports that he gave masquerades N2 million and vehicle each, adding that there was nothing of that nature at all. I think Im just hearing that for the first time. But let me just tell you that in Kogi State, first we promote culture, two we dont give millions to masquerades. In our culture Masquerades are ancestors, I dont know how a masquerade will go and spend money? Is it in the grave? They are supposed to be spirits and I dont know how masquerades will spend money. There is nothing of that nature at all, he said. On the forthcoming 2019 general election, the governor disclosed that Kogi had already endorsed President Buhari for the presidential election in 2019. President Buhari is from Daura in Katsina state, but the votes that would come out of Kogi would dwarf that of Katsina state. Im sure you are following us as we are receiving decampees from PDP and all other political parties. And any time we hold any decamping rally in any local government you will see the mammoth crowd that will turn out. So Kogi State has already endorsed President Buhari for second term, we are just waiting for the time to come. Nigerias power sector is often a case study in erratic output. But Tuesdays was so bad, every home in the country had no power as the grid caved in. It was a national blackout arriving just hours after President Muhammadu Buhari touted his administrations gains in the power sector in his New Year message. If the light in your area just went out, please retweet,Pulse Managing Editor, Ayomide Tayo, tweeted at exactly 9:38pm on the second day of the new year. Within minutes, retweets bordering on power outage on a national scale, were clogging dark timelines. Power was restored in some homes around midnight, but most parts of Nigeria havent seen a flicker of light from the grid since the nationwide blackout. We havent had public power in Bariga since it happened, blogger Olubayo Paul told Fatimah Oyelami said; ours was restored around midnight, but went off soon after. Loool, Nigerias power grid just collapsed. Welcome to 2018, tweeted Joachim McEbong. "It's shocking that we are shocked that there is no electricity", tweeted Dijaji Prime. One respondent described lights dimming before everywhere went pitch black--a picture painted by thousands of other respondents. It was also exactly how it played out in this writers apartment. Fire incident The Federal Ministry of Power, Works and Housing says the national outage was caused by a fire incident which blew up gas pipelines feeding power plants. Regrettably, after a sustained period of increasing production and distribution of power since Sept 2017 to date, the Nigerian Gas Processing Transportation Company Ltd has reported a fire incident on its Escravos Lagos Pipeline System near Okada, Edo State on Tue, 2nd Jan, 2018. The incident requires a shutdown of the pipeline supplying gas to Egbin 1,320MW; Olorunsogo NIPP 676MW, Olorunsogo 338MW, Omotosho NIPP 450MW, Omotosho 338 MW and Paras 60MW power stations. The sudden loss of generation due to interruption in gas supply from these stations caused the national transmission grid to trip off around 20:20 on 2nd January 2018. The national transmission grid is owned and operated by the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN). Most of Nigeria's power generation is from thermal power stations that require gas for fuel. The gas is produced by oil and gas companies overseen by the Ministry of Petroleum Resources. The gas is delivered to the power stations through pipelines owned and operated by Nigerian Gas Processing and Transportation Company Ltd (NGPTC), a subsidiary of Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC). TCN and the generation companies are working to restore operation of the national grid. Once the national grid is restored, output from the hydroelectric power stations and all other unaffected gas fired thermal power stations will be increased to the extent possible to minimize the impact of loss of generation from the affected power stations. He said the call became necessary owing to the need for the people of the area to return to their farms. According to him, the security challenges in the area are having a negative impact on the way of life of the people. The people of Takad, Kagoro and Atyap chiefdoms are still battling with security challenges which if not checked would find their way back into our land. On education, he said although the disengagement of teachers in the state was with a view to reshaping the sector, a sizable number of teachers from the community were affected with many of them still struggling to come to terms with. He, therefore, urged the state government to review its recruitment arrangements so that it would be able to re-absorb a significant number of disengaged indigenes of the community. On agriculture, he urged the government to support the community to enable it to improve on the already high yielding crop varieties they were producing. He identified such high-yielding crops as rice, ginger, groundnuts, Irish potatoes, soya beans, and Yam, among others. He said There will be crazier Nnamdi Kanu that will rise up, the problem of Biafra is not over. According to Daily Post, Iginla said that God showed him that Biafra will be actualised, but not by Kanu. According to Iginla God said to me that PDP and APC will keep having rotational circles until 2029 when a generation of the kind of leaders that we are looking for spring forth. None of these parties will produce our David, they will only be producing our Sauls. Between 2029 and 2038, a young vibrant politician from the least region will rise up with a strong presidential vigor between the age of 37 to 50 and he will turn the economy around, he will cause a change that would move this country to the dream land. The Igbos will smile again because within this season I see the Igbos producing a president for this country. It will be like sort of revolution but it will come to pass. God is showing me that the person that will bring about the realization of Biafra is not Nnamdi Kanu, he is a John the Baptist. Nnamdi Kanu and Operation Python Dance II Nnamdi Kanu abandoned his members and fled the country after soldiers deployed to the South East, under Operation Python Dance II, reportedly laid siege on his house for days. Also, in a bid to curb the alleged lawlessness of IPOB, Governors of South-East states banned the activities of the group. Wike made the allegation when the Minister of Interior, Lt.-Gen. Abdulrahman Danbazzau (Rtd) paid him a courtesy call in Port Harcourt. He stated that the security agencies in the state had knowledge of the cult kingpins terrorizing flashpoints in the state. The security agencies have the profiles of all cult kingpins in different parts of the state and they know their locations, there is no wisdom in the politicization of security. Insecurity can affect anybody, you can never know the next victim of insecurity, the governor stated. Wike called on the security agencies and the Federal Government to deploy personnel to cult flashpoints in the state to stop repeated attacks by cultists. In every system, the security agencies know the flashpoints, here we requested for the strengthening of security around these flashpoints, especially areas with high prevalence of cultists. I expect that security would be beefed up in these places, I ask this question, Is there an orchestrated plan to tag Rivers State unsafe? Is the situation above the security agencies, despite the information we have made available to them? the governor asked. He accused oil multinationals for the escalation of cultism in some communities, adding that the multinationals had encouraged cultism through the award of surveillance contracts to cultists. Wike lamented that having been funded by multinationals, cultists were able to purchase sophisticated weapons with which they caused mayhem on communities and law-abiding citizens. He disclosed that the State Government had made several requests to the Inspector-General of Police to deploy special squads to tackle cultism and kidnapping in Rivers. The governor stated that the Inspector-General of Police had failed to deploy special squads to the state, despite several requests by the State government. The peculiar nature of Rivers State requires peculiar intervention, before now, I have been shouting that we need support to fight crime, I have made this complaint severally, he said. Wike berated politicians who had wanted to adopt cult-related killings to play politics by making false allegations against the state. Earlier, the Minister of Interior, Lt.-Gen. Danbazzau noted that he was in the State at the instance of President Muhammadu Buhari to assess the security situation. The Minister on behalf of the President, condoled the government and the people of the State over the killings at Omoku. Rivers State is important to the country, particularly when it comes to the issue of the nations economy. Addressing journalists at the Aso Rock Presidential Villa after observing Jumaat prayers on Friday, January 5, 2018, Bello disclosed that "Kogi state has already endorsed President Buharis reelection in 2019." He noted that the votes from Kogi state would be far more than that from President Buharis home state, Katsina. Im sure you are following us as we are receiving decampees from the and all other political parties, Bello said. And any time we hold any decamping rally in any local government area you will see the mammoth crowd that turns out. So, Kogi State has already endorsed President Buhari for second term. We are just waiting for the time to come. You are going to see the votes that will come out of Kogi State. It will dwarf that of Katsina State I can assure you, he announced. Is Kogi state owing workers salary? The governor denied the allegation of him owing workers salaries. His words: "In Kogi State today we are up to date as far as salary is concerned. In the month of December like Mr. President magnanimously assisted us with another tranche of Paris Club Refund, our own figure was N1.2 billion and some other change on top. ALSO READ: Kogi Governor says 16b was used to clear salary arrears We didnt just stop at that, we borrowed up to N10 billion and we added November/December allocation to our figures and we were able to clear four months at a stretch before Christmas and some left over were cleared before this January in Kogi State. As you all know the salary was very bogus and according to the figure we had we were able to distribute it among these months. Moving forward from this January, we have decided that we are going to make use of our clock-in device for every civil servant in Kogi State both at local and state levels. So that as you come to work and clock-in, that is exactly how your salary will end up being generated. It is online; it is automated so nobody is going to cheat anybody. That is how we are going to go in the state so Kogi state civil servants and pensioners will be happy with this administration, he declared. "The suspect whose initials are MH was arrested a few days ago in Cyprus following an international arrest warrant" from Pristina, Kosovan police spokesman Baki Kelani told AFP. Harel has been hunted by the authorities for almost a decade for exploiting victims, often recruited from poor areas in Eastern Europe and Central Asia, by promising 15,000 euros ($18,000) for their organs. Recipients, mainly Israelis, would pay up to 100,000 euros for the transplant. The organ trafficking network came to light in 2008 after a Turkish man collapsed at Pristina airport after having a kidney removed. Police raided the Medicus clinic, which shut following the scandal. In 2013, an EU-led court in Kosovo sentenced five Kosovan doctors to up to eight years in prison for organ trafficking in the country. Donors, whose organs were illegally removed, were left without proper medical care and treated "like waste," prosecutors said at the time of the trial. The Supreme Court of Kosovo annulled the verdict in 2016 and ordered a new trial, which is ongoing. It is "approximately two billion worth of equipment and coalition support funding that is in play," the senior official said on condition of anonymity. The source added that "all options are on the table" when it comes to further moves, including stripping Pakistan of its status as a "major non-NATO ally" or calling in vital IMF loans. After more than a decade of simmering US anger at Islamabad's links with the Afghan Taliban and the Haqqani network -- a Taliban affiliate -- the Trump administration is trying to draw a line in the sand. "The United States has foolishly given Pakistan more than 33 billion dollars in aid over the last 15 years, and they have given us nothing but lies & deceit, thinking of our leaders as fools," Trump tweeted on New Year's Day. "They give safe haven to the terrorists we hunt in Afghanistan, with little help. No more!" On the hook is almost $1 billion of US military equipment that has allowed Pakistan access to advanced military technology, but also funding that is meant to pay Pakistan for helping to get US and NATO material into Afghanistan. Analysts believe the United States is highly unlikely to freeze all that funding, which, according to the source, totals $1.9 billion. US officials have already indicated that there could be "exemptions" for programs deemed vital to US national security -- likely including cash for keeping Pakistan's nuclear weapons safe. But nevertheless, the total figure of $1.9 billion is much higher than first indicated and is a signal of Washington's seriousness. "We are still working with Pakistan and we would restore the aid if we see decisive movements against the terrorists who are as much of a threat against Pakistan as they are against us," said Defense Secretary Jim Mattis. Hackles in Islamabad Pakistan has fought fierce campaigns against homegrown Islamist groups, and says it has lost thousands of lives and spent billions of dollars in its long war on extremism. But US officials accuse Islamabad of ignoring or even collaborating with groups that attack Afghanistan from safe havens along the border between the two countries. The White House believes that Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence agency and other military bodies have long helped fund and arm the Taliban for ideological reasons, but also to counter rising Indian influence in Afghanistan. It also believes that a Pakistani crackdown could be pivotal in deciding the outcome of the war in Afghanistan -- now entering its 17th year -- by weakening the Taliban militarily and forcing the organization to the negotiating table. "Unless we deal with the Pakistan sanctuary issue, it will undermine all of our other efforts in Afghanistan," the senior official said. "We can no longer accept Pakistan's dual policies of fighting some terrorists while supporting others." In September last year, the US suspended $255 million in funding to help Pakistan buy high-tech weaponry from American manufacturers. Now, the Defense Department has been instructed to stop making payments from "coalition support funds" set aside to refund Pakistani spending on counter-terrorist operations. The rhetoric has raised hackles in Islamabad and fears the row could undermine Pakistan's support for US operations in Afghanistan. The announcement ignited some small protests in Pakistan on Friday, including in Chaman, one of the two main crossings on the border with Afghanistan where several hundred people gathered to chant anti-US slogans. "We don't need any type of aid. Almighty Allah is with us and he is giving us everything," protester Mohammad Saleem told AFP, adding that he had a message for President Donald Trump: "Don't threaten us." But Pakistan's foreign ministry issued a cautious statement in which it said it was "engaged" with US officials and awaiting further details. Without referring to the decision directly, it warned that "arbitrary deadlines, unilateral pronouncements and shifting goalposts are counterproductive in addressing common threats." Afghanistan welcomes move US officials admit that Pakistan could make life difficult for Washington by closing land routes that are vital to supply US troops in Afghanistan. This year's fighting season will begin again within months. But, the official said, it was "difficult but not impossible" to find other ways to get equipment in, and the US was also worried about its credibility if it continues to fund a country harboring America's enemies. The move, which US officials had hinted at for months, was greeted optimistically in Afghanistan. "We have been saying for years that neighboring Pakistan is providing safe haven to terrorist groups, and they were also funding the terrorist groups," Nasrat Rahim, deputy interior ministry spokesman, told reporters in Kabul. On Thursday, the US State Department also tweeted that it has placed deeply conservative Muslim Pakistan on a special watch list for severe violations of religious freedom. On Dec. 18, 2017, Amtrak 501, the first Cascades passenger train operating over the Point Defiance Bypass in Washington State, careened off the rails as it entered a 30-mph speed-restricted curve at 80 mph. The investigations into the accidents cause may take a year, even two. Meanwhile, unless something changes, FRA Safety Advisory 2015-03, Operational and Signal Modifications for Compliance with Maximum Authorized Passenger Train Speed and Other Speed Restrictions, which is intended to prevent these kinds of incidents and save lives, remains as the latest line of defense put forward by the rail industrys regulator, the Federal Railroad Administration. Clearly, things went terribly wrong. However well-intended, SA 2015-03 failed to prevent yet another passenger train experiencing an overspeed derailment. SA 2015-03 was issued following the overspeed derailment of Amtrak 188 on the Northeast Corridor at Frankford Curve in Philadelphia. Investigators will, eventually, determine what circumstances and factors caused 501 to derail. The question that should concern us all, in the meantime: If rail industry rules and practices following SA 2015-03 failed to prevent the derailment of 188 and 501, whats to prevent yet another fatal derailment? The big problem with FRA Safety Advisories is that they simply recommend that railroads undertake safety-risk mitigation actions outline in the advisory. FRA has no statutory authority to force compliance. So, what did SA 2015-03 recommend, and how did the parties involved in this train service respond? SA 2015-03 recommended that all passenger and host railroads (paraphrased here): 1) Review a previous FRA SA on the importance of compliance with maximum authorized speeds; 2) Review the circumstances surrounding the 188 derailment; 3) Identify all locations that require speed reductions of more than 20 mph; 4) Make sure that any on-board speed enforcement technology is operable and able to enforce speed restriction compliance; 5) If there are no on-board speed enforcement technologies, require a second qualified crew member in the cab of the controlling locomotive, or that there is constant communication between the engineer and another crewmember in the body of the train; 6) Install additional wayside signage to alert engineers and conductors of maximum authorized speeds. We do not know with certainty that Amtrak and Sound Transit (owner of 14.5-mile Point Defiance Bypass, the former BNSF Lakeview Subdivision) complied with 1 and 2, in the context of this train service. It appears they complied with 3, because a wayside speed restriction sign was in place, in advance of the incident curve, as recommended in item 6. That leaves us with 4 and 5. Many, if not all, Amtrak passenger locomotives are equipped with some form of Automatic Train Control (ATC) equipment that functions much like Positive Train Control (PTC). If these Amtrak locomotives had operable ATC equipment, a small investment in track circuitry on the Point Defiance Bypass by Sound Transit would have triggered the ATC system, stopping the train and preventing the derailment. Amtrak installed ATC track circuitry on Frankford Curve after the 188 derailment. Would it not have been prudent for all the parties involved in the Point Defiance Bypass project to consider the safety risk associated with failing to install ATC track circuitry on the incident curve, before revenue passenger service began? That leaves us with item 5. According to the NTSB, the second person in the cab of the controlling locomotive was a conductor who was not yet qualified on the territory. This is very important, because an unqualified second person in the control cab represents a threat, a distraction, rather than a train speed compliance asset. An even more striking example of the inadequacy of rail industry practices and FRA Safety Advisories to prevent human-factor-caused train collisions and derailments is SA 2004-04, Effect of Sleep Disorders on Safety of Railroad Operations. In it, FRA recommended several measures railroads should undertake to prevent train collisions caused by untreated sleep apnea. That SA was preceded by three head-on freight train collisions, attributed to untreated sleep apnea, and followed by four others, to date. Ten engineers and conductors perished in those accidents; eight others suffered non-fatal injuries. And, in spite of that SA, the engineers at the controls of three different commuter trains that recently derailed in the New York metropolitan area (one each on Metro-North, New Jersey Transit and the Long Island Rail Road), killing five and injuring more than 250, have all been diagnosed with severe OSA (obstructive sleep apnea) after the derailments occurred. NTSB has already determined that untreated OSA was the probable cause of one of these derailments, Metro-Norths Spuyten Duyvil Curve wreck, and will soon issue its findings on the other two. Train crew fatigue and medical fitness-for-duty, including untreated OSA, have wrought death and destruction across the railroad industry for years. In recent years, at least 21 engineers and conductors working for freight railroads have lost their lives in train collisions caused by fatigue/OSA and other medical fitness-for-duty issues. Many more have suffered non-fatal injuries. Yet FRA has failed to take effective actions to address these well-known and well-documented safety risks. How is it, in light of all these deaths and injuries, that FRA has not taken action to impose medical fitness-for-duty standards, which would include fatigue and OSA, on the nations railroads? What more will it take? In 2016, FRA took a small step forward on OSA when it joined the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) in issuing an Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (ANPRM) entitled Evaluation of Safety Sensitive Personnel for Moderate-to-Severe Obstructive Sleep Apnea. A year and a half later, in August of 2017, it published a notice in the Federal Register withdrawing that proposed rulemaking, stating as follows: The Agencies believe that current safety programs and FRAs rulemaking addressing fatigue risk management are the appropriate avenues to address OSA. Really? In that notice, FRA cites three things it has or will do to address safety risks associated with untreated OSA/medical fitness-for-duty problems: FRA had previously issued two Safety Advisories on OSA/medical fitness-for-duty. Many (most freight) railroads have failed to respond effectively to those advisories, and FRA has no statutory authority to compel them to do so. FRAs knowledge that several railroads are in the process of initiating OSA diagnostics and treatment programs and their intention to monitor those programs in search of best practices. This offers no immediate, or even timely, relief from the safety risks associated untreated OSA/medical fitness-for-duty issues. The Risk Reduction Plan (RRP) provisions in the 2008 Rail Safety Improvement Act (RSIA). Who are they kidding? According to the RSIA, RRPs were supposed to be submitted to the DOT Secretary/FRA by October 2012. Five years hence, not one single RRP has been submitted, much less approved and implemented. According to the FRA website, FRA hoped to issue a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) on Risk Reduction Programs in early 2017. It has missed that self-imposed deadline as well. Not to be presumptuous, but also not willing to go quietly into retirement, here are two viable options for FRA to undertake to address these safety risks: Re-open the rulemaking on OSA and move it through the regulatory process as fast as possible. This is a sub-optimal solution, since the public would remain at risk for whatever period of time is needed to complete and implement a regulatory solution. Should the NTSB find that sleep apnea was the probable cause of the NJ Transit Hoboken Terminal and/or the Long Island Rail Road Atlantic Terminal platform overruns, the timing would be right for FRA to issue an Emergency Order (EO) on OSA. Both the FAA and FMCSA have existing standards and protocols on OSA/medical fitness-for-duty that could serve as a pattern for an EO, protecting the public and railroad workers until a regulation is finalized and implemented. There is recent precedence for such an action. Subsequent to the Metro-North Spuyten Duyvil derailment, FRA issue EO-29 ten days later on Dec. 11, 2013, stating in part, FRA finds that the recent December 1, 2013, accident on Metro-North and the lack of overspeed protection in place on Metro-Norths system created an emergency situation involving a hazard of death At the time that EO was issued, FRA did not know, nor had NTSB concluded, that the engineers untreated OSA was the probable cause of the derailment. EO-29 outlined several measures Metro-North must undertake immediately to address the lack of overspeed protection on its system. Had FRA known at the time it issued EO-29 that untreated OSA was the probable cause of the Spuyten Duyvil derailment, it could have, and should have, included OSA risk mitigation in the EO. Should NTSB find OSA to be the probable cause of one or both of the other commuter train derailments, an EO on OSA would be the optimal solution for mitigating the safety risks associated with untreated OSA, because risk mitigation measures could be implemented in a very short period of time. Enough is enough. It is time for FRA to recognize that Safety Advisories are inadequate for protecting and public and rail worker safety. It must exercise its statutory authority to issue Emergency Orders, forcing the railroad industry to take measures to deal with speed restriction compliance and sleep apnea, unless and until adequate regulations can be finalized and implemented. POLAND: The creation of a network of regular local passenger services centred on Poznan is to begin this year, after the local authorities reached a funding agreement in December. Poznan Metropolitan Railway services are to be operated by voivodship-owned company Koleje Wielkopolskie. 'No one really knows whether it is somehow better to go raging and fighting into the dark night, or close one's eyes quietly and give in to fate.' 'But a funeral with music, tinsel and acceptance -- not unlike most New Year festivities -- seems like a better send-off than any other,' says Geetanjali Krishna. Illustration: Uttam Ghosh/Rediff.com As 2017 drew to a close, social media recapped the year -- and people -- gone by. As I read about Shashi Kapoor, Tom Alter, Glen Campbell, Hugh Hefner and others who passed away last year, I am struck by how medical our reporting (and understanding) of death has become. It is almost as if it weren't for cardiac arrest, cancer, or stroke, people would not die at all. Modern medicine has somehow made us all think of death as being, in some way, a failure to survive, rather than an inevitable reality. So amid reports of famous personalities who lost 'heroic battles' against a host of maladies, I find my mind straying to Rakesh Kumar's father, a small farmer in a small village in Madhya Pradesh. When he died in early December at the ripe old age of 85 while visiting his son in Delhi, his funeral had the neighbours agog. Kumar and his brothers had decorated his bier with streamers and tinsel, and hired a band to lead the funeral procession. "Our neighbours here -- all migrants from across the country -- had never experienced a funeral like this, as you can imagine," said Kumar, who, as the eldest son, performed all the rituals and ceremonies. They thought it was strange for a death to be celebrated in this fashion. But Kumar's family, who came to Delhi to pay their last respects to the departed soul, had a different take on this. "When someone dies of natural causes in our family, we think of that person having completed his time on earth, as we all will someday," said he. "And especially when an old person who has discharged all his earthly duties dies, we believe that celebrations rather than mourning are in order." Much to the mystification of the neighbours, used to more conventional funerary practices, Kumar and his family were melancholy, but not overtly so. "We would all sit together till late at night, reminiscing about the old days, singing old songs and our neighbours commented that ours didn't seem like a house where a death had taken place," he said. Kumar's philosophy did seem unusual, I commented. In his family, he rebutted, death, especially in old age, was accepted as a natural and inevitable part of life. Perhaps till not so long ago, mortality rates were much higher than they are now, I said, so natural death due to old age was considered (and celebrated) as an achievement. He rubbished this conjecture as well. "Nobody can escape death, even if he has access to the world's best medical facilities," said he. "What's the use of crying over something that can't be avoided?" Kumar told me that many neighbours were also surprised when he said he hadn't found out the eventual cause of his father's death. "We had taken him to hospital because he had developed fever and wasn't eating," he said. "Eventually, he died because his time had come -- the actual medical causes didn't really matter to us." Consequently, today, although Kumar and his family are grieving the loss of their patriarch, their stoic acceptance of his death seems far removed from the battle modern science is waging against mortality. No one really knows whether it is somehow better to go raging and fighting into the dark night, or close one's eyes quietly and give in to fate. But a funeral with music, tinsel and acceptance -- not unlike the tempus fugit undertone of most New Year festivities -- seems like a better send-off than any other. Police has denied permission for a public gathering to be addressed by Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal at Sindkhed Raja in Maharashtra's Buldhana on January 12, citing 'difficulty in crowd management', a senior police official said on Saturday. Kejriwal was slated to address a public gathering during the 'Jijau Janmotsav Sohla' to be held at Sindkhed Raja in Buldhana district of Vidarbha. "Earlier, Kejriwal was to have a 'darshan' of Jijamata on January 12. However, a public gathering to be addressed by him was scheduled at a particular place in Sindkhed Raja and the permission to hold it was rejected by the police," Superintendent of Police Sushil Kumar Meena told PTI. "The police declined permission for the public gathering citing difficulty in crowd management," he said. Jijabai or Jijau is the mother of 17th century Maratha warrior king Chhatrapati Shivaji and a function to mark her birth anniversary is held every year at Sidkhed Raja. The event is organised every year on January 11 and 12 and lakhs of people throng to Sidhkhed Raja for a 'darshan' of Jijau. Four to five lakh people are expected at Sidkhed Raja this year, the police official said. Meena, however, said Kejriwal is permitted to take 'darshan' of Jijabai. The public address of Kejriwal was organised by 'Samvidhan Morcha'. "We had requested the organisers of Kejiwal's event to hold the programme away from the main venue in Sindhkhed Raja tehsil as the spot decided by them would have created problems for crowd management at the main venue (of 'Jijau Janmotsav Sohla')," the police official noted. While the Pune police has registered a case against Jignesh Mevani for a 'provocative speech', Union minister Ramdas Athawale on Saturday said the Gujarat MLA was not responsible for the violence at Bhima-Koregaon in Pune district on January 1. Speaking to reporters in Mumbai after meeting Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Athawale, a prominent Dalit leader, said there was tension in the area even prior to the 200th anniversary of the Bhima-Koregaon battle on January 1. Dalits visiting the war memorial at Bhima-Koregaon had reportedly come under attack on January 1. Dalit leaders had blamed certain pro-Hindutva leaders, who were opposed to the anniversary celebrations, for the attacks, while the latter sought to blame Mevani's 'provocative speech', which was delivered a day earlier. "Jignesh is not responsible for the violence at Bhima-Koregaon. There was tension in the area prior to January 1. I had visited the place and the tension had eased. So, I had returned to Delhi on December 31. "On the same day, Jignesh had delivered his speech at the Shaniwar Wada in Pune. He had not gone to Bhima-Koregaon. Some groups had held a meeting at night and the violence took place on January 1," the Union minister of state for social justice said. "I have congratulated Jignesh on his assembly election victory. It is good that a young, fresh Dalit face is emerging. My advice to him is that he should focus on uniting the society and not dividing it," said Athawale, who heads a faction of the Republican Party of India. On Mevani's demand that Prime Minister Narendra Modi speak on the January 1 anti-Dalit violence, Athawale said, "It is not necessary that the prime minister should comment on every development. After the Una incident (where Dalits were assaulted by cow vigilantes), Modi had criticised it." Fadnavis had assured him that those responsible for the Bhima-Koregaon violence would be punished and accepted his demand of compensation for those whose properties were damaged, the Union minister said. Athawale also said he was going to organise a 'social harmony conference' in Pune on January 13. Referring to a demand put forward by some leaders of the Maratha community, he said he was open to a debate on the 'misuse' of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. If Dalits and tribals were treated with respect, there would not be any need for such a law, Athawale said, while ruling out the possibility of its abolition at present. The January 3 Maharashtra shutdown against the Bhima-Koregaon violence had put the Dalit community's strength in focus, the Union minister said. "If Dalits can come together to voice their anger, the RPI factions can also do so to lend political strength to the community," he added. He was ready to work under the leadership of Prakash Ambedkar (who had called for the Maharashtra Bandh on January 3), Athawale said, adding, "United, we can decide if we should contest elections independently or align with the BJP or the Congress." The Pune police has lodged an FIR against Mevani and Jawaharlal Nehru University student leader Umar Khalid for their alleged provocative speeches during the 'Elgar Parishad', organised in the city on December 31 to mark the 200th anniversary of the Bhima-Koregaon battle. The FIR was registered under Indian Penal Code section 153(a) (promoting enmity between two groups). Dalit leaders commemorate the British victory over the Peshwa's army at Bhima-Koregaon in 1818 as it is believed that soldiers from the Mahar community were part of the East India Company's forces. The Peshwas were Brahmins and the victory is seen as a symbol of Dalit assertiveness. IMAGE: Gujarat MLA Jignesh Mevani arrives to address a press conference in New Delhi on Friday. Photograph: PTI Photo India wants to evolve a regional architecture based on the twin principles of shared security and shared prosperity, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj said on Saturday as she called for a deeper economic integration with the dynamic Association of Southeast Asian Nations region. Swaraj, who inaugurated the 5th Round Table of ASEAN-India Network of Think Tanks in Jakarta, emphasised on enhancing maritime security, trade and investment, education and cultural heritage among the grouping. "These are important markers in our engagement with South East Asia, in enhancing our strategic ties with ASEAN across 3 Cs. These 3Cs are commerce, connectivity and culture," she said. Swaraj, who arrived in Jakarta on Friday from Thailand on the second leg of her three-nation tour, said both India and ASEAN countries are maritime nations, with a rich and glorious history of maritime trade. We have energised our ancient links in a contemporary setting, to become a driving force in Asia's resurgence, she said. As a mature and responsible nation, one of Indias foreign policy interests, is to evolve a regional architecture based on the twin principles of shared security, and shared prosperity, she said. This was enunciated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2015, in his vision of SAGAR (Security and Growth for All in the Region). It recognises the central role played by the seas and oceans around us in promoting sustainable economic progress in a secure and stable environment. She said the Indo Pacific region is increasingly seen as a connectivity pathway -- much of the worlds trade passes through these oceans. "These waters must not only get better connected, but remain free from traditional and non-traditional threats that impede free movement of people, goods and ideas. Respect for international law, notably UNCLOS, in ensuring this is, therefore imperative," she said. She said India and ASEAN share a common vision for global commerce and maritime domain and New Delhi looks forward to working closely with the grouping in a range of activities. She called for cooperation in blue economy, coastal surveillance, building off- shore patrolling capabilities, hydrographic services and information sharing for increased maritime domain awareness. She noted that a deeper economic integration with the dynamic ASEAN region, is an important aspect of India's Act East Policy. ASEAN is India's 4th largest trading partner, accounting for 10.2 per cent of Indias total trade. India is ASEAN's 7th largest trading partner. Trade is back on track and registered an 8 per cent increase in 2016-17, as compared to the previous year. She said India wants to promote dialogue among ASEAN and Indian business and trade associations to further enhance bilateral trade and investment. She invited the scholars, academics and think tanks present at the round table to offer new ideas, for a greater integration of ASEAN Economic Community with India and identify collaborative opportunities in investment, trade and services sector. Swaraj also held talks with ASEAN Secretary General Dato Paduka Lim Jock Hoi as India steps up efforts to strengthen engagements with the countries of the region under its 'Act East' policy. New Delhi will host a commemorative summit on January 25 to mark the 25th anniversary of the Dialogue Partnership between India and the ASEAN in which all the leaders of the grouping are expected to participate. ASEAN comprises of Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. She also addressed the Indian Community at a reception held in her honour in Jakarta. Swaraj on Friday held talks with her Indonesian counterpart Marsudi and the two sides reviewed the whole gamut of bilateral relations. Swaraj is now in Singapore where she will inaugurate the Regional Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (PBD) of ASEAN countries on Sunday. Her three-nation visit is part of New Delhi's efforts to hold bilateral interactions in various sectors with countries of the South East Asian region within the framework of India's 'Act East' policy. IMAGE: External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj holds talks with ASEAN Secretary General Dato Paduka Lim Jock Hoi, right, and her Indonesian counterpart Retno Marsudi, left, in Jakarta on Saturday. Photograph: Courtesy @MEAIndia/Twitter The Connecticut Coalition to End Homelessness (CCEH) is asking individuals across the state to take part in this years largest national data collection event on homelessness, set for Tuesday, Jan. 23. The Point-in-Time (PIT) count is an important annual exercise to estimate the total number of homeless individuals on a given night across Connecticut and the country. Volunteers participating in the Point-in-Time count have the opportunity to participate in the fight to end homelessness in a meaningful way. The PIT is required by the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to develop the data crucial to assessing the success of current programs, progress made nationally in the fight to end homelessness, and to determine future resource allocations for the upcoming year. For those experiencing homelessness, the count offers a chance for them to connect with volunteer surveyors who can record their needs, and add them to community registries for housing resources and toward the services and supports that that can end their homelessness. Connecticuts 2017 Point-in-Time Count showed substantial progress in efforts to end homelessness, with overall homelessness in Connecticut is down 24 percent compared to 2007 and chronic homelessness down by 11 percent from 2016. This year the state will once again be using mobile technology for gathering PIT Data. Canton, MA based Simtech Solutions developed the Counting Us mobile app which volunteers can download for free from Google Play or the App Store. The app uses the built in GPS functionality found within most smart phones and tablets to identify the location of the interaction with a person or family experiencing homelessness. The surveys within the app collect demographic information along with details on any circumstances that are making it difficult for them to find and maintain housing. The survey information is submitted throughout the night of the count to a regional command center. In previous years, we would make due on the night of the count using a small army of volunteers who are sent out into the streets with stacks of paper forms, said Brian Roccapriore, HMIS Director for CCEH which oversees the count. This is our third year using the mobile app, and we know from experience that it improves accuracy and timeliness of the data, as well as countless hours of data entry. Volunteering to participate in the PIT allows peoppe to be part of Connecticuts historic progress built from the community support, great partnerships, and reliable up-to-date data that powers efforts to end homelessness. Connecticut was the second state to end veteran homelessness as of 2016. This year the Point-in-Time Count will be followed by the 2018 CT Youth Count, a week-long event to count all of the sheltered and unsheltered homeless youth and young adults age 24 and below in the state on a given night. Volunteers can participate during the dates and times convenient to their schedule and be trained to administer the surveys in their communities. The success of the Point-in-Time Count and 2018 CT Youth Count depends on the participation of volunteers. CCEH is asking individuals from across the state to join the effort Tuesday, January 23. To learn more or to volunteer for the 2018 Point-In-Time count visit http://cceh.org/pit/ct-pit-2018/ or contact Jackie Janosko at jjanosko@cceh.org. To learn more about the 2018 Youth Count visit http://cceh.org/youth-count/. Best Brexcity London confounds doom-mongers to be crowned Europes top tech investment city Output in big boost By Tracey Boles WORKERS gave the economy a timely boost with the biggest rise in output for six years. Productivity in the UK increased 0.9 per cent during the third quarter of 2017, with manufacturing and financial services leading the way. It is more good news for Chancellor Philip Hammond following a stronger than expected performance in the dominant services sector. The capital had more technology money pour in than the rest of the top ten combined, including Paris, Dublin and BerlinBy Harry Cole, Westminster Correspondent6th January 2018The SunLONDON beat every other EU city to be crowned tech investment champion of 2017 despite the move to Brexit.The capital had more technology money pour in than the rest of the top ten combined, including Paris, Dublin and Berlin.Despite dire referendum warnings that they would leave, tech firms in London attracted 2.45billion in venture capital funding in 2017.This was almost 80 per cent of the 2.99billion invested in Britain as a whole, according to funding database PitchBook.British firms had almost four times the funding of German rivals. Mayor of London Sadiq Khan called it further proof London is the undisputed tech capital of Europe and I am committed to ensuring we take over from Silicon Valley as the worlds leading tech hub.Digital Minister Matt Hancock said it was excellent news. He added: The UKs tech sector is leading the world, creating high value jobs, and that is something we should all celebrate.Eileen Burbidge, partner at investment firm Passion Capital, said it was no surprise to see London and Britain leading the pack.She said it has the talent and investor capital needed.Financial technology was the most popular sector for investors, attracting a record 1.34billion in venture capital, the data, compiled for London & Partners, showed.London investors Hoxton Ventures, who pumped money into hit app Deliveroo, said: London is the place where US and global investors come as their first port of call. The tour begins with Delhi on 10 January, before heading to Guwahati the following day. IIT Madras will be the only college venue on the band's debut India tour. With the release of their sixth studio album less than three months ago, one can expect the band to unleash the new singles. Since their divergence from their deathcore sound, they have had several lineup changes and have released 6 hit albums. Previous editions have seen crowds of over 6000 rocked by the likes of Opeth, Karnivool and Parikrama. Veil of Maya was founded by Mark Okubo, Sam Applebaum and Kris Higler. Their first four albums were Deathcore albums, with peaking at #1 in the US Heats. With the release of Matriarch, and several lineup changes, they diverged into metalcore, with elements of djent and deathcore. The band is known for their heavy and intricate guitar-laden sound. At their live shows, elements of death metal with theatrical samples that transition between each live song form the full-frontal assault of savage guitar work. Their progressiveaggressive take on modern metal delivers low bass tones and mystifying song structure. Their newest singles Overthrow and Doublespeak, from their sixth album False Idol are showing the new era of Veil of Maya, one of definite excitement. Report: Army steps up attacks against Saudi military sites, their mercenaries in battles fronts [06/January/2018] SANAA, Jan 6 (Saba) The missile units of the army and popular forces stepped up attacks against Saudi military sites in the battle fronts over the past 24 hours, a military official told Saba on Saturday. In border province of Najran, the army and popular forces fired a short-range ballistic missile on Saudi military Wajab camp. Also in Najran, the artillery units of the army and popular forces hit military sites of al-Talah and off al-Khadhra crossing point. Separately, in Jizan border province, the army in cooperation with popular forces fired a ballistic missile, Zilzal 2, on Saudi soldiers' groups in military site of al-Mousam, killing and injuring dozens. Moreover, several of Saudi soldiers were killed and injured when the army and popular forces fired a ballistic missile, al-Sourkha, on al-Thawrain camp, while the artillery hit other groups in military site of Majaza. In province of Taiz, the army and popular forces fired a ballistic missile, Qaher m2, upon gatherings of Saudi-paid mercenaries in western coast and al-Jahmalih district, killing and wounding dozens of them. Meanwhile, the army and popular forces destroyed three military vehicles of Saudi-paid mercenaries, killing crewmembers, while the artillery shelled mercenary groups in al-Shabakah in al-Ma'afar district and al-Yasamin in Thubab district in Taiz province. In the northern province of Jawf, the army and popular force foiled an attempt of Saudi-paid mercenaries to infiltrate towards Quaitah area, killing and injured dozens. Also in Jawf, several mercenary commanders were killed and wounded when the army and popular forces waged an attack against the mercenaries' sites in Mazuih area of Maton, Khabu-WaSha'af district. In Marib governorate, about 173 km north of the capital Sanaa, the army and popular forces killed and wounded dozens of mercenaries' gatherings in Serwah and Nehm districts. In Lahj province, the army and popular forces hit gatherings of the mercenaries in al-Dhahi area of Karash district, killing and injured a number of them. In governorate of Bayda, dozens of the mercenaries were killed and wounded when the army and popular forces repulsed their attempt to sneak up towards Thi Na'am district, the official said. Ali Ahsan/zak Saba Four policemen were killed and several others injured on Saturday in an improvised explosive device (IED) blast in Jammu and Kashmir's Sopore town. The powerful IED explosion ripped through the Sopore market area, which was immediately cordoned off, police said. Separatists had called for a protest shutdown and a march in the town on Saturday. The injured were shifted to hospital. A search operation is underway, a police officer said. Heavy deployment of security forces was already in place to maintain law and order situation in the wake of separatist-called protest shutdown in Sopore. Congress President Rahul Gandhi on Saturday attacked the Centre for the economic slump in the country and described "GDP" as the "Gross Divisive Politics" of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Rahul Gandhi targeted both Modi and Finance Minister Arun Jaitley for the slowdown in investment, bank credit growth, job creation and agricultural growth. "FM Jaitley's genius combines with Modi's Gross Divisive Politics (GDP) to give India: New Investments: 13 year (low), Bank credit Growth: 63 year (low), Job creation: 8 year (low), Agriculture GVA growth: 1.7% (low) Fiscal Deficit: 8 year (high), Stalled Projects (high)," Rahul Gandhi tweeted. Rahul also tweeted a news report in which the Central Statistics Office (CSO) has projected that economic growth rate for 2017-18 will be lower than the 7.1 per cent that was achieved in 2016-17. Implementation of the Goods and Services Tax and subsequent slowdown in the manufacturing sector was expected to drag down India's growth to 6.5 per cent in 2017-18, official data showed on Friday. The Delhi High Court on Thursday commuted the death sentence of two convicts to life imprisonment in the 2009 Jigisha Ghosh murder case. A division bench of Justice S. Murlidhar and Justice I.S. Mehta modified the death sentence awarded to Ravi Kapoor and Amit Shukla by the trial court and said they would serve life imprisonment. The death row convicts had challenged the trial court's conviction and sentence. The trial court had on July 14, 2016, held the two guilty of the murder of IT executive Jigisha Ghosh and other counts. While sentencing the two to death, the trial court had said the 28-year-old woman was killed in a "cold-blooded, inhuman and cruel manner" and "brutally mauled to death". Ex-Arsenal centre half Gabriel Paulista thinks at least one of Mesut Ozil or Alexis Sanchez will stay at Arsenal next season, but he wouldnt be drawn on which one. Alexis and Ozils contracts both expire in the summer, with the pair heavily linked with Bosman transfers in the summer. But Gabriel, who himself left Arsenal in the summer for Valencia, believes that one of the two players will extend their deal and stay in North London. The Brazilian told FourFourTwo magazine, The team would lose a lot if they left. I would bet at least one of them stays. Dont ask me which one, though!" Gabriel also believes that he deserved more opportunities during his two and a half year spell at the club, as he struggled to hold down a first team place. The injuries definitely didnt help, but I think I deserved more opportunities at Arsenal, the Brazilian says. I felt down as the only way I played was if my team-mates were injured. I didnt feel OK with that at all. I played one of my best games against City [in last seasons FA Cup semi-final] and was very happy, but then came the derby with Spurs and I gave away a penalty, and didnt really play again. Ex-Arsenal centre half Gabriel Paulista thinks at least one of Mesut Ozil or Alexis Sanchezwill stay at Arsenal next season, but he wouldnt be drawn on which one. Alexis and Ozils contracts both expire in the summer, with the pair heavily linked withBosman transfers in the summer. But Gabriel, who himself left Arsenal in the summer for Valencia, believes that one of the twoplayers will extend their deal and stay in North London. The Brazilian told FourFourTwo magazine, The team would lose a lot if they left. I would betat least one of them stays. Dont ask me which one, though!" Gabriel also believes that he deserved more opportunities during his two and a half yearspell at the club, as he struggled to hold down a first team place. The injuries definitely didnt help, but I think I deserved more opportunities at Arsenal, theBrazilian says. I felt down as the only way I played was if my team-mates were injured. Ididnt feel OK with that at all. I played one of my best games against City [in last seasons FA Cup semi-final] and wasvery happy, but then came the derby with Spurs and I gave away a penalty, and didnt reallyplay again. Lets face it. For every beginning there is an end. And for every end there is a reward to be extended, the quality of which would depend entirely on how keenly persevering the attempt would be. Still, now that Christmas is behind us, and another New Year is moving along steadily as we all knew it would, perhaps the time is right to get back to that rather eager grindstone, and lets start hacking away at those fretful scruples, one more time. So lets begin with the story titled Parliament brings back Criminal Libel which Prime Minister, Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi, had for months been agonising over to the point where he literarily ended up making a fool of himself, to the delight of virtually everyone else. Published in the Samoa Observer on 20 December 2017, the story said: Parliament yesterday endorsed the governments plan to re-introduce the Criminal Libel Act into the law books of Samoa. Abolished by the ruling Human Rights Protection Party in 2013, Members of Parliament unanimously agreed to bring back the law, when Parliament reconvened for the last time this year at Tuanaimato yesterday, 21 December 2017. Amazing! The story went on to say: The bill passed the first, second and third reading, within less than an hour. Wonderful! It continued: Prime Minister, Tuilaepa Sailele Mailielegaoi, has been instrumental in bringing back the law, as part of a government-driven effort to clamp down on ghost writers such as Ole Palemia and others who use fake social media pages, to attack members of the public. Now lets wait a second. Who were these so-called ghost writers that Prime Minister Tuilaepa was talking about back there? Indeed, who is the chap called Ole Palemia. It appears that neither Prime Minister Tuilaepa nor anyone else knows! In fact, the story doesnt say. All it says is that: The Speaker of Parliament, Leaupepe Toleafoa Faafisi, said the re-introduction of the law was expedited due to the urgent nature of the issues it sets out to deal with. Urgent? How urgent? If the re-introduction of the law was urgent, why is it that the entire Police Force had not been activated with the idea of turning every stone upside down - pardon the pun - to ensure that this joker named O le Palemia whom it seems everyone is afraid of, is found and be thrown in jail where he rightly belongs? Now wait. Weve got the Minister of Justice and the Courts Administration, Faaolesa Katopau Ainuu, joining the circus. As the joker who introduced the Criminal Libel Bill in Parliament, he said: The law is not new. This amendment is in relation to defamation. He went on to explain: Currently, there is a clause to have this case before the Court for a civil claim. The amendment today is to add on the criminal prosecution for defamation. People have asked as to why we need to reinstate the criminal libel when the matter can be dealt with through civil. Faaolesa also said: In a civil claim, there is a need for lawyers to represent your case and most of our people cannot afford a lawyer; whereas (with) Criminal Libel the matter can be prosecuted by the Police and you would not need a lawyer. Now isnt that wonderful! Is he saying that if you were O le Palemia, you could go on and accuse Samoas political leaders of all sorts of alleged criminal activities including being corrupt and fraudulent, and you would still not be prosecuted for doing so by the Police? According to the Minister of Justice Faaolesa, the Law of Criminal Libel was abolished back in 2013 based on legal opinions of some lawyers. However, the government sees the need to reinstate this law following requests by members of the public who want to pursue cases before the Court, but cannot afford a legal counsel. He said: The Bill amends the Crimes Act 2013 with introduction of a new Part 9A for crimes against a persons reputation. This Part is False statement causing harm to a persons reputation. The rationale for introducing the offence is to address harm done to a persons reputation by another person who publishes false information about that person. This is similar to defamatory libel and although civil proceedings for defamation are available to the public, the reality is, not all Samoans have access to these proceedings as not all are able to afford legal services required for such proceedings. Hes probably right. Whats undisputed though is that Faaolesa Katopau Ainuu had worked as a lawyer in American Samoa at one point in time. Later when he moved to Samoa, he entered Parliament and became the Minister of Justice. Later still, on 8 May 2008, the Attorney General of the government of American Samoa, Fepuleai Authur Ripley, filed a claim in the District Court of American Samoa naming Katopau Ainuu, as the defendant in a criminal complaint. Katopau was accused of having committed two crimes, one of Embezzlement and the other of Criminal Fraud. On the charge of Embezzlement, court documents showed that on 3 November 2006, the Defendant knowingly misappropriated funds which had been entrusted to him in violation of ASCA 46.4104, a class C felony punishable by imprisonment for up to seven years, a fine of up to double the amount gained by the crime, or both. On the charge of Criminal Fraud, court documents showed that on 3 November 2006, the Defendant knowingly and wilfully obtained money by the use of a scheme to defraud by false pretences. To that extend, the Defendant agreed to represent the victims(s) as an attorney, in a matai case; on that day, Defendant took payment from victim(s) as payment to represent victim(s) in a count case, while at the same time knowing that the Defendant was moving off-shore Now ten years later, in March 2016, Samoa held its general elections and the defendant, Katopau Ainuu, who was now holding the matai title of Faaolesa, ran for Parliament and he was elected. Later, when Prime Minister Tuilapea chose his cabinet, he named Faaolesa the Minister of Justice, and shortly afterwards the ghosts of the past, having stirred into life, emerged to give both Faaolesa and Tuilaepa a hard time. Asked for a comment on the reports, Tuilaepa said he was shocked by them. I have spoken with the Minister (concerned) who is (also) shocked (by them). Tuilaepa revealed that Faaolesa has contacted his lawyer in American Samoa who is also shocked about it, and (from what hes been told) the matter had been resolved a long time ago but it has been dug up again. Shocked? The editorial that was published in the Samoa Observer at the time was titled: Prime Minister Tuilaepas gift from American Samoa. What is the meaning of the word shock these two are talking about here? Please dont ask me to try and explain anything. All I can say is that when this newspaper asked Faaolesa for a comment, he said he was unaware about the warrant; he then asked for a copy so that he could look at it before he could comment. Copies of the warrant were sent to him but by press time that night he had not responded. Over there in American Samoa at the time, the current Attorney General, Talauega Eleasalo Ale, said his office was conducting an investigation into the matter. This is something that happened before I came into office, he said. (We) are definitely looking into it. He also said all he knew was that the matter is still valid and apparently its still in the books of the Court, and therefore it is still outstanding. Its a matter thats up to the law enforcement and the Police to enforce if the person is in our jurisdiction. (As for) the background and reasons for the warrant, those facts are still out there. I dont know what happened. He explained: The warrant is valid and if he is in American Samoan jurisdiction he can be arrested by the Police in pursuant to the Courts warrant. Here in Samoa on the other hand, it appears that the embattled Minister of Justice, Courts and Administration, Faaolesa Katopau Ainuu, is a worried man. He is apparently seeking to quash the outstanding warrant of arrest made against him in American Samoa with the aid of his American Samoan lawyer, he revealed in a telephone interview. My lawyer will make a motion to quash the warrant, he said. The delay is because they are trying to find the affidavit to support the warrant. There was nothing at the Attorney Generals office and they are also looking for a copy from the Court. Asked if he was going to American Samoa when the matter would be heard in Court, Faaolesa said no. Its being done by my lawyer, he said. Once I get the results Ill call you for my official response. In the meantime, I cannot say anything more that might compromise my lawyers work. To date, Faaolesa has not called. As for Prime Minister Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi, is it possible that he would one day soon, turn his back on his gift, from American Samoa. Indeed, can the law of Criminal Libel be used to prosecute government officials, who are alleged to have committed fraud and embezzlement, in corrupt ridden Samoa? Just a thought! Have a peaceful Sunday Samoa. God bless! The nation was in mourning yesterday as they bid their final farewell to a woman widely known as the Florence Nightingale of nursing in Samoa. The final memorial service for the President of the Samoa Nurses Association, Taulapapa Fesolai Talailelotu Faamanatu Faletoese Nielsen, was held at the Congregational Christian Church of Samoa, at Moataa. In attendance was The Head of State, His Highness Tuimalealiifano Vaaletoa Sualauvi II, Prime Minister Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi, government representatives, family, friends and all those whose lives were touched by Taulapapa. Born on 3 September 1933 to her parents the, late Rev. Kenape Tuuu Faletoese and Faapiomalo Asi Vatau, Taulapapa passed away peacefully at the Nurses Home, Motootua, on the 22nd of December 2017. She was 84. Taulapapa married Fainuulelei Etuale Osasa Nielsen, in 1960 and is survived by him, her seven children, her 23 grand children and her four great grandchildren. In the P.M.s eulogy, he described her as someone who has earned much respect by all during her time as a registered nurse. He added the respect she has earned is one of the reasons she was presented the Head of States Order of Service award. Taulapapa is a reliable and an honest person, Tuilaepa said. She was always helping everywhere during her time as a registered nurse in the country. She was at Tuasivi (hospital), Salailua, Saanapu and other Pacific Islands countries just to serve and help those who are in need. He added the recognition by the government, through the Head of States Order of Service award, suits Taulapapa very well and it is well deserved. Because she served the country with honestly and loyalty, she deserves all the respect, Tuilaepa said. She was honoured by many generations during her time as a nurse. From the government of Samoa with sorrow, we salute all the good works you have done. May your soul rest in peace. He reassured those attending the service that Jesus declared he already made a house for his children in heaven. Taulapapas daughter, Farrah Sarita Nielsen Lesa, represented the children with her eulogy where she described her mother as someone with a strong foundation in the Lord. Our mother committed everything to the Lord, she said. When she was called home on the 22nd December, it reminded us that it is time to prepare for the birth Jesus Christ, to renew our strength, spirit and soul. Mother, we will try our best to follow your footsteps so that we could continue on with all the great things you have done - to help those in need. Whats very important to our mother is serving people no matter how old or small, she always put people first. Shes also a strong prayer warrior in our family. Taulapapas 84-year journey was an eventful one. She attended Papauta College in 1950 before pursuing nursing school in 1953. She was officially registered as a nurse in 1956 and began working at the Salailua Hospital from 1958 to 1959. But it didnt stop there. She graduated with a midwifery degree from St. Helens, New Zealand, in 1967 and then quickly completed her Midwifery Postgraduate certificate from 1974 to 1975. She graduated from community of nursing in 1984 all while working at Lalomanu Hospital from 1982 to 1989. She then became the Assistant Treasurer of the Samoa Nursing Society (S.N.S.) from 1972 to 1974 before being appointed the treasurer of S.N.S. from 1974 to 1978. In 1977 she traveled to Japan to register the S.N.S. in the World Nursing Association and then finally became the president of S.N.S. from 1978 until her passing. Her body was laid to rest yesterday at her home in Moataa. What delay? That is the response from Prime Minister, Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi, when he was asked about why it has taken so long for Parliament to table and discuss Audit Reports from Controller and Chief Auditor, Fuimaono Camillo Afele, for the past seven years. During an interview with the Sunday Samoan, Prime Minister Tuilaepa insisted there is no delay whatsoever. Rather he said the Reports are being channeled through the usual Parliamentary process. For instance, he said the Controller and Auditor General Fuimaono has been corresponding with the Ministries and government bodies concerned about the reports. He then elaborated on the process when Audit Reports are submitted to Parliament. Once its (audit reports) delivered to the respective Parliament Committees, they review it, he said. Afterwards, the Auditor and government bodies are summoned to come before the Committee and discuss their Audit reports." After the reviews of the Audit reports, an analysis is drafted with recommendations. It is then and there the Audit Reports are brought before Parliament for discussion. According to the Prime Minister, the respective Committees have asked for more time to review the Audit Reports. That is why time was extended for the committees to go through their reports, he said. So what delayed reports?" Audit reports cannot be drafted unless the Departments and Ministries reports for public accounts are submitted to the Auditor." That is the process in Parliament, in terms of reports. Tuilaepa said things have changed a lot in terms of the process. Back in those days, there was not really any deliberation on the reports, he said. That was 20 years ago. At that time there was only two committees and that has changed." We have created more committees to review the Audit Reports and this has allowed them time to review it thoroughly. Last month, Controller and Auditor General Fuimaono Camillo Afele wrote to the Constitutional Officers, Parliament Officers, Chief Executive Officers of Ministries and Chairpersons of Board advising them the Audit Office is compiling a Report to Parliament on audits and assessments conducted for the period of July 2016 to June 2017. A copy of the letter obtained by the Sunday Samoan indicated that the audit work is near completion. However normal practice that the relevant extracts are given to auditees for final comments and clarifications including an update on remedial and corrective actions taken. Fuimaono in his letter pointed out the draft reports of the organizations and areas of responsibility and extracts, I believe, have been discussed with yourselves when the audits were completed." We appreciate receiving comments/clarifications including an update on remedial and corrective actions taken by 5 January, 2018 to allow for translation, printing, final edits and submission to the Honorable Speaker by the end of March 2018. In December 2017, Fuimaono wrote to the Samoa Observer saying he and his staff were called before the Finance and the Expenditure Committee (F.E.C.) of Parliament to assist with the Parliamentary examination and scrutiny of the Public Accounts for the year ended 30 June 2016. For your information, the preparation and compilation of the Public Accounts is the responsibility of the Chief Executive and Ministry of Finance, he wrote. It is the responsibility of the Audit Office to audit the Public Accounts." All Public Accounts since my appointment in 2010 which is 7 years now have been audited up to financial year ended 30 June 2016." The Public Accounts for the year ended 30 June 2017 are currently being audited to be completed by January 2018." The submission of the Audited Public Accounts to Parliament through the Speaker of Parliament is the responsibility of the Minister of Finance." The Public Accounts for the year ended 30 June 2016 was submitted by the Minister of Finance to the Honourable Speaker of Parliament on the 20th June 2017 and tabled by the Honourable Speaker in Parliament on the 13th November 2017, he pointed out." The Ministry of Health has always entertained the idea of legalising marijuana for medical purposes in Samoa because there are cases that have been approved by the Narcotics Board. However, there is not enough evidence indicating that marijuana can be extensively used as medicine. That is the response of the Director of the Ministry of Health, Leausa Dr. Take Naseri. Its just hearsay and literally superficial evidence and like every other drug, there are pros and cons, he told the Sunday Samoan. He was responding to the call by Senior Lawyer, Unasa Iuni Sapolu, to legalize marijuana for medical treatment. In her view, it will help Samoas economy through the export of medicinal marijuana, especially coconut oil and marijuana fuse. She also believes this will help reduce the number of inmates housed at Tafaigata Prison. Furthermore it will save costs to Samoa when all those imprisoned for possession of marijuana etc. are no longer fed in jail, no longer accommodated in jail and there are no more criminal offenses relating to marijuana, she said. For health reasons, those with cystic fibrosis, epilepsy, cancer, depression and other health problems can be treated with marijuana. She told the Samoa Observer the government is wasting money and the Courts time. But Leausa said Samoa needs to be careful. Medical marijuana is for relief and yet other people use it to get high, he said. Medical marijuana from a healths perspective is any part of the marijuana plant which you use to treat health problems." And most people use it to get relief, not just to get high and that is the difference. In Samoa, the current law permits the legalising of a specific dosage. For narcotics such as marijuana, heroin or morphine, we take it case by case, he said. The law has its acceptations, especially when its a matter of life and death and we look on the grounds that it does relieve pain especially with chronic pain." We prescribe for specialised cases, but we are not saying that we will prescribe for everyone. Now that is not allowed. He explained the process of how drugs or narcotics are used medically when necessary. Right now we treat cases individually, an assessment is conducted, then we need opinions from two doctors and we write to the Narcotics Board to approve the use. Leausa explained that the lengthy process is because this is drugs they are dealing with. For instance, like heroine, if you look at heroine all over the world, its one of the best analgesics, its freely available on the streets, but its illegal to have it in the hospital." Even the use of morphine, we have to be accountable for every single drop when used in the hospital." This is nothing new, this is the process and that is how we control the drugs and there have been cases in the past where doctors have been deregistered and incarcerated because of the abuse, explained Leausa. He then spoke of the pros and cons. If you smoke marijuana, it will irritate your lungs just like someone who smokes cigarettes." Although no study says that smoking marijuana will result in lung cancer." For example for Samoa, speaking hypothetically there is about 30 percent of people smoking marijuana, casually not socially, unlike the other 70 percent who are smoking (cigarettes) every day." Other issues that will occur is the indirect rate of your heart beat, they say when you intake marijuana, its up to three hours your heart rate will increase." So if someone who has problems with the rhythm of his heart rate, it might be a risk factor. The Director said there are States in America that have legalised cannabis use, but with conditions. Not in a sense where its freely distributed to anyone." Off island, if you are prescribed to use marijuana medically, you must have a medical card to show at border control. Leausa made it clear that this medical card is not valid in Samoa. We are an independent State and so these medical cards are not allowed here. He said a cancer patient from off island requested to grow marijuana at their residence for pain relief. Its impossible for us to allow that." So we stick to what we can do and that is prescribe the medication and have it refilled. Prime Minister Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi has flatly rejected the call for marijuana to be legalised. Out of the twenty recipients of the Samoa Stationery and Books Scholarship awards at the prize giving on Friday, four were also awarded scholarships by the Samoan government to further their studies at a university overseas. The recipients were Joycemariella Toafa, Charles Salevao, Laila Stanley and Ronellah Taiatu Mose. They spoke to the Sunday Samoan about their aspirations after pursuing higher education. Demonstrating her diligence in maintaining high academic standards throughout her secondary education was Joycemariella. In addition to her achievements this year, Joycemariella was also the inaugural recipient of S.S.A.B.s award in 2015 when it was first established. Its a privilege and Im very grateful especially receiving the help from S.S.A.B., she said. Its been an amazing ride to be able to walk ahead and know that S.S.A.B. is right behind everything that I do." They always try to highlight these programmes of giving back to the community because they think education can not only boost the economy of Samoa, but it can help in so many other ways like with our health system and the public sectors. Thats why S.S.A.B. is so supportive of education here in Samoa. Joycemariella will be heading to Monash University in Australia where she intends to study a Bachelor of Commerce and Information technology hoping that it will lead to a career as an economist. Showing an early understanding of what a successful enterprise looks like she added: I think thats part of their success because every business is supposed to be about profit, but at the same time S.S.A.B. is very passionate about the community, so they dont just care about the profit, they also have that heart about giving back to our community. Charles will head to colder temperatures when he heads to Otago University to study medicine. I will be studying medicine at Otago University, said Charles. Ever since I was young, I dreamt to become a doctor because you get to save lives and help people in need and mainly because there is no other doctor in my family, so Ill become the first. It means a lot to me to get this award and in my family, weve always been talking about getting scholarships so it feels so amazing and I feel so honoured because not only did I get one from the government, but also from S.S.A.B. and Ill do my best. Laila was deeply grateful to be a recipient of both awards having not expected it. I will be doing economics and management at Auckland University. Im just going to look for a job afterwards and help my family out. I feel blessed and honoured to get this award and I just want to say thank you to Fiti and S.S.A.B. management for this award, I really didnt expect it. It was a point of pride for C.E.O. Fiti Leung Wai that two recipients were S.S.A.B. scholars. Joining Joycemariella was Ronellah who will head to Fiji to attend U.S.P. Im going to be studying at U.S.P. in Fiji and hopefully Ill be studying software and accounting. Im very passionate about computers as well as money and Im excited to study those fields. Ill come back to Samoa and work for a few years because of the bond I have with the government and then move to New Zealand or Australia. Ronellah also expressed her gratitude for S.S.A.B. and in particular their C.E.O. for their patronage over the years towards her education journey. Fiti is a very great role model because I started at S.S.A.B. as a very negative person and a student. Fiti made me see the light in everything; shes helped me a lot." It feels like a blessing from heaven, its amazing. Work hard and be yourself and also put God first because he is the only one to take you anywhere. The village of Vailuutai welcomed 48 new holders of three different orator titles during a colourful and elaborate ceremony on Friday morning. The three orator (tulafale) titles were Lio, Faaletaua and Atigiolauga. The ceremony was held at the Maota o Tipolo. Speaking to the Sunday Samoan, a representative of the family, Lio Fanaea Olai said their family has grown hence the need for new title holders. As you can see, there are so many people, so it means the family is growing, he said. The main purpose is that each family has someone to look after their family whether they are residing here or from overseas. Its such a wonderful thing seeing the family come together. This has been planned for some time now and we have decided to do it this time of the year because everyone had plans to come visit their families and friends and most especially spend the festive season with our families here in Samoa. Rev. Mose Galuvao of the Vailuutai Congregational Christian Church conducted the service. You have been chosen by your families to be leaders, he said. A great leader leads by example and most especially with love. You are here to serve not to be served and always remember to put God first. Love is the key to your calling. If you show love, your family will love you back and they will support you all the way. God bless the new chosen leaders of this family. Road issues and water supply still continue to haunt the mainland villagers of Fasitoo-tai. Village member, Eli Poutou, 56, said government water supply does not reach his place and families around the area. Mr. Poutoa was working on his plantation yesterday afternoon when the Village Voice team met him. Here at our area, we are not using the government water, he said. The government water pipes only cover the families around the coastal area, but not in our area and thats the problem. For some reason, families here in our area access water from our village stream. So thats where our water is from and thats the water we are using up until now. Mr. Poutoa mentioned the only problem they faced is collecting water. The water we are using is fresh water; we just have to boil it before using it for health concerns. The only problem we are facing with water is that it does not come straight to our tap, we collect it and we have to have enough area to store it and use it from there. Mr. Poutoa also commented on the poor road condition in his village. Our road is being damaged due to recent heavy rain and it really needs repairing so we can have good transportation from our area to the coastal area. The other problem here with our road is that it is very narrow because it only has one lane. Mr. Poutoa says the cost of goods is fair enough because we are buying imported goods from overseas. To me personally, I think the cost of living is still fine, given that we are relying so much on exported goods from overseas. So the businesses have every right to adjust the price the way they want to make up the money they invest bringing the goods to our shores. Mr. Poutoa adds life in Samoa is good; however the government needs to address the daily struggles of families. Many say legalizing marijuana is bad, but Laau Fomai of Saasaai, Savaii, thinks otherwise. The 28-year-old says marijuana is the medicine for gout (gugu). The father of four told the Village Voice team yesterday that legalizing marijuana is a good idea. He says he is a living proof that marijuana cures gout. I dont smoke or drink, but I took marijuana to cure my sickness, he said. So you get the fresh leaves and then you boil it and then drink the juice. The idea was from one of my friends who we worked together on fishing boats because that is what I do for a living. I work on a fishing boat. One day I couldnt get up because the sickness occurs during the rainy season, so when I get it, I am in so much pain and I could not walk, all I do is cry. Yes, even at this age, I do cry when I get sick because I cannot handle the pain. So one day my friend came to visit me and then he told me about the medicine. I know its illegal, but I just wanted to be free from the pain I was feeling so I went and searched for anyone who has a fresh plant. I found it and then I bought it, so I came home and boiled it and then I drank it and this was two years ago and look two years later I am free. I can walk and go to work on rainy days and yes sometimes I can feel my feet tingling and thats it, but its not how it was before when I get it. So yes the plant is a medicine to gout and I think if the government legalizes it, I think it would be good nothing wrong with it. Mr. Fomai adds people blame marijuana for their actions, but the truth is its them not the plant. I know a lot of rapists and murderers blame the plant, but I dont think so, he said. They chose to take marijuana, so I think they are in control of their behaviors. We are in control of our emotions and feelings not the other way around. And I also think that if the government does legalize it, then the hospital has a part to play. They have to prescribe the plant to the people who have gouts only; if the doctor does not prescribe it then it should not be used by anyone. And the patient must also have proof that they do have gout and that is the work done by the doctors to prove that this person does have gout. That is my opinion I only took it to cure my sickness, Im a working father of four and I am the breadwinner for my family. The plant healed me so I am strong and providing for my family without worrying about any sickness, Mr. Fomai said. Samoans have so much to appreciate instead of complaining. Esera Lauano Apelu, 36, from the village of Vailuutai believes there is always a way to find money, apart from regular jobs. Mr. Apelu told the Village Voice team yesterday that our land holds the key to our survival. This land, he said, can be utilized as plantations to generate income for families. For us and our country, we have land that we work on on to provide and support our family, Mr. Apelu said. And the only thing for us to do is to work on it because the plantation can provide both food and finance at the same time for your family. Mr. Apelu said the land addresses the struggles of dealing with the expensive cost of living. The cost of living today in Samoa is really high and expensive, so the price of exported goods from overseas is definitely high. So while exported goods are high and expensive, this is where our plantation comes in to be able to assist us, saving money from buying rice and other exported goods. Mr. Apelu mentioned while he has a regular job to support his family, he still enjoys working on his plantation. I have always enjoyed working on my plantation even though I have a regular job. To me having a regular job only covers us for a short period of time because we work to pay the bills. But to continue working the plantation together with your regular job, that contributes well enough to the welfare of the family. Mr. Apelu adds while this festive season brings lot of families from overseas, this is the time we need to show them how good our plantations are. I have families from overseas at our house at the moment, and I dont want them to come here and eat rice. Let them eat rice when they leave, but when theyre here, they have to taste how good our crops can be, so they can go back and keep craving for more. Our country is really expensive right now, we dont have to rely more on our regular jobs to support our families, lets use our plantation together with our jobs to make life easier for our families who are suffering already, Mr. Apelu said. La Jolla and Rancho Santa Fe continued to be the place for the most expensive home sales in San Diego County in 2017. The most expensive house to sell in the county was a beach front property in La Jolla for $12 million. Built in 1993, 6106 Camino de la Costa features panoramic ocean views and its own private sandpit on the water. Property records say it was purchased by Neil Smit, former CEO of Comcast. Real estate agent Russ Clark said the home is on a peninsula lot that maximized views of the ocean. Advertisement You had views of Point Loma and Mission Beach, he said, so at night you could see lights reflecting on the water. The top five home sales in 2017 equaled $54.5 million. Thats down from $79.9 million total for the top five the previous year. One of the most expensive homes to sell last year, 16568 La Gracia in Rancho Santa Fe, sold twice. Real estate agent Megan Luce said her clients bought the property in April but realized they werent there as much as their other properties so they decided to sell. I couldnt believe they were selling so soon, she said. But, the property is breathtaking and I was excited to go into it again. 16568 La Gracia in Rancho Santa Fe sold twice in 2017 (Megan Luce ) Luce did not want to give the buyers names, and it is unclear from property records who they were. The home was purchased by Florida-based limited liability company, Covenant RJC, in April for $10.6 million. It was then sold to the Greenfield Trust out of Washington state for $10.85 million in December. Another home in Rancho Santa Fe made the top five most expensive sales. In June, 6883 Alydar Corte sold for $11 million. The 12,500-square-foot property was on the market for 258 days, the longest of any of the sales. Another La Jolla home also made the list, 8470 El Paseo Grande, which sold for $10.1 million. It featured a private courtyard, guest house and ocean views throughout. Advertisement Rounding out the list was 106 13th St. in Del Mar that sold for $10 million. The 2,300-square-foot remodeled cottage on the bluffs of Del Mar has three bathrooms and two bedrooms and was built in 1948. The most expensive homes to sell in 2017 were much less than the top sales in 2016. The top seller in 2016, an ocean front home in Del Mar, went for $18 million. Clark, the agent that sold 2017s most expensive home, said the luxury market wasnt slowing down, but just had a lack of inventory last year. Like some other agents, he believes affluent buyers will have more money to spend on real estate in the new year following tax changes recently approved in Congress despite caps on property tax deductions. Their overall net income is going to go up dramatically under the new tax plan, Clark said. Advertisement On the other end of the housing market, the cheapest home to sell in 2017 was a 924-square-foot house in Jacumba for $27,000. Built in 1945, it was in severe disrepair and the buyer was warned they would responsible for the removal of unusable property. One room on the property included old laundry, broken computers and abandoned Christmas decorations. 106 13th St. in Del Mar that sold for $10 million. (Redfin ) Advertisement Business phillip.molnar@sduniontribune.com (619) 293-1891 Twitter: @phillipmolnar ALSO Advertisement The vanishing San Diego single-family home Broadcom said Friday that it has begun reaching out to Qualcomm shareholders to secure their votes to replace the San Diego companys broad members, the latest maneuver in its hostile takeover attempt of the local smartphone chip maker. The announcement means that the semiconductor company, led by Hock Tan, has officially filed its proxy materials with the Securities and Exchange Commission, and is in the process of mailing a letter and blue voting card to Qualcomm shareholders. At Qualcomms Annual Meeting of Stockholders on March 6, 2018, you will have an important opportunity to influence the value of your investment by voting the BLUE proxy card for 11 independent and highly qualified individuals, Broadcom said in the letter. The letter follows a series of back-and-forth jabs between the two companies, which started in November when Broadcom made an unsolicited bid to buy Qualcomm for $70 a share. Qualcomms board rejected the buyout offer. The rebuff prompted Broadcom to challenge all 11 members of Qualcomms board with its own nominees. Advertisement In December, Qualcomm publicly spurned the proposed nominees, adding that it would not include ballots for the candidates in shareholder documents filed with the SEC. Fridays formal communication with Qualcomm shareholders was the expected next step for Broadcom as it solicits votes ahead of the shareholder meeting. Qualcomm also filed its definitive proxy materials on Friday, officially inviting shareholders to its annual meeting of stockholders at 8 a.m. on March 6. The Board believes that (Broadcoms board) nominees are inherently conflicted and lack the skills and experience necessary to run a large capitalization, highly complex, and technology and innovation-driven global corporation like ours, Qualcomm CEO Steve Mollenkopf wrote in a letter to shareholders. Business Advertisement jennifer.vangrove@sduniontribune.com (619) 293-1840 Twitter: @jbruin UPDATES: 3:45 p.m.: This article was updated with additional details. Reciting the Pledge of Allegiance, a routine rite at the start of many municipal meetings, has generated some soul-searching for Encinitas Traffic and Public Safety Commission members. Two commissioners -- Darius Degher, a Leucadia musician and poet, and Christina Simokat, a New Encinitas resident who teaches environmental science at Cal State San Marcos -- threw a spotlight on the standard agenda item when they both chose not to say the pledge during the commissions Dec. 11 meeting and sat while the other commissioners recited it. At the meetings end, the other commissioners reactions ranged from dismay to bewilderment when Degher asked if they could eliminate the pledge from all future agendas, or just do it once or twice a year. Instead, the commissioners informally agreed to emphasize at future meetings that reciting the pledge is voluntary. Advertisement Degher joined the seven-member board of unpaid volunteers last spring. He said Tuesday he has two main reasons for declining to participate. The first relates to the nations current political conditions. He said he believes that President Donald Trump, Trumps former chief strategist Stephen Bannon and members of the far right are fomenting a hyper-nationalist movement by appropriating national symbols for their own ends and using them to try to silence people who oppose them. At this moment in which our democracy is being attacked from within, cheerfully standing for the pledge is like wearing bright colors in a funeral procession, he wrote in a statement that hes been giving out to people who ask about his decision to sit during the pledge. Consequently, I would like to suggest that at this time, sitting through the Pledge of Allegiance is a statement of resistance patriotism, one aimed at raising the awareness of more Americans in order to effectively thwart the current attacks on our American ways, including attacks on our legal systems, our law enforcement agencies, our journalistic media, women, the LGBT community, and people of color. Thats only half the reason he is declining to participate, he said later. The second (reason) is I find the pledge itself objectionable, he said as he discussed the history of the pledge, the anti-immigrant views of its creator and the Hitler-style salute that children were originally encouraged to give as they recited the pledge. While Degher details his concerns about the pledge and the countrys current political climate, Simokat has taken a different approach when asked why shes choosing to sit and remain silent. She said shes not going to provide a reason because its important that people realize they dont have to give an explanation -- theres no law requiring them to say the pledge, or to stand and put their hands over their hearts, or even to remove their hats. There is also no legal complusion to explain yourself -- no one should feel that they need to, she said in an interview Tuesday. Advertisement Degher and Simokat, who has sat out both recitations of the pledge since she joined the commission in October, are far from the only people whove taken a stand on the issue. A quick Internet search finds that everyone from liberal bloggers to a senior editor at the conservative Cato Institute recently have questioned the nations attachment to the vow. Many of them note that the pledge only exists today because of a clever marketing gimmick by a childrens magazine in the late 1800s. The Youths Companion magazine, which gave away flags as rewards to people who sold lots of magazine subscriptions, produced and marketed the original version of the pledge as part of its flag-in-every-classroom campaign, historical accounts indicate. During the magazines big push to get schools to celebrate the 400th anniversary of Christopher Columbus discovery of the New World with patriotic events and lots of flag decorations, the magazine paid avid socialist Francis Bellamy, a former Baptist minister whose views had recently cost him his job in the pulpit, to write the pledge. Bellamys pledge, which he said at the time took him less than two hours to produce, has been modified since. The most significant revision occurred at the height of the nations anti-communism period in the 1950s when the words under God were added, a change thats been an additional source of conflict over the years. There also has been debate about how to properly salute the flag. Just before America entered World War II, the original straight-arm-out salute -- a gesture known as the Bellamy Salute -- was dropped and replaced with the hand-over-the-heart gesture because the original salute looked a lot like what people were being required to do in Nazi Germany. Advertisement On Jan. 8 -- the Encinitas Traffic and Public Safety Commissions first meeting of the new year --- the commission will begin its session as usual with a recitation of the pledge, but the audience members will be invited to participate rather than being told to do so, Commission Chairman Charles Lisherness said Tuesday. The Pledge of Allegiance will remain on the agenda and I will ask people to join me in the pledge, Lisherness said, adding, To remove it from the agenda would be a statement in itself .... I dont think we need to make a statement. Lets focus on our work at hand. Lisherness said he wanted to be respectful both to the two commissioners who have decided not to participate and to people like fellow Commissioner Peter Kohl, who said during the December meeting that he found Deghers decision to sit and keep his hat on during the recitation of the pledge disrespectful. If you dont want to say it, thats fine with me, but all Im asking is that you do show some respect for the people that do do it, Kohl, an immigrant and former serviceman who volunteers with the citys senior police patrol, told Degher. Advertisement Simokat suggested Lisherness compromise approach of telling the audience that they had the choice of participating. That suggestion was supported by Degher and all of the other commissioners, including those who said they didnt really have a strong opinion on the issue. I dont really care ... Im just so used to doing (the pledge), I just do it, Commissioner Brian Grover told his fellow commissioners as they debated the topic. A state of emergency was declared Saturday in the Brazilian state of Rio Grande do Norte as its police approached the third week of a strike that has led to a spike in violent crimes. Civil and military police walked off the job Dec. 19 to demand back pay and better working conditions. Officers havent been paid in full since November. They were told the rest of their salaries from two months ago would be issued this week, but the payday was again pushed back, this time to Monday. December paychecks and mandatory end-of-year bonuses have yet to be discussed. Last month, Rio Grande do Nortes state government asked the federal government for an extra 600 million reais ($185.8 million) to pay its public servants the salaries they were owed. The Ministry of Finance denied the request. Advertisement Talks between the police and the state government have stalled, despite the strike being declared illegal and the threat that officers who promote the walkout will be arrested. The next round of talks is expected on Wednesday. A handful of military police officers have returned to work since they were threatened with arrest, and the civil police have been operating with a reduced number of officers, but the state remains on edge. Even when the full military force is patrolling the streets, there is a shortage of at least 5,000 officers. The state hasnt opened the selection process for new recruits since 2005. Armed forces were sent to Rio Grande do Norte on Dec. 29, but the 2,800 federal troops havent been able to keep up. While security on the streets has improved since the first days of the strike, only 50% of 911 calls are being answered. (Los Angeles Times ) More than 100 people have been killed since police stopped patrolling the streets of the northeastern state, considered one of the deadliest places in the world long before the strike. The number of homicides in Rio Grande do Norte has been on the rise for years, jumping 232% between 2005 and 2015. According to a report from the Observatory of Intentional Lethal Violence, 2,408 people were killed last year, a record number of homicides for the state. Much of the violence on the streets of Rio Grande do Norte is because of a longstanding turf war between local gang Familia do Norte and Sao Paulo-based gang Primeiro Comando da Capital, or PCC. The state is part of a much-desired drug-trafficking route that would be extremely profitable for the PCC, which has spread north in an attempt to overtake and control it. The gang also has led several deadly prison riots in the last year in an attempt to assert itself across the country, officials said. At least 26 were killed last January at Alcacuz prison in Rio Grande do Nortes capital city of Natal after a two-day massacre attributed to the PCC. The most recent riot started by the gang was on the first day of the year at a prison in the state of Goias. Nine inmates were killed. The emergency decree, which was published in the states official gazette and is valid for 180 days, allows the government of Rio Grande do Norte to pay for emergency services and sign contracts without a bidding process. Advertisement Public security is not the only crisis the state is facing. It declared a state of emergency in public health and in its prison system last year, both of which are still in effect. A drought also has left 153 municipalities in Rio Grande do Norte in a state of emergency since early last year. Langlois is a special correspondent. Daniel Ortiz Merino has a lot of good memories from his participation in programs with the Braille Institute, so when he learned about their Techspert program, he saw an opportunity to return to a place that had been so positive for him. From the age of 7 and until I graduated high school, I participated in Braille Institutes youth program, from which I hold many incredible memories. When I heard about the Techspert opportunity, I was very excited about the prospect of a homecoming, of sorts, he says. I also felt like I had matured as an instructor and that this would be the perfect opportunity to help several people in a day. The program trains visually impaired instructors to work one-on-one with visually impaired clients on using adaptive technology and devices. Merino, 31, lost his vision shortly after he was born due to a rare form of eye cancer. Today, he lives in La Mesa with his girlfriend, their two daughters and his guide dog and a pet Chihuahua. Hes been a Techspert since last summer and also works in the assistive technology field providing in-home consultations. He took some time to talk about his involvement in the program as an instructor, what hed like to see employers understand about hiring people who are visually impaired, and his memories of riding his bike as a boy despite his vision loss. Q: What do you do as a Techspert? Advertisement A: As a Techspert, I help people who have had vision loss from a young age as well as adults who may have lost their vision because of age, disease, or trauma through one-on-one consultations regarding assistive technology. These consultations include basic orientations to assistive software and devices, instruction on specific tasks (such as sending an email message on a smart phone), as well as demonstrations and assessments to find out which piece of technology is appropriate for a certain individual. I also lead group classes in the subjects of Jaws (one of the most popular screen-reading programs for the Windows platform), and Apples accessibility options. Occasionally, I help facilitate technology workshops for the community. Q: You grew up in Mexico before moving to the U.S. as a young boy. What skills did you first learn in Mexico that helped you with your independence? A: I have many fond memories of the school for the blind I attended in Mexico City. There, I learned to read Braille, use a cane, and also things that would help me survive in the sighted world, like signing my name, and writing a note if necessary. My family also was not afraid to include me in things like cooking, household chores, riding bikes and other experiences any child has. Q: What was one of the first forms of assistive technology you ever used? A: Other than the very rudimentary slate and stylus for writing Braille , my first piece of assistive equipment was a Perkins Brailler. A Perkins Brailler is essentially a Braille typewriter. Paper is fed through the rolls, and then the user presses a combination of the six keys to emboss the paper with Braille characters. This was much faster from the slate and stylus, which requires the user to punch each individual dot. I immediately fell in love with it when I began using them in Mexico, but then I was ecstatic when I was provided one to take home when I came to San Diego. My appreciation lessened however, when it became the tool that facilitated hours of homework. What I love about La Mesa ... I like that La Mesa is close enough to the city, but still a little quieter and surrounded by a little more nature. There are also a lot of good places to dine and shop. I also really enjoy having the trolley nearby, as it really helps with my travel to and from work and fun. Q: How has that particular form of technology evolved or improved over the years? Advertisement A: Braillers have evolved into Braille Notetakers, which are small Braille computers, and are mainly used by students and professionals to do anything from taking notes, as the name implies, to sending email and browsing the web. There are also electronic Braille displays that connect to computers and smart phones, so that one has Braille access to the screen, and that allow the user to manipulate the device with the Braille display itself. However, not everyone with vision loss learns Braille, so learning other forms of adaptive technology is vitally important to maintain ones independence. Q: Whats your favorite assistive technology to use currently? A: My favorite, and currently most used assistive technology is VoiceOver on my iPhone. VoiceOver is the built-in screen reader on Apple devices. In the case of the iPhone, it reads items on the screen, and allows me to manipulate my phone through a series of finger gestures, such as flicks and taps with one or more fingers. I really like that mainstream tech companies, such as Apple, include this level of accessibility for their devices. This allows me to keep up with my sighted peers without having to purchase a separate, and likely very expensive, device or software. Advertisement Q: The American Foundation for the Blind reports that more than 40 percent of people of working age who have vision loss, are employed. Why do you think more employers arent hiring candidates who are visually impaired? A: I think there is a significant lack of awareness of how visually impaired people live their lives. There is still the idea that the visually impaired need a great deal of assistance to complete daily tasks, much less to be productive in the workplace. With that idea, it would be cumbersome, inconvenient, and very expensive to accommodate a visually impaired employee. But the free programs offered by the Braille Institute enable persons with low vision or no vision to be independent and engaged in the community and, for some, the workplace. Q: What would you like to see employers do to be more inclusive of visually impaired employees and in hiring more job candidates who have low vision or no vision? A: I would love for employers to realize that, with the help of technology, it is no longer cumbersome, inconvenient, and definitely not expensive to accommodate a blind employee. Often, the technology is easily accessible through apps and software. There are a lot of intelligent, highly educated and qualified visually impaired people who are ready to join the workforce, and be a highly productive member of a team if given the chance. With that being said, the (current) statistic is an improvement from 10 and 20 years ago, but there is still a lot of work to be done. I would like to see employers open their minds, and maybe do a little research before turning down a job candidate who is visually impaired. Advertisement Q: Whats been challenging about your work in assistive technology? A: Something I really enjoy about my work is that it is always challenging because of the variety of people and their needs. At times I find myself exploring apps or websites that I have never used, quickly learning my way around it, then instructing my student on how to navigate it on their own. It is especially challenging when there is not a lot of accessibility in the app or website due to unlabeled links or buttons, and then I have to figure out how to work around those issues. Q: Whats been rewarding about that work? A: There is nothing like having someone finish a session with a smile on their face, and feeling like they have accomplished something. I love the feeling of empowerment people get from their technology, especially when they were fearful or nervous to use it initially. Advertisement Q: What has it taught you about yourself? A: Before working in the assistive technology field, I generally regarded myself as a very impatient person. Yet, throughout my work, I have gotten many compliments and thanks on my patience. I think if a student is not understanding a concept I am trying to explain, it is just my cue to find a better way to explain it. Q: What is the best advice youve ever received? A: My grandmother told me many times to always be aware of the way I talk and carry myself, because it would say a lot about me. To this day, this awareness has made me be able to communicate with people of different age groups, cultures and backgrounds. Because of this, I have been able to network and have the employment opportunities I have enjoyed. Advertisement Q: What is one thing people would be surprised to find out about you? A: As a child, I used to ride my bike around the streets of Mexico City. I would use ambient noise for echolocation, in order to avoid crashing into people or obstacles. Of course, it came a lot more naturally then, and I would not dare do anything like that now, but I have a lot of fond memories from riding my bike. Q: Describe your ideal San Diego weekend. A: There is nothing like taking my little family out for a stroll around Balboa Park or the harbor, and end up at a delicious seafood restaurant, or a good spot to grab a California burrito. Advertisement Advertisement Email: lisa.deaderick@sduniontribune.com Twitter: @lisadeaderick Los Angeles Unified School District Supt. Michelle King, whose four-month medical leave for cancer treatment left a leadership gap at a school system facing challenges on numerous fronts, wont return to her position and plans to retire later this year, the district announced Friday. Kings move means the new majority on the Board of Education, the first elected with substantial support from charter school backers, will immediately move to the job of selecting a leader for the nations second-largest school district. Picking a leader is widely regarded as the most important task for a school board, and Kings exit occurs during a period of momentous challenge and change. The school system faces a long-term budget deficit, expired labor contracts and a rift between traditional educators and backers of charter schools, which are privately operated and growing in number. L.A. Unified already has more charters than any other school system. Charters and district schools compete directly for students and the funding that comes with them. The new board majority is attempting a delicate balancing act: strengthening traditional schools while also supporting the expansion of more charter schools. Kings replacement will be at the center of both priorities. Advertisement King was appointed by an earlier school board majority that at times had clashed with charter school advocates, and her longevity as superintendent after last years election had been an open question. In a statement, King revealed she is undergoing treatment for undisclosed form of cancer. With the progression of my illness, I have made the incredibly difficult decision to retire by June 30, King said. Until then, I will remain on medical leave. I am very thankful for the outpouring of support I have received from the entire L.A. Unified family, our community partners and my colleagues across the nation, King added. As I aggressively fight this illness, I ask that you continue to keep me in your thoughts and prayers. In a joint statement, the Board of Education praised King as an exemplary educator, inspirational role model and steadfast leader. Having dedicated her career to the district, it is now time for Dr. King to focus her incredible strength and energy on her health, the statement said. We wholeheartedly support her decision to retire, and will continue to keep her in our thoughts and prayers as she faces the challenges ahead. Kings decision to step down came amid growing questions about when she would be returning and a growing clamor for the school district to be more forthcoming about her condition. Some, both inside and outside the district, expressed concern about the districts direction in her absence. In the short term, the new leader will be the same person who has been in charge since mid-October, Acting Supt. Vivian Ekchian. Like King, Ekchian is a career insider who rose through the ranks. Advertisement Because senior officials have praised her performance, Ekchian is likely to be a candidate for the permanent job. Another name that has come up in discussions within and outside of the district is Chief Academic Officer Frances Gipson. She has attracted support among some outside civic leaders. But the school board is almost certain to look extensively outside the system as well. The Board of Education selected King in January 2016. A career L.A. Unified employee, she rose with consistently good reviews to the No. 2 leadership position but had never led a school district. She brought to the job strong internal support but a certain discomfort in the spotlight and a degree of inaccessibility, even before her ailment, that contrasted with her predecessors. Kings major accomplishment was pushing the graduation rate to record levels by allowing students to quickly make up credits for failed classes. Her major initiative going forward has been to expand the number of schools with special programs to offset declining enrollment caused by the growth of independently operated charter schools. King didnt have any home-run accomplishments, but she didnt have any disasters, either, said Tyrone Howard, a UCLA education professor and director of the schools Black Male Institute. There arent major controversies or disasters that fell in her lap or that she created, he said. She kept the ship steady. Advertisement Howard also praised Kings diplomacy regarding charter schools: She showed support for both sides in ways that I dont think was easy. Last June, the school board voted 6 to 1 to extend Kings contract through June 2020. Board members cited her performance and a need for stability going forward. The action also limited the immediate effect of a new majority that was set to take control in July. It became more politically difficult for the new majority to oust King and to select their own choice. She brought some stability back and it was important, said Pedro Noguera, a professor at UCLAs education school. Her leadership style is very comforting to people of all kinds. Even when they disagree, no one ever felt she was a mean or vindictive person. The announcement by King, 56, ended much of the mystery that had shrouded her absence. King had difficulty moving about during her last board meeting Sept. 12. She was using a cane to move around and was in obvious discomfort. Its still not clear based on the limited information provided if her cancer was the underlying issue or if she had other health problems as well. Early on, there was an unofficial account that she had been injured in a zip-lining accident while on vacation with her family. Advertisement King has been on medical leave for an undisclosed condition since September. In her most recent public communication, in October, King had said she would return after the first of the year. She was more specific in a confidential December communication to the Board of Education, saying shed be back Jan. 22. Earlier this week, the district was vague about when King would return. On Thursday, however, a spokeswoman said the superintendent was scheduled to return Jan. 22, based on the paperwork of her medical leave. It also was clear that district officials had doubts about whether King could keep to this schedule or even whether she would return at all. It will fall to the districts next superintendent, Noguera said, both to improve local schools and build the publics confidence in them. King wasnt there long enough to bring about the improvements that would lead to that strength, he said. Thats the work that the next person is going to have to take on. Advertisement howard.blume@latimes.com joy.resmovits@latimes.com Times staff writer Sonali Kohli contributed to this report. UPDATES: Advertisement 4:20 p.m.: This post was updated with more details throughout. Originally posted at 2:50 p.m. It keeps happening. We all know that drinking and driving can be deadly. Weve seen the public service announcements. Weve read stories in the newspaper and on the internet. Weve seen the destruction, real or otherwise, depicted on TV. Weve participated in programs like Every 15 Minutes that use dramatizations on high school campuses to show the death and destruction one drunken driver can create. We may even have had this kind of senseless tragedy touch us personally. Advertisement But it keeps happening. Last week, a suspected drunken driver caused a chain-reaction crash on Interstate 15 near Miramar Road that left two people dead and others injured. Because the defendant Jeffrey Brian Levi has a previous DUI conviction on his record, indicating he had been warned that getting behind the wheel while intoxicated has serious consequences, he has been charged with murder. The legal theory in a second-degree murder case is that the defendant did something that was dangerous to human life, a fact that he or she was aware of, and did it anyway. Is there anyone of legal driving age in the country, maybe even on the planet, who hasnt been warned about the dangers of drunken driving? And still, it keeps happening. Mothers Against Drunk Driving estimates that there are nearly 10,500 deaths per year in the United States that are DUI-related. Over the New Years holiday weekend, the California Highway Patrol made 829 DUI arrests around the state not including those made by law enforcement agencies in other jurisdictions up from 698 the year before, a nearly 19 percent increase. The CHP arrested 50 people on suspicion of DUI in San Diego County that weekend, from Friday evening to Monday morning. Statewide, the CHP counted 29 fatalities during the same holiday weekend (although not all of those were DUI-related). Advertisement About a week earlier, on Christmas Eve, that agency lost one of its own when a suspected drunken driver ran into the back of a parked patrol car in the Bay Area, killing 33-year-old CHP Officer Andrew Camilleri and injuring his partner who was in the same vehicle. The defendant in that case, Mohammed Abraar Ali of Hayward, allegedly admitted to the CHP after the crash that he was under the influence of alcohol and drugs, specifically marijuana, according to The Mercury News. He has been charged with murder. Deputy District Attorney Cally Bright, who heads a unit within the San Diego County District Attorneys Office that focuses on prosecuting drunken-driving fatality cases, said the office filed charges in 25 cases in 2017. Advertisement Thats up from 16 the previous year which is huge, Bright said in a brief phone conversation Friday, shortly after she had left the arraignment for Jeffrey Levi in San Diego Superior Court. The District Attorneys DUI Homicide Unit filed 18 cases each year in 2015 and 2014, and 14 cases in 2013. And next week, Bright will be back in court for the trial of Jason Riley King, who is accused of causing an alcohol-fueled, wrong-way crash on north state Route 163 near Interstate 8 that killed two UC San Diego medical students and injured three other people in May 2015. Lawyers in that case are expected to deliver their opening statements in front of a jury Tuesday. Advertisement The fatal crash inspired a bill, authored by state Assemblywoman Lorena Gonzalez Fletcher (D-San Diego), that will require bartenders and other alcohol servers to go through training to help them serve alcohol responsibly and recognize when someone has had too much to drink. Classmates of the medical students reportedly worked with Gonzalez Fletcher to develop the legislation. Gov. Jerry Brown signed the bill into law in October. Afterward, Gonzalez Fletcher said in a tweet that the new law would better prevent drunken driving. But, of course, it keeps happening. Advertisement What more warning do we need? Advertisement dana.littlefield@sduniontribune.com Twitter: @danalittlefield When Jeffrey Brian Levi had a few drinks and got behind the wheel of his red Ford Mustang Tuesday night, he should have known it was dangerous, a prosecutor said in San Diego Superior Court Friday. Levi had been convicted of drunken driving once before, in 2007. This week, he caused a chain-reaction fiery crash that killed two Riverside men, severely burned a woman and injured another motorist in a separate car, Deputy District Attorney Cally Bright said. Bright said that three hours after the 11:45 p.m. collision on Interstate 15, Levis blood-alcohol level was in the range of 0.16 to 0.17 percent twice the legal limit of .08 percent. He pleaded not guilty Friday to two counts of murder, two counts of gross vehicular manslaughter, two counts of felony DUI causing great bodily injury, and two counts of hit-and-run. Advertisement Levi was charged with murder because of his prior DUI conviction, Bright said. Isaac Felix, 18, of Riverside (Courtesy of family ) The defendant faces 40 years to life in prison if convicted on all counts. Judge Jay Bloom ordered Levi held on $2 million in bail, saying the 37-year-old posed a danger to the public. The judge said if Levi did post bail, he must not drive. The prosecutor said Levi was driving northbound when his Mustang hit the back of a Toyota Corolla near Miramar Road. Witnesses told the highway patrol he was going more than 100 mph. The Toyota spun and stopped in the fast lane, where it was hit by an SUV driven by an off-duty San Diego police sergeant. The Toyota burst into flames. Other drivers stopped and some hauled a female passenger out of the Toyota. Giovanna Dominguez, 18, suffered major fractures and burns over 75 percent of her body and remains hospitalized, Bright said. Dominguezs boyfriend, Isaac Felix, 18, and her brother, David Dominguez, 33, died in the burning car. Advertisement Levi was unhurt and ran off, Bright said. A police helicopter crew found him 15 minutes later, walking toward his home. He was jailed that night. My brother didnt deserve this, said Selena Felix after court, standing with her sisters, Karina and Denise Felix. He was a good individual. He was young, full of life. She said Isaac had graduated from Alvord Alternative High School in Riverside, worked as a cashier at a Little Cesars pizza restaurant and wanted to go to college to become an architect. David Dominguez leaves two children, ages 5 and 8. Advertisement Even though the Toyota caught fire after it was hit by the police sergeants SUV, not the Mustang, Bright said Levi is still accountable for the deaths and injury. The defendant caused the whole course of conduct, Bright said, adding that the second driver does not appear culpable, based on the information she has now, while police are still investigating. Advertisement pauline.repard@sduniontribune Twitter: @pdrepard The U.S. Attorneys Office in San Diego and Imperial counties will be getting an extra prosecutor, one of 40 new positions being added nationwide by U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions to fight against violent crime, the office announced Friday. The positions are being funded by Congress under the Project Safe Neighborhoods program, which is a nationwide initiative to reduce gun and gang crime using a variety of methods, including hiring more prosecutors, providing training, and promoting community outreach. In a statement, Sessions said he is asking Congress for additional funding for the program for next year because I believe nothing will be more effective at reducing violent crime. The new positions this year are being made possible through a reallocation of resources, he said. Advertisement Under this program, I am asking a great deal of our United States Attorneys, Sessions said. I am both empowering them and holding them accountable for results. Adam Braverman, the interim U.S. attorney for the Southern District of California, said he was grateful for the additional resources. In this district, we are inundated with border-related crimes, Braverman said in a statement. Adding a prosecutor to our roster who will focus solely on violent crime will allow us to pursue more of the cases that harm our residents and damage our neighborhoods the most, and that will translate to safer communities. Of the 94 U.S. attorney offices in the country, 27 will get new prosecutors. Some jurisdictions are getting two, while the Chicago and Maryland offices are getting the most at three each. Advertisement kristina.davis@sduniontribune.com Twitter: @kristinadavis A California subsidiary of the Netherlands-based Rabobank announced this month it plans to plead guilty in connection with a long-running investigation into the banks anti-money laundering program. The news comes just weeks after a former bank vice president admitted in San Diego federal court to turning a blind eye to suspected drug money flowing through Imperial Valley branches. The case against George M. Martin, a vice president of Rabobank National Association and the banks anti-money laundering investigations manager, foreshadows the larger U.S. Department of Justice investigation into Rabobank and implicates other unnamed high-level personnel. The U.S. Attorneys Office in San Diego has offered Martin a deferred prosecution agreement, meaning he wont be prosecuted with aiding and abetting violations of the Bank Secrecy Act so long as he continues to cooperate with the investigation into the bank. Martin, who lives in Texas, accepted the deal on Dec. 14. Advertisement Last week, Rabobank National Association announced to shareholders it has set aside $374 million in anticipation of settling DOJ investigations into its anti-money laundering compliance program. The announcement describes the expected upcoming guilty plea by the bank to be for a single offense related to former employees withholding of information from the U.S. Department of the Treasury nearly five years ago. A Rabobank spokesman declined to discuss the case, saying in an email statement Friday: As is our standard practice, we do not comment on former or current employees. Banks are required under the Bank Secrecy Act to help the government track and prevent money laundering, including filing reports called Suspicious Activity Reports, or SARs, to the U.S. Financial Crimes Enforcement Network, or FinCEN, when bank staff spot certain red flags in accounts. Martin headed Rabobanks California unit that was supposed to ferret out illegal activity, but his deferred prosecution agreement lays out a pattern of policy and procedures at the bank from 2009 to 2012 that let high-risk account holders avoid proper investigation, in turn allowing them to funnel millions of dollars in suspicious cash and wire transactions through the banks Tecate and Calexico branches, prosecutors said. One way of doing this was to add accounts to a verified activity list, meaning the account holders were supposedly already vetted and didnt require further scrutiny. In March 2012, Martin emailed his investigations staff stating that increasing the number on the verified activity list continues to be an area of interest for (Martin) as this will continue to reduce the amount of actual suspects we have to work, month after month, according to court documents. There were fewer than 10 accounts on the verified activity list in 2009, a number that grew to more than 1,000 in 2012. In February 2010, Martin and others were told about potential money-laundering activity in a Mexican-based business account at a Calexico branch, but they decided not to investigate further, or file a Suspicious Activity Report, because the banks staff wanted to solicit additional business from the customer, the deferred prosecution agreement says. In August 2011, law enforcement seized those funds on suspicion the accounts were being used to move millions of dollars in drug proceeds more than $10 million in suspicious cash and wire transactions passed through the account from 2009 to 2011. And even then, Martin and others didnt take action on the account until October 2012, the agreement states. Advertisement Also in February 2010, Martin and others ignored red flags in an account held by a Mexican-based business that made large sequential withdrawals in suspicious patterns and issued about 50 checks for $9,500 each, likely to avoid the $10,000 deposit threshold that triggers a currency transaction report by the bank. The checks were cashed by 12 people who each got about $484,500 total on the same day at different times at the banks Tecate branch. The account holders and their related businesses had at least 25 prior Suspicious Activity Reports filed against them. But, according to the deferred prosecution agreement, Martin told employees not to file reports for these transactions, writing in an email: No more SARs for them! The deferred prosecution agreement means Martin must cooperate with investigators and also complete 50 hours of community service. If he follows through, then the case will be dropped against him after two years. Advertisement kristina.davis@sduniontribune.com Advertisement Twitter: @kristinadavis The state health department has fined UC San Diego Health $44,000 for a medical mistake that led to a patients death. The penalty involves an incident in September 2015. It was among 10 citations totaling $549,555 handed down to nine hospitals across the state on Dec. 28. The latest fine is the seventh for UC San Diego which, according to a list of all fines provided by the California Department of Public Health, has the third-most penalties since 2007, the year the Legislature created the public reprimands program to hold hospitals more accountable for preventable medical errors. According to a statement of deficiencies released by health officials, the latest incident involved an inactive cardiac monitor used to supervise a male patient who had undergone an angioplasty procedure at UC San Diego Medical Center in Hillcrest to open a clogged blood vessel and alleviate chest pain on Sept. 7, 2015. Advertisement According to the states report, the patient, who is not identified by name or age, became disconnected from the bedside electronic device about 5:44 a.m. on Sept. 8. The states report says that a technician monitoring the heart signals of many patients on computer screens in another part of the hospital told investigators that he didnt notice the patients heart rate had flatlined because the screen showing this data was off to the side. I just didnt scan over that far. The technician told investigators that he did not hear the alarms that bedside monitors make when they become disconnected, and his remote-monitoring console did not automatically sound an audible alarm. A nurse assigned to the patient, who said he was able to hear the alarm for only about 10 to 15 feet in the hallway outside the patients room, didnt enter to check on the patient until 6:35 a.m. He quickly noticed that the man in the bed looked gray and unresponsive. In its report, the state says that UC San Diego Medical Center did not have a robust-enough written procedure for monitoring technicians to follow and that the annual training assessment of the technician on duty that morning had not been verified, concluding that health providers efforts were informal, inconsistent and failed to ensure patient safety and well-being. In a short written statement, UC San Diego said it immediately revised guidelines, enhanced staff education and instituted monitoring to ensure successful implementation of these corrective actions. UC San Diego Healths commitment to the health and safety of its patients is absolute and on-going, the statement said. The UC San Diego Medical Center was the only hospital in San Diego County issued a fine by the CDPH in late December, though three local facilities received fines in August totaling $233,650 for similar infractions deemed severe enough to put patients lives in immediate jeopardy of severe injury or death. Advertisement Fines under the program enacted in 2007 can reach $125,000 per incident depending on frequency and severity. While UC San Diego has the third-most penalties since 2007, Southwest Healthcare System, which operates hospitals in Wildomar and Murieta, ranks first with 13 penalties, and UCSF Medical Center is second with nine. Sharp Memorial Hospital in Serra Mesa has six while Scripps Mercy Hospital San Diego has five. Both Scripps Green Hospital in Torrey Pines and Palomar Medical Center in Escondido each have four penalties. Tri-City Medical Center in Oceanside has three penalties. Advertisement Health Playlist On Now Video: Why aren't Americans getting flu shots? 0:37 On Now Video: Leaders urge public to help extinguish hepatitis outbreak On Now San Diego starts cleansing sidewalks, streets to combat hepatitis A On Now Video: Scripps to shutter its hospice service On Now Video: Scripps La Jolla hospitals nab top local spot in annual hospital rankings On Now Video: Does a parent's Alzheimer's doom their children? On Now Video: Vaccine can prevent human papillomavirus, which can cause cancer 0:31 On Now 23 local doctors have already faced state discipline in 2017 0:48 On Now EpiPen recall expands On Now Kids can add years to your life paul.sisson@sduniontribune.com (619) 293-1850 Advertisement Twitter: @paulsisson Border Patrol will not re-open doors in the border fence at Friendship Park this year, ending a series of events that allowed chosen families to reunite briefly on the line between the U.S. and Mexico. The agency has cooperated with six door-opening events organized by local nonprofit Border Angels since 2013. A surprise marriage ceremony between a U.S. citizen man and a Mexican woman at Novembers opening placed the events under scrutiny after reports of the grooms criminal record surfaced. Enrique Morones, founder and executive director of Border Angels, said that neither the wedding nor the grooms conviction were the reason behind the change. Morones said Rodney Scott, who was appointed chief of the San Diego Border Patrol sector in December, turned down Moroness request to hold similar events in the El Centro sector when he was chief there. Advertisement He was totally against it. He has that history, Morones said. What he told me yesterday was not totally surprising. When groom Brian Houstons drug smuggling conviction emerged in the weeks after his abbreviated ceremony, Scott warned that the wedding could have repercussions. This unauthorized event has now jeopardized future events and the continued opening of the border wall door, Scott said at the time. An official statement from Scott on Friday ending the door openings did not mention the nuptials. The maintenance gate being referred to is designed to allow safe, binational coordination between U.S. law enforcement personnel and our partners in Mexico, Scott said. Nationally, more than 320 official ports of entry have been federally designated as locations authorized to facilitate legitimate travel into and out of the United States. Many of those ports of entry are open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. The U.S. Border Patrol will continue to uphold its responsibility of protecting our borders between official ports of entry. Moving forward, the maintenance gate will be used for maintenance purposes only. The Door of Hope events, as Border Angels called them, allowed family members who could not cross the border to reunite and hug for a couple of minutes. Part of Border Field State Park in the southwest corner of San Diego County, Friendship Park is known for pinky kisses shared between family members separated by the fence. Advertisement In 2009, after the federal government added an additional layer of fencing, families had less access to interact with loved ones on the other side. At the door opening in April 2013, a father and daughter hugged for the first time. The gate openings had run smoothly until Houston and his bride Evelia Reyes arrived in November to the Door of Hope event dressed in suit and white gown. The process of vetting applicants to participate involved Morones distributing questionnaires to families who cannot cross the border legally and then passing them on to Border Patrol for background checks and approval. Houston couldnt cross into Mexico to marry Reyes because he was awaiting sentencing for his conviction. In February, he was arrested after officials at the San Ysidro port of entry found 43 pounds of heroin, 47 pounds of methamphetamine and 43 pounds of cocaine in his Volkswagen Jetta, according to a court document. Advertisement The revelation about Houstons record left Border Patrol agents and Morones frustrated and blaming each other. Joshua Wilson, vice president for the National Border Patrol Council Local 1613, said that he doesnt trust Morones. Enrique was not honest with any of us with the events that occurred that day, Wilson said. Quite frankly I dont know any agent out there that feels comfortable dealing with him. Morones said the union has been saying things about him that werent true. He didnt know about Houstons situation or plan for the day, he said. Advertisement Morones contends that Border Patrol should be held accountable because the agency is responsible for conducting background checks on all of the people wanting to participate in Door of Hope events. On Friday night, he produced to the Union-Tribune a copy of Houstons application for participation and drivers license which he gave to Border Patrol prior to the November opening. Thats serious stuff. How is it possible that the Border Patrol didnt catch that? Morones said. It was a big mistake, and they dont want to admit it. Morones said he will continue pushing for similar events in other sectors of the border where local chiefs might be more amenable to opening gates. He will also host other events at Friendship Park. He is still hopeful that Scott will allow an event to go forward in March that would unite children with disabilities with their parents at the border even if the door remains closed. Advertisement Immigration Videos On Now New developments in family separation case 9:53 On Now A San Diego woman volunteered as a medic in Texas helping migrant families 2:35 On Now Immigration policy protests in Carlsbad nearly cancelled after permit issue 1:38 On Now When children are separated from their parents at the border, here is where they go next On Now Prospects of a deal for 'Dreamers' may hinge on separating Trump from hard-liners on his staff On Now What is DACA? On Now Border wall prototype contractors selected On Now Video: Ukrainian boxer wins asylum in U.S. On Now 30 apprehended after Border Patrol agents discover tunnel On Now Video: Kurdish diaspora prepare to vote on independence Advertisement Follow me on Facebook for live updates about immigration news kate.morrissey@sduniontribune.com, @bgirledukate on Twitter The home of Tina Johnson, who accused former U.S. Senate candidate Roy Moore of groping her, was destroyed Wednesday in a fire that is being investigated as an arson, though officials say they do not believe it is related to the Moore allegations. Johnsons house on Lake Mary Louise Road in Gadsden, Alabama, caught fire Wednesday morning while she and her husband were at work and her grandson was at school. I am devastated, just devastated, Johnson told AL.com on Friday morning. We have just the clothes on our backs. Johnson is among several women who came forward in November with stories of questionable behavior or alleged sexual misconduct by Moore, the failed Republican candidate in the December special Senate election. Johnson told AL.com in November that during a visit to Moores office in 1991, when she was 28, he made several inappropriate comments and then groped her as she was leaving. Moore was 44 and married at the time. Moore has denied the allegations, but he lost the Dec. 12 race to Democrat Doug Jones. Advertisement Natalie Barton, public information officer with the Etowah County Sheriffs Department, said that officials are speaking with a person of interest and that the ongoing investigation does not lead us to believe that the fire is in any way related to Roy Moore or allegations made against him. Neighbors and some utility workers called 911 about 8 a.m. But by the time the fire was extinguished, all of Johnsons and her familys belongings were destroyed, according to AL.com. No one appeared to be injured in the fire. Johnson and her family are living in a motel, according to AL.com. She told the website that law enforcement officials have not disclosed how the fire started, only that it began at the back of the house. Johnson could not be immediately reached for comment. A GoFundMe set up to help Johnson rebuild her home had nearly met its $40,000 goal by Friday evening. Rep. Duncan Hunter says the Department of Justice needs to make its move on the ongoing investigation into how some of his campaign finances were spent. Its concerning that it has taken so long, Hunter, R-Alpine, said in a television interview broadcast on KUSI. I think that the Department of Justice is somewhat biased. There are individuals there, they like to make big cases, they like to do big things, it makes a name for them. I think that the longer they drag this out, the worse it is for me, and they know that. So lets just get it over with, Hunter said. Advertisement He said he cooperated with investigators and turned over information nearly a year ago, but hasnt heard anything since. The FBI is investigating Hunters campaign funds after inquiries by the Federal Election Commission and The San Diego Union-Tribune revealed that contributions may have been spent improperly on video games, oral surgery, groceries, garage door repair, surfing equipment, dance recital trips, school lunches and other potentially personal expenses. Hunter has reimbursed his campaign more than $60,000 amid the revelations. He has said honest mistakes were made, including mix-ups between campaign and personal credit cards that were the same color. The longer the investigation takes, the darker the shadow over his re-election effort, Hunter told KUSI. Despite the legal inquiry, Hunter said he believes things are going well for him in Congress. I think were doing a good job, were fighting hard and standing up for the principles that I believe in and that the voters of my district believe in, he said. I think were rockin and rollin. He acknowledged that the presidents party usually loses seats in the midterm election, but said he doesnt think Republicans will lose as much ground as some have predicted. Stock indexes are doing well, and employers will add jobs, he said. Its the economy, stupid, Hunter said. Advertisement He also took a less hawkish stand on North Korea than his prior demands for a preemptive strike. He said the military should now try to intercept North Korean test missiles shortly after launch, a strategy that will stop engineers from assessing their technology and honing their capabilities. Shoot them back down on Kim Jong Uns head as hes in the bleachers clapping as his rocket goes up in the air, Hunter said. Weve got to do it now because the window is closing. Sanctions havent worked, and diplomacy was never a real option or proven effective, he said. Previously: Hunter Advertisement Twitter: @jptstewart Advertisement joshua.stewart@sduniontribune.com (619) 293-1841 A new lawsuit demands that San Diego release documents that it allegedly has showing a pattern of sexual assaults by adults on children at San Diego Junior Theatre, which is funded partly by city hotel tax revenue. The lawsuit says San Diego hasnt properly complied with requests seeking such documents under the California Public Records Act, contending the city has illegally withheld some documents and too aggressively redacted information in others. Attorneys for the city say in court filings that they have sound legal reasons for withholding some documents and redacting others, noting that city officials are still in the process of complying with the latest records request they received. The lawsuit, filed in late November on behalf of a man whose children were part of the theater until recently, says the city should err on the side of full disclosure if there is any ambiguity whether a document should be withheld. Advertisement The privacy interests of individuals, and any theoretical interest of the City or San Diego Junior Theatre in keeping attorney work product related to child abuse confidential, are vastly outweighed by a strong public interest in knowing whether government officials and their contractual agents have committed serious misconduct by abusing children in their charge or hiding, failing to report or preventing others from reporting child abuse, the lawsuit says. The legal action was filed seven months after former Junior Theatre teacher Eric von Metzke pleaded guilty to unlawful sex with a minor in April and was sentenced to three years in prison. Von Metzke, then 35, pleaded guilty to two counts of sex with a female under the age of 18. The lawsuit includes a sentencing memo from the office of then-District Attorney Bonnie Dumanis that the suit says shows multiple people at Junior Theatre were aware von Metzke had inappropriate relationships with young girls, including a teacher who apparently didnt tell any superiors. On that basis, the lawsuit contends there are no doubt many documents the city has failed to produce that could shed light on who knew about the abuse, when they knew and what they did or didnt do about it. The lawsuit also suggests the theaters board was aware of misconduct and that it would be illegal for board members not to report such alleged incidents to law enforcement because they are mandated reporters under state penal code. The suit focuses on multiple public records requests filed last year by local attorney Matt Valenti, who has been publicly lobbying for more disclosure by theater officials since the von Metzke misconduct was revealed. Advertisement The Junior Theatres contract to use city-owned facilities officially designates the city as the party responsible for handling records requests related to theater documents. Valentis requests seek all records and documents since the beginning of 2012 related to child abuse or suspected child abuse at the theater, including investigative reports related to tips or warnings received by officials. The requests also seek records or investigations related to improper student-teacher relationships, including sleepover parties and teachers socializing with students outside of programmed activities. The city has provided some documents in response, but attorneys for the city say in court filings that many of the documents requested dont exist. Advertisement They say others are exempt from disclosure by government codes that protect either the privacy rights of theater personnel or that protect the legal advice received by theater officials. City officials rely on those same codes to justify redactions to some documents. San Diego Junior Theatre is a 70-year-old nonprofit billed as the oldest continuously running childrens theater program in the country. It operates in city-owned facilities in Balboa Park and received nearly $100,000 in city hotel tax revenue as a subsidy this budget year. Advertisement david.garrick@sduniontribune.com (619) 269-8906 Twitter:@UTDavidGarrick A lawsuit filed by residents living near what many expect to be the last large project built in Mission Beach challenges the California Coastal Commissions approval in October of the 59-home development. The litigation, filed on behalf of Mission Beach Residents for Responsible Development, says the approval violates the state Coastal Act and state environmental law. The residents contend the 2-acre development a few blocks north of the resort communitys iconic roller coaster would be too intense for the area and that the project does not provide enough park land. The same group filed suit against the city of San Diego on similar grounds shortly after the City Council approved the project in a 6-2 vote in April 2016 after a four-hour hearing. Advertisement Residents had expressed hope back then that the Coastal Commission would reject the project, based partly on a letter from a commission analyst questioning the size and location of the project and the layout of a park it would include. Instead of rejecting the project, the commission demanded concessions that the developer eventually agreed to make. They include shrinking the number of housing units from 63 to 59 and re-shaping and enlarging the projects park, which had been proposed as a narrow, linear green space along Mission Boulevard. Those concessions have not convinced the residents to support the project, which would be built on the former site of Mission Beach Elementary. Their lawsuit seeking to overturn the Coastal Commission approval contends the project still does not provide enough park space for the anticipated population and that the lot sizes have been artificially inflated to allow more density than the citys municipal code allows. Heather Riley, an attorney for the developer, disputed those claims by telephone this week. My clients are very confident that the City Council and the Coastal Commission did the right thing and that the permits were valid, she said. A Feb. 16 hearing has been scheduled in the lawsuit against the city. No hearings in the lawsuit against the Coastal Commission have been scheduled. Advertisement david.garrick@sduniontribune.com (619) 269-8906 Twitter:@UTDavidGarrick A Honduran who turned himself in to U.S. Border Patrol agents and asked to be deported Wednesday may have had an ulterior motive for leaving the country. The Border Patrol reported Friday that a 24-year-old man approached agents near Otay Mesa and said he and his parents had entered the country illegally in 2005 and he now wanted to be returned to Honduras. A records check on the man revealed that he was out on bail and due in court in Los Angeles County the next day to face charges of assault with a deadly weapon and sexual battery. In another case earlier that day, agents in Tecate arrested a 38-year-old Nicaraguan man in the country illegally who had a previous conviction for lewd and lascivious acts with a child under 14. He also had a prior deportation record. Advertisement Agents on all-terrain vehicles discovered the man tucked between two large boulders just north of the international boundary after following footprints for several hundred yards. Homeless Playlist On Now San Diego hepatitis outbreak continues to grow: 481 cases On Now Homeless entrenched in booming tent city along Santa Ana River On Now San Diego mayor agreed to homeless hub, then delayed, advocates say On Now Homeless outreach in San Diego On Now Video: Street Art: Portraits of San Diego's Homeless #8 On Now In poverty himself, 'Water Man Dave,' is the fearless saint of San Diego's homeless 5:41 On Now Video: Homeless living in cars find safe havens 2:21 On Now Street Art: Portraits of San Diego's Homeless #7 On Now Pitching a tent plan for San Diego's homeless On Now Homeless efforts get $80M boost for various services gary.warth@sduniontribune.com Twitter: @GaryWarthUT Advertisement 760-529-4939 A southeastern San Diego woman who had been missing since Dec. 28 has been found and reunited with her family. The San Diego Police Department issued an alert Friday afternoon asking for the publics help in locating Miriam Ramirez Williamson, who had left her home on foot and had not returned. SDPD issued a press release at about 8:50 p.m. saying she had been found. Advertisement Homeless Playlist On Now San Diego hepatitis outbreak continues to grow: 481 cases On Now Homeless entrenched in booming tent city along Santa Ana River On Now San Diego mayor agreed to homeless hub, then delayed, advocates say On Now Homeless outreach in San Diego On Now Video: Street Art: Portraits of San Diego's Homeless #8 On Now In poverty himself, 'Water Man Dave,' is the fearless saint of San Diego's homeless 5:41 On Now Video: Homeless living in cars find safe havens 2:21 On Now Street Art: Portraits of San Diego's Homeless #7 On Now Pitching a tent plan for San Diego's homeless On Now Homeless efforts get $80M boost for various services gary.warth@sduniontribune.com Twitter: @GaryWarthUT 760-529-4939 Advertisement UPDATES: 9:00 p.m.: This article has been updated since originally published. This month marks the return of one of Old Temeculas best-loved historical figures nearly 100 years after he died. Samuel Warren Hackett (a.k.a. O.T. Hackett), who from 1882 to 1886 carried mail a grueling 144 round trip miles from San Diego to Temecula, will appear at 6 p.m. Monday, Jan. 22 at the Little Temecula History Center. In actuality, the role of Hackett will be performed by Temecula Valley Historical Society member Gerry Nicholas. To Nicholas, Hackett seemed a man who balanced career and family life, adventure and reliability. He struck me, said Nicholas, as being a very dedicated individual. Advertisement Dressed in a tidy vest and bowtie that harken back to the Victorian West, Nicholas will regale audience members with tales of Hacketts adventures. Born in Massachusetts in 1836, at 16, Hackett sailed to California on a whaling ship, spent time as a cattle rancher, a bee keeper and more, before delivering mail from San Diego to Temecula in a horse-drawn passenger wagon. Nicholas will detail the trials and tribulations Hackett endured to provide a reliable mail service. Like clockwork, Hackett would drive 72 miles to Temecula on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, stopping to change horses every 20 miles, spend the night in one of ten rooms attached to the Wolf Store Adobe, and then set out in the morning for the return trip to San Diego. Hackett was so punctual, it was rumored you could set your watch by his deliveries. The nickname O.T. stood for On Time. Like Hackett, Nicholas started out as a seafaring man. He served as a corpsman in the U.S. Navy and retired after 20 years of service. I was stationed in many places, including San Diego but, fortunately, never saw combat. I was very lucky. And like Hackett, Nicholas has enjoyed family life and many career adventures. He is, by his own account, an expert at retiring. Ive retired three times, he said. First, from the Navy. Then, from federal civil service and, finally, from substitute teaching. Gerry Nicholas appearance as O.T. Hackett marks the first in a series of visits from local historical figures to be held at the Little Temecula History Center. Called Notable Men of Temecula, this new lecture/performance series follows on the heels of last years Notable Women of Temecula. Both programs are presented by the Temecula Valley Historical Society. Advertisement If you go: What: Temecula Valley Historical Society meeting: Gerry Nicholas portrays Samuel Warren Hackett When: 6 p.m. Monday, Jan. 22 Where: Little Temecula History Center (the red barn just west of Kohls), at Vail Headquarters, 32115 Temecula Parkway, Temecula. Cost: Free; non-members are welcome. Advertisement Contact: Call for details (951) 395-0904 or visit www.temeculahistoricalsociety.org temecula@sduniontribune.com A San Diego County jail inmate who was supposed to be in protective custody was intentionally placed into a cell with a mainline detainee who later assaulted him, a citizens review board said. According to the county Citizens Law Enforcement Review Board, which provides oversight of the Sheriffs and Probation departments, the inmate said he was targeted by deputies who held a grudge against him. The complainant said that he was attacked by a mainline inmate and believed it was done on purpose by Deputy 2 and orchestrated by Deputy 4, because he had heard them bad-mouth him in the past, the review said. Neither the inmate nor the officers involved were identified in the report. Advertisement Allegations that the detainee was targeted on purpose were not sustained due to a lack of evidence, but the oversight board found that the inmate was wrongly placed into the general jail population. The evidence showed that the complainants placement with a mainline inmate was improper and Deputy 4 was in violation of Detention Services Bureau Policy & Procedure and facility Green Sheets supporting the procedures, the report said. The evidence supported the allegation and the act or conduct was not justified. The review board report does not explain how seriously the inmate was injured or identify the guards who were involved in the complaint. It operates as an independent panel and makes policy and disciplinary recommendations when its volunteers see fit. Board members said their investigation of the inmates allegations yielded additional information that should be investigated further. Actions of other sworn personnel not identified by the complainant may have played a contributing role in this situation and were referred back to the department for further review, the review board wrote. The Sheriffs Department declined to comment on the finding or the referral to additional investigation in advance of a review board meeting set for Tuesday. Advertisement Watchdog Videos On Now Sexual misconduct accusers worry deputy is being protected 6:16 On Now City funded $2-million waterfront bathroom 1:26 On Now Public water district charges customer for legal work, response to records request On Now Video: Tiny homes won't be reused amid housing, homeless crisis On Now Attorney General seeks documentation for Miss Middle East On Now Rep. Hunter probe covers possible fraud On Now Video: SDG&E delaying solar credit for some low-income housing tenants On Now Video: Former San Diego Junior Theatre teacher sentenced for sex with teen girl 0:24 On Now Video: Shelter volunteers believe they were fired for finding a dog a home 0:49 On Now McKamey Manor is leaving San Diego 3:35 jeff.mcdonald@sduniontribune.com (619) 293-1708 @sdutMcDonald San Diego labor leader Mickey Kasparian has settled one of several lawsuits filed against him by women accusing him of sexual harassment, court records show. On Friday, a lawsuit filed by Isabel Vasquez, a former employee of United Food and Commercial Workers Union 135, settled, according to an entry in the docket for the case filed in San Diego Superior Court. The case was scheduled for dismissal in 45 days. Kasparian is the president of the union and a local power broker in union and city politics. Terms and details of the settlement were not given in the one-line court entry. Lawyers for Kasparian and Vasquez did not respond late Friday evening to messages seeking comment. Advertisement Vasquez alleged in the lawsuit that she was pressured into a long term sexual relationship with Kasparian. She said it ran for more than 15 years, from her hiring in 2001 to her retirement in July 2016. She alleged he would occasionally demand oral sex in his office as well as sex in hotel rooms paid for by the union and in his car outside of union events, according to her lawsuit. Kasparian denied the allegations. He has also been sued by another woman who accused him of sexual assault. A third lawsuit accused Kasparian of firing a woman in retaliation for a position her husbands rival union took against one of Local 135s interests. Kasparian also heads the San Diego Working Families Council, a coalition of unions including local chapters of the Teamsters and Service Employees International Union. Twitter: @gregmoran greg.moran@sduniontribune.com The 911 call was urgent. When San Diego sheriffs deputies arrived at the Imperial Beach apartment two years ago this month, they found a woman outside bleeding from what appeared to be multiple stab wounds. They rushed the victim to safety and worked to establish contact with the primary suspect who was barricaded inside the Florence Street apartment the womans husband. Deputies attempted to ram through the front door but could not get inside. They tried to lure Aurelio Perez out of the home, and he never responded to their contacts. After a three-hour standoff, the SWAT team blew open the door. They sent in a robot equipped with a video camera and were able to see Perez lying on the hallway floor. Then they sent in a police dog to make sure he was dead. Advertisement The drama made headlines around San Diego County the day of the attack. The Sheriffs Department told reporters that deputies had been called to the home before but did not say when. According to the Citizens Law Enforcement Review Board, five deputies were dispatched to the home the previous day and neglected to summon a Psychiatric Emergency Response Team, even though Perez was a danger to himself or others. While Perezs actions and statements tended to indicate Perez was a danger to himself during the January 23, 2016, call for service, the option of taking a person into custody was a permissive action, not a mandatory requirement, the review board wrote in justifying the action. There was no evidence to support an allegation of misconduct or negligence on the part of the Sheriffs Department sworn personnel. The review board wants to make sure history does not repeat. The volunteer panel is recommending that Sheriff Bill Gore revise his policy to require deputies to call in psychiatric help when they encounter suspects who present a danger to themselves or others. The board also wants the department to require the consideration of calling in a Crisis Negotiations Team any time an individual threatens physical harm to himself or others and to document said consideration in dispatch entries or crime reports. The San Diego Sheriffs Department said Thursday it was evaluating the recommendation but could not discuss the issue. These are agenda items and not approved by the board yet so we will reserve comment until after the (review board) meeting on the 9th (of January) just to ensure nothing changes, Lt. Karen Stubkjaer said by email. Advertisement Five deputies were referenced in the review boards complaint, although they were unnamed. The review board examined seven allegations six from Jan. 23, 2016, when the five deputies responded to the domestic disturbance call and the single death investigation the following day. The actions of four deputies were justified due to the latitude they have in deciding when or whether to summon mental-health professionals. Complaints about the fifth deputys actions were dismissed because he is retired and the review board lacks jurisdiction. The review board said emergency responders acted properly when they returned to the apartment Jan. 24, 2016. A K-9 was deployed but Perez did not respond, the report said. Deputies entered and confirmed Perezs death without resuscitative efforts. Deputies expeditiously responded to this incident and despite their lawful and proper actions, Aurelio Perez took his own life. Advertisement Perezs wife, who was not identified in news reports because she was a victim of domestic violence, survived the 2016 stabbing. The review board convenes Tuesday at 5:30 p.m. in the County Administration Center on Pacific Highway in San Diego. Its recommendations are not required to be implemented. Advertisement Watchdog Videos On Now Sexual misconduct accusers worry deputy is being protected 6:16 On Now City funded $2-million waterfront bathroom 1:26 On Now Public water district charges customer for legal work, response to records request On Now Video: Tiny homes won't be reused amid housing, homeless crisis On Now Attorney General seeks documentation for Miss Middle East On Now Rep. Hunter probe covers possible fraud On Now Video: SDG&E delaying solar credit for some low-income housing tenants On Now Video: Former San Diego Junior Theatre teacher sentenced for sex with teen girl 0:24 On Now Video: Shelter volunteers believe they were fired for finding a dog a home 0:49 On Now McKamey Manor is leaving San Diego 3:35 jeff.mcdonald@sduniontribune.com (619) 293-1708 @sdutMcDonald San Diego paid $278,000 for overtime, supplies and services for city police tasked with patrolling the area where workers from six companies labored to build the prototypes for President Donald Trumps hoped-for border wall last fall. City records show that the city paid $227,500 in overtime between Sept 26. and Oct. 26 the month-long period when the prototype structures ordered by Trump were constructed on a patch of ground near the border on Otay Mesa. Additional costs included $5,778 for meals, $10,603 for audio equipment, $14,152 for tactical equipment and $19,817 for ammunition. The breakdown of costs, provided in response to a request under the California Public Records Act, push the known outlay by local agencies who patrolled the area to at least $389,000. Advertisement That includes $111,000 that the San Diego Sheriffs Department which also provided patrols and other services said earlier that it spent for miles of chain link fencing that ringed a vast area around the building site. The fencing blocked off large sections private lands and what the county said was sensitive wildlife habitat. U-T Watchdog has requested an accounting of other costs from the county, similar to the information provided this week by the city. In addition to the supplies and overtime, the city expended $548,446 in salaries and benefits for pay to officers who were already scheduled to be on duty and were reassigned to the security for the wall project, said city spokesman Jose Ysea. Assuming the average police officer pay and benefits cost about $100,000 a year, that means the effort employed some 60 to 70 officers for a month. An accounting that includes the cost of those officers even though they would have been working anyway would bring the total city expense on prototype protection to $826,000. Details on some of the expenses such as what kind and how much ammunition was purchased, what kind of audio equipment, and the meals expenses were not provided. San Diego City Council member Georgette Gomez, who sponsored a resolution condemning the wall project before construction began, sharply criticized the cost to the city for the wall that she called a huge waste of taxpayer dollars. Advertisement The city should not have spent a dime on protecting the prototypes when we face recruitment and retention problems and our communities are left vulnerable, she said by email. This is simply unacceptable. The city likely wont be reimbursed by the government for the expenses it incurred, Ysea said. There is no vehicle that we are aware of that would allow the San Diego Police Department to be reimbursed for these expenditures, however we are exploring our options, he said by email. Local agencies were put on alert in the weeks before the project was to begin. A security memo from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security warned of the potential for large-scale protests potentially violent from opponents of the wall and Trumps immigration crackdown. Advertisement Local law enforcement officials met with federal officials in advance of the start of construction. In the first few days after work began Sept. 26, police presence in the area was heavy. The city and county also banned parking on streets in a business park that was the closest developed area to the site for a month. Officers were stationed at the lone entryway to the construction site. All the preparations were for naught, however. No rallies, demonstrators, marchers or protest signs appeared during the four largely uneventful weeks of construction. The most frequent visitors to the site were media crews local, state and even international who were shuttled out to the building site by Customs and Border Protection media officers nearly every day. Advertisement The eight walls four made of concrete, and four of other materials were selected from hundreds of companies that submitted designs to the government last year. Each wall cost between $300,000 and $500,000, meaning the total expense for the project the city and county provided security for was between $2.4 million and $4 million. There was no local police presence in the area on Friday, though access to the site is still blocked by barriers and fencing. The walls are undergoing a series of tests to see how well they can deter climbing, tunneling and tampering by tools and machines. Results from those tests will help determine what works well and what does not. That and other criteria will then feed into a master design for future wall construction, officials have said. Testing is expected to take up to two months. For now, the walls remain standing on Otay Mesa. The government has not said if the walls, each 30 feet long and up to 30 feet high, will remain at the site or be removed in the longterm. Twitter: @gregmoran Advertisement greg.moran@sduniontribune.com Last weekend, I was startled to hear that the Presidential Advisory Council on HIV/AIDS, a group of experts, doctors, lawyers and people living with HIV/AIDS, was abruptly disbanded by President Donald Trump, just in time for the New Year. Their jobs were to advise the White House on how best to respond to this epidemic. I can speak today, not only as an advocate who works daily with survivors of HIV/AIDS but also as a woman living with HIV, that there is a great deal of work to be done in serving this community, and improving the way our country is responding. It is estimated that 20,000 people in San Diego County are HIV positive. Many of them, approximately 6,400, know their positive status, but arent currently receiving treatment. This is one reason why my role at Christies Place, a local support center for women with HIV and AIDS, is so important. I come alongside the newly diagnosed and help them through the process of getting the treatment they need and the support they deserve in whatever way I can. My journey with my clients often begins with me sharing my story with them. I was diagnosed with AIDS in 1995. Advertisement For 27 years, my life revolved around my addiction. I sacrificed everything to satisfy it my money, safety, relationships, security nothing else was as important. My wake-up call came from my niece, who made me realize that my actions were hurting not only myself, but my family as well. I changed my path, got clean, and have since dedicated my life to helping women living with HIV and AIDS. Women are often the forgotten, sidelined victims of this epidemic, but our stories are vitally important for the country and the world to hear. Now is not the time to hit pause on the work being done to help combat HIV/AIDS in our country, and we all have a part to play: 1. Know your status. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that 90 percent of new infections come from people who are unaware they have the virus. 2. Volunteer. Learn more about the resources available to help the HIV/AIDS in San Diego, and in your community, and ask them how you can help. 3. Help break the stigma. HIV/AIDS affect both women and men from all backgrounds. They are our sisters, mothers, children and friends. Be a compassionate listener, give your support, and have an open heart. 4. Pledge to help groups combatting HIV/AIDS. An innovative crowdfunding site called CaringCrowd.org, makes finding heroic organizations that are fighting HIV/AIDS, like Christies Place, simpler than ever. Find a project to support and Johnson & Johnson will match pledges up to $250 per person, per project as funds last. Advertisement Blount is a peer navigator at Christies Place, a nonprofit social service organization in San Diego County that provides HIV/AIDS education, support and advocacy. In San Diego, there are a lot of broken sidewalks. These broken sidewalks are dangerous; every year people trip and fall over them and are severely injured. Eventually, the city gets sued and often has to either pay to settle or pay damages if it loses. Meanwhile, the sidewalks remain broken, people continue to get injured and the city continues to refuse to take responsibility to fix them. And the problem has only gotten worse. In 2015, the city did a comprehensive sidewalk assessment of all 4,580 miles of sidewalks. They found over 85,000 damaged sidewalk locations and 21,465 noncompliant curb ramps. Today, the funding backlog for sidewalk and curb ramp repairs is at least $38.8 million and will only grow as more sidewalks fall into disrepair. So why does the city bureaucracy refuse to fix so many damaged sidewalks? In short, because they want you, the homeowner, to pay for it. The city claims that sidewalk repair is not its responsibility under Council Policy 200-12 passed in 1975. This policy places the main responsibility of sidewalk repair and maintenance on abutting property owners. Upon notification of a broken sidewalk, the city will mail the abutting property owner a notice of liability. The city offers a 50/50 cost share program, but even with this assistance, the average repair cost to the homeowner is over $3,000, which is simply too costly for many homeowners. As a result, very few residents pay to fix city sidewalks, and the backlog continues to grow, especially in low-income communities. Advertisement According to the current policy and state law, the city remains liable for injuries that result from broken sidewalks. In December 2017, a jury awarded $85,000 to Cynthia Hedgecock who was injured by tripping on a broken sidewalk in Pacific Beach. In March 2017, the city paid $4.8 million to settle litigation due to a severe accident caused by unsafe sidewalk conditions. According to a preliminary review of sidewalk related trip and fall cases by the City Attorneys Office, there have been at least 105 other cases against the city since 2013. Altogether, records show that the city has paid out at least $7 million since 2013 for litigation regarding damaged sidewalks. Instead of using these taxpayer dollars to pay out settlements related to injuries caused by broken sidewalks, the city could invest this money into proactively repairing many broken sidewalks before an injury occurs. The current policy is simply unfair to taxpayers. rather than trying to blame homeowners for broken sidewalks, the city should just fix them. Thats why for the last two years I have proposed revising this policy to require the basic maintenance of sidewalks by the city, except in cases where the sidewalk was damaged by the abutting property owner or third parties. Fixing sidewalks the same way we fix streets shouldnt be controversial. In October 2017, I presented these proposed revisions to the City Council Rules Committee. After City Attorney Mara Elliott raised concerns about shifting further costs onto the city, the proposal was referred to staff for further analysis. However, the city attorney and some council members have made it clear that they would rather explore the idea of shifting even more costs, responsibility and liability for sidewalks onto homeowners and away from the city. Essentially, this would be a new sidewalk tax on homeowners in that every time a broken sidewalk causes an injury, homeowners could be forced to pay thousands of dollars. Doubling down on the wrong approach is not the solution. If you agree with me that the city should not blame homeowners for broken sidewalks and instead get to work fixing them, please contact your City Council member and City Attorney Elliott and let them know. The first step in fixing our sidewalks is taking responsibility for all of them. We must do everything we can to fix them before the next major accident results in serious injury to a resident and costs the city millions of dollars in a settlement. Alvarez represents District 8 on the San Diego City Council. Attorney General Jeff Sessions just threw California and the seven other states that have approved recreational marijuana use into confusion by reversing an Obama administration policy and allowing local U.S. attorneys to enforce federal anti-cannabis laws at their discretion. But no one should believe Sessions is changing the arc of history when it comes to Americans accepting marijuana use. An October Gallup poll showed record support for marijuana legalization 64 percent a massive change from 1996, when only 25 percent supported it. Perhaps making marijuana legal wont increase its use because it is already so widely available from medical pot dispensaries and the black market. But legalizing recreational use normalizes cannabis and may make it both more acceptable and more common. Any increase, especially by inexperienced users, makes it crucial that the public be protected, in our car-crazy culture, from pot-impaired drivers. After Colorado legalized recreational marijuana sales in 2014, traffic fatalities linked to marijuana use rose from 47 in 2013 to 115 in 2016. Thats troubling. Also, testing for marijuana is far more difficult than for alcohol impairment, which can be measured easily with breathalyzers. No such reliable quick, hard-science field tests are available to determine the presence of THC, marijuanas primary active ingredient, or other drugs that impair motor skills. Nearly a year ago, the San Diego Police Department obtained two Drager DrugTest 5000 machines, which test oral mouth swipes from drivers suspected of impairment for the presence of marijuana, cocaine, opiates, methamphetamine, amphetamine, methadone and benzodiazepines. Drager asserts that its machines only test for the presence of the active THC compound that impairs a driver not residual THC. If a driver field-tested by SDPD shows the compound, he or she must submit to blood tests to establish levels of impairment. The German company claims its machine worked in two California tests with 98.9 percent accuracy. Advertisement Yet scientific studies of the Drager method and similar tests dont back that up. In 2017, the journal of the Canadian Forensic Science Society suggested saliva tests could prove to be a valuable tool for law enforcement. The journal also noted researchers found relatively high levels of false positive results and unimpressive results in detecting cannabis use. It also noted that oral mouth swipes were better at detecting some drugs than others. These concerns about Dragerseffectiveness are shared by the Orange County District Attorneys Office. In an interview with an editorial writer for The San Diego Union-Tribune, Mark McCullough of the Police Departments Traffic Division said SDPD was comfortable with its use of the Drager machines and had not encountered any issues to date. But he also said the department was open to better drug field tests, as UC San Diego is trying to find. Thats good to hear because if Drager thinks its device is near perfect despite contrary evidence, it is unlikely to try to improve its performance. For everyones safety, heres hoping intense research into improving drug field tests continues. In California, its never been more important to quickly and accurately identify stoned drivers. Twitter: @sdutIdeas Facebook: San Diego Union-Tribune Ideas & Opinion Re Michael Smolens column on Darrell Issa (Issa takes on Hanoi Jane for donating to his challengers, Dec. 27): Attacking Jane Fonda for donating to his challengers is a phony baloney and a vain attempt to distract his constituents from his many failures. For several years, Issa has mindlessly functioned as a partisan mouthpiece for his party and even supported Donald Trump, probably the most unqualified and unfit president ever elected. As Issa witnessed, his cohorts brazenly enacted the tax bill that will add trillions to the federal deficit and hurt the middle class. Clearly, this tax package is his partys largesse to the coffers of large corporations and billionaires at the expense of California and a few other states that are the backbones of the U.S. economy. It is especially sad that Issa has been an accomplice in his partys assault on the middle class, including many who reside in his congressional district. As his constituent, I am terribly disappointed by his performance. Advertisement Suren G. Dutia Del Mar As a Vietnam veteran, I am once again angered and yet amused by Jane Fondas pathetic excuses for being manipulated by the North Vietnamese media during her visit to that country during war. Her statement the buck stops here doesnt really address her betrayal of American G.I.s patriotic response to a war undone by celebrities like herself and politicians who had no exposure to the conflict. Her statement I hardly even thought about where I was sitting is revealing. That pretty much sums it up. Fonda doesnt think before acting or speaking in real time or real world situations that have serious consequences. She was more than willing to direct and act in a traitorous scene as long as she was the star. Brad Fox Fallbrook The San Francisco Examiner published an article in May 1998 detailing the conflicts between Issas public statements and public records when Darrell Issa was salivating to become a U.S. senator. Now we can use the same conflicting (fake) statements (especially about his military service) to defeat this pompous politician. Advertisement To Issa, I say: So what if Jane Fonda went to North Vietnam during the conflict? She has apologized for that act many times, and we should take her apology as genuine. It was a stupid war for France and for us. If Vietnam and that recent war were so bad, why was the U.S. so quick to normalize relations and begin a brisk trade with that communist regime? I guess its the same reason (money and business) why Trump was cozying up to Russia until his minions got caught. Both traitors to the truth. G. Lance Johannsen Advertisement Carlsbad Letters and commentary policy The U-T welcomes and encourages community dialogue on important public matters. Please visit this page for more details on our letters and commentaries policy. You can email letters@sduniontribune.com or leave a comment below. Follow @UTLetters on Twitter and UTOpinion on Facebook. The budget proposals include A total of $25 million in new funding for child care assistance under the governors plan, and $27 million in the Legislative Finance Committees plan, for early childhood education. A 1.9 percent increase in funding for schools under the Legislatures proposal. The governor is calling for bonuses for teachers rated as exemplary, more instructional materials and increased funding for various initiatives from early reading to science and technology. A 2 percent raise for teachers under the governors plan. The Legislative Finance Committee proposes increasing the minimum salaries for educators, with teachers on average receiving a raise of about 2.7 percent. The governors plan calls for pay raises at the Corrections Department and an additional $20 million for the Department of Public Safety. Press Release January 6, 2018 De Lima readies for a slew of challenges in 2018 Mindful that the political persecution which she suffered for the past 313 days in detention can worsen this year, Opposition Senator Leila M. de Lima said she has already prepared herself for a more difficult 2018 in terms of her personal and public life. De Lima, the first prominent political prisoner under the Duterte regime, said should her Motion for Reconsideration lodged before the Supreme Court (SC) in connection with the trumped-up illegal drug trade charge the government filed against her be denied, the trials could take its toll on her physical and emotional wellbeing. "If my MR (motion for reconsideration) will be denied, the trial is expected to go on full swing. It will be physically and emotionally taxing because I intend to personally attend the hearings," she said in an interview inside her detention quarters at the Philippine National Police-Custodial Center in Camp Crame, Quezon City. "It will be tough and difficult to repeatedly listen to perjured testimonies during those hearings. That's why as early as now, I should be able to psyche myself up to control my emotion when listening to lies because I expect to hear lies and more lies," she added. The bogus complaints against De Lima- which made use of manufactured evidence and perjured testimonies of mostly convicted felons during the Congressional hearings - focused on illegal drug trading allegedly committed while she served as DOJ Secretary. Last Oct. 10, the High Tribunal, voting 9-6, ruled against De Lima's petition to nullify the arrest warrant issued against her by Muntinlupa Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 204 for the trumped-up charge of illegal drug trade she allegedly committed while in public office. In her 24-page MR on Nov. 3, De Lima said the High Tribunal should immediately rectify the continuing grave injustice committed against her because the majority of its members cannot even agree on the nature and cause of accusation against her. Confused about their theory of the case, the government prosecutors eventually filed a Motion to Amend Information, substituting the original accusation from drug trading to conspiracy to trade illegal drugs. De Lima said her family, friends, and her legislative staff are also expected to face a more challenging year ahead as they will in one way or the other be involved in this ordeal. "I know that my family members and friends are worried about my situation but they continue to stay strong for me. In fact, they have to contend with the constantly changing rules in the detention facility and adhere to strict visiting hours; just the thought of seeing me discuss things is already challenging because they have to adhere to visiting hours; "The same goes at the (Senate) office. A lot of adjustments have to be made once the trials start," she added. While she experiences a lot of challenges under the Duterte regime, De Lima said she tries to look at these harassments as ways to make her into a stronger person. "While freedom from this most unjust detention is impossible or next to impossible as long as the vindictive President remains in power, one thing is sure: I will emerge from this ordeal, in the end, much stronger," she said. "Vindication will come. (It's) sooner or later. I hold on to that and hope is one thing I cling to everyday," she added. De Lima, touted as a "prisoner of conscience," has since maintained that there is no proof linking her to the alleged illegal drug trade but a mere manufactured evidence and perjured testimonies from convicted felons. As out-of-control flames moved into residential neighborhoods in the middle of the night in October, Sonoma County turned to a relatively new alert system to contact people in danger. The thousands of warning calls made, however, mostly went unheard, a Chronicle review of recently released data shows. During the first five hours of the wildfires that started late Oct. 8, when many were still unaware of the unfolding tragedy, Sonoma County placed nearly 50,000 calls to cell and landline phones issuing evacuation orders. Only 15 percent of those calls were answered, leaving some residents with little notice of the rapidly spreading conflagration. In certain areas decimated by the blazes, an even smaller percentage of alerts were received. As fires burned into the picturesque town of Kenwood, officials sent 770 recorded phone calls recommending people flee the area. Only 36 of those calls were picked up, adding to lingering questions about whether more could have been done to warn people in the fires path. More than one-third of Kenwood, known for its wineries and resorts, was charred by the Nuns Fire. Across Sonoma County, 24 people died and thousands of structures were destroyed, making the firestorm one of the most devastating in California history. When you have a countywide incident thats very fast paced, it obviously stressed the (notification) system, said Kenwood Fire Chief Daren Bellach. And it was something that I dont think we or anybody had been prepared for. Local emergency managers said they used the tools they believed were most reliable to warn people about the fires. They also said the number of missed phone connections is misleading, because unsuccessful calls were redialed at least once. Of the nearly 50,000 calls made, more than 13,800 were duplicates to the same phone number, county spokeswoman Jennifer Larocque said in an email. The records examined by The Chronicle did not identify redialed phone numbers. She also stressed that roughly 40 percent of the calls were either answered or went to voice mail, which the county considered to be a connection. Still, the sparse level of warning in the most destructive and deadly hours of the blazes has drawn criticism from some Sonoma County residents, who say they were blindsided by the disaster. It has also prompted proposed legislation to standardize emergency notification systems in California and spurred long-sought upgrades to a federal system that can send Amber Alert-style warnings during a crisis. Called Wireless Emergency Alerts, or WEAs, those messages ping nearly all cell phones in a disaster zone, but also have the potential to reach many people not in immediate danger. County officials chose not to send such an alert in October, saying they feared causing panic and hampering first responders. The decisions made in Sonoma County at the onset of the fires are being reviewed by state and local officials, and could contribute to far-reaching changes in how the public is warned about disasters in the future. North Bay lawmakers introduced a bill Friday that would require all California counties to adopt and develop protocols for using the WEA system. One of the bills authors, state Sen. Jerry Hill, D-San Mateo, said attempts at notification failed during the October fires. You dont need to notify 100 percent of the people, but you need to get to a critical mass so people will start notifying each other, said Craig Fugate, who, as head of the Federal Emergency Management Agency under President Barack Obama, oversaw implementation of WEAs. If people dont know whats happening until its too late, they may run out of time to act. Between 11:30 p.m. Oct. 8 and 4:30 a.m. Oct. 9, records show that Sonoma County officials made 49,858 calls through the SoCo Alert system, which focused on the small number of county residents who had signed up for the messages, as well as registered landline telephones in areas that needed to be evacuated. Only 7,589 of the calls were answered; the rest either didnt connect, went to an answering machine, or hit a busy signal. SoCo Alert sent an additional 3,450 texts and emails as secondary notifications, and tens of thousands of people were contacted through Nixle, a separate warning program used during the wildfires that residents also had to sign up for. Its unknown how many of the text and email messages were received, and there was probably overlap between the two. Sonoma County Emergency Manager Christopher Helgren said officials did everything they could to warn people about the fires, but the speed and force of the flames, paired with their eruption late at night in many different locations, made it hard to contact everyone. An uncontrolled, erratic, unprecedented wildfire is probably one of the most difficult situations we can do this type of notification in, Helgren said. Power failures, congested phone networks and damage to cell towers and phone lines also made it impossible to contact some people. Nearly half of the warning calls sent during the first five hours of the fires could not be completed, which Helgren said was most likely because of impaired or overwhelmed telecommunication infrastructure. Emergency notifications have reportedly failed to connect during many disasters, including a 2016 Tennessee wildfire that killed 14 and the blazes in Southern California that sparked last month. Whether people pick up the phone, I dont have any control of that, Helgren said, adding that the county deployed a multipronged approach to reach residents. We had sirens, sheriffs deputies and firefighters going from door to door, we had neighbors notifying neighbors. The community really stepped up. Many people in Sonoma County said they learned about the fires only after being awakened by the sound of sirens or contacted by friends, family or neighbors. Its a testament to the strength of the community, said Santa Rosa Vice Mayor Chris Rogers. But its a shortcoming of an alert system. Sonoma County did not release specific addresses or phone numbers that received SoCo Alerts, citing confidentiality laws, but some areas decimated by the wildfires appear to have received little official notice. Mason Trinca/Special to The Chronicle At around 2 a.m., dispatchers recorded the first reports of fires on Coffey Lane, which runs through the middle of Coffey Park a neighborhood that would be leveled by the Wine Country fires. Winds were quickly spreading embers and flames into trees, fields and homes, according to emergency dispatch records reviewed by The Chronicle. Between 2:30 and 4 a.m., county officials sent 758 SoCo Alerts to residents on parts of the 3-mile-long street calling for immediate evacuations. Only 54 of those calls, fewer than 1 in 14, were answered. On Pressley Road, east of Rohnert Park, vegetation fires were reported early on Oct. 9, followed by calls for help to fight the blaze and rescue people. Officials sent 73 SoCo Alerts to the largely rural street at around 3:30 a.m. Just nine were answered. The lack of a widespread warning may have contributed to people being caught off guard by the fires. Between 11 p.m. Oct. 8 and 5 a.m. Oct. 9, emergency personnel were sent to more than 70 locations to help evacuate trapped residents; many more rescues were carried out but not formally entered into dispatch logs. Stephanie Huang, whose Fountaingrove home was destroyed early Oct. 9, decided to flee only after her two sons saw the nearby Paradise Ridge Winery engulfed in flames. By the time officers had rushed the family out to safety, the neighborhood was already burning. I counted the number of houses standing on one hand, it looked like an atomic bomb went off, Huang said. The least they could have done is warn us. ... No phone call, no text message nothing. Huang didnt know about the SoCo Alert or Nixle warning systems before the fires. She had a landline phone, which the family kept in case of an emergency, and its possible the county tried to contact her but was unable to get through. The street Huang lived on, Skyfarm Drive, received more than 150 warning calls on the first night of the fires, records show, but less than half rang and only 15 were answered. One of the best predictors of whether people evacuate is if they believe theyve been told by officials that they need to, said Jay Baker, a professor emeritus at Florida State University and an expert on emergency management. Its surprising to me how many people say, We didnt hear we were supposed to leave. Drought Map Track water shortages and restrictions across Bay Area Check the water shortage status of your area, plus see reservoir levels and a list of restrictions for the Bay Areas largest water districts. To receive cell phone warnings through the SoCo Alert system, residents must enroll in the program. In June, before the fires erupted, only 2 percent of Sonoma County residents had signed up. An additional database of landline telephone numbers had the potential to reach about half of the county, Larocque said. Troy Harper, general manager of OnSolve which provides the technology behind SoCo Alert, as well as thousands of other notification programs across the country said they strive to have at least 10 percent of county residents signed up for similar opt-in systems. But Sonoma County began offering SoCo Alert only one year before the fires struck and it didnt have time to build a robust database of phone numbers, Harper said. Last winters floods were the only other time the system was widely used. State Sen. Mike McGuire, D-Healdsburg, said opt-in systems like SoCo Alert simply are not adequate to inform the public about a natural disaster. Considering its relatively low enrollment and the many failed calls during the first night of the fires, some have questioned why officials chose not to deploy the WEA system. The federally administered program sends short messages, accompanied by a loud sound and vibration, to nearly all cell phones within reach of a cell tower. Wireless alerts are not affected by network congestion and are hard to miss because they sound off even if a device is muted. Only phones programmed to block the messages wont receive them. In December, the California Governors Office of Emergency Services used the system to warn millions of people in Southern California about growing blazes threatening multiple counties. Former FEMA administrator Fugate said the notifications were designed specifically for unpredictable events such as wildfires. If I have a fast-moving, life-threatening event in the middle of the night, I want systems that are going to wake people up, Fugate said. If you just get people up, at least theyre aware of their surroundings, theyll seek out more information. Sonoma County emergency manager Helgren said he chose not to send a WEA during the October fires because it probably would have reached many people that were not immediately threatened, potentially causing traffic jams and inundating 911 lines. Our philosophy is we send the messages to those that are directly in danger, and without those assurances from WEA, I cant use that tool, he said. County officials also said damaged cell towers could have impeded the warning system, but did not provide a timeline of when service in the area became compromised. Emergency managers across the country have echoed Helgrens concerns about wireless alerts, complaining that the system was unable to reliably target specific areas and could send only short, 90-character messages. In November, after Hurricane Harvey, Hurricane Irma and the Wine Country fires highlighted those flaws, long-planned upgrades to make the system more precise and increase text character length were put in place by the Federal Communications Commission. Objections from the wireless industry had stalled the upgrades for more than a year. The decision in Sonoma County to forgo a broader alert is one that local and state officials have pledged to examine in the coming months. In late November, County Administrator Sheryl Bratton wrote to the California Office of Emergency Services requesting it review the local notification system. State officials confirmed that they are conducting the inquiry as part of a broader report on emergency notifications used during the October wildfires. Last month, state lawmakers also held hearings on how to improve Californias emergency notifications, which set the stage for the newly proposed bill that lawmakers hope will strengthen the patchwork of warning systems used statewide and require every county to adopt WEA. What were going to have to review is whether this was human error or a policy error, said Santa Rosa Vice Mayor Rogers, referring to the notifications in Sonoma County. And try and figure out how we correct that for the next time. Joaquin Palomino is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: jpalomino@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @JoaquinPalomino Legal recreational cannabis sales began in San Francisco on Saturday morning, drawing crowds to the first six retail stores in the city to sell weed to anyone over the age of 21 who wants it. At the Apothecarium, a dispensary in the Castro that opened at 9 a.m., Dominic Rea, 48, was the first person in line. Hed arrived at 4:20 a.m because he anticipated a line and because the symbolism was too good to pass up. He was the first person there by hours, but his excitement hadnt waned. I was so excited, I just decided to come over, Rea said. I think Im going to get a sativa joint, an indica joint and a couple of candy bars. Though sales began in other parts of California on Jan. 1, Rea had decided to wait for legal sales to start in San Francisco, skipping the opening of dispensaries in Oakland, Berkeley and other cities. I live here, and I wanted to be here, he said. On Thursday, Attorney General Jeff Sessions rescinded three memos from the Obama era that had outlined a policy of noninterference with state laws on marijuana, jeopardizing and confusing the status of legal weed. Still, San Franciscans were celebrating Californias new rules. Now Playing: The sale of recreational marijuana is legal in California starting Jan. 1, 2018, but it may be a while before you see it being sold in your city. Why isn't it available everywhere? San Francisco Chronicle cannabis editor David Downs explains. Video: Alix Martichoux / SFGATE Were not thinking too much about whats going on in Washington, said Eliot Dobris, a spokesman for The Apothecarium. Were focusing on this incredible milestone. There was much pomp and circumstance at the dispensary; state Sen. Scott Wiener and Supervisor Jeff Sheehy gave speeches and partook in a ceremonial ribbon-cutting. Wiener also had some words for Sessions. Hes not going to know what hit him in terms of bipartisan support, he told The Chronicle. Wiener is co-sponsoring a bill to make California a sanctuary state for the marijuana industry. In his speech, Sheehy spoke about the long history of activism for decriminalization and legalization of marijuana in the Castro. Weve had a movement that started really in San Francisco, took the state and then it moved across the nation, he said. Weve gone the next step now. The co-founder of the dispensary, Ryan Hudson, recounted the down-to-the-wire circumstances of the opening day. While the dispensary had gotten its city license early Friday morning, the state license didnt come through until three minutes before the state office closed at 5 p.m. Then, he said, staff started scrambling for the 9 a.m. opening. A line of about 25 people snaked down the block by opening time. A steady stream of people came into the dispensary throughout the morning, which has the vibe of a boutique hotel, replete with a chandelier and soft music. They sell weed that comes in flavors like Blue Frost and Harmony Rose. They sell cannabis tinctures, oils and waxesand even, for $29 or $39, dog treats made with cannabidiol (which, apparently, will relax them but not get them high). Drought Map Track water shortages and restrictions across Bay Area Check the water shortage status of your area, plus see reservoir levels and a list of restrictions for the Bay Areas largest water districts. Now Playing: Now that the sale of recreational marijuana is legal in California, you may want to try it for the first time or the first time in a long time. Here are some tips to help you navigate the overwhelming choices you'll find in a recreational marijuana shop. Video: Alix Martichoux / SFGATE Wesley Hattan, 42, said that he planned to get some edibles and go to the movies to see The Shape of Water later in the afternoon. Im finally going to buy some recreational marijuana, Hattan said. Its a historic moment. Saturday, the dispensary offered a 20 percent discount to anyone who brought in their mother. Thats our way of saying that this is a safe and respectable place where you can feel proud to bring your mom, Hudson said. For more than five decades in the 19th and early 20th centuries, sex slavery was openly practiced in San Francisco. Young women who had been kidnapped or purchased in their native China were shipped across the ocean and forced to become prostitutes in Chinatown. Broken by disease and despair, few survived more than five or six years of slavery. City officials knew about this appalling trade, but did little to stop it. It is one of the darkest chapters in San Francisco history. The sex-slave trade came about because of several factors. The Chinese men who immigrated to California during the Gold Rush did not intend to stay: They planned to make their fortune and return home. As a result, although more than half of the Chinese immigrants were married, almost none of them brought their wives or families. According to Judy Yung in Unbound Feet: A Social History of Chinese Women in San Francisco, in 1850 only seven of the 4,025 Chinese in San Francisco were women. Further discouraging women from emigrating was Confucian ideology, which had held sway in China for almost 2,000 years and dictated that women should be subordinate to men and should not leave the domestic sphere. The absence of women created a market for prostitution. A few Chinese prostitutes at the start of the Gold Rush were independent agents, but the vast majority were slaves or indentured, which in practice amounted to the same thing. Procurers working for brothel owners in San Francisco scoured the Chinese countryside for young women, whom they kidnapped, lured, or purchased and shipped to San Francisco. Because girls were considered inferior to boys, and could not carry on the ancestral line, families were willing to sell them, mortgage them, or simply kill them if economic circumstances dictated. As Lucie Cheng Hirata notes in Free, Indentured, Enslaved: Chinese Prostitutes in 19th Century America, an article that appeared in the autumn 1979 issue of the journal Signs, girls often accepted being sold out of filial loyalty. In any case, few were in a position to oppose their familys decision. Others were lured by promises of gold, marriage, education or jobs. Hirata writes, Sometimes the victims were invited to see the big American steamer anchored at the docks, and while they were enjoying the tour, the boat would sail off to San Francisco. But generally such ruses werent necessary the girls were simply kidnapped by force. After being shipped to San Francisco, these young women and girls were taken to a barracoon a temporary holding pen on St. Louis Alley in Chinatown. If they had already been purchased, they were turned over to their owner; otherwise, they were stripped for inspection and sold to the highest bidder. According to Herbert Asbury in The Barbary Coast, the highest price paid was $2,800 for a girl who was 14, the age widely considered then to be the best for prostitution. Little girls were also purchased and used as household slaves until old enough to become prostitutes or concubines. Since the young women were often acquired in China for as little as $50, the human trafficking was extremely lucrative. The young women were forced to sign papers they did not understand, agreeing to become prostitutes for four to six years to pay off their passage. The most attractive women became the concubines of wealthy owners and were sometimes treated decently, although if they failed to please their masters they could be returned to the auction block. Others ended up in higher-class brothels reserved for Chinese men, where they also received somewhat better treatment. (Hirata notes that Chinese men believed that the most degrading thing a Chinese woman could do was have sex with a white man.) But large numbers ended up in cribs, shacks frequented by sailors, teenage boys, laborers and drunks, Chinese and white alike, who paid 25 to 50 cents for their services. Subjected to dreadful treatment by both owners and customers, most of them contracted venereal diseases and were physically and mentally broken within a few years. At this point, a dreadful ritual took place. The Chronicle reported in 1869, When any of the unfortunate harlots is no longer useful and a Chinese physician passes his opinion that her disease is incurable, she is notified that she must die. She was then carried to a so-called hospital, a dismal, windowless, unfurnished room in a back alley of Chinatown. A cup of water, another of boiled rice, and a little metal lamp are placed by her side, The Chronicle reported. The proprietors of the hospital then locked the door. When the lamp had gone out, they entered and removed the woman, who was usually dead from starvation or by suicide. But even if she was still alive, she was removed and disposed of: They come for a corpse, The Chronicle said, and they never go away without it. In other cases, the sick prostitutes were simply put out on the street to die. In 1870, the Alta newspaper reported that the bodies of dead prostitutes littered the streets of Chinatown. Some chose to commit suicide by eating raw opium or jumping into the bay. Hirata estimates that nearly all the Chinese women in San Francisco in 1860 were prostitutes, and that a decade later the total was still 70 percent. The sex trade was highly lucrative: A brothel owner could make $2,500 a year on each girl he owned, five times more than the $500 average income of other occupations open to Chinese. Like the other major vice rackets in Chinatown, gambling and opium smoking, prostitution was controlled by the tongs, which had started out as legitimate associations but became criminalized secret societies. The Hip Yee Tong, which started the trafficking in 1852, imported 6,000 women and made an estimated $200,000 profit from it between 1852 and 1873. San Francisco officials were well aware that the brothels of Chinatown were a moral outrage. But despite some efforts to fight the human trafficking, the city mostly looked the other way and even at times worked with the tongs to ensure their human cargo was delivered to them. That story will be the subject of the next Portals. Drought Map Track water shortages and restrictions across Bay Area Check the water shortage status of your area, plus see reservoir levels and a list of restrictions for the Bay Areas largest water districts. Gary Kamiya is the author of the best-selling book Cool Gray City of Love: 49 Views of San Francisco, awarded the Northern California Book Award in creative nonfiction. All the material in Portals of the Past is original for The San Francisco Chronicle. Email: metro@sfchronicle.com Trivia time The most recent trivia question: Why were the streets of 1849 San Francisco strewn with shirts? Answer: It was cheaper to buy a new shirt than to launder a dirty one. This weeks trivia question: What was the range of the 16-inch guns at Battery Davis in Fort Funston? Editors note Every corner in San Francisco has an astonishing story to tell. Gary Kamiyas Portals of the Past tells those lost stories, using a specific location to illuminate San Franciscos extraordinary history from the days when giant mammoths wandered through what is now North Beach to the Gold Rush delirium, the dot-com madness and beyond. His column appears every other Saturday, alternating with Peter Hartlaubs OurSF. The storm heading into the Bay Area on Monday should bring even more rain than previously expected, meteorologists say, as well as snow to higher elevations in the Sierra. Weather forecasters expect 2 inches of rain in the greater Bay Area starting Monday morning and possibly lingering through to early Wednesday. Higher elevations along the coast, including in Marin and the Santa Cruz Mountains, could get up to 4 inches, said meteorologist Brian Mejia with the National Weather Service in Monterey. One of the Bay Areas most acclaimed architects has the chance to make a mark at a global scale. Thats Mark Cavagnero, whose best-known local projects include the SFJazz Center and the makeover of the Oakland Museum of California. Now his firm is one of 16 selected by the State Department to be in a pool that for five years will be turned to for work abroad, from new embassies to the renovation of structures on military bases. It can be anything and everything the State Department does overseas, said Cavagnero, whose firm near Telegraph Hill has 75 employees. We really didnt think wed made the cut. Its especially impressive given that 136 firms responded to the request for submissions. The winners run the stylistic gamut from Morphosis, the designer of the San Francisco Federal Building, to Robert A.M. Stern Architects, whose Gothic-themed dormitories at Yale University opened last fall. Also in the sweet 16 are such heavyweights as Diller Scofidio + Renfro, architect of the Berkeley Art Museum, and SHoP, a New York firm that designed the Uber headquarters rising in Mission Bay. Not that Cavagnero and his peers will be cooking up foreign compounds anytime soon. Each winner will go through security reviews for full clearance, a process that takes months. When all systems are go, the firms in the pool are on call until projects are assigned they get the call to tackle whats needed right then. In the meantime, Cavagnero and his employees wont be idle. The firm has several projects in the works, including a chapel for St. Marys College High School in Albany that opens this winter and the Weill Institute for Neurosciences that recently broke ground in Mission Bay. Theres also his first housing complex, a 12-story building for the San Francisco Conservatory of Music to be located half a block south of City Hall on Van Ness Avenue. Inside will be 113 apartments and three student recital halls, as well as 27 low-income units to replace those now on the site. The citys Planning Commission will consider the conservatory project soon. Going local: While Cavagnero prepares to go global, a celebrated national firm is establishing a San Francisco beachhead. I refer to Studio Gang, based in Chicago and led by Jeanne Gang. Known for buildings that combine adventurous designs with imaginative approaches to sustainability, the firm has signed a lease in Dogpatchs massive but beguiling American Industrial Center. Gang herself, whose honors include a MacArthur Fellowship, wont be moving west. The head of the office is Steve Wiesenthal, who served as UCSFs top architect from 2000 until 2008. Theres great excitement about doing more work in a region where theres a strong interest in buildings that have a social and civic role, said Wiesenthal, who joined Studio Gang in 2016. The firms first project here is 160 Folsom St., where a large hole in the ground recently sprouted a crane that will be followed by 40 floors of condominiums. Its also in the early stages of a master plan for California College of the Arts near Mission Bay, with goals that include retooling the growing campus to generate more energy than it consumes. Drought Map Track water shortages and restrictions across Bay Area Check the water shortage status of your area, plus see reservoir levels and a list of restrictions for the Bay Areas largest water districts. In addition, Studio Gang has been selected by San Mateo County to design a new administration building in downtown Redwood City near the historic courthouse that now holds the San Mateo County History Museum. Considering Gangs knack for shape-shifting urban architecture her Aqua tower in Chicago could be an eroded concrete cliff Ill be fascinated to see her vision for a downtown best known for its arch proclaiming Climate Best by Government Test. Evolution: For an eye-popping look at how cities grow, or go astray, stop by the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts this month. On display in the second-floor galleries is Space Brainz Yerba Buena 3000. Jae Shin and Damon Rich put together a youth-friendly and proudly rabble-rousing dissection of the forces that shape the metropolitan terrain. Not just the tussle between, say, the desire for public spaces and the urge by owners or authorities to control them, but how scourges like housing foreclosures can hollow out neighborhoods. Rich and Shin are partners at Hector, an urban design and civic arts studio based in Newark, N.J. Like Gang, Rich is a recipient of a MacArthur Fellowship, the so-called genius grant that comes with a $625,000 stipend over five years. The exhibition closes on Jan. 28, and includes a Jan. 22 gathering of youth and political leaders to debate how Yerba Buena and the city might best evolve in coming years. For more information, go to www.ybca.org. Place is a weekly column by John King, The San Francisco Chronicles urban design critic. Email: jking@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @johnkingsfchron Major Silicon Valley companies are joining a legal fight to restore net neutrality. The Internet Association, a Washington trade group representing prominent tech companies including Facebook, Google and Netflix, announced plans Friday to help sue the federal government over its decision to rescind Obama-era regulations that guaranteed equal access to the Internet. This legal action comes nearly a month after the Federal Communications Commissions 3-2 vote on Dec. 14 to overturn the regulations under FCC Chairman Ajit Pai. The decision struck a particular chord in the Bay Area, where companies and politicians say the regulations helped preserve the freedom to tinker that spurs innovation in Silicon Valley. The association is not expected to file its own lawsuit, but rather intervene in a suit that will be filed by other entities such as Etsy, the online crafts marketplace. The announcement followed the FCCs release of its rewritten rules Thursday night. The final version of Chairman Pais rule, as expected, dismantles popular net neutrality protections for consumers, the Internet Association said. This rule defies the will of a bipartisan majority of Americans and fails to preserve a free and open Internet. Net neutrality ensures that Internet companies cannot favor certain content over others. While advocates say the regulations helped foster the growth of startups, major Internet providers like Comcast, Verizon and AT&T hailed the decision as one that removes a layer of unnecessary regulation. The FCC declined to comment. Pai has received sharp criticism since the vote, but defended his position by saying the rules were a heavy-handed approach to government regulation. Pai canceled a planned appearance at the CES technology conference in Las Vegas next week because of death threats, technology website Recode reported Friday. It is unclear whether the threats were connected to Pais net neutrality decision, which has drawn rancor on social media. This week, state Sen. Scott Wiener, D-San Francisco, introduced a bill that requires telecommunications companies doing business in the state to guarantee equal Internet access. State Senate President Pro Tem Kevin De Leon, D-Los Angeles, is backing a similar bill. Efforts are also under way in New York and Washington state to write their own rules guaranteeing equal Internet access to consumers. Salar Atrizadeh, a Los Angeles attorney who specializes in Internet policy issues including net neutrality, said it is premature to determine how the legal efforts to restore net neutrality will fare. But, he said, it will all come down to money. Its a new argument thats never happened before, and the FCC has acted in a very cavalier manner, he said. They are going against the big dogs ... and it is a matter of dollars and cents, and who has the most evidence. Noah Theran, an Internet Association spokesman, said open Internet rules helped level the playing field among companies, both small and large, in terms of their ability to reach people. The best websites and apps should win in a competitive marketplace because consumers like and use them, not because an ISP is picking winners and losers online by speeding up, blocking, or throttling access to certain sites, Theran said in an email. AT&T Senior Executive Vice President Bob Quinn said in a blog post after the December vote that the Internet will continue to work tomorrow just as it always has. He added that the company wont block, censor or slow traffic to websites based on content, nor unfairly discriminate in our treatment of Internet traffic. Air Quality Tracker Check levels down to the neighborhood Ratings for the Bay Area and California, updated every 10 minutes Verizon said it fully supports the open Internet, and we will continue to do so. Our customers demand it and our business depends on it. But Internet streaming giant Netflix sharply criticized the December vote. Todays decision is the beginning of a longer legal battle. Netflix will stand with innovators, large and small, to oppose this misguided FCC order, the Los Gatos company said in a statement. Netflix, Facebook and Google did not respond to requests for comment Friday afternoon. Emmett Shear, CEO of the popular San Francisco video game streaming company Twitch, now owned by Amazon.com, said startups like his were able to succeed because of net neutrality. Without it, we might not be here today, and our streamers might not be here tomorrow, Shear said in a blog post written in anticipation of the FCCs reversal. Trisha Thadani is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: tthadani@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @TrishaThadani In a setback for Pacific Gas and Electric Co., a judge has ordered pretrial proceedings to be held in a single court, preferably in San Francisco, for more than 50 lawsuits accusing the utility of causing the Wine Country wildfires. PG&E had sought to divide the proceedings among courts in five counties where the fires broke out, a move that might have improved the companys chances of getting some of the suits dismissed before trial. But San Francisco Superior Court Judge Curtis Karnow ruled late Thursday that the cases should be coordinated in one court, at the initial stages, because they have many things in common. Each lawsuit blames deaths, injuries and property losses from one of the fires on PG&Es alleged lax maintenance and failure to prepare for a foreseeable weather event, Karnow said. State investigators have not determined the cause of the October fires and have not set a date for announcing a cause. Karnow said that although specific facts differ among the blazes, all of the fires started in the same region under the same or similar (high wind) conditions. The suits will also delve into PG&Es maintenance and training practices and its policies on keeping power lines energized during high winds, evidence common to all of the cases, Karnow said. Handling the cases in a single court would also improve the chances of settling some of the suits, Karnow said. He noted that San Francisco is PG&Es hometown and said its courts, which accommodate electronic filing and have a department reserved for complex litigation, are best equipped to handle a coordinated proceeding. A final decision on the location of the pretrial proceedings will be up to the state Judicial Council, the policymaking body for the courts. Karnow noted that plaintiffs can still seek to have their cases tried in the counties where they live. The fires started Oct. 8 and 9 in Napa, Sonoma, Solano, Yuba, Lake and Mendocino counties. They burned out of control for more than a week, consuming more than 245,000 acres, destroying nearly 9,000 homes and commercial buildings, and killing 44 people. Damage has been estimated at more than $9 billion. Karnow cited 56 lawsuits filed so far, 36 of them in San Francisco, 16 in Sonoma County and four in Napa County. Attorney John Fiske, whose San Diego firm represents several hundred plaintiffs, said Friday that more than 900 individuals have joined the suits against PG&E and the number will soon be in the thousands. Coordinating the cases in one court is both practical and fair to all parties, Fiske said. Somebody in Napa should be treated the same as someone in Mendocino, he said. Air Quality Tracker Check levels down to the neighborhood Ratings for the Bay Area and California, updated every 10 minutes After the pretrial proceedings, which include gathering evidence and sworn statements from opposing sides, hearings on admissibility of evidence and motions to dismiss individual cases, the suits should be ready for trial in 12 to 18 months, Fiske said. PG&E declined to comment on the ruling and instead reissued an earlier statement: Nothing is more important to us than the safety and well-being of our customers and communities we serve. We're focused on doing everything we can to help these communities rebuild and recover. While the lawsuits accuse PG&E of carelessness in the maintenance and operations of its power lines, the company could be required to reimburse property owners for economic damages if state investigators find that the power lines started the fires, regardless of whether any rules were violated. Bob Egelko is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: begelko@sfchronicle.com Twitter:@egelko Three former Santa Clara County correctional deputies convicted in the 2015 fatal jail-cell beating of a mentally ill inmate each was sentenced to 15 years to life in prison by a judge Friday. In June, a jury found Jereh Lubrin, 30, Matthew Farris, 28, and Rafael Rodriguez, 28, guilty of killing 31-year-old Michael Tyree, who was found dead in his cell, covered in vomit and feces. We asked the court to give the maximum sentence because when these so-called guards broke Michael Tyrees body that night two years ago, they also broke the publics trust, Santa Clara County District Attorney Jeff Rosen said. During the trial, several inmates testified to hearing the guards beating Tyree and another inmate hours before his body was discovered. Tyree was in jail on misdemeanor drug and theft charges and was housed on a floor for inmates with mental illness or other special needs. According to court documents, the violent encounter with the guards began when Tyree refused his medication. In a statement to the court at the Friday sentencing, Shannon Tyree described her brother as a sweet and sensitive individual whose mental illness slowly took over parts of his life. He believed doctors, hospitals and even his family were part of plots by the CIA and FBI that would endanger him, Shannon Tyree said, which prevented him from receiving the help he needed. Just before their father died, Shannon Tyree said she made a promise to take care of Michael. But his illness made it impossible to communicate, she said, since Michael believed she was part of a plot to harm him. I will never have a chance ... to tell him Im so sorry that I didnt understand that he was so afraid, Shannon Tyree said. Im accountable for failing Michael. These three men walked into his cell and beat him to death. And they are accountable for that. Drought Map Track water shortages and restrictions across Bay Area Check the water shortage status of your area, plus see reservoir levels and a list of restrictions for the Bay Areas largest water districts. Lubrin was called by a nurse when Tyree pocketed his pills instead of ingesting them, but he eventually took the medication without incident. During routine checks later that night, the three jailers allegedly beat another inmate, Juan Villa, before entering Tyrees cell. Witnesses testified to hearing Tyree screaming for help as the three guards entered his cell and beat him. The county medical examiner concluded that he died of internal bleeding from severe damage to his liver and spleen. The jury convicted the three guards of second-degree murder in the killing of Tyree, but did not reach a verdict on the attacks on Villa. Annie Ma is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: ama@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @anniema15 San Jose police have arrested a 23-year-old man suspected of sexually assaulting and robbing a teacher in her classroom at Harker Middle School in San Jose. The suspect, Andrew Bracamonte, was identified by police as a San Jose resident who lived about a half-mile from the school. Police Chief Eddie Garcia said that around 6:30 a.m. Tuesday, Bracamonte walked into the teachers classroom, locked the door and turned off the lights. The suspect then sexually assaulted the victim and stole personal items before leaving the room, Garcia said. In addition, the suspect threatened to shoot the victim if she did not stay inside the classroom. Though she did not see a weapon, she feared for her life. The teacher, who has not been identified, called the police immediately. Officers found video footage that showed Bracamonte before and after the assault. They found the victims cell phone and the suspects beanie cap in a nearby field, Garcia said, and a police dog traced the scent to a neighborhood where police later learned Bracamonte lived. Police released a description of the suspect to the public. He was caught on video surveillance at a liquor store in Santa Clara and again outside a flower shop. Garcia said they were able to match the description to Bracamonte, using investigative techniques. Though Bracamonte fled to San Francisco and cut his hair, San Jose police located him and arrested him without incident around 7:55 p.m. Thursday. Garcia said that Bracamonte has a criminal history, including charges of sex with a minor and assault with a deadly weapon. He was not a registered sex offender, on parole or on probation at the time of this arrest. Drought Map Track water shortages and restrictions across Bay Area Check the water shortage status of your area, plus see reservoir levels and a list of restrictions for the Bay Areas largest water districts. Bracamonte has been booked into Santa Clara County Jail on felony charges, including forced oral copulation, robbery, false imprisonment and criminal threats. Garcia emphasized the bravery of the victim after extreme trauma. The strength of this victim in this case cant be forgotten, either, Garcia said. I dont think any of us can really imagine what the victim went through. Just to be able to cooperate with the police and give us a detailed segment of the horror that she must have felt was just ... I cant even put it into words. Sophie Haigney is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: sophie.haigney@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @SophieHaigney Walking through the Tenderloin can be a dislocating experience. On the same block, you may see groups of homeless people sitting on the sidewalk and young folks sipping $5 almond milk lattes from craft coffee houses. For many, the scene signifies how the neighborhood is becoming unaffordable and unwelcoming to its historically low-income population. Others, however, view this scene as a positive indicator of forthcoming neighborhood developments that may improve the quality of life for all residents. While this vignette symbolizes a decadeslong concern for the neighborhood, San Francisco and the Tenderloin Neighborhood Development Corp. are more concerned now than ever. With less federal financial support for affordable housing and planned market-rate development in the Tenderloin reaching unprecedented levels, we need to focus on making Tenderloin residents a priority. In San Francisco, development is inevitable, but it must be equitable. The Tenderloin has always been a welcoming home for people struggling to make ends meet, a haven for immigrants and a community of color. However, the Tenderloin also is situated in one of the most valuable locations of San Francisco within walking distance of Union Square, the Financial District, chic Hayes Valley, tony Nob Hill and Mid-Market with its growing tech presence. Even with one-third of the Tenderloins housing under community control, preserved for low-income people, there are another two-thirds left to consider. And those two-thirds have profound implications for the neighborhoods future. Developers already have proposed adding 17 projects and more than 1,500 luxury market-rate housing units to the Tenderloin more than weve seen in decades. Median studio rents are $2,003! People are scared. They are worried that what happened in the Mission, how gentrification has forced people out or made it unaffordable to stay there, is going to happen here, said Curtis Bradford, a longtime TNDC tenant and board member. They are wondering if the nonprofits and services they rely on will be able to afford to stay here. Watching these new market-rate developments go up around us is causing a great deal of anxiety. I mean, how many of us can afford a $5 cup of coffee? And there are reasons to worry about increases in both rent and eviction. Newly constructed luxury buildings can foster displacement by signaling that a previously undesirable neighborhood can now command higher rents. When tenants leave their rent-controlled apartments voluntarily, landlords elevate rents to market levels so that subsequent tenants are higher-income, which changes the demographics of the neighborhood over time. This form of displacement is especially harmful because its a subtle and drawn-out process. Moreover, it is in the economic interest of landlords to foster displacement through evictions as well: San Francisco Rent Board data have shown that evictions are rising faster in the Tenderloin than in San Franciscos other neighborhoods, with the number of the Tenderloins eviction notices second only to the Mission in 2016. Neighborhood change also can be beneficial to residents. When more affluent people enter a neighborhood, the increased incomes may support local businesses, generate jobs and improve public services. Recent studies demonstrate that high opportunity neighborhoods raise lifetime earnings of children younger than 13, especially girls, who reside in them. Additionally, new housing supply may alleviate pressure on existing rent-controlled housing, helping prevent displacement of low-income residents. But to foster these benefits and respect the very real concerns of residents, we must be proactive and diligent about the type of development that enters the Tenderloin. At TNDC, our approach to this dilemma is a yes/if approach to new projects: TNDC welcomes development if its accompanied by measures that: (1) reduce the negative effects on Tenderloin residents, and (2) ensure residents share in the benefits from the neighborhoods changes. We have been working with others to protect and enhance the Tenderloins future with this equitable development approach. Market Street for the Masses, a coalition including TNDC and more than 30 other groups advocating for central city residents, has created the Tenderloin Development Without Displacement Plan. Following this yes/if approach, the plan recognizes that we cant halt the overwhelming forces of development, but we can blunt its worst effects and create a place where people with low incomes remain welcome, fostering a Tenderloin that is high-opportunity and diverse. Recent projects, such as 1066 Market St., for example, have met their affordable housing requirements by providing units with rent far lower than the law requires, within reach of Tenderloin residents. The project at 950 Market St. committed to having its ground-floor commercial space cater to existing residents rather than tourists. This vision of greater mix of incomes while preserving the neighborhoods character is possible only because of earlier generations foresight to preserve one-third of the Tenderloins housing for low-income occupancy. This baseline of affordable housing distinguishes the Tenderloin from neighborhoods such as the Mission and South of Market. But community groups alone cannot halt this seemingly inexorable march to gentrification. We all have a role to play: the city, the state and you especially as the Trump administration has threatened to reduce federal funding to support people with low incomes. Maintaining the Tenderloin as a neighborhood for people struggling to make ends meet and, as some would argue, helping maintain San Franciscos soul and its legacy as a diverse and welcoming city for all requires that everyone in San Francisco take a stand. Equity is including affordable homes as part of every new development. Equity is businesses that serve existing residents. Equity is inclusive and human-scaled architecture. Equity is permanent jobs steered toward neighborhood residents. Equity is more funding to build affordable housing that meets a neighborhoods residents where theyre at. Truly equitable development holds the promise for a neighborhood and a city to continue to be a home for everyone. Don Falk is CEO of the Tenderloin Neighborhood Development Corp. TNDC recently published a history of affordable housing in San Francisco since 1981. To comment, submit your letter to the editor at SFChronicle.com/letters. The Trump administrations unprecedented threat to open most federal waters to oil and gas drilling is true to post-factual form. Amid record domestic energy production and a global consensus for reducing carbon emissions, Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke proposes taking serious environmental risks opposed by most of the coastal population for the sake of extracting even more fossil fuels. Set in motion by President Trumps reversal of former President Barack Obamas order blocking new energy leases along the Pacific and Atlantic coasts, Zinkes draft plan envisions offering 47 new leases in offshore waters from Alaska to California and Maine to Florida starting next year. That could open unexploited areas in the federal portion of the continental shelf, which begins 3 miles offshore, along the central and northern coast of California as well as the East Coast. Drilling off California is currently confined to the south. New energy leases have been prohibited in California waters since the states largest oil spill, off Santa Barbara in 1969, and no new federal leases have been sold since the 1980s. But this isnt just another partisan controversy pitting California liberals against the Trump administration. The opposition to offshore drilling is widespread and bipartisan in coastal states, where a boon to energy companies is a threat not only to the environment and wildlife, but also to the countless businesses that depend on recreation and fishing. Among the prominent Republicans who have objected to expanded drilling are Southern California Rep. Darrell Issa, Florida Gov. Rick Scott, Maine Sen. Susan Collins and outgoing New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie. Zinkes plan would be the latest in a series of administration gifts to the fossil fuel industry. It has also loosened safety measures required after the 2010 Deepwater Horizon disaster in the Gulf of Mexico, opened the Alaska National Wildlife Refuge to drilling by signing Congress tax overhaul, pulled out of the Paris climate accord, and rescinded hydraulic fracturing regulations. One might get the impression that the administration is contending with an energy crisis, but hydraulic fracturing and horizontal drilling have in fact fueled a boom in oil and gas extraction from shale formations in the nations interior. The United States last year exported more fossil fuels than ever before, and oil prices have only recently risen enough to spur new shale drilling. They remain well short of justifying expanded offshore operations in most of the areas Zinke contemplates. Royal Dutch Shell, for instance, has given up most of its leases off Alaska. Especially in the current market, additional offshore drilling would be attractive to energy companies in areas that already have the required infrastructure, which makes the prospects for drilling off Northern California and the East Coast merely theoretical for the time being. Zinkes plan faces a public comment period before it becomes final, while Congress and the courts would also have opportunities to review new oil and gas leases. The plan should struggle to survive such scrutiny. Like many of the administrations signature initiatives, its a risky, reactionary solution to a problem that does not exist. This commentary is from The Chronicles editorial board. We invite you to express your views in a letter to the editor. Please submit your letter via our online form: SFChronicle.com/letters. Republican Doug Ose, a former Sacramento-area congressman, is joining the already packed field to replace termed-out Gov. Jerry Brown. I filed the papers this morning, Ose said in a telephone interview Friday. Ive been on the phone all day, making calls to raise money. Ose, a successful developer, was elected to Congress in a suburban Sacramento district in 1998 and left office in 2005, making good on his promise to serve only three terms. He lost a primary battle to fellow Republican and now congressman Tom McClintock in 2008 and in 2014 was beaten by less than a percentage point by Democrat Ami Bera in an attempt to regain his old seat. With those years of political experience, Ose knows exactly what hes getting into with a run for governor in Democrat-friendly California. There is absolutely no doubt that this is a big, big mountain to climb, he said. Im not sure a Republican can raise enough money to run for governor in California. Ose said hes been thinking about getting into the governors race for about two months, looking at his prospects, talking to likely supporters and party leaders, studying issues that are important to him and making sure his family is on board with a potential campaign. It will be a race for the future of California, he said. Ive got a different vision from the rest of this group of candidates, Ose said. I want to rebuild the California dream, and I dont care who I have to work with to get that done. As a candidate, Ose said, hell be talking about issues like homelessness, mental health, traffic congestion, housing costs and schools. I want to know what our kids are going to do when you have to be a bazillionaire to live in California, Ose said. If the state doesnt fix its problems soon, then all we can do is go to a different state, and Im not willing to leave. Ose will be the third GOP candidate for governor, joining San Diego-area businessman John Cox and Orange County Assemblyman Travis Allen. Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom, former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, state Treasurer John Chiang and former state schools chief Delaine Eastin are the leading Democrats in the contest. While Republicans around the state have been looking for alternatives to the little-known Cox and Allen, Ose insisted that had nothing to do with his decision to get in the race. I dont know either of them, Ive never met them, Ive never talked to them, he said. I just decided this is something I had to do. It will be a week or two before Ose officially opens his campaign, but the decision has already been made, he insisted. I am serious about this, Ose said. Ive told my business lieutenants not to call me because Im going to be busy. John Wildermuth is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: jwildermuth@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @jfwildermuth For left-leaning Californians, theres a silver lining to the Trump administrations proposal to reopen the long-protected California coast to offshore oil drilling: They think it could help them win back Congress from the Republicans. They hope the ensuing political blowback will make it easier to rally Democratic voters against seven GOP congressmen who represent districts that supported Hillary Clinton last year, especially in two districts along the Southern California coast. Democrats need to win 24 GOP-held seats nationwide to regain control of the House. It just made part of my job a whole lot easier and part of it a lot harder, Michael Brune, executive director of the Sierra Club, the nations largest environmental group, said Friday. Brune is among those who believe the Trump administration is at war with California values, and in that war three more battlefronts intensified this week. On Thursday, U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions urged the nations federal prosecutors to disregard state marijuana laws and file criminal charges in states, like California, where cannabis is legal. Also on Thursday, the administration said it would vastly increase the number of offshore drilling leases to boost the nations energy supply. Earlier in the week, Thomas Homan, the acting director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, singled out California when he said government officials who support sanctuary city policies should be jailed. Those positions may play well elsewhere in the country, but not in California, said Mark Baldassare, president of the nonpartisan Public Policy Institute of California, which has polled extensively on political issues for decades. When youre looking at issues like cannabis or oil drilling or immigration, Californians opinion on these issues have been settled for many, many years, Baldassare said. Weve seen majority support for marijuana legalization, overwhelming opposition to oil drilling and overwhelming support for a pathway to citizenship for immigrants in the U.S. illegally. However, Baldassare said its too early to predict how the administrations recent initiatives will shape the states midterm elections, in which Democrats are targeting seven GOP-held House seats in districts that Clinton won. But his recent surveys show that more people are paying attention to and getting involved in politics. But the administrations actions will likely affect who comes out to vote and how many people come out to vote. People want to express how they feel, he said. Only 1 in 3 likely California voters approves of Trumps job performance, Baldassare said. That could be one reason that GOP leaders are urging incumbent Republicans to vote their district, said Jack Pandol, a spokesman for the National Republican Congressional Committee. These issues allow members to demonstrate their independence, said Pandol, noting that Rep. Dana Rohrabacher, R-Costa Mesa (Orange County), a longtime leading voice for marijuana legalization, criticized Sessions this week. California Republican Party Chairman Jim Brulte thinks the effect of this weeks developments will be minimal. Voters distinguish between candidates and the policies of other elected officials, Brulte said Friday. The Republicans that the Democrats are targeting are all very well known in their districts. Brulte said the idea that this weeks actions were the latest examples of a war between the Trump administration and California is kind of crazy. Some Democrats have said that the GOP tax cut legislation that Trump signed was designed to punish high-tax states like California, New York and New Jersey, which overwhelmingly supported Clinton. Most of the elements in this tax reform have been part of the Republican congressional agenda since before Donald Trump was a Republican, Brulte said. Even though Proposition 64, which legalized recreational cannabis, passed with 57 percent of the vote in 2016, Democratic organizers say it is difficult to tell whether the threat to cannabis use in California will inspire a grassroots army to knock on doors in targeted congressional districts. But as the stigma continues to decrease (around cannabis) you may find more people pulling out their checkbooks, if not marching in the streets, said Doug Linney, campaign manager for Flip the 14, a new organization seeking to replace Californias 14 Republican members of Congress. Linney said the real effect of the administrations moves could be to awaken the sleeping giant of activists concerned about drilling off the coast. That could mean more headaches for Republicans representing coastal districts, which include Rohrabacher and Rep. Darrell Issa, R-Vista (San Diego County). The nonpartisan analysts at Inside Elections with Nathan L. Gonzales rate Rohrabachers seat tilt Republican and Issas a toss-up. Their environmental voting record ratings from the California League of Conservation Voters wont endear them to coastal preservationists, either. Issas 2016 score was 3 percent. Rohrabachers was zero percent. Far from the coasts, the administrations moves this week on oil, cannabis and immigration have jolted progressive activists living in conservative inland districts, like Paul Smith, the founder of Sierra Nevada Revolution. The new grassroots organization hopes to replace longtime Rep. Tom McClintock, R-Elk Grove (Sacramento County). It fires us up, Smith said. Certainly there are days where its hard not to get discouraged. But people here are so pissed at Trump and so pissed at McClintock. We see replacing McClintock as a way of stopping Trumps agenda until we can replace him. Joe Garofoli is The San Francisco Chronicles senior political writer. Email: jgarofoli@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @joegarofoli Although 2015 VisionSF nominee PulpWorks continues to make a name for itself in the world of biodegradable packaging, Co-Founder and CEO Paul Tasner has found a new, unlikely platform as of late. Since he was featured in the VisionSF spotlight last year, Tasner has had the opportunity to tell his powerful story via a TEDTalks video and residency. Since his video was posted in October, it has garnered over 1.2 million views and Tasner's message is clear: it is never too late to reinvent yourself. "I know my story resonated with people because I get more mail than I can handle," Tasner said. "People tell me how they lost their jobs in their 50s 60s and feel worthless they feel like all their value was tied up in their jobs. The messages are heartwarming and heartbreaking." In the TEDTalk, Tasner explains how he worked as an engineer for various consumer product companies for 40 years until one fateful day when he was let go from his most recent employer. Retirement wasn't an option for Tasner, so he started work as a consultant. Then, at age 66, inspired by his concern for the environment, he got the idea to start PulpWorks. Although he thought his great idea and decades of connections would translate into a seamless new start in the environmentally conscious Bay Area, it didn't quite happen so easily for Tasner and the team at PulpWorks. "I can't tell you how demoralizing it was too look for investors five years ago -- it was downright humiliating. We were dismissed in favor of younger entrepreneurs, and the investment community wasn't excited about creating packages out of waste," Tasner explained about the ageism he encountered trying to get funding for his PulpWorks venture. "We've got to change that balance. We've got to get older entrepreneurs to be taken a lot more seriously. (Seniors) have twice the success rate of younger entrepreneurs so perhaps, all that experience pays off. Perhaps we are less risk averse. Either way, we have to be taken a lot more seriously," Tasner said. "Young entrepreneurs are great, but you can't get everything from Google search and so many of them depend on their relationship with the screen." As a TedTalks Resident, Tasner was invited to spend 14 weeks with a cohort of 24 storytellers in New York City all of them selected because they have a story to tell. One of those fellow storytellers Tasner met was multi-media artist, filmmaker, educator and photographer Bayete Ross Smith, who was doing a residency for his own Ted video about breaking down stereotypes with art and media. Ross Smith was interested in PulpWorks' general mission to save the public from their overconsumption of plastic packaging and was inspired to incorporate it into his art. "One day during a discussion with Paul and a curator I had brought to TED, he mentioned that PulpWorks has packaging that is made out of sugar cane and cotton. I thought that those materials could have conceptual significance as the major products that brought enslaved Africans to the Americas for the industries these products proliferated and the immense wealth they generated," Ross Smith said. What followed was a plan to create boombox replicas out of PulpWorks' cotton and sugar cane fiber materials and use them to build installations based on Ross Smith's series of site-specific Boombox sculptures, entitled "Got The Power". In the past, Ross Smith's sculptures have been made out of vintage boomboxes and play soundtracks of comprised of the local community's favorite songs as oral histories. Although the location of the installations has yet to be decided, Ross Smith hopes his partnership with PulpWorks will continue to inspire others. "What I hope my work does is cause people to self reflect and be truly introspective about their preconceived notions and perspective. I hope to provoke them to consider the validity of other perspectives on the world that may seem foreign to them or that they initially disagree with. I think this help us become aware of our shared humanity," Ross Smith said. With an expanding global clientele, an exciting new platform to inspire senior entrepreneurs and an inspiring partnership in the art world, the possibilities for Tasner and PulpWorks are endless and never to be taken for granted again. "It's been a great year given what I can see on the horizon and I'm going to keep preaching my message as long as they'll have me," Tasner said. About the VisionSF Spotlight Series: Although PulpWorks isn't nominated for a Visionary of the Year award, their vision, mission and work is a powerful example of Bay Area businesses working to drive social and economic change everyday. About The Chronicle's VisionSF program and its 4th annual Visionary of the Year award: Mission statement: "Visionary leaders are paradigm changers individuals who strive to make the world a better place by employing new, innovative business models and practices. As the world faces an increasing number of widespread social and economic challenges, visionary leaders understand the broad impact of the business community and recognize its potential to drive great change." How nominees are selected: A group of prominent Bay Area leaders is selected by The Chronicle to identify visionaries who are making a difference in their respective fields. Each of the nominees will be profiled in a series of stories, in the newspaper and on SFChronicle.com, beginning January 2018. How winner is decided: Chronicle Publisher Jeff Johnson, Editor in Chief Audrey Cooper and Editorial Page Editor John Diaz will select the winner from six finalists. The winner, who will receive a $25,000 grant, will be announced at the end of March 2018. Past winners: Evan Marwell, founder of Education Superhighway (2015), Chase Adam founder of Watsi (2016), and Priscilla Chan co-founder of Chan-Zuckerberg Initiative (2017). Presenting Sponsor: Pacific Gas & Electric. For more information visit: www.pge.com For more on VisionSF visit SFChronicle.com/VisionSF VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Jan. 05, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Mineral Mountain Resources Ltd. (Mineral Mountain or the Company) (TSXV:MMV) is pleased to announce that subject to acceptance for filing of the final documentation by the TSX Venture Exchange (TSX-V), it has closed the final tranche of its non-brokered unit (Unit) private placement (the Private Placement) announced previously on October 24th, 2017 and has issued 3,326,000 units of the Company (Units) at a price of C$0.20 per Unit to raise gross proceeds of C$665,200. Each Unit consists of one common share of the Company and one common share purchase warrant (a Warrant), with each Warrant entitling the holder to purchase one common share of the Company (a Warrant Share) for a period of two (2) years from closing at an exercise price of C$0.35 per Warrant Share in the first year and C$0.50 per Warrant Share in the second year, subject to the following accelerated expiry provision: in the event that the Companys common shares trade for a period of at least 20 consecutive trading days at a closing price equal to or in excess of C$0.50 per share at any time after four months following closing of the Private Placement up to the end of the first year term of the Warrants, the Company may accelerate the expiry date of the Warrants by giving notice to the holders thereof and in such case, the Warrants will expire on the 30th day after the date on which such notice is given by the Company. A finders fee of 6% was paid to arms length third parties on a portion of the Private Placement. The net proceeds raised from the Private Placement are intended to be used to expand the historic high grade Standby Mine gold deposit down plunge and prove the Homestake Mine model exists in the Rochford District, and, for corporate and general working capital purposes. The securities issued pursuant to the Private Placement are subject to applicable statutory resale restrictions, including a hold period expiring on May 6, 2018 pursuant to applicable Canadian securities laws. On Behalf of the Board of Directors MINERAL MOUNTAIN RESOURCES LTD. Nelson W. Baker, President and CEO For further information, please contact: Brad Baker, Vice-President Corporate Development & Director (778) 383-3975 bbaker@mineralmtn.com Or visit our website: www.mineralmtn.com Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as such term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Forward looking information This release includes certain statements that may be deemed to be forward-looking information under Canadian securities laws. All statements in this release, other than statements of historical facts, that address events or developments that the Company expects to occur, constitute forward looking-information. Forward looking information consists of statements that are not historical facts and are generally, but not always, identified by the words expects, plans, could or should occur. Although the Company believes the expectations expressed in such forward-looking information are based on reasonable assumptions, such information does not constitute guarantees of future performance and actual results may differ materially from those in forward-looking information. Factors that cause the actual results to differ materially from those in forward-looking information include gold prices, results of exploration and development activities, regulatory changes, defects in title, availability of materials and equipment, timeliness of government approvals, continued availability of capital and financing and general economic, market or business conditions. The Company cautions the foregoing list of important factors is not exhaustive. Investors and others who base themselves on the Company's forward-looking information should carefully consider the above factors as well as the uncertainties they represent and the risk they entail. The Company believes that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking information are reasonable, but no assurance can be given that these expectations will prove to be correct. Please see the public filings of the Company at www.sedar.com for further information. The As are moving to downtown Oakland. At least the offices are. The club said Friday that its previously announced plan to consolidate its offices at the Coliseum and Oracle Arena into a 40,000-square-foot space in Jack London Square will happen Monday. None of this brings the As any closer to the new ballpark they desire, but the office move away from the Coliseum to downtown is symbolic. The As announced the move around the time it proposed building a stadium at Laney College on land owned by the Peralta Community College District, but the district nixed the plan. That leaves two potential sites that also have been much-discussed, the Howard Terminal on the waterfront and the land on which the Coliseum and Oracle sit. As president Dave Kaval touted the new offices in a news release as a way to evolve our office culture by allowing for more collaberation. The As will maintain offices at the Coliseum for day-of-game operations. A UC Berkeley student was arrested by Customs and Border Protection agents at an immigration checkpoint in San Diego County while driving home from a Christmas party east of Chula Vista with his girlfriend over the holidays, a move that drew rebuke and calls for his release in a fast-growing social media campaign. Luis Mora, a 20-year-old junior who had just completed his first semester as a transfer student at Berkeley, ended up at the checkpoint near Jamul, about 20 miles north of the border, when he and his girlfriend made a wrong turn on Dec. 30. Mora was arrested for overstaying a six-month visitor visa issued to him in 2009, Immigration and Customs Enforcement spokeswoman Lauren Mack said. He is being held at the Otay Mesa Detention Center in San Diego, where his case will be decided by an immigration judge, Mack said. Moras mother, who was diagnosed with breast cancer, brought him to California from Ecuador on a tourist visa when he was 11 years old and enrolled him in school here, said Prerna Lal, Moras attorney. She didnt expect to recover and planned for Mora to live with family friends once she died, Lal said. Mora grew up in Chula Vista and graduated from Otay Ranch High School, eventually enrolling at Southwestern College before transferring to UC Berkeley. Meanwhile, his mothers cancer went into remission, and she legally re-entered the country multiple times on different visas to see her son, Lal said. She returned to Ecuador permanently last year after customs officials found she had violated terms of one of her tourist visas, Lal said. Lal expressed frustration with delays in Moras case. She said she was not allowed to see her client while he was held at a Customs and Border Protection holding facility before his transfer to Otay Mesa and ICE custody, and that he was held at that temporary site for days when stays there should be only a few hours. Moras arrest and detainment drew a sharp backlash as word of his arrest spread. A #FreeLuis campaign was started on social media outlets, drawing the attention of Democrats Sen. Dianne Feinstein, Sen. Kamala Harris and Rep. Barbara Lee, who Lal said have all contacted ICE about Moras case. Its infuriating to see another talented young person stripped from our community because of our nations morally-bankrupt immigration policies, Lee, whose district includes the East Bay, said on Twitter. Congress failure to fix our broken immigration system is destroying lives. Lals next step is to secure a bond so Mora can be released from detention to return to school while the legal proceedings unfold. Mora does not meet the requirements for mandatory detainment, Lal said, which means he is entitled to a bond hearing. All were asking for is to let him out to go to school, Lal said. Hell pay immediately, hell come to all court hearings, we can move it up to the Bay Area. It makes no sense to have him sit in a jail cell on taxpayer money. UC Berkeley is aware that a student has been detained and is actively seeking to confirm all the facts of this distressing news, said Janet Gilmore, a campus spokeswoman. Lal said the only time shes been able to see Mora was on Thursday. The outpouring of support, including calls and messages from strangers left for him at the detention center, have raised his spirits, she said. He even saw himself on the news on the detention centers televisions. She plans on staying with Moras case for the long run Lal said he qualifies for permanent residency under the Special Immigrant Juvenile Status, which grants amnesty for minors who have been left behind by their parents. Lal said Mora has not had contact with his father, who lives in Ecuador, since 2011. Mora is under the age limit to be eligible for the special status, Lal said. Spring 2019, Lal said. Hes gonna have a diploma in one hand and a green card in the other. Annie Ma is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: ama@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @anniema15 A Richmond police captain with more than two decades on the force was fired a day before Thanksgiving in connection with a misconduct investigation. The termination of Capt. Mark Gagan on Nov. 22 reportedly came after Councilman Eduardo Martinez complained of a leaked police report that became the subject of an KGO-TV story questioning Martinezs sobriety during a reported robbery. The television report in November 2016 said that a Richmond Police Department report suggested Martinez may have been under the influence of alcohol when he drove a city vehicle from the crime scene to a nearby hotel. Martinez, who was coming from a Chamber of Commerce event, said in the TV report that while he drank alcohol the night he was robbed, he was not incoherent. The councilman said he lost his phone during the incident and drove a city car to the nearest place to call police. Martinez did not return calls from The Chronicle. The department investigated the alleged leak of the police report to the television station. Gagan was accused of lying during questioning. I told the truth. Ive told the truth in all the interviews, and I have not lied, Gagan said Friday. For me to be accused of that is devastating. Im so sure that when this is reviewed by an objective body, it will be overturned. Gagans attorney, Paul Bird, would not comment on the investigation so as not to jeopardize the appeals process, but said he and Gagan strongly deny any allegations that led to Gagans firing. Hes a 23-year veteran. He loved his job, Bird said. Were going to fight to get his job back. Bird said they will present their case to the city and appeal the termination decision. Neither the city nor the Police Department would confirm the details or the origin of the investigation. The investigation is still open, and due to the nature of it being a personnel matter, we cannot discuss it, Lt. Felix Tan, a department spokesman, wrote in an email. The Chronicle obtained a copy of the citys termination letter sent to Gagan on Nov. 22. Gagan and his attorney met with Police Chief Allwyn Brown Nov. 7 to present Gagans side, according to the letter. Brown determined that the proposed termination of employment is appropriate, the letter read. The robbery reportedly tied to the misconduct investigation occurred Oct. 26, 2016. Police initially reported a member of the Richmond City Council met with officers shortly after 9:45 p.m. after he was robbed by someone with a pistol. Officers later tracked down the suspect, whose name was not released. He was charged in connection with the incident five days later. Jenna Lyons is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: jlyons@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @JennaJourno The party scene in San Francisco will get a stimulating boost this weekend after the city approved recreational sales of marijuana at seven retail stores, marking the first time city retailers will be able to legally sell the drug to customers without doctors notes. The California Bureau of Cannabis Control issued licenses to four of the medical dispensaries that the San Francisco Department of Public Health gave the go-ahead to Friday, and the others were expecting approvals before the end of the night. The state licenses, which require local approval, allow retail sales to adults 21 or older to begin in the city Saturday morning. I think its terrific. I am just thrilled to be a part of this monumental day in San Francisco cannabis history, said Marty Higgins, owner and chief executive officer at Harvest on Geary, a 2-year-old dispensary at 4811 Geary Blvd. that received its state license Friday afternoon and plans to open at 9 a.m. Saturday. Were expecting to be very busy and to have a very large turnout. Its going to be a festive atmosphere. The move will make San Francisco one of the largest major cities in the state to allow residents and tourists to buy and possess dried plants, edibles, drinks, tinctures and salves infused with the aromatic herb. The other shops that received state permits Friday are the Green Cross, at 4218 Mission St.; Grass Roots, at 1077 Post St.; and MediThrive, at 1933 Mission St. Those receiving local approval but still awaiting their state licenses Friday night are ReLeaf Herbal Cooperative, at 1284 Mission St.; Shambhala, at 2441 Mission St.; and the Apothecarium, at 2029 Market St. Were definitely really excited but also really challenged trying to comply with all the regulations, said Kevin Reed, founder and president of the Green Cross, which has been selling edible products and smokable bud at its medical shop for 14 years. Weve been working diligently for months to prepare for this moment. The launch wont be quite as rollicking as many had hoped, especially after U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions decision Thursday to change Department of Justice policy and override state marijuana laws. The decision to rescind an Obama administration order instructing prosecutors not to focus on cannabis businesses in states where the drug is legal allows U.S. attorneys to file criminal charges against cannabis peddlers and consumers. It prompted angry responses from national, state and local officials, but the move by the attorney general isnt expected to change activities in California, where most experts believe cannabis retail is destined to become a multibillion-dollar market. I think that California legalization is the first step toward federal legalization, so that more people can have access to this incredible plant, Higgins said. The city licenses werent ready in time for the official start of the new marijuana market on New Years Day, when shops in Oakland, Berkeley, Richmond, San Jose, Sebastopol and Cotati kicked off sales in the Bay Area, a few of them throwing parties featuring food and live music. Almost 100 storefronts and delivery services have opened for business from San Diego to Eureka. West Hollywood began sales Tuesday, but most of the Los Angeles operators remain sidelined while officials attempt to organize a regulatory system for the market. In one of his final legislative acts, San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee signed legislation Dec. 6 that created a pathway for adult-use cannabis sales. The process went into effect Friday. It allows temporary sales only after the shop owners have submitted a good neighbor policy and plans for security, and meet a variety of other requirements including proper labeling, childproof containers, safe-lock bags and leaflets warning of health risks. Each shop must have an alarm and surveillance system and enough security to prevent loitering. One of the rules Lee enacted requires marijuana businesses with 11 or more employees to show how they will hire people from underprivileged neighborhoods or with criminal records relating to pot sales. Such rules, designed to help those most impacted by the war on drugs, were first implemented in Oakland. Reed said he had to renotify all neighbors within 300 feet of his shop about his plans to sell recreational marijuana, but he expects all the hassles to be worth it as customers arrive over the next few weeks. I anticipate a 30 to 40 percent increase in business, and as much as a 75 percent increase in the first few weeks, he said. It is pretty exciting. Peter Fimrite and David Downs are San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: pfimrite@sfchronicle.com, ddowns@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @pfimrite, @davidrdowns Legal recreational cannabis sales began in San Francisco on Saturday morning, drawing crowds to the first six retail stores in the city to sell weed to anyone over the age of 21 who wants it. At the Apothecarium, a dispensary in the Castro that opened at 9 a.m., Dominic Rea, 48, was the first person in line. Hed arrived at 4:20 a.m because he anticipated a line and because the symbolism was too good to pass up. He was the first person there by hours, but his excitement hadnt waned. I was so excited, I just decided to come over, Rea said. I think Im going to get a sativa joint, an indica joint and a couple of candy bars. Though sales began in other parts of California on Jan. 1, Rea had decided to wait for legal sales to start in San Francisco, skipping the opening of dispensaries in Oakland, Berkeley and other cities. I live here, and I wanted to be here, he said. On Thursday, Attorney General Jeff Sessions rescinded three memos from the Obama era that had outlined a policy of noninterference with state laws on marijuana, jeopardizing and confusing the status of legal weed. Still, San Franciscans were celebrating Californias new rules. Were not thinking too much about whats going on in Washington, said Eliot Dobris, a spokesman for The Apothecarium. Were focusing on this incredible milestone. There was much pomp and circumstance at the dispensary; state Sen. Scott Wiener and Supervisor Jeff Sheehy gave speeches and partook in a ceremonial ribbon-cutting. Wiener also had some words for Sessions. Hes not going to know what hit him in terms of bipartisan support, he told The Chronicle. Wiener is co-sponsoring a bill to make California a sanctuary state for the marijuana industry. In his speech, Sheehy spoke about the long history of activism for decriminalization and legalization of marijuana in the Castro. Weve had a movement that started really in San Francisco, took the state and then it moved across the nation, he said. Weve gone the next step now. The co-founder of the dispensary, Ryan Hudson, recounted the down-to-the-wire circumstances of the opening day. While the dispensary had gotten its city license early Friday morning, the state license didnt come through until three minutes before the state office closed at 5 p.m. Then, he said, staff started scrambling for the 9 a.m. opening. A line of about 25 people snaked down the block by opening time. A steady stream of people came into the dispensary throughout the morning, which has the vibe of a boutique hotel, replete with a chandelier and soft music. They sell weed that comes in flavors like Blue Frost and Harmony Rose. They sell cannabis tinctures, oils and waxesand even, for $29 or $39, dog treats made with cannabidiol (which, apparently, will relax them but not get them high). Wesley Hattan, 42, said that he planned to get some edibles and go to the movies to see The Shape of Water later in the afternoon. Im finally going to buy some recreational marijuana, Hattan said. Its a historic moment. Saturday, the dispensary offered a 20 percent discount to anyone who brought in their mother. Thats our way of saying that this is a safe and respectable place where you can feel proud to bring your mom, Hudson said. North Bay lawmakers have introduced a bill to bolster the ability of emergency officials to contact residents who may be in harms way a topic that has been scrutinized since last years devastating wildfires. The legislation, introduced by multiple lawmakers, including state Sen. Mike McGuire, D-Healdsburg, would create uniform statewide emergency notification protocols. It also would require all counties to develop and adopt guidelines for using Wireless Emergency Alerts, a federally administered system that can send Amber Alert-style messages to cell phones in a disaster area. As The Chronicle and others have reported, many North Bay residents said they received no official warning and were blindsided by the rapidly spreading flames that sparked in multiple counties in October. The size and scope of wild land fire events in California are only getting worse, McGuire said in a statement. Its clear there are shortcomings in our emergency alert system and residents deserve timely notifications and up-to-date information. Some experts said that statewide systems can be useful for regional or large-scale disasters, but in smaller incidents notification decisions are often better left to local leaders. They know their infrastructure the best, they know their resource and responsibility the best, said Troy Harper, the general manager of OnSolve, which provides the technology behind many emergency notification programs nationwide, including Sonoma Countys. One of the bills authors, Sen. Bill Dodd, D-Napa, said the legislation will establish notification standards and expectations along with protocols for how to achieve them but he expects there will be some flexibility for local emergency managers. This bill is designed to make sure that every person in the state, regardless of where they are, gets notified in an adequate manner when theres a natural disaster, Dodd said. California counties currently use a patchwork of systems during a disaster to warn people in imminent danger, which include calling landline or cell phones, sending text or email messages, or sounding physical sirens. Many of those systems require people to sign up to get a message on their cell phones or computers. In Sonoma County, which bore the brunt of the damage during the October wildfires, only about 2 percent of county residents were enrolled in one of the primary warning systems four months prior to the blazes. An additional database of landline telephone numbers had the potential to reach about half the county, said Sonoma County spokeswoman Jennifer Larocque. Many of the warning calls that went out in Sonoma County during the early and most destructive hours of the fires failed to reach people, a Chronicle review of county data found. A Wireless Emergency Alert may have gotten to more people, but emergency managers in Sonoma County chose not to send one, fearing it would have pinged cell phones in areas that were not immediately threatened, potentially creating traffic jams and flooding 911 lines. Officials across the country have expressed similar concerns, complaining that the system has been unable to reliably target specific areas and could send only short, 90-character messages. In Napa and Yuba counties, which were also hit by the October fires, officials had declined to even enroll in the system due to its limitations. Recent upgrades implemented after the North Bay fires will make wireless alerts more precise and increase text character length. With enhanced geo-targeting capabilities, the county welcomes the efforts of the California Legislature to standardize emergency alerts for the benefit of our communities and visitors, Larocque said. Any redundancy we can build into our alert system, whether that be alerts to cell phones, sirens, landlines, social media, radio and TV, will increase our ability to send critical information to our residents. The proposed legislation would create standards for when counties should use the wireless alert system, and require that notifications be sent through multiple channels, including both landline and cell phones. Its unclear where the funding would come from. Were always playing catch-up. There has to be a disaster before we really prioritize safety, notifications or any of these things, said one of the bills authors, Sen. Jerry Hill, D-San Mateo. This is an opportunity that we have to grasp and move forward on while the recognition of the inadequacy of the system is paramount in peoples minds. Joaquin Palomino is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: jpalomino@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @JoaquinPalomino David Letterman has lined up former President Barack Obama as the first guest on his Netflix talk show, which debuts Friday. Later guests on the show, called My Next Guest Needs No Introduction With David Letterman, are scheduled to include George Clooney, Malala Yousafzai, Jay Z, Tina Fey and Howard Stern. In each hour-long episode, Letterman will conduct a long-form conversation with a single guest and explore topics of his own outside the studio. Number of the day 14 percent Thats how much shares of Barnes & Noble fell Friday after the bookseller revealed some ugly holiday sales numbers. Comparable-store sales slid 6.4 percent during the crucial nine-week period ending Dec. 30. Even online sales, better for most retailers as they expand digital operations, dropped 4.5 percent. Kalanick may hail some cash Uber co-founder and former CEO Travis Kalanick will sell 29 percent of his stake in the San Francisco ride-hailing service, a person briefed on the deal says. The sale is part of a transaction with investors that includes SoftBank Group and would bring Kalanick about $1.4 billion, according to the person, who asked not to be identified. Uber didnt respond to an email seeking comment. From San Francisco Chronicle staff and news services. See more items and links at www.sfgate.com. Twitter: @techchronicle NEW YORK, Jan. 05, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- UBM Fashion will open 2018 in New York City as the leading marketplace that offers a one-stop shopping experience, beginning with their NY womens and childrens exhibition. Bringing forth a dynamic preview of ready-to-wear apparel, premium accessories and popularly-priced footwear across six shows - Accessories The Show, MODA, Intermezzo Collections, Accessorie Circuit, FAME and Childrens Club provides retailers with a 360 degree look into current and FW18 trends. Among the highlights of the three-day event, VINTAGE@Intermezzo will return for the second installment that will grant the public an opportunity to shop unique and rare vintage apparel from much desired luxury brands like Givenchy, Moschino, Bob Mackie, Marc Jacob, Coogi and more. The curated section of vendors will feature twenty-one unique dealers including Brooklyn Archives Vintage, Morphew, Muneca Mullins, Selima Optique among others. Katharine Zarrella, Vintage expert and founder of Fashion Unfiltered, the online destination for fashion news, commentary and criticism, will moderate a panel discussion entitled Modern Vintage Lovers and Extraordinary Wardrobes with authorities on the subject including Decades Founder & Fashion Director for H by Halston and H Halston Cameron Silver, Stylist & Author, Tales of Endearment: Modern Vintage Lovers and Their Extraordinary Wardrobes, fashion collector and stylist David Casavant and co-founder of Morphew, Bridgette Morphew. The talk will be held on Monday, January 8th at 10:00am. FAME, UBM Fashions young womens and juniors contemporary show, will feature Bravo TV starlet Brandi Cyrus as a special guest DJ on January 8th and will feature new brands Vigoss, Cest Toi, Wild Honey, Vintage Havana, Chinese Laundry, and Blu Pepper. Other musical acts include American Idol alum Casey Abrams will perform live on the opening night of the event. For a complete schedule of events visit: http://www.ubmfashion.com/show/7693/schedule. Looking into the childrens market, petitePARADE returns with petiteTALKS. The event will showcase the top childrens brands in a live presentation, while influencers discuss the evolving childrenswear market on Sunday, January 7th. Other highlights include a book signing with Natalie Joos; purchase your own copy of her new book Tales of Endearment: Modern Vintage Lovers and Their Extraordinary Wardrobe and have it personally signed by author and vintage lover, Natalie Joos on Sunday, January 7th. Additional show happenings include: Accessorie Circuit showcases a comprehensive presentation of womens accessories, Accessorie Circuit features designer and contemporary jewelry, handbags, footwear, scares, belts and gift items showcases a comprehensive presentation of womens accessories, Accessorie Circuit features designer and contemporary jewelry, handbags, footwear, scares, belts and gift items Intermezzo Collections is the perfect opportunity between major womens fashion markets to discover and shop the current trends, Intermezzo Collections features all ready-to-wear classifications contemporary, activewear, casual and denim hosting two neighborhoods; CANVAS and VINTAGE@Intermezzo is the perfect opportunity between major womens fashion markets to discover and shop the current trends, Intermezzo Collections features all ready-to-wear classifications contemporary, activewear, casual and denim hosting two neighborhoods; CANVAS and VINTAGE@Intermezzo Childrens Club celebrates every category of children's clothing from newborn to age 12, layette items, fashion accessories, footwear, toys and gifts. Exhibiting brands reflect an eclectic base of established collections and new designers bursting onto the scene including, EMU Australia, Herschel Supply Company, NASHA, Appaman, and Diesel Kids celebrates every category of children's clothing from newborn to age 12, layette items, fashion accessories, footwear, toys and gifts. Exhibiting brands reflect an eclectic base of established collections and new designers bursting onto the scene including, EMU Australia, Herschel Supply Company, NASHA, Appaman, and Diesel Kids Accessories the Show is a vibrant collection of fashion and lifestyle accessories from classic and trend-driven brands previewing immediates and spring summer accessories. New and noteworthy brands include Sock It To Me, America & Beyond, Blue Planet Eyewear, Echo designs, Betsey Johnson Handbags, and Pura Vida is a vibrant collection of fashion and lifestyle accessories from classic and trend-driven brands previewing immediates and spring summer accessories. New and noteworthy brands include Sock It To Me, America & Beyond, Blue Planet Eyewear, Echo designs, Betsey Johnson Handbags, and Pura Vida MODA offers a mix of accessible ready-to-wear focusing on Spring/Summer collections with a strong fur assortment, including eveningwear More show information can be found on: www.ubmfashion.com/shows/ny-womens-1 About UBM Fashion | Uniting the most influential fashion retail decision makers and the worlds top fashion brands, UBM Fashion serves the $1 trillion+ worldwide fashion industry through its comprehensive marketplaces in New York (NY Mens and Womens) and Las Vegas (MAGIC). UBM Fashion serves the industry by bringing together great brands and retailers in superbly merchandised shows while providing superior customer service and ultimately presenting end consumers with the best apparel, footwear, accessories, and fashion products. Press Contact: PR Consulting | Jesse Smiley | jsmiley@prconsulting.net | December was the 87th consecutive month of U.S. job growth, an unparalleled stretch of good news for workers. The Labor Department said Friday that 148,000 jobs were added, bringing the average over three months to 204,000. The unemployment rate was 4.1 percent, the same as in November. And average hourly earnings grew by 9 cents, to $26.63, bringing the increase from 2016 to 2.5 percent. The monthly jobs gain is below what the economy added for most of the year, but its still way ahead of what the economy needs to keep up with the new, slow rate of working-age population growth, said Jed Kolko, the chief economist for Indeed, a job-search site. The number of people entering the labor force increased only slightly over the month, continuing the trend of participation rates that have not budged since 2015. Thats partly the effect of Baby Boomers heading into retirement, and the fact that the rate hasnt gone down is a sign of the labor markets continued appetite for new workers. But it may also suggest that there are still people who havent come back into the workforce following the recession or that theyve tried but have been unsuccessful. Whats curious is why employers who are screaming that they cant find people to hire arent pulling those people back in, said Ian Shepherdson, chief economist of Pantheon Macroeconomics. 2017 was a very strong year for the labor market, Kolko said. At the same time, job growth for the year was slightly less robust than in 2016, under President Barack Obama. And most economists think presidents do not generally determine the course of the economy, although that has not stopped President Trump from taking credit. The president pointed in a tweet Wednesday to the 4.1 percent unemployment rate as evidence that the economy is only getting better! When he took office last January, the rate was 4.8 percent. It is too early to measure the hiring effects of the corporate tax cut passed last month, but Trumps agenda may be having a positive impact on the economy in other ways. His push to dismantle regulations on businesses seems to have emboldened corporations to start pouring more money into machines and plants, which is the kind of spending that drives broad growth. Perhaps the most closely watched number in the report was the change in wages from the previous December. Earnings increased by around 2.5 percent from 2016. Workers in financial services and the leisure and hospitality sectors saw the biggest increases over the year, with wages in both industries ticking up by around 3.6 percent. We dont see our clients being willing to commit to wage increases on a permanent basis, said Bill Ravenscroft, a senior vice president at Adecco Staffing USA. The agency employs around 60,000 workers, hiring more during the holiday season, and places many in distribution centers and warehouses often used by e-commerce giants. Those companies have increased pay for workers in hot warehouse markets, such as Memphis or the Inland Empire in Southern California, where they are competing with many other companies crowded into the same area, Ravenscroft said. But instead of increasing salaries across the board, employers are vying for pickers, packers and shippers by offering new perks. Logistics companies have begun providing on-site child care, or reimbursing employees who need to put their children in day care while they work. Some companies are entering workers in raffles every week to win laptops, televisions and tablets or are bringing food trucks to their warehouses and paying for employees lunches. These types of benefits in the past, you associated them with Silicon Valley, startup companies, they werent synonymous with your traditional employers, Ravenscroft said. We arent seeing them saying we are going to take a long-term, universal approach to raising wages. There are signs beneath the surface, though, that more widespread wage growth may be around the corner. In areas where unemployment has dipped below the national rate, pay has begun to accelerate. Cities where joblessness is 3.5 percent or lower have also witnessed an impressive 4 percent annual increase in earnings, Shepherdson said. Over the last few months, the industries that have been performing particularly well have been construction and manufacturing middle-wage, middle-skill sectors that had been lagging. Following a disappointing 2016, manufacturing added 196,000 jobs last year. Construction payrolls increased by 210,000. Mining employers also posted solid gains throughout 2017, bucking a trend of job losses in recent years. Manual-labor positions are the kinds of jobs that Trump has promised to bring back in droves, so the increase could be politically important. The rest of the world is also in the midst of a strong recovery, helping to drive a U.S. rise in productive blue-collar work. The manufacturing upturn story is a global story, Shepherdson said. Its happening everywhere. You cant take credit for the recovery in Europe and China. Retail, on the other hand, finished the year in a slump. The industry a huge employer across the country has been struggling to contend with the rise of e-commerce and had a bad month in December, despite the rush of holiday shopping. The sector slashed 67,000 jobs over the year. Natalie Kitroeff is a New York Times writer. U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions decision Thursday to scrap an Obama administration policy that offered legal shelter for state-sanctioned marijuana sales does not necessarily mean a wave of federal drug busts. But it could crimp Californias marijuana industry in another way: cutting its already-tenuous access to the financial system. Most banks and credit unions wont accept deposits from marijuana businesses, but the few that do have been relying on federal guidelines that state how they can accept deposits from those companies. Although those guidelines remain in effect for now, many expect they will have to change because they were underpinned by one of the policies just rescinded a 2013 document known as the Cole memo. Without that memo, and with the possibility of changes to the guidelines, some banks and credit unions that were considering working with cannabis companies will probably back down from those plans, said Joshua Schneiderman, a partner in the Los Angeles office of law firm Snell & Wilmer. Ive talked to institutions in California looking to get into the industry, and I dont think theyre going to move forward at this point, he said. Banks are notoriously conservative, and the Cole memo was a critical underpinning of their decision to get into the cannabis space. Ken Berke, president of PayQwick, a Calabasas (Los Angeles County) company that works with banks to offer payment-processing services for marijuana businesses, said its not clear that Thursdays announcement will cause a significant change, but he agreed that it will push some institutions to reconsider their plans. If there are banks that are not serving the industry now but were thinking about it, this will have a chilling effect, he said. And if you already have cannabis clients, you may decide to wait 30 days or 60 days before opening any new accounts. The Cole memo, written by James Cole, a deputy attorney general in the Obama administration, said the Justice Department, in states where marijuana sales were legalized, should focus its marijuana-enforcement efforts on serious crimes such as sales to minors or sales involving drug cartels. In 2014, in accordance with that memo, the federal Financial Crimes Enforcement Network, a Treasury Department bureau, issued guidelines for banks that want to serve cannabis businesses. The guidelines directed banks to file reports on their marijuana clients and to be on the lookout for the potential serious illegal activities spelled out in the Cole memo. With that memo now rescinded, the guidelines may be scrapped or at least amended, said Julie Hill, a law professor at the University of Alabama who follows cannabis banking law. The whole (report) filing system doesnt make any sense without clear enforcement priorities, Hill said. I dont know what you do about that. I think it was risky before, and its even more risky now. Other bank regulators, not just FinCEN, could push banks to rein in or scrap their dealings with cannabis companies. Neil Zick, chief executive of Twin City Bank, a Longview, Wash., institution that accepts deposits from cannabis businesses, said he worries that the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. will see cannabis businesses as riskier clients now that the Cole memo has been rescinded. That, in turn, could allow the FDIC to put so many conditions and requirements on the banks cannabis dealings that it would no longer be worth the banks while. Theyll say, Well, you can do it, but you have to do this and this and this, Zick said. At some point, you say screw it, and it forces those businesses out of your institution. Its unclear, however, whether Sessions decision to rescind the Cole memo and four other enforcement guidelines will lead to a federal crackdown on marijuana in states that have legalized it. A key constraint is a 2014 federal budget amendment co-authored by Rep. Dana Rohrabacher, R-Costa Mesa (Orange County), which prevents the Justice Department from spending money on prosecuting medical marijuana users or businesses if they are complying with state law. The U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals, which has jurisdiction over federal cases in California and eight other Western states, has interpreted that law to bar any prosecutions in medical pot cases. However, Sessions issued his new guidance just days after the recreational sale and use of marijuana became legal. That is not explicitly covered by the Rohrabacher amendment. Still, not everyone in the banking industry is convinced that the crackdown will result in locking out all marijuana-related businesses from the financial system. Only about 400 banks and credit unions out of more than 10,000 institutions in the country openly work with cannabis businesses, according to FinCEN, and many cannabis businesses have accounts but dont disclose their business to their bank. The reality is, there are very few banks that will openly bank cannabis, said Aaron Herzberg, a local cannabis business owner and attorney. So youre talking about things that are very theoretical. I dont think things are going to change for banks, or change for the industry. James Rufus Koren is a Los Angeles Times writer. If you're planning to take BART in San Francisco Sunday afternoon, prepare to be confronted by the sight of people who look like they have forgotten their pants. More of them than usual. A group of scantily clad from the waist down people are planning to take over public transit in the city as part of the annual "No Pants BART Ride." Participants are planning to scatter around the city starting at 1 p.m., then board different trains all headed for Civic Center/UN Plaza Station. ALSO READ: Where to get naked in the Bay Area and not feel weird about it At 2 p.m. they plan to disembark and coalesce at Civic Center before heading off to an afterparty, which yes, is also pants-less. "This is not an exhibitionist thing, to be very clear," co-organizer Jay Zalowitz told SFGATE last year. "This is a spontaneous delight and meant to bring enjoyment out of people's day. We ran into some soldiers on the way back from Oakland Airport and you should have seen the smile this brought to their faces and that alone makes something like this worth it." Between 50 and 100 people participated in 2017, but Zalowitz thought turnout may have been lower than usual due to wet weather. More than 400 people have said they are interested in attending this year's event on Facebook. MORE FROM LAST YEAR: Annual 'no pants' BART ride attracts participants despite huge storm The only things required to participate are adequate BART fare and the ability to keep a straight face. The event page encourages pants-less participants to stay in character and deflect questions about their unconventional outfits by saying their pants were "getting uncomfortable" or they "forgot to wear pants." The event was started in 2001 by New York City-based prank collective Improv Everywhere and has since spread to other metropolitan areas, including New York, Boston, Prague and Berlin. More details on the No Pants BART Ride can be found on the Facebook event page. SFGATE's Dianne de Guzman contributed to this report. Read Alix Martichoux's latest stories and send her news tips at amartichoux@sfchronicle.com. Theres a Black Panther party going on all around the country. Superhero fans, movie fans and, especially, connoisseurs of black culture American and African are all eagerly awaiting the debut of Marvels Black Panther movie starring comic books first black superhero with an enthusiasm not often seen in American cinema. Black Panther viewing parties are already being scheduled around the country for its February release, smack dab in the middle of Black History Month. There are lines of clothing based on the movies African style being prepared the bright colors and Afrofuturism styles of Wakanda are in for the spring. And Grammy-winning rapper Kendrick Lamar was just named to produce the soundtrack. People are already calling the yet-to-be seen movie one of the most important of 2018, despite the fact that the character that has only appeared once on the silver screen and, until now, has not occupied the same pantheon as comic book stalwarts like Superman, Batman and Spider-Man. But for some fans, none of that matters because the Black Panther holds a unique position in the superhero world and especially in the African and black diaspora. As the father of two little black boys Im super excited to have a superhero that looks like them on screen, said Glen Greezy of New York City, who, along with more than 900 of his friends on Facebook, plans to hit Times Square and see the movie on opening weekend. Other superheroes are great and I see their movies too, but something about having a black man as the main character in a superhero movie is extra appealing. Black Panther, starring Chadwick Boseman as the eponymous superhero, opens on Feb. 16, picking up the adventures of the newly crowned African king and superhero who debuted in 2016s Captain America: Civil War. Existing in the same shared universe as Iron Man, the Hulk, Captain America and Spider-Man, the Panther is African royalty and his adventures center on his futuristic hidden homeland of Wakanda, considered to be the most technologically advanced nation on Marvels Earth. In the new movie, TChalla, the Black Panthers real name, must battle long-time adversaries with the aid of his all-female bodyguards and a CIA agent to maintain control of his country and prevent a world war. Directed by the Bay Areas Ryan Coogler, it also has an All-Star cast including Angela Bassett, Lupita Nyongo, Michael B. Jordan, Forest Whitaker, Danai Gurira and Sterling K. Brown. For many people, the Black Panther movie isnt just a movie; its a symbol of change. Black Panther is just going to be really special. ... I dont plug into film anticipation. But I can feel it. A lot of my friends have asked me to go to the premiere! Everyone in my network is excited about it, and you can feel it when theyre not, said Daniel Kaluuya, the Get Out star who also is featured in Black Panther, said recently. The Internet explodes each time a new trailer, poster or piece of artwork debuts from the movie, sparking hashtags like #BlackPantherSoLit and #WelcometoWakanda. Twitter declared that Black Panther was one of the most tweeted-about movies of 2017, and the only movie on the list that hadnt premiered yet. Do we really have to wait until February! lamented Elwood Robinson, chancellor of Winston-Salem State University in North Carolina, on Twitter, while sporting a Black Panther T-shirt. Groups like Intentional Community Building Collective, Leaders of a Beautiful Struggle in Baltimore and Malik Fraternity Inc., the first collegiate fraternity founded on the concept of African fraternalism, in Charlotte, N.C., are assembling discussion panels on the movies themes. Created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, the minds behind Spider-Man, the Fantastic Four and other Marvel comics, the Black Panther holds a unique position in comic book history. While not the first black comic book hero the first black character to headline his own comic book was Dell Comics Western hero and gunfighter Lobo in 1965 the Black Panther is considered the first black superhero, introduced as a supporting character in Fantastic Four in 1966 and later featured in his own book. There has been a renaissance with black superheroes on television as well. Black Lightning debuts on the CW on Jan. 16, featuring an educator who gains electrical powers and becomes a superhero. Luke Cage, a television show about a former convict with superhuman strength and unbreakable skin, premiered on Netflix in 2016 and will begin a second season later this year. Cage debuted in a self-titled comic book Luke Cage, Hero for Hire in 1972 with an exaggerated Afro and the catchphrase Sweet Christmas! He was followed by Black Lightning in a DC comic book in 1977. There have been other black superhero movies Wesley Snipes starred as the vampire slayer Blade in one of the first Marvel movies, and Robert Townsend starred in a comedic parody of superheroes in Meteor Man but their movies did not bring out the enthusiasm that Black Panther is seeing. What is significant now, however, is that (in) this age of convergence of film franchises with social media, a black superhero movie with an almost all-black cast conveys power, that we have arrived. Its evolution, said Christopher Chambers, a Georgetown University media studies professor. Jesse J. Holland is an Associated Press writer. AP film writer Jake Coyle contributed to this report. NEW YORK Not every actor suffered through lean times on their way up, but origin stories are full of tight-money moments. Patrick Wilson said recently on the red carpet that he once scraped for change at the Lincoln Tunnel. Greta Gerwig said her bank account was nearly drained when she drove past a Los Angeles movie theater with her face on the marquee. Rosamund Pike and Kate McKinnon can relate. It was lentils every day. Lentils are a gorgeous staple. I still eat a lot of lentils, actually, said McKinnon, a Saturday Night Live cast member who voiced Lupe in Ferdinand. Pike, in Hostiles with Christian Bale, remembered a particularly joyful money moment. I lived in a house with about five boys when I started out and, yeah, I didnt have any money, never had taken a taxi, she said. Everything was walking, trying to save every penny you had, and I remember when I did get a job and suddenly I thought, I can afford a taxi. It was the most incredible feeling. Timothee Chalamet is just 23, but the co-star of Call Me by Your Name struggled after a small role in Interstellar turned out not to be the big break he had expected. The year I left college, I was living in the Bronx in New York, he said. I had done Homeland at that point but a lot of my acting money had gone toward tuition for school, so that was a scary time, and Interstellar was coming out. I figured thered be a lot of roles after that and there wasnt. That was the scariest time in my life. A first-world problem, but whatever. Willem Dafoe, at 62, recalled working lots of jobs in the early years just to keep a roof over my head, but the lean times didnt last long. Besides, he had a safety net. I had a family that I knew if I really got in trouble I could go to them, so it wasnt a real cycle of poverty, but Ive had a taste of what its like not to have money, said Dafoe, a star of The Florida Project. Wilson, in the upcoming thriller The Commuter, was straight out of college and working the ensembles of musicals in Pittsburgh when he amassed about $1,500 for a move to New York City. He loaded up a rental truck with about $4 in cash to spare and off he went. This was when the Lincoln Tunnel was about $4 if you were a car $2 each additional axle, he explained. Thats important because my U-Haul truck had an additional axle and we only had $4, so we had to pull over to the little side there and go through change and had to give them change out of my backpack in order to be allowed into New York, so literally my first trip in New York I was scraping for change. Gerwigs tight-money moment came after she appeared in the 2010 film Greenberg, a turning point. I was staying in L.A. for auditions and I had no money. I had very little in my bank account and I had used the last of it to get a rental car, and I remember driving past a marquee in Los Feliz theres a cinema there and my face was on it and I didnt have a place to stay that night, Gerwig said. Luckily, a family friend offered a place to stay, then I ended up getting two jobs and then it was fine, but it was that moment of, There I am! and Where am I gonna stay tonight? Dermot Mulroney, star of the recent Hallmark holiday movie The Christmas Train, is among the lucky ones. Mulroney always worked, starting with a paper route as a 13-year-old, but I got a hot start coming out of college and starting a career, so I didnt really spend grueling months trying to get a foothold or anything like that, he said. His father pitched in, offering to pay his rent for a year. He only had to help for two months so, Mulroney smiled, Im gonna ask him about that: Are you still good for it? Leanne Italie is an Associated Press writer. Associated Press writers Ryan Pearson, Jill Dobson and Brooke Lefferts contributed to this report. LAS VEGAS, Jan. 05, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Wincash Resources, Inc. (OTC Markets:WCRI) announced today that it has recently acquired Fovea International Holdings Limited, including the Fovea brand of jewelry (www.fovea-jewellery.com), and is entering the retail jewelry business in Asia. The Company will market the Fovea brand of jewelry in major retail department stores in key cities in Asia. In addition, the Company intends to open its own free-standing retail stores under the Fovea brand name. The acquisition of the Fovea jewelry brand initiates a new business model and brings a well-known and respected product line to our Company, commented Jianmin Zhang, CEO of Wincash Resources, Inc. Mr. Zhang continued, Our new business model is more valuable and more important than ever and, with the Fovea brand, were in a position to bring significant value to the Company and its stockholders. With this new business model and acquisition, the Company has discontinued its precious metal mining operations. This news was announced by the company's CEO on 12/29/2017. About Wincash Resources, Inc.: Wincash Resources, Inc. is a holding company specializing in the retail jewelry business. For more information regarding the Company call (702) 505-4599, or email info@wincashresources.com. Precautionary and Forward-Looking Statements This release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and such forward-looking statements are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. "Forward looking statements" describe future expectations, plans, results, or strategies and are generally preceded by words such as "may," "future," "plan" or "planned," "will" or "should," "expected," "anticipates," "draft," "eventually" or "projected." You are cautioned that such statements are subject to a multitude of risks and uncertainties that could cause future circumstances, events, or results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements, including the risks that actual results may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements as a result of various factors, and other risks identified in the Company's disclosures or filings with the SEC. Contact: Wincash Resources, Inc. Investor Relations (702) 505-4599 info@wincashresources.com Source: Wincash Resources, Inc. Thomas Monson, who as president of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints since 2008 enlarged the ranks of female missionaries, but rebuffed demands to ordain women as priests and refused to alter church opposition to same-sex marriage, died Tuesday at his home in Salt Lake City. He was 90. His death was announced in a statement on the churchs website. Facing vociferous demands to admit openly gay members to the church and to recognize same-sex marriage, and weathering demonstrations at church headquarters by Mormon women pleading for the right to be ordained as priests, Monson did not bend. Teachings holding homosexuality to be immoral, bans on sexual intercourse outside male-female marriages, and an all-male priesthood would remain unaltered. Monson displayed a new openness to scholars of Mormonism, however, allowing them remarkable access to church records. But as rising numbers of church members and critics joined the Internets free-for-all culture of debate and expose, his church was confronted with troubling inconsistencies in Mormon history and Scripture. The church even found itself at odds with an old ally, the Boy Scouts of America, which admitted gay members and homosexual adults as Scout leaders. On Monsons watch, the church enlarged its global missionary force to 69,200 from 52,000 and, in what students of church affairs called a major achievement of his tenure, doubled the number of young women in its missionary ranks, to 18,400, by lowering the minimum age for service, starting in 2012, to 18 from 19 for men and to 19 from 21 for unmarried women. That sent shock waves through the church, Richard Lyman Bushman, a Mormon scholar and Columbia University historian, told the New York Times for this obituary. At 21, he said, many Mormon women were married and not free for missionary work, while lowering the age to 19 let them become missionaries soon after high school. Despite persistent demands for change on another feminist issue, Monson who as president was considered by adherents to be Gods prophet, seer and revelator did not open the door to women in the priesthood, which, like the Mormon hierarchy, has been male since the church was founded in the early 19th century. Thomas Spencer Monson was born in Salt Lake City on Aug. 21, 1927, the second of six children of George Spencer Monson and the former Gladys Condie. He graduated from West High School in Salt Lake City in 1944. After starting at the University of Utah, he joined the Naval Reserve in 1945. World War II ended months later, and after stateside training, his tour of duty ended in 1946. He re-entered the University of Utah, graduating in 1948 with honors and a bachelors degree in marketing, and earned a masters degree in business administration from Brigham Young University in 1974. In 1948, he married Frances Beverly Johnson. She died in 2013. His survivors include their three children, Thomas and Clark Monson and Ann Dibb; eight grandchildren; and 12 great-grandchildren. A printer by trade, he was an advertising executive with the Deseret News in the 1940s, and rose in the 1960s to general manager of the Deseret News Press, a church-affiliated printing firm. He was a longtime director and board chairman of the Deseret News Publishing Co. He rose steadily in the church, too. In the 1950s, he was the bishop of a ward, akin to a parish, of 1,000 Mormons. From 1959 to 1962, he was president of the churchs Canada mission, covering Ontario and Quebec. In 1963, he became a member of the Quorum of Twelve Apostles, the churchs second-highest governing body. The highest authority is the church president, followed by two counselors, positions based on seniority. Awaiting his turn for the presidency, he embraced humanitarian causes with Christian, Jewish and Muslim groups supporting homeless shelters, food banks, nursing homes and disaster relief efforts in the United States and abroad. Robert D. McFadden is a New York Times writer. Three Bay Area insurance agents were sentenced to prison Friday for participating in a scheme involving fraudulent life insurance policies, federal authorities said. Behnam Halali, 32, of San Jose, was sentenced to five years, Ernesto Magat, 35, of Hayward, was sentenced to four years, and Karen Gagarin, 32, of San Jose, was sentenced to three years, according to U.S. Attorney Brian Stretch. They were also ordered to pay $2.8 million in restitution to the insurance company that employed them. The sentences were issued by Judge Susan Ilston in U.S. District Court in San Francisco. ALBANY, New York, Jan. 06, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The global mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) market features a markedly high level of competition, notes Transparency Market Research (TMR). The top players in the market include Verizon Communications, Virgin Group Ltd., and AT&T. These players are resorting to strategic mergers and acquisitions and entering into carefully through alliances across geographies, to consolidate their shares in various regions. Several small-sized vendors are considering it worthwhile to enter the market through the route of mutual partnerships and agreements. As small entrants look to gain a better foothold in the market, the competition in the market is likely to intensify in the coming years, observes TMR. Several prominent players are anticipated to offer cutting-edge technologies and at competitive pricing to retain their dominance. For instance, leading players are finding it lucrative to expand their reach into niche and untapped segments, in order to stay ahead of their competitors. In a number of saturated markets, notably in developed regions, players are offering data-based services and value-added services in a bid to differentiate their offerings and boost their revenue earnings. The global mobile virtual network operators market for mobile virtual network operators is projected to rise at a promising CAGR of 7.4% from 2015 to 2023, vis-a-vis revenue. The market was worth US$45.86 bn by the end of 2016 and is projected to reach a valuation of US$75.25 bn by the end of the forecast period. The two primary subscriber bases of mobile virtual network operators are business and consumer; of these, individual consumers forms the leading segment currently. The dominance of this segment can be attributed to the vastly rising demand for low-cost data and voice-based services among a growing number of individual subscribers. Geographically, Europe is the leading market and is anticipated to hold the sway throughout the forecast period. The growth is driven by several key regulatory bodies supporting wide implementations of MVNOs and mobile network operators (MNOs). This regional market, though largely saturated, will benefit from the burgeoning development of low-cost differentiated value-added services. A promising rate of development in mobile virtual networks is also accentuating the growth of the Europe market. Request a PDF Sample for Research Insights at https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=S&rep_id=3261 Burgeoning Mobile Network Subscribers Stoking Demand for Data-Related and Value-Added Services A burgeoning mobile network subscribers in various parts of the world and substantial leasing of significant part of 3G network bandwidth to MNOs and MVNOs are key factors driving the mobile virtual network operators market. The staggering rise in number of mobile network subscribers in various developed and developing nations is a notable factor bolstering the demand for data-related services or value-added services. The intensifying demand for low-cost data and voice services is a crucial factor accentuating the growth of the market. The rising demand for mobile network subscribers for establishing professional and secure applications among enterprises is a crucial factor boosting the market. The rising delivery of customized services at affordable cost is a notable trend catalyzing the growth of the market. This can be attributed to less capital expenditure required for spectrum development and infrastructure. The advent of high-speed and reliable 4G networks in several developing and developed nations bodes well for the market. Coupled with constant infrastructural developments in developed nations, favorable governmental regulations are expected to accentuate the growth of the market. Purchase this Report at https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/checkout.php?rep_id=3261